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money answers all things-第26部分
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certainly in a great Measure be remov'd; if this Proposal were to be executed? The Instance I shall produce; to prove that the working People can and will do a great deal more Work than they do;if they were somewhat better incouraged; shall be that of a general Mourning for the Death of a Prince。 The Charge brought against the working People; as above; shews that they don't want Time to do a great deal more Work than they do; and a Time of general Mourning for a Prince necessarily requires abundance of Goods to be made in a very short time; besides the considerable Stock we may suppose to be in Hand; towards supplying the extraordinary Demand of such Occasions; and we know the Weavers; Dyers; Taylors; etc。 do at such Times work almost Night and Day; only for the Encouragement of somewhat better Pay and Wages; which an extraordinary Demand for any Goods is necessarily connected with; and if this can be carried so far; as to cloath so great a Part of the People of the Kingdom in so short a time; as we usually see them put themselves in Mourning on such Occasions; it must be plain that the working People not only can; but would do a great deal more Work than they do; if they were but somewhat better encouraged by their Wages to do so。 Lastly; The full and sufficient Execution of this Proposal is the only natural Way to extend Dominion; and introduce Liberty amongst Mankind。 For wherever so much Land is continually put to use; as will call for all Land is continually put to use; as will call for all the Hands; Trade; and Manufactures will suffer to employ themselves this Way; as this will necessarily give full employment to all the People; and make such Plenty of every Thing; that the meanest of the People will certainly find a comfortable Subsistence for themselves and Families; so it will infallibly draw the People out of every Nation round us; that doth not attend to this Point in the same Degree; and consequently cause the People to forsake every arbitrary and oppressive Government; to find such a Settlement; as the Business so much Land continually added and improv'd will necessarily provide for them。 'Tis true; this will in time fill this Island with Inhabitants; and improve every Spot of Ground in it。 And I suppose it must be this Way that Benjamin Motte Computes that the People may be doubled; in so short a Time as 24 or 25 Years: If this be not the Way; I am not able to conjecture how so great an Increase of People should arise; in the small Space he assert they may be doubled and quadrupled; for I am sure the natural Increase of Mankind will require a vastly longer Term; only to double in。 But however; if my 9th and 10th Principles are true; and I think them self…evident; then the full and sufficient Execution of this Proposal must be a great Advantage to the Government; by increasing the Number and Riches of their Subjects; and their Revenues together with them; which Things are inseparably connected。 Nay; this matter ought most certainly to be carried so far as to fill Ireland with Inhabitants; by granting for a considerable Term; on small Acknowledgments; a proper Quantity of any waste Land; that any Person shall choose; and be able to undertake the full Improvement of。 And this; I think; these Kingdoms would soon become vastly more powerful; since 'tis probable; that in less than a Century there would be double the present Number of People found in them。 Nor could this possibly fail; I think; unless the Nations round us; to prevent the Loss of their Subjects; should take the same Measures; and then the Increase of each Nation would be only such as the natural Increase of Mankind will produce。 but this great Advantage wold arise to Mankind by this Means; that Happiness and Liberty wold be as general and extensive; as the Method I prescribe shall be practised。 And this may shew the Folly and Absurdity of making War; on the ambitious Principle of extending Dominion; since War; if it be continued a few Years; commonly ruins the Generality of the People of such Nations as are vanquish'd; as we know the late War did France; and what we who conquer'd got by it; the Taxes we at present groan under; and from which perhaps we shall never be reliev'd; will amply testify。 But the Folly of making War; to extend Dominion; appears; in what War lays waste and depopulates Countries; and thereby puts such Nations to great and extraordinary Charges and Difficulties; to preserve and defend such unpeopled Territories from the easy Inroads and Invasions of their Neighbours; who have as many more Opportunities of Entrance; as the extended unpeopled Territory of any Potentate doth necessarily afford。 If therefore it be absurd to make War to extend Dominion; I should say Territory; for that is all that can be got by it;(27*) and if; as I have before shewn; it be unnecessary on the Account of Trade also; it will follow that War; except in our own necessary Self…defence; is unnatural and wicked; since these ordinary Causes; viz。 extending Dominion or Trade will not justify it。 Yet I think there is one Case; in which making War on other Nations may be justifiable; viz。 Fighting for Territory when we are over…people; and want Land for them; which our Neighbours have; but will not part with on amicable and reasonable Terms。 And as this; and necessary Self…defence is all the just Foundation War can ever have; so War for any other Causes is Murder; aggravated by the horrible Addition of all the Thousands that are destroy'd on both Sides。 This must be so; because it's monstrous to imagine; the Author of the World hath constituted Things so; as to make it any Ways necessary for Mankind to murder and destroy each other: And yet he must have constituted Things thus monstrously; if War be necessary on any other Foundation whatsoever。 I will not proceed to shew; that the State of the Nation; in Respect of the Trade thereof; is really very different; and much worse than it was about the Year 1688。 Erasmus Phillips says; Page 15; that the Year above mentioned was perhaps the Time; when England was in Possession of the greatest Quantity of Wealth she ever did enjoy; She was then inrich'd with the Treasure she had been accumulating for about 150 Years; for so long we may date the Progress of Trade in this Nation。 And Page 17; he says;As to the Specie of the Nation; the Recoining 3 Years afterwards makes that sum almost apparent as to the Silver; for from 1691 to 1697; there was brought to the London and Country Mints; 8;400;000 l。 of clipt; light; and hammer'd Money; and in all Probability there might be a great Sum standing out。 The mill'd Silver coin'd in King Charles IId; and King James IId's Reign; might be 2;200;000 l。 so that we may suppose subsisting in Silver Money; at that Time; about 11 Millions; And the Gold we may reckon thus:
Coin'd in Queen Elizabeth's Time who reform'd most of the old Specie: L。 1;500;000 Coin'd in King James Ist's Time L。 800;000 Coin'd in King Charles Ist's Time L。 1;723;456 And in the Reigns of King Charles IId; and King James IId。 L。 6;500;000 In all L。 10;523;456
But allowing for Deficiencies and Wastes of
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