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by a perpetual revenue bill. It would have been supported with good faith; but, like the reft of our revenue, by annual. bills in aid of the acts of excife and cuftoms, which are now perpetual."

As to objections made, on conflitutional principles, to thofe parts of the bill that relate to the British East India company, I fhail confider them more fully when I come to the commercial parts of the fubject, to which they properly belong. I will only fay in this place, that I confider thofe parts of the propofed agreement as an exchange, by mutual confent, of a commerce which exifts in theory only, and which may never be productive, for a certain immediate and advantageous commerce to a great empire in that part of the globe, and to Great Britain; neither of which we can acquire without fuch an exchange; and, this poffible commerce being re-affumable at our pleafure by parting with the confideration given for it, and as we barter commerce for commerce, and not commerce for conftitution, that no objection of a conftitutional nature can juftly apply to thofe paragraphs

of the bill.'

If Great Britain neither gains, nor Ireland lofes, any power of legiflation, where, fays Mr. Hutchinfon, is the injury to Irish independence? Confidering the fubject in its true light, as merely commercial, he fhews, with great clearness and ftrength of argument that were ftrong reafons to induce even those who objected to fome of the commercial regulations of the bill, to vote for liberty to bring it in.

A commercial fettlement between the two kingdoms is acknowledged by every reasonable man to be much wanted; and how this can be obtained, without temperate difcuffion, and the communication to each other of the points in which they agree, and of those in which they differ, I cannot comprehend. In the accomplishment of the British union many delays and differences in opinion had arifen. Though the commiffioners, appointed for that purpofe under the authority of the parliaments of both kingdoms, had on both fides figned and fealed the articles of union, yet the Scotch parliament made many important alterations, which were adopted by the English parliament. In the proceedings to establish a commercial union between Great Britain and Ireland, difficulties and differences in opinion must neceffarily have arifen among men of the best intentions. Our propofitions have been altered by the British Houte of Commons; their refolutions have been altered by the Lords of Great Britain; and thefe alterations were adopted by the Houfe of Commons of that kingdom. In the progress on the Irish bill the fulleft difcuffion was intended every objection would have been heard, and every wellfounded objection doubtless must have been allowed, and every proper alteration made. Nothing final during this feffion was ever in contemplation. A great length and variety of examination muft have preceded the fettlement of the schedule of duties and regulations. This fchedule ruft have been laid before our two houfes of parliament in the next feffion, for their approbation; and, after all this had

been

been done, nothing could have been concluded, until the Irish parliament had declared its fatisfaction in the acts of the British legiflature.'

Mr. Hutchinfon goes on to fhew, that the bill offered to Ireland many important commercial advantages, and that its principles were founded in an equitable regard to the intereft and profperity of both Britain and Ireland.

The author writes with that eafe, perfpicuity, and conviction, which always diftinguifh the writings of men of abilities, when their abilities are employed on the fide of truth.

As there was not any formal anfwer published to Mr. Hutchinfon's letter, the editor of this collection has fubjoined to it the principal fpeeches in the Irish Houfe of Commons on Mr. Orde's motion for leave to bring in a bill to carry the Irish arrangements into laws.

After the fpeeches, felected from Mr. Woodfall's publication, there is inferted, political arithmetic of the population, commerce, and manufactures of Ireland, with obfervations on the relative fituation of Great Britain and Ireland. By James Laffan, of the Middle Temple, Efq.'

Mr. Laffan is of opinion that commercial regulations (for a confolidation of conftitutions, he thinks, Ireland will not fuffer) with Great Britain on fair terms of reciprocity of benefits are expedient. "Thefe terms, he fays, can only be procured, by a close investigation of the relative fituation of both kingdoms, which he has attempted in a manner heretofore unattended to." Not to make any comments or conjectures on the ambiguity of thefe laft words, we fhall obferve, that in Mr. Laffan's publication, of which the very title is borrowed †, there is nothing of any importance that has not been already publifhed to the world by different writers, however little it may have been attended to.

ART. VI. A Reply to the perfonal Invectives and Objections contained in Two Anfwers, published by certain Anonymous Perfons, to an Effay on the Treatment and Converfion of African Slaves, in the British Colonies; by James Ramfay, M. A. Vicar of Teflon. 8vo. 25. Phillips, 1785.

THE matters now in difpute between Mr. Ramfay and his adverfaries can be determined by thofe only, who have accefs to the perfons by whofe teftimony the truth or falfehood of their refpective affertions may be tried, and who are acquainted

t From Sir William Petty's POLITICAL ARITHMETIC.

with

with the scenes and circumstances of the unfortunate people, whofe flavish condition has led our difputants, as ufual, from general argument to perfonal invective. On the general views, fpeculations, and schemes of Mr. Ramfay, with regard to the condition, treatment, and converfion of African flaves, and also on those of his principal adverfaries, we have already made feveral obfervations. We have alfo entered a little into the history that is given by Mr. Ramfay's adverfaries, of the circumftances and motives that led him to publifh his effay, weighing however in the fcales of candour and juftice the oppofite teftimonies of open and anonymous writers. It appears from this laft publication of Mr. Ramfay, that many of the facts and circumftances relating to himself, mentioned by his advertaries, are true; although he admits not of the inferences they draw from them, but gives a quite different view from that odious one which they give of his history, character and conduct and this, he fays, he does, because his character as a man, and his reafoning as an author, as if they could stand or fall only together, are fo blended, as to force him to blend alfo their vindication. Mr. Ramfay may certainly have written a good book in favour of liberty, even allowing him to be what his opponents affirm, none of the best of men. It is true, whatever detracts from his moral character, detracts also from the validity of his teftimony. But his appeals to notoriety are at least as good as theirs; and when teftimony is oppofed to teftimony, or rather affirmation to affirmation, we ought certainly to prefer the evidence of the declared to that of the anonymous writer.

ART. VII.

The Principles of the Commutation Act, eftablished by Facts. By Francis Baring, Efq. 8vo. 1s. Sewell, 1786.

I Tis the expence, and the frauds attending both the collection, and the difbursement or expenditure of the public revenue, that is in reality the greatest weight that hangs upon this over-burthened country. As the combining of many particulars under general laws, and the application of these to mechanical operations, give an advantage to the enlightened and philofophical manufacturer; fo alfo, in like manner, the fimplification of taxation is a moft beneficial art in finance, and a great bleffing to any nation.

The author of thefe fheets, who difclaims all party views and principles, informs us that the only connexion he ever had with the treafury, arofe from his being employed in a very conAderable fimplification of the public expenditure, in the business

of

of fupplying the whole of the army victualling contracts, during the time that the Marquis of Lanfdown prefided at that board.

The execution of that great and important work, together with his fituation in the city, naturally led to his being confidentially confulted refpecting other affairs, of a commercial nature, which were either depending or in contemplation. The tea propofition (which was prefented to his lordship by Mr. Richardfon, of the East-India House) and many other plans were then in agitation; and more or less progrefs was made in them, as time and other circumftances would permit. The propofition refpecting the duties upon tea was alfo communiccated to feveral principal perfons belonging to the excife and cuftoms, and to others who were competent to judge of its merits; and was generally approved. Under thefe circumftances, the author's moft fanguine withes were early embarked in the fuccefs of this measure; and it affords him the greatest fatisfaction to declare, that he feels himself infinitely gratified by the event.

After giving, in detail, the advantages which have refulted from the commutation-act, he exhibits a compendious view of thofe in which the public are more immediately interested.

Firft; Let it be obferved, that the average-quantity of tea fold by the company, for ten years prior to the paffing of the commutationact, was very little more than fix millions of pounds weight per annum; but, within the first twelve months after the act took place, the quantity fold exceeded fixteen millions pounds weight.

Secondly; the amount of the duty till continued upon tea has, in the first year only, exceeded the eftimate by no lefs than £60.434.

Thirdly; the total fum paid by the purchasers, for teas fold fince the paffing of the act, amounts only to £2,770,799; but, had an equal quantity been fold at the former prices, the purchasers must have paid not less than £4,826,261: confequently, the public have been benefited to the amount of £2,055,462 by this regulation.

Fourthly; the increase in the annual amount of the company's fales, will oblige them to extend their importations from China, in order to fulfil the requifitions of the act; and for which purpofe, not lefs than forty-five large additional fhips, and 3450 feamen, must be conftantly employed by the company.

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Fifthly; their exports of the woollens and lead of this country must be augmented from the value of £111,000, to which the amount has hitherto been limited, to at least £300,000 per annum, which will be neceffary hereafter.

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Finally; the retaining within this kingdom a balance, amounting annually to no less than £1,032,4co; which, prior to the act, was regularly paid to foreigners in fpecie, through the medium of the fmuggler; and which balance will in all probability be greatly increafed, when the purposes of the act fhall have been carried completely into execution.

Thefe advantages, which have arifen from a fingle operation, are of fuch magnitude and importance, as to fatisfy every impartial perion of the beneficial confequences which must refult from a general appli

cation

cation of the fame liberal principle to the duties ftill fubfifting upon various branches of the manufactures and commerce of Great Britain."

The principle of the commutation tax may certainly be applied with great fuccefs to various other articles befides tea; and the beneficial operation of it in one inftance or experiment, will no doubt lead to others. Many vexatious taxes might be annhilated in the revival of hearth-money.

ART. VIII. The new Aftrology; or, the Art of predicting or foretelling future Events, by the Afpects, Pofitions, and Influences, of the Heavenly Bodies; founded on Scripture, Experience, and Reafon: the Whole be ing a Refult of many Years intenfe Study and Labour; now first made familiar and easy to any Perfon of ordinary Talents. In to Parts. By C. Heydon, jun. Aftro-Philo. 12mo. 25. Lovewell, London, 1786.

THE

HE profeffors of aftrology, in former ages of the world, have published treatifes on this celeftial science. Moft of them, however, are written in fo myfterious a manner, and fo learned a ftile, as to tranfcend the capacity of ordinary readers; so that dangerous mistakes prevail concerning the nature of this fublime fcience; the vulgar reckoning the whole an imposture, and the learned attributing the knowledge of futurity, which it reveals, to a compact with the devil. In this age of improvement in all the arts and fciences, the celebrated Mr. Heydon, well known in the firmament, and an intimate friend of the Stars, attempts to restore the true aftrology of the ancients, to vindicate it from the false afperfions of the moderns, and to bring the whole of this occult philofophy within the compafs of a neat pocket, volume. The fcience of aftrólogy, which is nothing more than the ftudy of nature, and the knowledge of the fecret virtues of the heavens, is founded on fcripture, and confirmed by reafon and experience. cordingly Mofes tells us, that the fun, moon, and stars, were placed in the firmament, to be for figns as well as for feafons. In like manner he introduces the Deity, thus addreffing Job, "Can't thou bind the fweet influences of the Pleiades, or loofe the bands of Orion." To the fame purpofe we are taught in the book of Judges, "They fought from Heaven, the stars in their courfes fought againft Sifera." The ancient philofo phers were unanimous in the fame opinion, as well as Lord Bacon among the moderns. Hear how fublimely the learned Milton talks,

Of planetary motions and afpects

In fextile, fquare, and trine and oppofite,
Of noxious efficacy, and when to join
In fynod unbenign, and taught th' fix'd
Their influence malignant when to shower, &c.

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