The low Condition this Country is reduced to, notwithstanding its natural Advantages.
The natural Advantages the Dutch have for Trade, are, their Situation at the Mouths of the Rivers of Germany, and being near the bulky Trade.
Their natural Disadvantages are, **alness of Territory, barrenness of Soil, producing little but what's forc't; want of Mines;long Winters; unwholsome Air; Marishy, so oblig'd to great Expense for Fundation to their Buildings, in ****** and keeping up the High-ways, and in draining the Country yearly; a dangerous Coast; difficult Entry to their Rivers; the Sea to defend against on one side, and powerful Neighbours on the other; and heavy Taxes, the Consequence of these other Disadvantages.
Yet they have so improv'd their few Advantages, that they are become a rich and powerful People. What has contribut to their Riches and Power, was the early Protection and Favour the Government gave to Trade; the Liberty was given to People of different Religions; the ******* of Trade allowed to Strangers; the Example of their Rulers to OEconomy; but chiefly the neglect of Trade in other countries, particularly in Spain, who forc't the People and Trade of Flanders to Holland.
Scotland has by Nature many Advantages for Trade; a large Territory; of easie defence; plenty of People; a wholsome Air; Mines;a proper Situation for the Eastern and Western Trades; near the bulky Trade; a safe Coast; Rivers of easie Entry; the Seas and Rivers stockt with Fish.
But Numbers of People, the greatest Riches of other Nations, are a burden to us; the Land is not improv'd, the Product is not manufactur'd; the Fishing, and other Advantages for forreign Trade are neglected: and the Reason generally given is, that Laziness and want of Honesty are natural to us.
If want of Honesty and Laziness were Natural, they would be so to Mankind; or if peculiar to a People, this would be so to the Dutch rather than to us: The Air of Holland is grosser which inclines to Laziness; and the Country not producing wherewith to maintain the Inhabitants, would force them to Rob or Cheat their Neighbours, or one another. But it is more Reasonable to think Laziness and want of Honesty are Vices, the consequences of Poverty; and Poverty the consequence of a faulty Administration. If the same measures had been taken in Scotland for encouraging Trade, as was taken in Holland, we had been a more Powerful and Richer Nation than Holland. If Spain, France and Brittain, or any one of them had apply'd to Trade, als early, and upon the same measures Holland did; Holland would not have been Inhabit. But by their early Application, and the wrong measures of other Countries, they have got such great Magazines of whats necessar for their maintenance and Defence; of Rich Commodities to sell to other Nations, of materials for Shipping, etc. and such a Quantity of Silver, esteem'd above its value as Mettal by being used as Money: That in all appearance so long as Silver is used as Money, the great Quantity they have of it, with their great Oeconomy, enabling them to under-sell other Nations: They will maintain the Rang they hold in Trade, and consequently in Power; notwithstanding the natural Disadvantages, the present Application, and natural Advantages of other Nations.
This Country is more capable of an extended Trade than any other Country of Europe, yet it is reduc'd to a very low state. Trade is ruin'd; the national Stock is wasted; the People forsake the Country;the Rents of Land are unpay'd; Houses in Towns, and Farms in the Country are thrown upon the Owners Hands; the Creditor cannot have the Interest of his Money to Live upon; and the Debitors Person and Estate are expos'd to the Law.
The Landed Man, by having engadged his Person and Estate for the Payment of a Species, which is not in his power to perform; and having no Alternative: By the Law his Person is at the mercy of the Creditor, and his Estate to be Sold for so much of that Species as it will yield. If 2 or 3 Money'd Men call in their Money, with a design to force their Debitors to part with their Estates, at what Prices they please to impose: They may bring the Price of Land to 15 or 10 Years Purchase. For they would not take Bonds in Payment, and few or none would be in a condition to buy with Money.
If Victual should prove scarce, as we have not Goods or Money for any Value to send out for Corns; so only a part of the People could be maintained: The better part would have Bread, but the more necessary part, the Labouring Men would be forc't to leave the Country, or to starve in it. Now would they fare better in England; for as the scarcity of Money has set Idle many of the People of England, so there are more already than there is Employment for: And our People, at least many of them, would meet the same fate they had endeavoured to evite.
The Landed Men would want People to Labour the Ground; they would perhaps get Food and Cloathing for themselves and Families, but these they were Owing to, in all appearance, would get nothing: For the case being general, and the Landed Men the stronger party; they would not suffer their Liberty and Estates to be taken from them. But tho the Law could be put in Execution, and the Estates of the Landed Men were put to Sale; as there would be few Purchasers, the price of Land would fall very low. Suppose the Land were Sold or given among the Creditors for 15 Years purchase, or less; it would be sold for more than it were worth, for they would not find People to Labour it: So many would be sufferers, and none gainers.
If neither of these cases happen; yet this Country cannot well subsist in the condition 'tis in: If this Opportunity is neglected, if wrong or ineffectual measures are taken, in all appearance we will be in confusion before we have another Opportunity.
