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Show 2.0 POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL againfi: the Evils to be feared from this dangc-- SUBJEC'TS. M rous Rival, while it is fufl‘ered to exil't. For though the Appearance of Things at firfl BUT is this indeed the Cae ?~~ One would not willingly run counter to the fettled Notions of Mankind; and yet one ourrht not to make Sight makes for this Conclufion, viz. " That a Sacrifice of Truth to mere Numbers, and the Authority Of Opinion, efpecially if it lhould appear that thefe are Truths of g1eat Moment to the Welfare of Society. Therefore, with a. becoming Deference, may it not he1e be afked, Can you fuppofe that Divine Provi» dence has really confiituted the Order of Things " poor Countries mull inevitably draw away the " Trade from rich ones, and confequently im" poverifh them," the Faél itfelf CANNOT BE so. But leaving all Arguments of this Sort, as being perhaps too metaphyfical for common Ufe, let us have Recourfe to others, wherein we may be afiifted by daily Experience and Obfervation. SUPPOSE therefore England and Scotland to be two contiguous, independant Kingdoms, equal in fuch a Sort, as to make the Rule of national in Size, Situation, and all natural Advantages; Self-Preiervation to be inconfiilent with the fun‘ damental Principle of univerfal Benevolence, and the doing as we would be done by? For my Part, I muf'c confefs, Inever could conceive fuppOfe likewife, that the Numbers of People in both were nearly equal; but that Engimzd had acquired TWENTY MILLIONS of current Specie, and Scotland had only a tenth Part of that an all-wife, juft, and benevolent Being thatSum, viz. Two MILLIONS: The would contrive one Part of his Plan to be fo contradié‘cory to the other, as here fuppofed -,-~ that is, would lay us under one Obligation as to Morals, and another as to Trade; or, in fliort, make that to be our Duty, which is not, upon the whole, and generally {peaking (even without the Confideration of a future State) our Intercyi‘ likewile THEREFORE I conclude a priori, that there mull. be fome Flaw or other in the preceding Arguments, plaulible as they feem, and great as they are upon the Foot of human Authority. For uefiion now is, Whether Englmzd will be able to 111p; port itfelfin its fuperior Influence, wealth, and Cicdit'? Or be continually on the Decline in Trade and Manufaétures, 'till it is funk into a Parity with Scot/and; f0 that the current Specie of both Nations will be brought to be jult the fame, t1zz.E[ervaZ/zom each. Now, to Iefolve this (Auell'ion1n a fatisfaé‘tory Manner, a previous Enquiry IhOuld be fet on FOOt, fuzz. How came Enolmzd to acquire this great Surplusor Wealth? And by what Means was it accumulated ? It in the Way Of [cl/671$, It certainly cannot retain it long; and England lllrlllrl |