The Case of Emigrations from _Germany_ and _Holland_, hath been in Part
considered already: But as the continual Emigrations from _Great-Britain_
and _Ireland_ (which I will always consider as _one_ Country) have
something more particularly prejudicial in their Nature, if compared with
others, I hope the Reader will not think it lost Time, if I give them in
this Place a distinct Consideration.
A Set of Labourers, or Tradesmen resided lately in _Great-Britain_, or
_Ireland_; and earned their Bread by the Sweat of their Brows. Their
natural, or artificial Wants might be summed up under the three great, and
comprehensive Articles of Food, Rayment, and Dwelling. In respect to
_Food_, including drinkables, as well as eatables, they paid for it by
their Labour Wages; and consequently were the Means and of employing all
those different Trades both in Town and Country, which were concerned in,
or connected with, the raising of Corn, or the rearing of Sheep and
Cattle, the making of Bread, Butter, Cheese, Malt, and Malt-Liquors,
Cyder, &c. &c. also in the fattening, killing, dressing, or preparing of
Flesh, Fish, Fowl, &c. &c. and in the raising of all Sorts of
Garden-Stuff, and other Eatables: The like might be observed in regard to
_Rayment_, traced from the Raw-Material up to the perfect Manufacture, and
including every Article of Dress, and all the Trades dependent on, and
supported by it, throughout all its Stages: _Dwelling_ is the last
Article; in which Estimate ought to be included not only the original
Materials for framing the Structure of the House, but also its successive
Repairs; together with all Kinds of Household Goods from the highest to
the lowest Piece of Furniture, and their continual Wear and Tare.
These Persons, who have been thus useful to their Country, and have
contributed to its Trade and Riches, both by paying their own Rents and
Taxes, and also by enabling others to pay theirs;--these Persons I say,
have been inveigled away to leave this Country, and to settle in
_North-America_.--Here therefore I ask this plain Question, What
Recompence can they possibly make in _America_, for the Loss which hath
been occasioned by their leaving _England_? And what Gains will accrue to
the Mother-Country by this flourishing State of her Colonies? Begin
therefore wherever you please;--examine, I beseech you this Matter to the
Bottom, and mark the Consequences. _Food_ for Example, consisting of its
various Kinds, and including eatables as well as drinkables, _common
Food_, I say, must certainly be raised and manufactured on the Spot; for a
Man cannot wait for his Dinner 'till it comes from _England_. Similar
Observations will likewise extend to the chief Part of every Article
respecting _Rayment_ or Cloathing;--not forgetting also _Housing_ and
Furniture. For in all these Respects, the principal Quantity, and the Bulk
of the Goods, Manufactures, or Provisions must be procured from adjacent
Places, and not from a Country 3000 Miles off. Perhaps indeed a few, a
very few Elegancies and Ornaments of Dress or Furniture, or of the
Dainties of the Table may still be imported from the Mother-Country. But
alas! What are they, if compared with the Whole? Perhaps they would not
amount to more than a twentieth Part of the general Consumption.--And most
certain it is, that if these Emigrants should not settle near the
Sea-Coasts of _America_, but wander higher up the Country for Hundreds of
Miles, in pursuit of fresh _unpatented_ Tracts of Land, (which most
New-comers are desirous of doing,) it would then not be a _fortieth_ Part
of what they would have either used, consumed, or worn, had they still
remained Inhabitants of _Great-Britain_ or _Ireland_: So little Cause hath
the Mother-Country to rejoice at this rapid Progress of the Population of
her Colonies, arising from, or caused by, Emigrations.
But here, I know, it will be said, because it hath very often been said
already, "That tho' these Emigrants might not employ as many Persons, or
mechanic Trades here at Home, as they did before they left _England_; yet
they will employ more Shipping and Navigation, and consequently more
Sailors than heretofore; Sailors are the Defence, Sailors are the Bulwark
of the Nation," &c. &c. Now in order to detect this Fallacy, as well as
the rest, I will here state a Case, which must open People's Eyes, if any
Thing can, respecting even the Articles of Seamen, Shipping, and
Navigation.
Suppose 1000 Tradesmen with their Families, Watch-Makers for Instance,
settled on one Spot somewhere in the Neighbourhood of _London_, [I only
mention _Watch-Makers_, because it is computed, that about 1000 Families,
or one-third of the City of _Geneva_ are supposed to be of that
Profession.] Now the first Thing which would attract our Notice respecting
Navigation, is to lay in a Provision of Sea-Coals; and a yearly Supply of
this Commodity for 1000 Families would employ a good deal of Shipping:
Fish would be the next Article, Sea-Fish especially, whether fresh or
Salt, in respect to which a good many Sailors one Time or other must be,
or must have been employed: After this, the like Observation will extend
to Cyder, and to other Articles brought Coast-wise; also to Wines,
Brandies, Rum, Sugars, Fruits, Oils, &c. &c. imported from Abroad:
likewise to Timber of various Kinds for building or repairing, also for
making a Variety of Houshold Goods; to Iron, Hemp, Linen Cloth, and other
Commodities, especially those of the bulky Kind: Now here I ask, Is it
possible to conceive, that, were this Group of Manufacturers to take
Flight, like a Swarm of Bees, and settle in some of the Towns or Provinces
of _North-America_, they either would, or could employ as many _English_
Seamen in their _new_ Situations, as they do at present in their _old_
ones? And can any Man be so absurd as to maintain such a Paradox?
[Remember I limit the Matter to _English_ Seamen only; for as to
_Americans_, let their Number be what it may, _Great-Britain_ never was
advantaged by them. Not to mention, that several of the _American_
Provinces have disputed, or rather denied, long before the present
Disturbances began, the Right of pressing Sailors for the Navy; though it
is well known, that this is the only Method whereby a Navy can be manned;
and though that eminent Whig, that upright, learned, and truly-patriotic
Lawyer [Judge FOSTER] hath demonstratively proved in his Law-Tracts this
Right to be as legally and constitutionally vested in the Crown, as any
Right whatever.]
I will therefore take this Point relating to Sailors for granted; [at
least 'till the contrary shall be proved,] and then it will follow, that
_British_ or _Irish_ Emigrations are to be considered as being very
unfavourable to the Increase of _English_ Sailors, as well as of _English_
Manufacturers; and that the Loss and Detriment to the Mother-Country are
very great in both Respects.
But here a Difficulty of another Kind, and from a different Quarter, will
probably arise. It is this:--Granting that Emigrations are bad Things in
all Respects;--granting that they tend to diminish the Number of your
Sailors, as well as of your Manufacturers; yet how can you prevent this
Evil? And what Remedy do you propose for curing the People of that Madness
which has seized them for Emigrations?--I answer:--Even the Remedy which
hath been so often, and all along proposed, _A Total Separation from
North-America_. For most certain it is, that as soon as such a Separation
shall take Place, a Residence in the Colonies will be no longer a
desirable Situation. Nay, it is much more probable, that many of those who
are already settled there, will wish to fly away, than that others should
covet to go to them. And indeed we begin to find this Observation not a
little verified at present, a considerable Re-emigration (if I may use the
Term) having already taken Place. In short, when the _English_
Government, which was the only Center of Union, and the only Bond of
Peace, shall be removed, Faction will rise up against Faction, Congress
against Congress, and Colony against Colony; and then the Southern
Provinces will find to their Cost, that they have been egregiously duped
and bubbled by the Northern; then they will perceive, that they have no
other Alternative, but either to submit to the tyrannical Usurpations of
those _canting, hypocritical Republicans_, whom they used both to hate and
despise; or else to implore that Help, Defence, and Protection of the
Parent-State, which they now so wantonly and ungratefully reject and
oppose:--In either of these Situations, and under such Circumstances,
there is no Reason to fear, that many of our People will flock to
_North-America_.