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and no doubt would, produce great inconvenience; but I am fully persuaded in its working it is any thing but beneficial to the commercial and manufacturing interests of the empire. England is, in my mind, the last country in Europe that should throw any obstacles in the way of the most perfect freedom of trade. In the enterprize and capital of its merchants; in the intelligence of its people; in the ingenuity of its artizans; in its insular position; and last, though not least, in its coal beds, it possesses advantages beyond those possessed by any other nation.
I well remember once travelling with a very intelligent French gentleman, who referred to the possession of our collieries all our commercial and manufacturing prosperity. I recollect conversing with that distinguished writer, M. Dupin, on the same subject, and he also was of the same opinion. So circumstanced then, let me ask what reason have we to fear the consequences of opening our ports to the importation of the produce of other nations, be that produce what it may? What right have we to expect that other nations will extend that benefit to us which we refuse to them? I venture honestly to state, that, in my humble judgment, in almost every case (indeed I may say in every one) our protecting duties are not only useless, but worse than useless.
