太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > wealbk04 >

第43节

wealbk04-第43节

小说: wealbk04 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



trade; a trade so much favoured by the mercantile system。

     Our colonies; however; are by no means independent foreign

countries; and Great Britain having assumed to herself the

exclusive right of supplying them with all goods from Europe;

might have forced them (in the same manner as other countries

have done their colonies) to receive such goods; loaded with all

the same duties which they paid in the mother country。 But; on

the contrary; till 1763; the same drawbacks were paid upon the

exportation of the greater part of foreign goods to our colonies

as to any independent foreign country。 In 1763; indeed; by the

4th of George III; c。 15; this indulgence was a good deal abated;

and it was enacted; 〃That no part of the duty called the Old

Subsidy should be drawn back for any goods of the growth;

production; or manufacture of Europe or the East Indies; which

should be exported from this kingdom to any British colony or

plantation in America; wines; white calicoes and muslins

excepted。〃 Before this law; many different sorts of foreign goods

might have been bought cheaper in the plantations than in the

mother country; and some may still。

     Of the greater part of the regulations concerning the colony

trade; the merchants who carry it on; it must be observed; have

been the principal advisers。 We must not wonder; therefore; if;

in the greater part of them; their interest has been more

considered than either that of the colonies or that of the mother

country。 In their exclusive privilege of supplying the colonies

with all the goods which they wanted from Europe; and of

purchasing all such parts of their surplus produce as could not

interfere with any of the trades which they themselves carried on

at home; the interest of the colonies was sacrificed to the

interest of those merchants。 In allowing the same drawbacks upon

the re…exportation of the greater part of European and East India

goods to the colonies as upon their re…exportation to any

independent country; the interest of the mother country was

sacrificed to it; even according to the mercantile ideas of that

interest。 It was for the interest of the merchants to pay as

little as possible for the foreign which they sent to the

colonies; and; consequently; to get back as much as possible of

the duties which they advanced upon their importation into Great

Britain。 They might thereby be enabled to sell in the colonies

either the same quantity of goods with a greater profit; or a

greater quantity with the same profit; and; consequently; to gain

something either in the one way or the other。 It was likewise for

the interest of the colonies to get all such goods as cheap and

in as great abundance as possible。 But this might not always be

for the interest of the mother country。 She might frequently

suffer both in her revenue; by giving back a great part of the

duties which had been paid upon the importation of such goods;

and in her manufactures; by being undersold in the colony market;

in consequence of the easy terms upon which foreign manufactures

could be carried thither by means of those drawbacks。 The

progress of the linen manufacture of Great Britain; it is

commonly said; has been a good deal retarded by the drawbacks

upon the re…exportation of German linen to the American colonies。

     But though the policy of Great Britain with regard to the

trade of her colonies has been dictated by the same mercantile

spirit as that of other nations; it has; however; upon the whole;

been less illiberal and oppressive than that of any of them。

     In everything; except their foreign trade; the liberty of

the English colonists to manage their own affairs their own way

is complete。 It is in every respect equal to that of their

fellow…citizens at home; and is secured in the same manner; by an

assembly of the representatives of the people; who claim the sole

right of imposing taxes for the support of the colony government。

The authority of this assembly overawes the executive power; and

neither the meanest nor the most obnoxious colonist; as long as

he obeys the law; has anything to fear from the resentment;

either of the governor or of any other civil or military officer

in the province。 The colony assemblies though; like the House of

Commons in England; are not always a very equal representation of

the people; yet they approach more nearly to that character; and

as the executive power either has not the means to corrupt them;

or; on account of the support which it receives from the mother

country; is not under the necessity of doing so; they are perhaps

in general more influenced by the inclinations of their

constituents。 The councils which; in the colony legislatures;

correspond to the House of Lords in Great Britain; are not

composed of an hereditary nobility。 In some of the colonies; as

in three of the governments of New England; those councils are

not appointed by the king; but chosen by the representatives of

the people。 In none of the English colonies is there any

hereditary nobility。 In all of them; indeed; as in all other free

countries; the descendant of an old colony family is more

respected than an upstart of equal merit and fortune; but he is

only more respected; and he has no privileges by which he can be

troublesome to his neighbours。 Before the commencement of the

present disturbances; the colony assemblies had not only the

legislative but a part of the executive power。 In Connecticut and

Rhode Island; they elected the governor。 In the other colonies

they appointed the revenue officers who collected the taxes

imposed by those respective assemblies; to whom those officers

were immediately responsible。 There is more equality; therefore;

among the English colonists than among the inhabitants of the

mother country。 Their manners are more republican; and their

governments; those of three of the provinces of New England in

particular; have hitherto been more republican too。

     The absolute governments of Spain; Portugal; and France; on

the contrary; take place in their colonies; and the discretionary

powers which such governments commonly delegate to all their

inferior officers are; on account of the great distance;

naturally exercised there with more than ordinary violence。 Under

all absolute governments there is more liberty in the capital

than in any other part of the country。 The sovereign himself can

never have either interest or inclination to pervert the order of

justice; or to oppress the great body of the people。 In the

capital his presence overawes more or less all his inferior

officers; who in the remoter provinces; from whence the

complaints of the people are less likely to reach him; can

exercise their tyranny with much more safety。 But the European

colonies in America are more remote than the most distant

provinces of the greatest empires which had ever been known

before。 The government of the English colonies is perhaps the

only one which; since the world began; could give perfect

security to the inhabitants of so very distant a province。 The

administration of the French colonies; however; has always been

conducted with more gentleness and moderation than that of the

Spanish and Portugese。 This superiority of conduct is suitable

both to the character of the French nation; and to what forms the

character of every nation; the nature of their government; which

though arbitrary and violent in comparison with that of Great

Britain; is legal and free in comparison with those of Spain and

Portugal。

     It is in the progress of the North American colonies;

however; that the superiority of the English policy chiefly

appears。 The progress of the sugar colonies of France has been at

least equal; perhaps superior; to that of the greater part of

those of England; and yet the sugar colonies of England enjoy a

free government nearly of the same kind with that which takes

place in her colonies of North America。 But the sugar colonies of

France are not discouraged; like those of England; from refining

their own sugar; and; what is of still greater importance; the

genius of their government naturally introduces a better

management of their negro slaves。

     In all European colonies the culture of the sugar…cane is

carried on by negro slaves。 The constitution of those who have

been born in the temperate climate of Europe could not; it is

supposed; support the labour of digging the ground under the

burning sun of the West Indies; and the culture of the sugarcane;

as it is managed at present; is all hand labour; though; in the

opinion of many; the drill plough might be introduced into it

with great advantage。 But; as the profit and success of the

cultivation which is carried on by means of cattle; depend very

much upon the good management of those cattle; so the profit and

success of that which is carried on by slaves must depend equally

upon the good management of those slaves; and in the good

management of their slaves the French planters; I think it is

generally allowed; are superior to the English。 The law;

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的