[clxvii. 51]

1820. July 24.

Rid Yourselves of Ultramaria

Part 1.

Lett. 6. Rulers gainers

'4. Rulers gainers

'.4. To the ruling few the dominion would be profitable: hence, naturally, the attachment to it.

Spaniards I have shown you that to you the subject many, not only the To the interests of the subject many, considered, as above, in the exercise of such claim to the dominion but the dominion itself would if possessed be in any necessary way, and in the high degree, above indicated be detrimental -, To the particular interests of the ruling few - to the interests of the particular class of men by whom it would be exercised,- I have at the same time admitted the exercise of it would be, in no small degree, benefical, what remains to be shown is - in what several ways the benefit to that class would encrease in proportion to the burthen upon yours beneficial: and the more so, the more highly detrimental to the /Hence you see what ways: [...?] that the greater the detriment to the/ interests of the subject many. It would make a correspondent addition to the stock of external instruments of felicity at their disposal: of those objects of general desire, in all their several shapes - money, money's worth, power, factitious dignity; provision for self, for dependents, for connections.

True it may be, that if in the article of actual felicity, the profit to the ruling few, were equal in quantity to the loss of the subject many, nothing would be to be said against this dominion, or the sacrifices so unavoidably resulting from it.

But, in the article of actual felicity, the inequality, and the loss that results from it to the universal interest - to that all comprehensive interest, which is composed of the interests of both parties - is, in all such cases, enormous.

Not to speak of the misery - the positive misery - produced by actual war - behold three causes, by the conjunct operation of which, the inequality, with the loss attendant on it, is produced.

1. Of the whole quantity, of the money expended by the ruling few as such, it is but a comparatively small part, that, even upon the most predatory plan of management, can be applied to their own use, in augmentation of their own felicity: namely, that part alone, which is composed of official emolument, and extra mercantile profit (a) upon stores furnished.

2. So limited is the capacity for actual

felicity in the human frame, it may be a question whether, into any human breast, by a mass of the external instruments of felicity, in all possible shapes, and to the utmost possible amount, it be possible that a quantity of actual felicity can be condensed, equal to so much as the double of the average quantity enjoyed by an individual of the day labouring class, whose

Note.

(a.) I say extra mercantile profit. For on whatever sort of subject capital were thus employed, ordinary mercantile profit would equally be made, were the capital employed - not upon these but other articles.