As we have noticed before, the Westminster Gazette is always
unearthing the curiosities of politics. It has discovered that in 1733 there was a scare that we were encouraging French trade to the ruin of our own Colonies. Unless Par- liament discouraged the French sugar trade our West Indian planters would be undone. The chief opponent of the Bill urged, however, the following reasons against it :—" Since we cannot make the cost of the French sugars higher than it is, let us consider and examine if we cannot make the cost of our own sugars less. This is the proper and only consideration. We ought never to make laws for encouraging or enabling our subjects to sell the produce or manufacture of their country at a high price, but to contrive all ways for enabling them to sell cheap; for at all foreign markets those who sell cheapest will carry off the sale, and tarn others out of the trade." The author of these words, no doubt, did not call himself a Free.trader, but he had thoroughly grasped the advantages that came from an unhindered market.
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