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cient manners familiar, produce a reconcilia- | of any which can be conceived, as it is groundtion between disinterestedness and commerce; ed on the noblest principle of benevolence. a thing we often see, but almost always in men of a liberal education.

To conclude: when we would form a people, soil and climate may be found at least sufficiently good; inhabitants may be encouraged to settle, and even supported for a while; a good government and laws may be framed, and even arts may be established, or their produce imported: but many necessary moral habits are hardly ever found among those who voluntary offer themselves in times of quiet at home, to people new colonies; besides, that the moral, as well as mechanical habits, adapted to a mother country, are frequently not so to the new settled one, and to external events, many of which are always unforeseen. Hence it is we have seen such fruitless attempts to settle colonies, at an immense public and private expense, by several of the powers of Europe: and it is particularly observable, that none of the English colonies became any way considerable, till the necessary manners were born and grew up in the country, excepting those to which singu. lar circumstances at home forced manners fit for the forming a new state.—I am, sir, &c.

R. J.

Plan, by Messieurs Franklin and Dalrymple, for benefiting distant unprovided Countries.*

Aug. 29, 1771.

Good intentions are often frustrated by letting them remain indigested; on this consideration Mr. Dalrymple was induced to put the outlines on paper, which are now published, that by an early communication there may be a better opportunity of collecting all the hints, which can conduce to execute effectually the benevolent purpose of the expedition, in case it should meet with general approbation.

On this scheme being shown to Dr. Franklin, he communicated his sentiments, by way of introduction, to the following effect:

"Britain is said to have produced originally nothing but sloes. What vast advantages have been communicated to her by the fruits, seeds, roots, herbage, animals, and arts of other countries! We are by their means become a wealthy and a mighty nation, abounding in all good things. Does not some duty hence arise from us towards other countries, still remaining in our former state?

"Britain is now the first maritime power in the world. Her ships are innumerable, capable by their form, size, and strength, of sailing on all seas. Our seamen are equally bold, skilful, and hardy; dextrous in exploring the remotest regions, and ready to engage in voyages to unknown countries, though attended with the greatest dangers. The inhabitants of those countries, our fellow men, have canoes only; not knowing iron, they cannot build ships; they have little astronomy, and no knowlege of the compass THE Country called in the maps New Zea-to guide them; they cannot therefore come to land, has been discovered by the Endeavour, to be two islands, together as large as Great Britain: these islands, named Acpy-nomawée, and Tovy-poennammoo, are inhabited by a brave and generous race, who are destitute of corn, fowls, and all quadrupeds, except dogs. These circumstances being mentioned lately in a company of men of liberal sentiments, it was observed, that it seemed incumbent on such a country as this, to communicate to all others the conveniences of life, which we enjoy.

Dr. Franklin, whose life has ever been directed to promote the true interest of society, said, "he would with all his heart subscribe to a voyage intended to communicate in general those benefits which we enjoy, to countries destitute of them in the remote parts of the globe." This proposition being warmly adopted by the rest of the company, Mr. Dalrymple, then present, was induced to offer to undertake the command on such an expedition.

On mature reflection, this scheme appears the more honourable to the national character

These proposals were printed upon a sheet of paper, and distributed. The parts written by Dr. Frank lin and Mr. Dalrymple are easily distinguished.

us, or obtain any of our advantages. From these circumstances, does not some duty seem to arise from us to them? Does not Providence, by these distinguishing favours, seem to call on us, to do something ourselves for the common interest of humanity!

"Those who think it their duty, to ask bread and other blessings daily from heaven, would they not think it equally a duty, to communicate of those blessings when they have received them, and show their gratitude to their great Benefactor by the only means in their power, promoting the happiness of his other children?

"Ceres is said to have made a journey through many countries to teach the use of corn, and the art of raising it.-For this single benefit the grateful nations deified her. How much more may Englishmen deserve such honour, by communicating the knowledge and use not of corn only, but of all the other enjoyments the earth can produce, and which they are now in possession of. Communiter bona profundere, Deum est.

"Many voyages have been undertaken with views of profit or of plunder, or to gratify resentment; to procure some advantage to ourselves, or do some mischief to others; but a

voyage is now proposed, to visit a distant people on the other side the globe; not to cheat them, not to rob them, not to seize their lands, or enslave their persons; but merely to do them good, and make them, as far as in our power lies, to live as comfortably as ourselves.

"It seems a laudable wish, that all the nations of the earth were connected by a knowledge of each other; and a mutual exchange of benefits: but a commercial nation particularly should wish for a general civilization of mankind, since trade is always carried on to much greater extent with people who have the arts and conveniences of life, than it can be with naked savages. We may therefore hope, in this undertaking, to be of some service to our country as well as to those poor people, who, however distant from us, are in truth related to us, and whose interest do, in some degree, concern every one who can say, Homo sum, &c."

Scheme of a voyage, by subscription, to convey the conveniences of life, as fowls, hogs, goats, cattle, corn, iron, &c., to those remote regions, which are destitute of them, and to bring from thence such productions, as can be cultivated in this kingdom to the advantage of society, in a ship under the command of Alexander Dalrymple.

Catt or bark, from the the coal trade,
of 350 tons, estimated at about
Extra expenses, stores, boats, &c.
To be manned with 60 men at 41.
per man, per month.

240
12

per ann. 2880

3

Wages and provisions for 3 years

Cargo included, supposed

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ty, likely to happen in any province, and from what province it can best be supplied in good time. To facilitate the collecting of this account, and prevent the necessity of entering houses and spending time in asking and answering questions, each house is furnished with a little board, to be hung without the door during a certain time each year; on which board are marked certain words, against which the inhabitant is to mark the number and quantity, somewhat in this manner:

Men,
Women,
Children,

Rice, or Wheat,
Flesh, &c.

All under sixteen are accounted children, and all above, men and women. Any other particulars, which the government desires information of, are occasionally marked on the same boards. Thus the officers, appointed to collect the accounts in each district, have only to pass before the doors, and enter into their book what they find marked on the board, without giving the least trouble to the family. There is a penalty on marking falsely, and £2000 as neighbours must know nearly the truth of 3000 each other's account, they dare not expose themselves, by a false one, to each other's accusation. Perhaps such a regulation is scarcely practicable with us.

Positions to be examined, concerning national
Wealth.

1. ALL food or subsistence for mankind arise 8640 from the earth or waters.

2. Necessaries of life, that are not food, and 13640 all other conveniences, have their value estimated by the proportion of food consumed while we are employed in procuring them.

£15000 The expenses of this expedition are calcu3. A small people, with a large territory, lated for three years: but the greatest part of may subsist on the productions of nature, with the amount of wages will not be wanted till no other labour that of gathering the vegetathe ship returns, and a great part of the ex-bles and catching the animals. pense of provisions will be saved by what is obtained in the course of the voyage, by barter, or otherwise, though it is proper to make provision for contingencies.

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4. A large people, with a small territory, finds these insufficient, and, to subsist, must labour the earth, to make it produce greater quantities of vegetable food, suitable for the nourishment of men, and of the animals they intend to eat.

5. From this labour arises a great increase of vegetable and animal food, and of materials for clothing, as flax, wool, silk, &c. The superfluity of these is wealth. With this wealth we pay for the labour employed in building our houses, cities, &c. which are therefore only subsistence thus metamor phosed,

6. Manufactures are only another shape forty, and perhaps get thirty shillings for that, into which so much provisions and subsistence which cost him but twenty. are turned, as were equal in value to the manu- 12. Finally, there seem to be but three factures produced. This appears from hence, ways for a nation to acquire wealth. The that the manufacturer does not, in fact, obtain first is by war, as the Romans did, by plunderfrom the employer, for his labour, more than a ing their conquered neighbours. This is robmere subsistence, including raiment, fuel, and bery.-The second by commerce, which is shelter: all which derive their value from the generally cheating.-The third by agriculprovisions consumed in procuring them. ture, the only honest way, wherein man re7. The produce of the earth, thus convert-ceives a real increase of the seed thrown into ed into manufactures, may be more easily car- the ground, in a kind of continual miracle ried to distant markets than before such conver- wrought by the hand of God in his favour, as a sion. reward for his innocent life, and his virtuous industry. B. FRANKLIN.

8. Fair commerce is, where equal values are exchanged for equal, the expense of transport included. Thus, if it costs A in England as much labour and charge to raise a bushel of wheat, as it costs B in France to produce four gallons of wine, then are four gallons of wine the fair exchange for a bushel of wheat, A and B meeting at half distance with their commodities to make the exchange. The advantage of this fair commerce is, that each party increases the number of his enjoyments, having, instead of wheat alone, or wine alone, the use of both wheat and wine.

9. Where the labour and expense of producing both commodities are known to both parties, bargains will generally be fair and equal. Where they are known to one party only, bargains will often be unequal, knowledge taking its advantage of ignorance.

10. Thus he, that carries one thousand bushels of wheat abroad to sell, may not probably obtain so great a profit thereon, as if he had first turned the wheat into manufactures, by subsisting therewith the workmen while producing those manufactures: since there are many expediting and facilitating methods of working, not generally known; and strangers to the manufactures, though they know pretty well the expense of raising wheat, are unacquainted with those short methods of working, and thence, being apt to suppose more labour employed in the manufactures than there really is, are more easily imposed on in their value, and induced to allow more for them than they are honestly worth.

April 4, 1769.

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"GENTLEMEN,-There is now publishing in France a

periodical work, called Ephemeridis du Citoyen, in
which several points, interesting to those concerned in
able hands.
agriculture, are from time to time discussed by some
In looking over one of the volumes of this
work a few days ago, I found a little piece written by
bours had taken from the London Chronicle in 1766.
one of our countrymen, and which our vigilant neigh-
The author is a gentleman well known to every man of
letters in Europe, and perhaps there is none, in this age,
to whom mankind in general are more indebted.

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I AM One of that class of people, that feeds you all, and at present abused by you all ;in short, I am a farmer.

By your newspapers we are told, that God had sent a very short harvest to some other countries of Europe. I thought this might be in favour of Old England; and that now we should get a good price for our grain, which would bring millions among us, and make us flow in money: that to be sure is scarce enough,

But the wisdom of government forbade the exportation.

Well, says I, then we must be content with the market price at home.

11. Thus the advantage of having manufactures in a country does not consist, as is commonly supposed, in their highly advancing the value of rough materials, of which they are formed; since, though sixpennyworth of flax may be worth twenty shillings when work- No; say my lords the mob, you sha'nt have ed into lace, yet the very cause of its being that. Bring your corn to market if you dare; worth twenty shillings, is, that, besides the-we'll sell it for you, for less money, or take flax, it has cost nineteen shillings and sixpence it for nothing.

in subsistence to the manufacturer. But the Being thus attacked by both ends of the advantage of manufactures is, that under their constitution, the head and tail of government, shape provisions may be more easily carried what am I to do? to a foreign market; and by their means our traders may more easily cheat strangers. Few, where it is not made, are judges of the value of lace. The importer may demand

Must I keep my corn in the barn, to feed and increase the breed of rats?-be it so; they cannot be less thankful than those I have been used to feed.

Are we farmers the only people to be an act of indemnity ought to pass in favour of grudged the profits of our honest labour?- the ministry, to secure them from the conseAnd why? One of the late scribblers against quences of having acted illegally.—If so, pass us gives a bill of fare of the provisions at my another in favour of the mob. Others say, daughter's wedding, and proclaims to all the some of the mob ought to be hanged, by way world, that we had the insolence to eat beef of example- -If so,-but I say no more than and pudding!-Has he not read the precept I have said before, when you are sure that in the good book, thou shalt not muzzle the you have a good principle, go through with it. mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn; or does he think us less worthy of good living | than our oxen?

O, but the manufacturers! the manufacturers! they are to be favoured, and they must have bread at a cheap rate!

Hark ye, Mr. Oaf:-The farmers live splendidly, you say. And pray, would you have them hoard the money they get? Their fine clothes and furniture, do they make them themselves, or for one another, and so keep the money among them? Or, do they employ these your darling manufacturers, and so scatter it again all over the nation?

The wool would produce me a better price, if it were suffered to go to foreign markets; but that, Messieurs the Public, your laws will not permit. It must be kept all at home, that our dear manufacturers may have it the cheaper. And then, having yourselves thus lessened our encouragement for raising sheep, you curse us for the scarcity of mutton!

I have heard my grandfather say, that the farmers submitted to the prohibition on the exportation of wool, being made to expect and believe, that when the manufacturer bought his wool cheaper, they should also have their cloth cheaper. But the deuce a bit. It has been growing dearer and dearer from that day to this. How so? Why, truly, the cloth is exported and that keeps up the price.

You say, poor labourers cannot afford to buy bread at a high price, unless they had higher wages.-Possibly.-But how shall we farmers be able to afford our labourers higher wages, if you will not allow us to get, when we might have it, a higher price for our corn?

By all that I can learn, we should at least have had a guinea a quarter more if the exportation had been allowed. And this money England would have got from foreigners.

But, it seems, we farmers must take so much less, that the poor may have it so much cheaper.

This operates then as a tax for the maintenance of the poor. A very good thing, you will say. But I ask, why a partial tax? why laid on us farmers only? If it be a good thing, pray, messieurs the Public, take your share of it, by indemnifying us a little out of your public treasury. In doing a good thing, there is both honour and pleasure-you are welcome to your share of both.

For my own part, I am not so well satisfied of the goodness of this thing. I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion about the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is, not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer. There is no country in the world where so many provisions are established for them; so many hospitals to receive them when they are sick or lame, founded and maintained by voluntary charities; so many almshouses for the aged of both sexes, together with a solemn Some folks seem to think they ought never general law made by the rich to subject their to be easy till England becomes another Lub-estates to a heavy tax for the support of the berland, where it is fancied the streets are paved with penny-rolls, the houses tiled with pancakes, and chickens, ready roasted, cry,

Now if it be a good principle, that the exportation of a commodity is to be restrained, that so our people at home may have it the cheaper; stick to that principle, and go thorough stitch with it. Prohibit the exportation of your cloth, your leather, and shoes, your iron-ware, and your manufactures of all sorts, to make them all cheaper at home. And cheap enough they will be, I will warrant you-till people leave off making them.

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poor. Under all these obligations, are our poor modest, humble, and thankful? And do they use their best endeavours to maintain themselves, and lighten our shoulders of this burden? On the contrary, I affirm, that there is no country in the world in which the poor are more idle, dissolute, drunken, and insolent. The day you passed that act you took away from before their eyes the greatest of all inducements to industry, frugality, and sobriety, by giving them a dependence on somewhat else than a careful accumulation during youth and health, for support in age or sickness. In

short, you offered a premium for the encouragement of idleness, and you should not now wonder, that it has had its effect in the increase of poverty. Repeal that law, and you will soon see a change in their manners; Saint Monday and Saint Tuesday, will soon cease to be holidays. Six days shalt thou labour, though one of the old commandments long treated as out of date, will again be looked upon as a respectable precept; industry will increase, and with it plenty among the lower people; their circumstances will mend, and more will be done for their happiness by inuring them to provide for themselves, than could be done by dividing all your estates among them.

Excuse me, messieurs the Public, if upon this interesting subject, I put you to the trouble of reading a little of my nonsense; I am sure I have lately read a great deal of yours, and therefore from you (at least from those of you who are writers) I deserve a little indulgence. I am yours, &c. ARATOR.*

On Freedom of Speech and the Press.
Published in the Pennsylvania Gazette, of
November, 1737.

FREEDOM of speech is a principal pillar of a free government: when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins. Republics and limited monarchies derive their strength and vigour from a popular examination into the actions of the magistrates; this privilege in all ages has been, and always will be abused. The best of men could not escape the censure and envy of the times they lived in. Yet this evil is not so great as it may appear at first sight. A magistrate who sincerely aims at the good of society, will always have the inclinations of a great majority on his side, and an impartial posterity will not fail to render him justice.

Those abuses of the freedom of speech, are the exercises of liberty. They ought to be repressed; but to whom dare we commit the care of doing it. An evil magistrate intrusted with power to punish for words, would be armed with a weapon the most destructive and terrible. Under pretence of pruning off the exuberant branches he would be apt to destroy the tree.

character of the Romans from defamation, introduced the law whereby libelling was involved in the penalties of treason against the state. This law established his tyranny, and for one mischief which it prevented, ten thousand evils, horrible and afflicting, sprung up in its place. Thenceforward every person's life and fortune depended on the vile breath of informers. The construction of words

being arbitrary, and left to the decision of the judges, no man could write or open his mouth without being in danger of forfeiting his head. One was put to death for inserting in his history, the praises of Brutus. Another for styling Cassius the last of the Romans. Caligula valued himself for being a notable dancer; and to deny, that he excelled in that manly accomplishment, was high treason. This emperor raised his horse, the name of which was Incitatus, to the dignity of consul; and though history is silent, I do not question but it was a capital crime, to show the least contempt for that high officer of state! Suppose then any one had called the prime minister a stupid animal, the emperor's council might argue, that the malice of the libel was the more aggravated by its being true; and conthis illustrious magistrate to a breach of the sequently more likely to excite the family of peace, or to acts of revenge. Such a prosecution would to us appear ridiculous; yet, if we may rely upon tradition, there have been formerly, proconsuls in America, though of more malicious dispositions, hardly superior in understanding to the consul Incitatus, and who would have thought themselves libelled to be called by their proper names.

Nero piqued himself on his fine voice and skill in music: no doubt a laudable ambition! He performed in public, and carried the prize of excellence: it was afterwards resolved by all the judges as good law, that whosoever would insinuate the least doubt of Nero's preeminence in the noble art of fiddling, ought to be deemed a traitor to the state.

By the help of inferences, and innuendoes, treasons multiplied in a prodigious manner. Grief was treason:-a lady of noble birth was put to death for bewailing the death of her murdered son :-silence was declared an overt act, to prove the treasonable purposes of the heart: looks were construed into treason: a serene open aspect was an evidence, that the person was pleased with the calamities that befel the emperor:-a severe thoughtful countenance was urged against the man that wore it, as a proof of his plotting against the state:-dreams were often made capital offences. A new species of informers went about Rome, insinuating themselves into all companies to fish out their dreams, which mended, that provision should be made therein for the printing on a sheet of paper, and dispersing, in each pa- the holy priests, (O nefarious wickedness!) rish, annual accounts of every disbursement and reinterpreted into high treason. The Romans were so terrified by this strange method of

It is certain, that he who robs another of his moral reputation, more richly merits a gibbet that if he had plundered him of his purse on the highway. Augustus Cesar, under the specious pretext of preserving the

Mr. Owen Ruff head, being employed in preparing a digest of the British poor laws, communicated a copy of it to Dr. Franklin for his advice. Dr. Franklin recom:

ceipt of its officers. In some of the American states this measure is pursued with success.

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