Money Answers All Things [44]
short a time, as we usually see them put themselves in Mourning on such Occasions, it must be plain that the working People not only can, but would do a great deal more Work than they do, if they were but somewhat better encouraged by their Wages to do so. Lastly, The full and sufficient Execution of this Proposal is the only natural Way to extend Dominion, and introduce Liberty amongst Mankind. For wherever so much Land is continually put to use, as will call for all Land is continually put to use, as will call for all the Hands, Trade, and Manufactures will suffer to employ themselves this Way, as this will necessarily give full employment to all the People, and make such Plenty of every Thing, that the meanest of the People will certainly find a comfortable Subsistence for themselves and Families, so it will infallibly draw the People out of every Nation round us, that doth not attend to this Point in the same Degree; and consequently cause the People to forsake every arbitrary and oppressive Government, to find such a Settlement, as the Business so much Land continually added and improv'd will necessarily provide for them. 'Tis true, this will in time fill this Island with Inhabitants, and improve every Spot of Ground in it. And I suppose it must be this Way that Benjamin Motte Computes that the People may be doubled, in so short a Time as 24 or 25 Years: If this be not the Way, I am not able to conjecture how so great an Increase of People should arise, in the small Space he assert they may be doubled and quadrupled; for I am sure the natural Increase of Mankind will require a vastly longer Term, only to double in. But however, if my 9th and 10th Principles are true, and I think them self-evident, then the full and sufficient Execution of this Proposal must be a great Advantage to the Government, by increasing the Number and Riches of their Subjects, and their Revenues together with them, which Things are inseparably connected. Nay, this matter ought most certainly to be carried so far as to fill Ireland with Inhabitants, by granting for a considerable Term, on small Acknowledgments, a proper Quantity of any waste Land, that any Person shall choose, and be able to undertake the full Improvement of. And this, I think, these Kingdoms would soon become vastly more powerful; since 'tis probable, that in less than a Century there would be double the present Number of People found in them. Nor could this possibly fail, I think, unless the Nations round us, to prevent the Loss of their Subjects, should take the same Measures; and then the Increase of each Nation would be only such as the natural Increase of Mankind will produce. but this great Advantage wold arise to Mankind by this Means, that Happiness and Liberty wold be as general and extensive, as the Method I prescribe shall be practised. And this may shew the Folly and Absurdity of making War, on the ambitious Principle of extending Dominion; since War, if it be continued a few Years, commonly ruins the Generality of the People of such Nations as are vanquish'd; as we know the late War did France; and what we who conquer'd got by it, the Taxes we at present groan under, and from which perhaps we shall never be reliev'd, will amply testify. But the Folly of making War, to extend Dominion, appears, in what War lays waste and depopulates Countries, and thereby puts such Nations to great and extraordinary Charges and Difficulties, to preserve and defend such unpeopled Territories from the easy Inroads and Invasions of their Neighbours, who have as many more Opportunities of Entrance, as the extended unpeopled Territory of any Potentate doth necessarily afford. If therefore it be absurd to make War to extend Dominion; I should say Territory, for that is all that can be got by it;(27*) and if, as I have before shewn, it be unnecessary on the Account of Trade also; it will follow that War, except in our own necessary Self-defence, is unnatural and wicked; since these ordinary Causes, viz. extending Dominion or Trade will not justify it. Yet I think