PT I

ON THE. CORN: LAWS. 27

the extenfion of face of the country.

From a review of the arguments of this juftly celebrated author, Ï can fee nothing that overturns the principle laid down in my former Letter, that if Great Britain wifhes to preferve her prefent fuperiority in wealth and refources over the furrounding nations, agriculture muft be protected by al- lowing to the hufbandmen prices for their produce propor- tioned to the internal wealth and profperity of the country; and thatif; at any time, the bringing in of foreign corn tends to fink the money price of Britifh grain below the corref. ponding value of labour and other commodifies, the importa- tion muft be checked by judicious laws, altered from time to time, at différent periods, to correfpond with the profpe- rous or declining ftate of the country. In the inveftigation Of Dr Smith’s opinions, I have no other intention than, by fair difcuflion, to fearch out the truth; and to his theory of free importation, founded as I think on erroneous principles, T have laftly to oppofe the favourable effets of à contrary {yftem, on the agriculture and profperity of this country, as cleary fhown in the preceding Inquiry into the Corn Laws,

and fully afcertained from the profitable experience of more than one hundred years.

It no doubt will prove a matter of furprife, and a juft caufe for alarm to find, that at prefent, in the moft flourifh- ing æra of Britifh induftry, when agriculture is carried on with a larger capital than at any former period, and when the fkill and induftry of the hufbañhdmen were never

cultivation and improvement over the whole LETT. 11.

Gus nm,)