Diftrefs, have been hurried to Acts fo defperate, that they can be exceeded only by Suicide. They have gone. about like a Tempeft laying wafte their own Country. According to the prefent Method of collecting the Duties on Tobacco, they are paid and fecur'd at the several Ports of Importation, by the Factors to thefe Planters; from their advancing the Duties, a confiderable Charge is brought upon the Planters, which, when the Method of collecting the Duty is changed, they will be entirely eas'd B of. Subjects as fuch, which has not in it one Drop of the Juice of the Grape. The Duty on Wine being paid at the Port, upon Importation, this Liquid, which never was, perhaps, out of the Cellar where it is fold, A escapes Duty free. I fhall rejoice, when this Law takes Place, to find, that after paffing an Evening agreeably, one may be the better for it the next Day; and that the honest fair trading Wine Merchant will be no longer a Sufferer by these Practices, to which he is an utter Stranger. For, as we may hope, hereafter, nothing will be called Wine, and drank as fuch, but what is Wine; it must all pafs thro' the Merchant's Hands, and he will likewife find no inconfiderable Benefit, by being eafed of the Payment of the Duties, which must now be paid, perhaps a Year or two, before his Wine is fit for Sale. I forbear in fifting on the Increase of the Produce of the Duties on these Commodities, by varying the Method of collecting them, which is now funk in the Pocket of the fraudulent Dealer. Experience has (hewn, that an Alteration of the Manner of collecting a Duty, may increase the Duty; as in the Cafe of Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate. This, as I have been inform'd, has been attended with a E Gain to the Publick of near 100,000l. a Year. And here, I cannot but lament the melancholy State of another great Article of our Commerce: I mean, that of Sugar. For fome Years paft it has gradually declined. The Portuguefe had, formerly, the Trade of Sugars intirely to themselves. Upon the Establishment of our Sugar Islands we gained upon them, by little and little, and the Country of Brazil producing a Commodity which the Portuguese thought better worth their Attention, we foon found ourselves D in Poffeffion of the Sugar - Trade. The French, for fome Time, gave us little Disturbance; but of late, they have extended their Sugar Plantations, particularly in St. Domingo, to that Degree, and have, as I am inform'd, had fuch Encouragement from France, that they have in a Manner put us into the fame Condition with the Portuguese. However, there is a Method of giving fome Encouragement to this Trade, which is following the Example which I mention'd just now, with Refpect to the Tobacco Trade, of allowing all the Duty to be drawn back upen Exportation. But to return; The Alteration in the Manner of collecting the Duty on Wines, will be attended with Advantages which one cannot reflect on, without the utmost Satisfaction. At prefent, there is a Compofition called Wine, and fold to his Majefty's VOL. II. F G D quieted the Troubles at Home, he gave Ear to the Complaints of his People, which were univerfal against thofe, who in the preceding Reign had devour'd the Fertility of the Land; I mean that Swarm of Locufts, which under the Names of Commiffioners, Supervisors, Collectors, Excifemen, &c. had been fent out of the the Treasury to deftroy the Country. The King himself was of Opinion, that it was not only neceffary to humble the Infolence of those Harpies, but juft to punish them feverely for the Mifchiefs which they had brought upon the Publick. Wherefore it was refolved to bring them to an open Tryal; in Confefequence of which Refolution, fome of the Maitres des Requeftes of the Parliament of Paris, and certain Members of the Court of Aides, were by the King's fpecial Commiffion appointed for their Judges. The Plunderers faw the Storm gathering, and fet all Hands to work, in order to weather it. Some of them indeed were so terrified, that they fled to other Countries; but carried with them fuffici ent to enable them to pass their Time agreeably there; the most guilty flood it out, for they had purchafed Lands, built fumptuous Palaces, laid out vaft Sums in Plate, rich Furniture, Pictures, and other expenfive Curiofities, and it went to their Souls very to think of leaving behind, thofe prodigal Fruits of their Folly and Corruption, which they could not carry away with them, and upon which their vain Hearts were fixed; fo that inflead of flying from Juftice, they endeavoured to defeat it. One Thing that contributed to fave them was, that such of the Nobility, who by the Hardships of the Times had been reduced in their Fortunes, (in order to repair themfelves) had married the Daughters, Nieces, r. of thefe Financiers, becaufe (fays Mezeray) they got more Money than they could expect in virtuous and honourable Families; others again gave their Sisters, Daughters, . to thofe Fellows, who for the Vanity of being fo allied, married them without Portions; fo that there was scarce one of thefe pilfering Up ftarts that could not claim a Kindred with one great Family or other. This procured them many powerful Advocates, in the Day of their Danger; befides which, they found Means by various Chicanes, (a Trick common to Men in those Circumftances) to delay the Proceedings, A which gave them Time, by the Force of large Prefents, to ingage feveral beautiful Ladies in their Intereft; here they found out a Method of foftning the King's Refolutions; for Beauty was the only Weapon, against which he cou'd make no Refiftance. B C Ꭰ E Upon the Whole, the People, who expected to have feen Gibbets erected in every City and Town of the Kingdom, were much difappointed, when they found their Robbers came off, by being fined in a certain Sum towards the Payment of the Publick Debts. This fhews, that Juftice with hot Iron Hands will never be able to reach those, who have engrofs'd the whole Wealth of a Nation; therefore in Governments, where Things are going that Way, if the People cannot ftop the Men of Business before they get all, there will be but little Reafon for them to fear any Attacks that may be made upon them. afterwards. Ariftotle gives it as his Opinion, that a great Number of Civil Employments in a Commonwealth, is an infallible Sign of a bad Government; and indeed in all the free States among the Antients, the Civil Employments were not only very few, but thofe few brought little or no Profit to the Poffeffors; for it was a Notion amongst them, that the Honour of being trufted, and the Refpect which a great Office brings to the Owner, were Reward enough, for the little Trouble of attending it. At this Day in Holland and Venice, G which are called free Commonwealths, no Man ever made a Fortune by a Civil Employment; and in the latter, a Fine is laid by Law upon upon thofe, who refufe to take an Employment upon them, because they are rather an Incumbrance than Profit. It is certain, that in a Nation where a great Part of the Revenues are appropriated towards the Support A of a lazy flothful Crew of Civil Caterpillars, its Honour and Interests will be in Danger, whenever they are called in Question by fome vigorous or ambitious Neighbour; for if the Sinews of War are wasted in Peace, you must crouch and bend, and kifs the Feet that kick you. Such a Nation, let its Wealth be never fo great, is like fome vaft unwieldy Animal, which, with all its Strength, cannot carry the fmallest Burthen; for when it fhou'd be put into Motion, it is tired, and op. C preffed with its own huge Weight. B In arbitrary Governinents, unless the Prince be a Man of great Vertue and Goodness, this will be the Cafe. Employments must be created for Men, not Men found out fit for Employments. The Man who has embar- D rafs'd his Country's Affairs, and ruin'd its Interefts, will pretend a Right to be quarter'd upon it foréver; nay, not only he, but every one that belongs to him, is to get up and ride the People, Offices must be found or made for Mafter Jerry, and E Bob, and Niky, and every As of his Family (if I may be allowed the Expreffion) is to be fet on Horfeback upon the Publick; and he may fay in earnest what a certain Perfon faid in Jeft, who being ask'd what he intended to do with his Son, F anfwer'd ludicrously, that if he fhould happen to be ingenious, and take his Learning well, he should ftudy Phyfick; but if he prove a Blockhead (fays he) I will get him fome confiderable Employment in the State. Craftsman, Jan. 27. N° 343. Remarks on Mr. Osborne's Laft Journal, &c. (See p. 22.) T HE abolishing the Duties on Salt (lays Mr. D'Anvers) gave us Hopes of a gradual Eafe from several other Taxes, and it was generally expected, that the Duties on Soap and Candles would foon be taken off; but the very next Year, we were informed, that a Scheme was then on Foot, for fubftituting a general Excife in the Room of the Land Tax. We gave the Publick immediate Notice of this Defign; and tho' it was frenuously deny'd, at that Time, our Information foon prov'd true; for the Duties on Salt were revived the Year afterwards, and laid for 3 Years certain, in lieu of 1. in the Pound on Land for one Year. We were likewife told, at the fame Time, that the other Shilling on Land fhould be taken off this Year, if Gentlemen would agree to fome reasonable Aile rations in the Method of collecting the publick Revenue; i. e. by turning the Customs into Excifes. The profound Mr. Osborne mounted the Stage laft Summer, on this Occafion, and made a filly Zany's Speech about Excifes, without Head or Tail, to the great Diverfion of the Publick. (See Vol. I. p. 142.) I was however in Hopes he would have been prevail'd on by his Friends, not to expofe himself any more; and, indeed, I began to entertain fome Opinion of his Prudence, from his long Silence on this Head; but his lat Paper hath quite undone him with me again, and confirm'd the Truth of an old Obfervation, that it is impoffible to get the better of Nature. He tells us with a very grave G Face, at the End of this Paper, that he bath acted the Part of a fair and honest Mediator, in the prefent Difpute; That is, he hath talk'd backD 2 wards wards and forwards upon the Subject of Excifes for two or three Columns together, and left it at laft just where he found it, without bringing the different Parties a Step nearer to one another, and only giving us to underftand that he does not know what to think of it himself. A What a fine Syftem of publick Wisdom has he exhibited to us; and how worthy of a Man, who pretends to uncommon Strictnefs of Reafoning! Mr. O. indeed, hath long B ago proved himself a meer old Babe in Politicks; but it was natural to fuppofe, at leaft, that he could not be ignorant of the old School-Maxim, Principiis obfta; or, venienti occurrite Morbo. Inftead of this, he advifes us to truft intirely to a good Conftitution, and let the Diftemper run on to a Crifis, before we apply any Remedy. But the Merchants and Traders had the Example of the Druggifts before their Eyes, with Regard to the Tea-Act; who waited with Patience till the Scheme was made publick, according to Mr. O.'s Advice, and then made their Objections againft it; but were neither able to get it laid afide, nor to obtain fuch Alterations, as gave them Satisfaction. I cannot conclude better (fays he) than by putting my Readers in Mind of the Trojan Horfe. Let us remember, my Countrymen, that one of the most famous Cities in the World was deftroy'd by that Stratagem, after it had refifted a Siege of 10 Years. Let us alfo reflect that the Trojans were drawn into this fatal Snare by the plaufible Tale of an impudent, lying Fellow, who made the strongest Profeffions of Friendship, and pretended to have nothing at Heart but their Prefervation. But we cannot be deluded in the fame Manner. We know what a General Excife is, and cannot be ignorant that it hath an Army in its Belly. Let us theretore keep a constant Guard at our Gates; and if another Sinon fhould endeavour to introduce fuch a Monster amongst us, under any Specious Pretences whatsoever, let us reject his Offers with the utmost Indignation; for if we fhould once admit him within our Walls, it will be almoft impoffible to efcape the fame Fate with that unbappy People. London Journal, Jan. 27. No 709. Of the Publick Good. TRANGE! but true it is, (fays Mr. Osborne) that the Enemies of the prefent Administration are the Cause of all the Discontents in the Kingdom, and yet conftantly lay thofe Discontents at the Door of the Ministry. Is this the Way to promote Publick Good, to call Gentlemen in C Power Publick Robbers and Plunderers? Is conftant ufing Men ill, the Way to make them do well? or, Is it not rather the Way to make them bate a People whom they can't pleafe; and to wish for Power to subD due thofe whom good Usage can't make easy? F A Government, particularly the Government of England, purfues the Good of the Publick, when it takes all poffible Care to keep off War, and preferve the Peace of Europe; for, our Business is Peace, and Trade with all the World. And our Trade, as a confequence of the pacific Measures of the Ministry, was never more flourishing, especially as to the grand Trade of the Kingdom, the Woollen Manufacturies, and the Exports of our home-made Commodities of all Sorts. This is true, notwithstanding all the invidious Declamations of bireling and prostitute Pens, who reprefent our Trade decaying, and Poor starving. Our Domeftick Affairs are carried Gon as well as Human Affairs feem capable of; or, at leaft," full as well as we have Reason to apprehend any other Set of Men would carry them on, Our Liberties are untouch'd; our Pro Properties are well fecured; we have no Taxes but what the Neceffities of the Government, and the Circumftances of the Kingdom demand; we make our own Laws, or, in other Words, govern ourselves. mistake even this for a Virtue, affect it themselves, and are at Pains to inftil it into their Children. How often do we hear little Mafter put in mind that he is a Gentleman, and ought to hold in the higheft Contempt all A thofe who are not fo rich as his Fa ther! or what is more common than for Nurfes to inculcate the Love of fine Cloaths, before the poor Things know whence Cloaths are Useful? Mr. Pope has with great Judgment _drawn the Picture of this Vice, and Bat the fame time expofed the Source from whence it flows, If the People then would pursue the publick Good, they fhould be thankful for the Care which the Government hath taken to difembarrafs foreign Affairs, and fettle the Peace of Europe; and fo promote the Trade and Wealth of the Kingdom. They should shew, by their Words and Actions, the highest Sense of the Bleffings of General Liberty, and the Security of Property; and fhould, with the greatest Cheerfulness, pay the Taxes which are neceffary to the Prefervation of both. They fhould not expect Perfection in any Thing: C Of all the causes which confpire to blind with wind. Pride bere wit fails fteps in to our defence, If Perfons in Power have more Good than Ill, and Things are, upon the Whole, well adminiftred, the People should be content, and not be always troubling themselves and the World about Impoffibilities: They fhould never believe any Reports to the Pre-powder'd Wigg and laced Linnen, may judice and Dishonour of the Government, till the Proofs be produced; but always demand a Reajon, before they give their Affent: They fhould abber all vile Infinuations, built on mere Sufpicions; as in the Cafe of the Report conveyed over the Kingdom, about a General Excife, Applebee's Journal, Jan. 27. Of Pride. [ODERN Pride is rather a Mfwelling Self-fufficiency than Appetite towards acquiring Glory; 'tis in our Days a lazy, ftrutting Indolence of Mind, awake only to receive Respect, and afleep as to taking any Method which might deserve it. One would imagine there is fomething fo mean and disagreeable in this Picture, that any Body who but giances on it must diflike it; and yet I know not how it is, but fome Men E in fome Degree juftify a Man's taking upon him in the Street, where Refpect depends wholly upon Appearance. But the Man of Mode mult permit me to inform him, that these Ornaments are a Prejudice to him in polite Company, if they are not upported by fomething else. People are caught at the first View by a gentile Drefs, but they foon grow impatient to hear whether the Man who wears it be a fine Gentleman or a Coxcomb. |