A brief State of the Queſtion Between the PRINTED and PAINTED CALLICOES, AND THE Woollen and Silk Manufacture, &c.
[9]THAT the IMPORTATION of Wrought Silks and Printed Cal⯑licoes from the Eaſt-Indies, and allowing the uſe of them here when imported, has all along been found prejudicial to the Home Conſumption of our Woollen and Silk Manufactures in Great-Britan, needs no other Proof than the late Acts of Parliament, which were obtain'd in [10] Conſequence of the general Application of the Manufacturers, as well Maſters as Work⯑men, through the whole Kingdom, to pro⯑hibit and limit their Conſumption.
In doing this, the Parliament, whoſe Wiſdom and Juſtice was very conſpicuous in that very Caſe, entred into the true Me⯑rits of the Cauſe, ſearch'd it to the bottom, and weigh'd the Allegations on every ſide. The Members were neither clamour'd into it by the Weavers, byafs'd to it by Parties, or hurry'd into it by the multitude of Pe⯑titions from the Counties and Corporations they repreſented; but the Weight of the Cauſe ſupported it ſelf; the Nature of the Thing pleaded it, and their own well⯑weigh'd Reaſon importun'd them to it: The thing was ſelf-evident; the Humor of the People, as too often is the Fate of Nations, ſeem'd, at that time, poſſeſs'd againſt their Intereſt, and being hurry'd down the Stream [11] of their Fancy, they ran headlong into the greateſt Neglect and Contempt of the Growth and Manufactures of their own Country and People, and embrac'd, with a Violence in their Temper not to be re⯑ſiſted, the Silks and Callicoes of India, in a manner even ridiculous to themſelves, as well as fatal to their Intereſt.
The Extravagance of that Time cannot be ſo entirely forgot, as that we ſhould not reflect how the Ladies converted their Car⯑pets and Quilts into Gowns and Petticoats, and made the broad and uncouth Bordures of the former ſerve inſtead of the rich La⯑ces and Embroideries they were uſed to wear, and dreſs more like the Merry-An⯑drews of Bartholomew Fair, than like the Ladies and Wives of a Trading People.
The Conſequence was, what any one might thave foreſeen would be, (viz.) the Ruin of our Manufactures, the ſtagnating [12] of our Trade, the ſtop of Employment, and the ſtarving our Poor: The Cry was uni⯑verſal, not the Spittle-Fields Weavers only, ſelt it; the Calamity was general, and the Complaint came from every Corner of the Nation.
As all Miſchiefs in their Exorbitance tend naturally to their own Cure, ſo it was hear; ſeeing the thing was fatal in it ſelf to our Trade, it was our Felicity that it run on to ſuch Extremes as allarm'd the whole King⯑dom; for this awaken'd the Parliament to its Redreſs; Such we cannot but hope will be the Caſe again; for like Cauſes generally produce like Effects.
The Proceedings of the Legiſlature might paſs with us all, for Reaſon, in a Caſe of much more Conſequence than this; but we have yet more powerful Auxiliaries to bring in Aid of the Caſe before us; I'll inſiſt upon two only, 1ſt, The Pattern of our [13] Neighbours; 2dly, The Succeſs of our own Prohibitions. I begin with the laſt.
What the Parliament did in the Cafe I juſt now mentioned, was abundantly juſtify'd in the Succeſs: What can be more encou⯑raging to apply the ſame way, ſeeing the Cafe is the ſame?
No ſooner was the Flux of foreign Manu⯑factures ſtopp'd and the Eaſt-India Goods prohibited, but the Trade reviv'd; the Face of Things chang'd; Buſineſs and Plenty ſucceeded to want of Employment, and want of Bread; the Numbers of Poor flock⯑ing to the Manufactures for Employment, and the Encreaſe of the Conſumption of our Manufactures reviv'd the whole Nation. Nothing could be a ſtronger and more convincing Evidence of what had been alledg'd, (viz.) that the ſo general wearing and uſing Eaſt. India printed Callicoes, &c. had been the Ruin of our Trade, had put a [14] ſtop to the Employment of the Weavers, and, in a word, had ſtarv'd our Poor. I ſhall come to this again in its Place.
I come, in the next place, to the Exam⯑ple of our Neighbours, and particularly the French, a Nation but too wife in the moſt proper Methods for erecting and en⯑couraging Manufactures; of which there are ſuch Teſtimonies given in the Admini⯑ſtration of Monſieur Colbert, who was juſt⯑ly call'd, The Father of the French Manu⯑factures, as we have felt the Conſequences of in Trade for many Years paſt.
The French East-India Company was E⯑ſtabliſh'd by the enterpriſing Genius of the ſaid Monſieur Colbert in the Year 1664, and the Edict paſs'd the [...]th of August 1686, ſettling all their Privileges for 50 Years; and they begun with great Advantages, tho' they had not Succeſs, occaſioned by their own Miſmanagement: However, the King [15] of France, finding the uſing and wearing of India wrought Silks, Cottons, and Cal⯑licoes painted and printed, whether in In⯑dia or at Home, began to encroach upon the Manufactures of his Subjects, as well Silk as Wool; and fore-ſeeing that it would be the Ruin of both, for which he thought himſelf oblig'd to preſerve the utmoſt Con⯑cern, as being the Fundamental of the Ri⯑ches of his Kingdom, he effectually prohi⯑bited the Wearing and Uſe of them, whe⯑ther printed at Home or Abroad, among his Subjects, by an Edict in the Year 1686, and under very ſevere Penalties: And the late King of France, being mov'd by his Council of Trade, from time to time, by ſeveral ſubſequent Edicts, confirm'd thoſe Prohibitions, adding farther Penalties, more ſevere than before, for enforcing the Exe⯑cution: By all which it appears, of what Conſequence this Matter was thought to be for the preſerving the Manufactures of his own Dominions.
[16] The Government of France proceeding ſtill upon the ſame Maxims, of a juſt Policy in Trade, continue as Tenacious of their former Care for their own Manufactures as ever: And this appears by the Proviſion made by ſubſequent Edicts to continue the ſame Prohibitions, in the ſtricteſt manner, of all ſuch East-India Goods as are hurtful to their Manufactures, of which the follow⯑ing is a flaming Inſtance: (viz.) We all know, that the preſent Government has u⯑nited their old East-India Company to their new West-India Company; and what great Advances of Credit that Union has made in France; yet, ſo far is the preſent Govern⯑ment from neglecting their own Manufa⯑ctures, by forgetting to prohibit the Uſe of the Callicoes, &c. which the ſaid Company may import; and ſo far are they from ima⯑gining that the ſaid Company ſhould not flouriſh and thrive, notwithſtanding the Prohibition of thoſe Goods, tho' ſo conſi⯑derable a Branch of their Importation, that [17] thoſe Prohibitions are all expreſly renew'd, repeated and confirm'd, by the Edict of Re⯑union, as appears by the IXth and Xth Ar⯑ticles of the Grant to the ſaid new Eſta⯑bliſh'd Company, as follows:
‘Artic. IX. 'We permit the ſaid Com⯑pany to import from the Countries within their Grant, all ſorts of Stuffs of pure Silk, and of Silk and Cotton mix'd with Gold and Silver, Bark of Trees, and Callicoes dy'd, painted and ſtrip'd. We require, that the ſaid Merchandizes pro⯑hibited in this Kingdom may not be ſold, but on expreſs Conditions of being export⯑ed to foreign Parts, and that for this End they may be laid up in the Ware-Houſes of our Farmer-Generals, under two Keys, of which the Farmer-General, or his De⯑puties, ſhall keep one, and the Directors of the Company, or their Subſtitutes, the o⯑ther; and that all other neceſſary Precau⯑tions be taken to hinder the Sale of the [18] ſaid Merchandize for Domeſtick Conſump⯑tion.'’
‘Artic. X. 'The ſaid Company may alſo import, from the Countries within their Grant, all forts of White Callicoes, Raw Silks, Coffee, Drugs, Spices, Metals, and other Things, except thoſe prohibited by the preceeding Article, paying the Duties which are actually paid by the India Com⯑pany, according to the Edicts, Declara⯑tions, Arrets and Regulations, of the Kings our Predeceſſors.'’
Here we ſee the very Thing done in France which we want here; and for the very ſame Reaſons for which we ſtand ſo much in need of it here; which Reaſons we cannot doubt will ſubſiſt with the ſame Force here as there; the Foundations of Foreign Import, & Home Manufactures, being the ſame, and eſpecially, becauſe he cannot doubt, but that a Britiſh Parliament will appear inſpir'd with all the [19] juſt Principles of Care and Concern for the Good of our People, and the Proſperity of our Trade, as the Councils of the late King of France could be for his Subjects.
But I cannot forbear taking Notice here, how much ſtronger the Argument is on our Side for the doing this now, than it ever was before, even for this particular Reaſon, (viz.) Becauſe the French have, upon their new Eſtabliſhment, continued their Prohi⯑bitions. I explain my ſelf thus:
The French have not only re-eſtabliſh'd the Trade of India, but they have put it into Hands which are not like to neglect it, run in Debt in the Indies; or ſell the Liberty of Trade to others; but they who are now entruſted with the Privilege, know very well how to make uſe of it, and want no Stock to carry it on: And as they are capa⯑ble both in Knowledge of the Buſineſs, and Stock for the managing of it, ſo they appear [20] reſolute to proceed immediately upon it, and we are told, they have already taken up four large Ships for the carrying on the Trade, and that they talk of taking up ſeveral more. The Flemmings under the Inperial Com⯑miſſion or Charter, are not only doing the ſame, but are actually embark'd in the East-India Trade, have ſeveral Ships now Abroad and one great Ship juſt arriv'd from India at Oſtend, being the ſecond that they have re⯑ceived ſince their entring upon that Trade: And we are likewiſe told, that the Govern⯑ment of the Auſtrian Netherlands has already reſolv'd on the prohibiting the Conſumption of Printed & Painted Callicoes among them; and that they will be publickly prohibited there as they are in France.
Let any impartial Perſon then judge, whether we have not juſt Reaſon to be allarm'd at theſe Meaſures, while we lie open to a ſmuggling Trade ſo generally carried on thro' this whole Kingdom, and [21] ſo impoſſible now to be prevented: Whither muſt the vaſt Quantities of Callicoes which theſs two new East-India Companies will import, I ſay, Whither muſt they go? Whither but to England, and Scotland, and Ireland, where the People are ſo fond of them, and where it is ſo eaſy to get them on Shore.
Our Eaſt-India Company has already ſhew'd themſelves apprehenſive of Succeſs of the new Eſtabliſh'd Imperial Company in Flanders, nor can they be juſtly unconcern'd at the ſetting up a Company in France, upon ſo potent a Stock as that of 50 Mil⯑lions: But what then have we not to fear for our Woollen and Silk Manufactures, which are ſo oppreſs'd already with clan⯑deſtine Importations of Silks and Callicoes from Abroad, as well as Printing them at Home, and when the French will not fail to bring in Quantities equal to the Opportu⯑nities which they have to [...]ind them?
[22] We may appeal for this, to any one that is acquainted on thoſe Shores of England which lie neareſt to France; are not French Brandies, French Wines, and French Silks to be had almoſt in as great Plenty in our Port-Towns on that ſide of the Country, as in ſome Parts of France it ſelf, and will it not be the ſame thing with India Goods? Can Rumney Marſh want French Callicoes, where all French Goods are, as it were, as familiar to them as in France? Can thoſe People that know how to carry off whole Freights of Wool, the moſt bulky of all Merchan⯑dize, be ignorant to take on Shoar French Callicoes, French Wrought Silks, French Eaſt-India Goods of all Kinds? It cannot be doubted, but when the French come to have a Quantity of Callicoes always by them, and no conſumption for them at Home, they will find Ways and Means to croud them in up⯑on us, with much more Eaſe than they do now their Wines and Brandies. What the Conſequence of this will be to our Wool⯑len [23] and Silk Manufactures, is very plain: They muſt be deſtroy'd nothing can pre⯑vent it.
Theſe Things ſerve to let us ſee, that the preſent Debate is not the Concern of a few People in Spittle-Fields only, tho' their Po⯑verty and Diſtreſs happens to be neareſt our View at this time, as their Complaints have been loudeſt: But, in a word, the whole Body is effected, the whole Intereſt of our Woollen and Silk Manufactures throughout the Kingdom is concern'd in it; I mean, as to thoſe Goods which concern our Wearing Apparel and Furniture, which is the Bulk of our Manufactures; nay, the Eaſt-India Company themſelves are concern'd in it; and, I believe, it might be very eaſy to prove, by a juſt Calculation, that if theſe Companies now ſet up in France and Flan⯑ders, proſper and thrive, as it is more than probable they will, the Eaſt-India Company of Great-Britain will ſuffer more by their [24] Importing their Callicoes here, and thereby ſharing the Trade with them, or rather taking it from them, then they will, by the general putting a ſtop upon the Conſumpti⯑on, and thereby checking the Foreigners in their beginning; ſo that upon the whole of the two, the Prohibition ſeems to me to be no Evil at all, but, rather an Advan⯑tage to them.
It was, without queſtion, an unaccount⯑able Miſtake in thoſe who ſollicited the firſt Prohibition of India printed Callicoes, that they contented themſelves with prohibiting the Uſe of Callicoes printed Abroad, but did not inſiſt upon prohibiting the Wearing and Uſe of thoſe printed at Home, as Things in themſelves equally ruinous to our Manu⯑factures; they had not then left the Door open to the Printing and Painting them in England, a Trade then ſcarce known; under colour of which, all ſorts of Callicoes, where⯑ſoever printed, have been worn here, and [25] Foreigners thereby encouraged to pour them in upon us by the Arts of clandeſtine Trade, and our People impoſe upon us by re-landing their own; in which, by the way, the known and wilful Perjury that attends it, is one of the leaſt Things in our Conſideration.
But now the Work is to be done over a⯑gain, with this Difficulty in the Difference, (viz.) that now we have the Pretences of the Callicoe Printers to ſtruggle with, their calling the Callicoes a Manufacture, becauſe Painted and Printed here; tho' theſe are in themſelves meer Trifles, like that of the Num⯑bers of Families employ'd in Printing, &c. I ſay, Trifles, when compar'd with the Ma⯑nufactures themſelves which we plead for, and the Numbers of Families and People maintain'd by, and employ'd in them; of which I believe I am not arrogant, when I ſay, it is ridiculous to talk of any Proportion.
The Work has alſo another Difficulty in [26] its way, or rather a pretended Difficulty; that is to ſay, I foreſee that ſome People in⯑tend to call this a Difficulty, I mean, the Fund form'd upon the Stamps on Callicoes, appropriated, perhaps, to ſuch or ſuch Uſes, or as Security for ſuch and ſuch Loans: But as all thoſe Funds are, to our great Satisfaction, made redeemable by Parlia⯑ment, we have no more to do but to convince our Repreſentatives of the Neceſſity of re⯑deeming them, and leave the Houſe, which is the in exhauſtible Fund of Funds, to their own Methods for finding an equivalent Se⯑curity to the Satisfaction of the Lenders; and yet, even in this Point, when the Houſe ſhall legitimate ſuch an Attempt, ſomething may be ſaid farther.
Difficulties therefore are no Diſcourage⯑ment, where abſolute Necceſſity is the Mo⯑tive: The Thing carries an apparent Neceſ⯑ſity in it; it muſt be remedied, or our Trade muſt be Ruin'd, our Manufactures be at an [27] End, and our poor not ſent a Begging on⯑ly, but indeed be Starv'd. And here, were it any thing to the Purpoſe, I could ſpend ſome time in Exclamation, at the prepoſterous unthinking Humour of our People, who, upon all Occaſions, run di⯑rectly counter to their Intereſt, as a Trad⯑ing Nation, in ſo viſible and ſo evident a manner as this of wearing Printed Callicoes; or, at leaſt, wearing them ſo as to make it an univerſal Mode. We often ſee Clothiers, Drugget-Makers, Sergemakers, Stuff-makers &c. dreſs themſelves and their Families in the Cloth, or Druggets, or Serges, or Stuffs they make; and tho' they may not be ſo very like their Neighbours, they will give this ready Anſwer, (viz.) 'Tis my own Trade; 'tis my own Manufacture. And the Anſwer is allow'd to be very rerſona⯑ble; Why ſhould it not be a National An⯑ſwer, as well as a Family Anſwer? Why ſhould not an Engliſh Man, or an Engliſh Lady, reject foreign and deſtructive Gew⯑gaws, [28] and chuſing to wear the Woollen and Silk of our own Product and Manufacture, give this for a Reaſon for it, Tis our own Trade; 'tis our own Manufacture.
Let us go to the Indians and the Chineſes for Inſtruction, as Solamon ſends the Sluggard to the Ant: Are they prevaild with to lay by their own Manufactures for any of Ours? No; 'tis evident, we are ſo far from being able to place any of our Manufactures among them, that they deſpiſe the Propoſal; and refuſe to ſell thoſe Goods, which we have ſo little need of, but for that ready Money, which we have ſo little need to part with.
But this is a large Field; I refer it to the Time when the Battle ſhall be more cloſely join'd; then we may find time to talk more feelingly of the Folly of carrying Money to the Indies, to buy that, which we ought rather to give Money to be without.
But I return to the Indians, who, as un⯑capable [29] as they may be to judge of their Na⯑tional Intereſts, are yet wiſer in this part, by the Strength of meer Nature, than we are, who pretend to ſo much Knowledge; for they wear their own Manufactures; not can we bring them to alter the manner of their Cloathing, any more than the Matter of it.
Some have alledg'd for a Reaſon of this, the Climate in the Indies being ſuited to the Manufactures they make; and that nothing can be ſo light, ſo clean, ſo pleaſant in ſuch hot Countries, as the Callicoes and Silks of their own making: But we might very well anſwer this, by giving the Patterns of our fine Stuffs; ſome of which, as well as the manner of wearing them in hot Coun⯑tries, are much Cooler, and much more ſuited to the Heat of the warmeſt Climate, than the uncouth Faſſions, great Sleeves and pleated Gowns of the Indians who even load themſelves, rather than dreſs them⯑ſelves with their Callicoes and other Manu⯑factures [30] of their own Make. Any Traveller might be left to judge of this, who has ſeen the Spaniards at Peru, at Lima, at Panama Carthagena, and ſuch-like hot Places, where they dreſs much cooler and lighter in Britiſh and French Stuffs and Cloth, nay, even in Engliſh Black Bayes, than the Indians on the Coaſt of Malabar and Coromandel, or in the Bay of Bengale, do in their Silks and Cal⯑licoes; but Nature dictates to theſe Nations to cultivate their own Produce, to con⯑ſume their own Manufacture, and en⯑courage their own Commerce: And Nature would dictate the ſame thing to us, if we did not obſtinately put out Nature's Eyes, and act againſt Nature, in the purſuit of the moſt untractable part of our Faculties, I mean, Humour and Fancy.
Certainly, if we were free from this Trade-Frenzy, and were to act by the Dictates of Common Senſe, we ſhould reflect, that the Woollen Manufacture is the Staple of our [31] ginal Fountain of our Wealth, and, as I ſaid in my Introduction, it is the moſt eſſential part of the Riches of the Rich, and the principal Means we have for the employing our Poor. Many things might be ſaid to prove, and ſome to illuſtrate whatever is contain'd in theſe Generals, concerning our Woollen-Manufacture; but I am loath to ſuppoſe my ſelf talking to any People ſo ignorant as not to know it, or ſo partial as not to acknow⯑ledge it. If I can meet with any Engliſhman ſo weak as to diſpute it, I undertake, at Demand, to expoſe them, and prove my Propoſition, both at once.
The Premiſes then being granted, my In⯑ference is as juſt, namely, that it is the com⯑mon Intereſt of the whole Kingdom to diſcou⯑rage every other Manufacture, ſo far as thoſe Manufactures, ruinous to, and incon⯑ſiſtent with the Proſperity of our Own.
The late King of France, who ſo well un⯑derſtood [32] the Intereſt of his Subjects in Trade, is a ſtanding Authority for this very thing: All the Edicts publiſh'd in France on this Subject, ſuch as in the Year 1686, and in 1689, and in 1697, prohibiting the Printing and Painting of Callicoes in France, and the ſelling Callicoes Printed or Painted in India when Imported into France, are fortified with this Reaſon, as ſufficient to juſtify their Government in the ſaid Prohibition. (viz.) that they were prejudicial to the Ma⯑nufactures of Wooll and Silk, already eſta⯑bliſbed in France.
And there are two things in thoſe Edicts of the King of France which are very re⯑markable, and which I reſerve for farther Explanation, if I find occaſion to ſpeak in this Cauſe hereaſter; I ſay, two things are very remarkable in the King of France's Prohibitions and Limitation of his Eaſt-India Company's Trade, which ſtand as Precedents for our Practice; the ſame Rea⯑ſons [33] being much more ſtrong and forcible at this time in our Circumſtances, than they could then be in France.
Firſt, That in the Edict or Arret, prohi⯑biting or forbidding the Painting & Print⯑ing of Callicoes in France, is alſo included a ſtrict Prohibition of the Painting and Print⯑ing any kind of Linen Cloath of Hemp or Flax, tho' ſuch Linen was the Growth and Manufacture of his own Kingdom.
Secondly, That in his Limitation of the importations of the East-India Company, there is this Clauſe; That whereas the Company were allow'd to import ſome cer⯑tain Wrought Silks, named in the Edict, to the value of 150000 Livers a Year, ſo, firſt, they were oblig'd to bring in no more; and, ſecondly, they were oblig'd, in conſi⯑deration of that Liberty only, I ſay, they were obliged to export to the Indies the [34] value of 500000 Livers a Year in Goods of the Growth and Manufactures of France.
And even this Condition did not continue long; for the Council of Trade there, conſi⯑dering that the conſumption of the Manu⯑factures, was by no means an Equivalent for the Injury thoſe Silks, &c. tho' but to the value of 150000 Livers a Year, did to the Manufactures of France, that Grant was alſo revok'd and the Goods entirely prohi⯑bited, under the moſt rigorous Penalties, as they continue to be this Day.
Theſe two Clauſes are of ſuch moment in the Caſe before us, and dictate ſo clearly not only what we have to ſeek, and what to complain of, with reſpect to our Maun⯑factures, and to our Eaſt-India Company, but alſo the Reaſons of it, that I cannot but think it very much for the Publick Ser⯑vice to publiſh the ſevral Edicts, in which theſe Clauſes, and the Reaſon and Cauſes [35] given for them are contain'd, accordingly they are plac'd in the Cloſe of this Work.
Thus I have touch'd at the Heads of this Matter, and have paſs'd them over without other Enlargments then ſuch as the preſent Occaſion makes neceſſary. This Eſſay, for it is no more, is but a Specimen of the Con⯑troverſy, every one of theſe Heads having neceſſary Explanations attending them, and long debated Points of Commerce to ſpeak to, in order to ſet the whole Affair in a clear Light; all which it may be to the pur⯑poſe to enlarge upon hereaſter.
CONCLUSION.
In the mean time, I cannot diſmiſs this Affair, without turning a little to the Trad⯑ing part of Mankind, and eſpecially the Dealers in the Woollen Manufactures in this Nation: 'Tis not a little ſtrange to obſerve, [36] how unconcern'd we ſit, and ſeem to enjoy our ſelves in a perfect compoſure of Mind, and a moſt inimitable Tranquility; when our general Commerce, by which we all ſubſiſt, languſhes, and, as it were, expires in our ſight. At Home, foreign Manufactures en⯑croach upon us; Abroad, they are prepa⯑ring new Projects to attack us; and as they ſeem united to Undo us, ſo, I muſt ſay, we ſeem unanimous in the Reſolution of being Undone.
How can we ſit ſtill and ſee the Bread thus taken out of our labouring Peoples Mouths, even by thoſe very Men who ought to be equally concern'd with us to prevent it? The Wearing and Uſe of Callicoes, is evidently the Ruin of our Manufactures: If we can diſtinguiſh between the Manu⯑factures and the Manufacturers; if the Em⯑polyment can be loſt, and the Workmen not ſuffer; if the Trade can die, and the Tradeſmen live; then I have no Foundati⯑on [37] for my Diſcourſe, no Reaſon for this Expoſtulation.
Nay, if this was a particular Article of Trade only, if a few Families were to be ruin'd of this or that particular Employ⯑ment only, and the main of our People not be effected with it; we might be ſilent, and the Oppoſers might ſay, we made more Noiſe of it than there was occaſion for.
But ſince the Evil is general, and the Miſ⯑chiefs which attend it are ſo ſpreading, that the whole Nation is more or leſs effected, from the Gentleman of the greateſt Quality and Eſtate, to the meaneſt Wool-cumber, and that we are inevitably to feel the Con⯑ſequences of it: How can we, I ſay, ſit un⯑concern'd, and ſee out Families impoveriſh'd, and the Foundation laid for the Ruin of our Poſterity, and yet take no Notice of it? It is certainly our Concern, in a more particu⯑lar manner, to APPEAR, not in Arms, not [38] in Mobs and Tumults, that neither is a lawful Way of Appearing, nor would it give the leaſt Aid in the Matter. Trade is the Daughter of Peace, and draws its principal Nouriſhment from the publick Tranquillity: No Men in their Senſes can propoſe raiſing Tumults and Riots for the promoting Trade, neither is it the way to engage the Government, the Parliament, or the Miniſtry, to redreſs our Grievances in Trade. Such violent Ways only arm Power againſt us, and engage Governors to be our Enemies. My Arguments all run another Way, and if I miſtake not, have ten times more Force in them with wiſe Governments, than all the Clamours of a Rabble can ſuppoſe to have.
I move you firſt to ſee the Miſchief: To that end, I ſet it in a clear Light, prove the Fact, ſhew you the ſlow degrees by which the Poiſon works, how inſenſibly it grows upon you, and yet how ſenſibly ſome [39] parts of Trade feel it already, and how cer⯑tainly all other parts will be effected by it.
I move you then to put your Hands to all Legal Preventions; I aim at no other: I move you to joyn in all juſt Repreſenta⯑tions, both of the Miſchief and the Remedy, to thoſe in whoſe Power it is to relieve you I mean, your Parliament-Men; your Re⯑preſentatives; who, as they are moſt of them choſen by the ſeveral Trading Corporations of England, may be more particularly call'd the Repreſentatives of the Trading-Part of the Nation.
Theſe are the profeſt Phyſicians of all our Trading Maladies; I may ſay, 'tis their Bu⯑ſineſs to heal you, and I am ſure it is in their Power; repreſent it to them in Parliament, and repreſent it to them out of Parliament; let them come up to Parliament fairly ap⯑pris'd of the Caſe; fully convine'd of the Juſtice of your Complaints, and the abſo⯑lute Neceſſity there is of relieving you: Let [40] them ſee it; make them Witneſſes, in the Countries where they live, of the Decay of the Manufactures; of the Abatement made upon the Poor in their Wages; of the Numbers of Poor that deſert, and run from one Work to another for want of Employ⯑ment. Shew them the Rolls of your Pari⯑ſhes, which, I am ſatisfy'd, will diſcover how many Families, more than ever, are liſted among your Penſioners; for whom Pariſh Proviſion is neceſſarily made, for want of their getting Bread by the Works they were wont to be employ'd in; ſhew them the languiſhing Circumſtances of the People, as the Effect; and then lay before them the languiſhing Circumſtances of the Trade, as the Cauſe; then they will come up to Par⯑liament convinc'd of your Diſtreſſes, fully prepar'd to receive your Petitions, and fill'd with Compaſſionate Thoughts for your Redreſs.
I muſt conſeſs, this ſeems to me to be the moſt proper Method, to ſpirit the approach⯑ing [41] Aſſembly of Parliament with Sentiments of Pity for their County, and with a juſt Knowledge of the Reallity of, and Reaſon for the Complaints you make; and if I might be allow'd to ſuppoſe, that theſe Sheets ſhall any where come to the Hands of the particular Members in the Manufactur⯑ing Counties and Corporations for which they ſerve, I would, with all poſſible Hu⯑mility, but alſo with the utmoſt Importuni⯑ty, petition them to look a little into the State of the Manufactures in their reſpective Countries where they live.
It is without doubt, the juſt Concern, of our Repreſentatives, to ſtudy the Intereſt and the Circumſtances of the People who they repreſent. If theſe Gentlemen pleaſe but to look round them, they muſt of Ne⯑ceſſity ſee that the Manufactures decline, that Trade languiſhes, and the Poor ſtretch our their Hands to them for Help. They muſt needs alſo ſee the Cauſes of it, even at [42] their own Doors, while they cannot but ſee a wilfully-poſſeſs'd Nation, dreſs'd up in the Manufactures of Foreigners, and deſpiſing the Workmanſhip of their own People: Madly ſending their Money to India and China, to feed and ſupport Heathens and Savages; and neglecting, nay, I may ſay, Rejecting the Manufactures of their own Country, tho' they ſee the poor Families ſtarving for want of Work.
I preſs the People in the Countries to lay open their Caſe before their Repreſentatives and convince them of the melancholly Cir⯑cumſtances they are in, by the Decay of Trade, and the Stop of their Manufactures; and give them a clear View of the Nature of the Grievance, and whence it proceeds; and there is no room to doubt, but the Members would be affected with it, as well as other Men.
'Tis from the ſame Principle, that I move [43] the Gentlemen themſelves to enquire into the Caſe, and make themſelves fully Maſters of both the Fact and the Reaſon of it: Af⯑ter which, I would not ſuffer it to be nam'd as a Doubt, but that the natural Concern every Member of Parliament muſt have for the Proſperity of the People he repreſents, will move him effectually to apply himſelf in Parliament to the Remedy.
'Tis a great Miſtake to ſuggeſt, that Spit⯑tle-Fields alone Complains, or has cauſe to Complain; tho', as I ſaid before, the Manu⯑facturers there feel the Burthen ſooner; but all the Country, and almoſt all the Branches of the Woollen and Silk Manufactures feel it: And 'tis eaſy to ſhew, why the Town Work⯑men feel the ſtop of Trade ſooner than the Country Workmen. The Caſe is this:
The Clothiers, and Drugget or Stuff-ma⯑kers in the Country, who are the head Ma⯑nagers of the Woollen Manufactures, are [44] generally Men of Subſtance and good Stocks; they have often whole Towns and Villages employ'd in their particular Works; and tho' they do feel a ſtop of the Trade at Markets, they do not ſo immediately put a ſtop to their works, but they muſt keep their Markets and make their Circuits, to take in the Yarn, and put out the Wool, or their Neighbours will break in upon them, their Spinners will ſeek Work in other Hands, and, perhaps, not be gotten again when they may want them.
Thus they go on a great while, tho' the Goods, when made, do not ſell, 'till Black⯑well-Hall lies piled up to the Roof with Goods, and the Wholeſale-Men and Factors Ware-Houſes are throng'd with them; nay, even then they go on, and are forc'd to draw upon the Factors and Wholeſale Dealers for the Money, whether the Goods ſell, or no: The Factors again are ſometimes forced to ſell them to Mony'd-Men under the Price, and perhaps to Loſs; nay, and even ſome⯑times to pawn or pledge them for Money, [45] in hopes of a Market to come; and ſtill with the Money anſwer'd by thoſe Bills, the Clo⯑thier in the Country goes on, as long as he can get Credit for a Bag of Wool to Work, or a Penny of Money to pay his VVorkmen: And this cauſes the Country Poor not to feel the Check and Decays of their Trade ſo ſoon as the Town Workmen. But then we muſt take this with us, as we go, (viz.) that when the Trade droops ſo long together, and the Country Manufacturer or Clothier is forced to ſtop, 'tis more fatal to the Poor, as above; for then as they are long before they ſtop, ſo they are longer before they recover, and the Poor are, as it were, en⯑tirely deſtitute for a great while.
But in Spittle-Fields the Caſe alters; here the Manufacturers, I mean, the Maſters, are near the Market: They do not put out the Wool to Spinning, but generally buy it in the Yarn: As ſoon is the Market ſtops, they ſtop; if they cannot ſell their Work, they immediately knock off their Looms, and the [46] Journeymen as immediately ſtarve and want Work. Thus as Diſtempers near the Heart, or in the Vital Parts, are ſooner and more ſenſibly felt, than in the leſs Noble Parts of the Body; ſo the Diſeaſe, of Trade, the Decay and Stop of Sale, is moſt ſenſibly and ſooner felt here, than in the Country, and therefore Here the Complaint is firſt made, and loudeſt.
But this on the other hand, teſtifies to us, that if it be not provided for forwith, if ſome preſent Remedy be not apply'd to it, the ſpreading malignity will ſoon extend it ſelf, and the moſt extream Part will then feel it: And what's the Conſequence? but that then the Complaint will come up louder and be more uneaſy to us.
All theſe things urge us, if poſſible, to apply ſome ſpeedy, ſome immediate Reme⯑dy to the Evil. What that Remedy is, and what alone can cure us, I refer to the Sea⯑ſon [47] of it; the preſent Buſineſs is to lay down the Fundamental, (viz.) ſhew the Diſeaſe, awaken the Nation, open their Eyes to the Conſequences of it, and guide them in their Applications to the proper Perſons, who a⯑lone can take it in hand, and that is, as a⯑bove, the Parliament.
Certainly if the Members of Parliament in the ſeveral Countries would but enquire a little into the Particulars, now they are at leiſure, they would come up big with a De⯑ſire to ſet their helping hand to it; they would come up fill'd with Reſentment at thoſe who have been Inſtruments to ruin the flouriſhing Trade of their Country and noth⯑ing could influence them againſt the humble propoſals that may be made to them for re⯑ſtoring the Trade and Proſperity of the King⯑dom.
It is ſuggeſted, that all Applications of this King will meet with a powerfull Oppo⯑ſition, [48] and that the Manufacturers, however numerous they are, will not find Friends enough to carry their Point againſt the Wearing and Uſing the Printed Callicoes.
For my part, I cannot be of this Opinion: It is true, I have not told Noſes, as they call it, or caſt up the Strength on either ſide, or examin'd who ſhall be the Friends, or who the Enemnies of the VVeavers Petitions; but this I venture to ſay, that as I have prov'd the Grievance is National, this, I think will follow, that none of the Nation's Friends can be Enemies to the Propoſals for a Remedy. It is our Satisfaction that this is no Party Cauſe, unleſs any one ſhould vilely inſinuate, that there is a Party that would not have the Manufactures thrive, or would have the Poor ſtarv'd and periſh; and I can⯑not have ſuch ill Notions of any Man as to think Party can carry them that length; Trade is a perfect Neuter in all our unhappy Strife: Spinning and Weaving are neither [49] Whig or Tory, but the great Articles by which we live, by which the conſumption of our Produce is carry'd on, and by which the Poor are ſubſiſted, who without it, would, in a word, eat us up all.
If this Cauſe Meets with Enemies; if any one Man can be found in Britan, who would not have us leave off Painted Feathers, and ſtick to our own Manufactures; I ſay if one Man can be found ſo prepoſſeſs'd, it muſt be either a Man perfectly ignorant in Matters of Trade, and ſo not worth talking to; or it muſt be ſome Callicoe Printer, or his Employer and Dependant, who, find⯑ing his Account in the Miſchief, acts upon the corrupt Principle of being willing to get Money tho' at the Expence of the Ruin of his Country; ſomething like the wretched Sexton of Cripplegate, in the Year 1665, who, being employ'd at the Peſt-bouſe near Old-ſtreet, would have had the Plague con⯑tinue, [50] that his Fees might not abate, but that he might have People enough to Bury.
But let us not fright our ſelves with the imaginary Notion of Enemies, and a ſtrong Oppoſition: Nil Deſperandum, let us take but true Meaſures, ſetting the Fact in a clear light, and convincing our Repreſentatives, in a peaceable but effectual manner, of the Weight of the Caſe, and how juſtly they are concern'd, as Repreſentatives, to eſpouſe the Trading Intereſt of their Country; I can never imagine, that any Cabals of Dra⯑pers, Eaſt-India-Men, Brokers, and Job⯑bers ſhall be able to byaſs the Members of a Britiſh Parliament againſt it, or to blind their Eyes in a Caſe ſo clear as this, that wearing a foreign Manufacture, and deſpi⯑ſing our own, is the moſt prepoſterous, tho' the moſt certain Method of ſtraving us all, that can poſſibly be invented.