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effect of that act at the time of its firft poffible ope

ration, that is, in the year 1767. how ftands the account?

On this idea

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1767 (first year of the Free-port act) 467,681

This author, for the fake of a present momentary credit, will hazard any future and permanent difgrace. At the time he wrote, the account of 1767 could not be made up. This was the very first year of the trial of the Free-port act; and we find that the fale of British commodities is fo far from leffened by that act, that the export of 1767 amounts to £.52,000 more than that of either of the two preceding years, and is £.11,000 above that of his standard year 1764. If I could prevail on myself to argue in favour of a great commer cial fcheme from the appearance of things in a fingle year, I fhould from this increase of export infer the beneficial effects of that measure. In truth, it is not wanting. Nothing but the thickeft ignorance of the Jamaica trade could have made any one entertain a fancy, that the leaft ill effect on our commerce could follow from this opening of the ports. But, if the author argues the effect of re

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gulations in the American trade from the export of the year in which they are made, or even or the following; why did he not apply this rule to his own? He had the fame paper before him which I have now before me. He must have seen that in his standard year (the year 1764), the principal year of his new regulations, the export fell no lefs than £.128,450 fhort of that in 1763! Did the export trade revive by thefe regulations in 1765, during which year they continued in their full force? It fell about £.40,000 ftill lower. Here is à fall of £.168,000; to account for which, would have become the author much better than piddling for an £.80 fall in the year 1766 (the only year in which the order he objects to could operate), or in prefuming a fall of exports from a regulation which took place only in November 1766; whose effects could not appear until the following year; and which, when they do appear, utterly overthrow all his flimfy reafons and affected fufpicions upon the effect of opening the ports.

This author, in the fame paragraph, fays, that "it was afferted by the American factors and agents, "that the commanders of our fhips of war and

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tenders, having cuftom-house commiffions, and the ftrict orders given in 1764 for a due exe"cution of the laws of trade in the colonies, had "deterred the Spaniards from trading with us;

"that

"that the fale of British manufactures in the Weft Indies had been greatly leffened, and the receipt "of large fums of fpecie prevented."

If the American factors and agents afferted this, they had good ground for their affertion. They knew that the Spanish veffels had been driven from our ports. The author does not pofitively deny the fact. If he fhould, it will be proved.

When the factors connected this measure and its natural confequences, with an actual fall in the exports to Jamaica, to no lefs an amount than £.128,450 in one year, and with a further fall in the next, is their affertion very wonderful? The author himself is full as much alarmed by a fall of only £.40,000; for, giving him the facts which he chufes to coin, it is no more. The expulfion of the Spanish veffels must certainly have been one caufe, if not of the firft declenfion of the exports, yet of their continuance in their reduced ftate. Other caufes had their operation, without doubt. In what degree each caufe produced its effect, it is hard to determine. But the fact of a fall of exports upon the reftraining plan, and of a rife upon the taking place of the enlarging plan, is established beyond all contradiction.

This author fays, that the facts relative to the Spanish trade were afferted by American factors and agents; infinuating, that the miniftry of 1766 had no better authority for their plan of enlargement

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than fuch affertions. The moment he chooses it, he fhall fee the very fame thing afferted by go, vernors of provinces, by commanders of men of war, and by officers of the customs; perfons the moft bound in duty to prevent contraband, and the most interested in the feizures to be made in confequence of strict regulation. I fupprefs them for the present; wishing that the author may not drive me to a more full difcuffion of this matter than it may be altogether prudent to enter into. I with he had not made any of thefe difcuffions neceffary.

THOUGHTS

THOUGHTS

ON

THE CAUSE OF THE PRESENT

DISCONTENTS.

Hoc vero occultum, inteftinum, domesticum malum, non modo non exiftit, verum etiam opprimit, antiquam perfpicere atque explorare potueris.

CIC.

1770.

P4

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