Part 10 (1/2)

Both rest upon this proposition, called the _Balance of Trade_, that

”A people is impoverished by importations and enriched by exportations”

For if every foreign purchase is a _tribute paid_, a loss, nothing can be more natural than to restrain, even to prohibit in sale is a _tribute received_, a gain, nothing more natural than to create _outlets_, even by force

_Protective System; Colonial System_--These are only two aspects of the saners, and to _force_ foreigners to buy from our citizens Two consequences of one identical principle

It is i to this doctrine, if it be true, the welfare of a country depends upon _monopoly_ or don spoliation

Let us take a glance into one of these huts, perched upon the side of our Pyrenean range

The father of a faes of his labor; but his half-naked children are shi+vering before a biting northern blast, beside a fireless hearth, and an empty table There is wool, and wood, and corn, on the other side of the mountain, but these are forbidden to then wood must not warm the hearth of the poor shepherd; his children must not taste the bread of Biscay, nor cover their nueneral good requires!

The disposing by law of consu them to the support of home industry, is an encroach of an action (e) which is in no way opposed to morality! In a word, it is an act of _injustice_

But this, it is said, is necessary, or else hoiven to public prosperity

Thus then we must come to the melancholy conclusion, that there is a radical incoain, if each people is interested in _selling_, and not in _buying_, a violent action and reaction must form the natural state of their mutual relations; for each will seek to force its productions upon all, and all will seek to repulse the productions of each

A sale in fact i to this doctrine, to sell is beneficial, and to buy injurious, every international transactionof another

But eous to themselves, while they also, instinctively resist that which is injurious From hence then we must infer that each nation bears within itself a natural force of expansion, and a not less natural force of resistance, which are equally injurious to all others In other words, antagonism and war are the _natural_ state of human society

Thus then the theory in discussion resolves itself into the two following axioms In the affairs of a nation,

Utility is incompatible with the internal administration of justice

Utility is incompatible with the maintenance of external peace

Well, what embarrasses and confounds hts, any states principle is so antagonistic to other incontestable principles, can enjoy one moment's repose or peace of mind

For myself, if such were my entrance upon the threshold of science, if I did not clearly perceive that Liberty, Utility, Justice, and Peace, are not only compatible, but closely connected, even identical, I would endeavor to forget all I have learned; I would say:

”Can it be possible that God can allow h injustice and war? Can he so direct the affairs of mortals, that they can only renounce war and injustice by, at the sa their oelfare?

”Ahts of a science which can lead me to the horrible blasphemy implied in this alternative, and shall I dare to take it upon reat people? When I find a long succession of illustrious and learned men, whose researches in the sa results; who, after having devoted their lives to its study, affirh it they see Liberty and Utility indissolubly linked with Justice and Peace, and find these great principles destined to continue on through eternity in infinite parallels, have they not in their favor the presuoodness and wisdom of God as manifested in the sublihtly believe, in opposition to such a presu authorities, that this saonism in the laws of the moral world? No; before I can believe that all social principles oppose, shock and neutralize each other; before I can think them in constant, anarchical and eternal conflict; above all, before I can seek to impose upon s have led , perchance, to find some point where I have wandered froation twenty tihtful conclusion that I am driven to choose between the Desirable and the Good, I would reject the science, plunge into a voluntary ignorance, above all, avoid participation in the affairs of ht and responsibility of so fearful a choice

XV

RECIPROCITY AGAIN