1821 Aug. 8

Rid Yourselves

Lett 3

Barren Prohibitions

Inserendum in Text or Note in or after p. 4 of the fair copy under

the head of Barren Prohibitions.

So far from being with reference to receipt of money by government, /rulers/ and

thence saving in taxes to subject Colonies so far from being productive, these barren prohibitions - these

prohibitions that do not operate as taxes are preventive.

The act or subject matter to which the prohibition applies itself is either

production or importation: production at home or importation from abroad. From /If

no/ prohibition applied to home production nothing better than loss can be the

result. Left to himself every individual betakes himself to the production of those

articles from the production of which, in his view /judgement/ of the matter most

profit to himself can arise: and on this question /in relation to this matter/ his

judgement is much more likely to be much more correct than that a set of men to whom

he and his affairs are unknown - as is the case with his rulers whoever they are;

/the rulers he lives under/ in comparison of his their

means of knowledge are next to nothing, the interest they take in his prosperity

still less. Accordingly on home production /particular articles/ in any such view as

that of giving encrease to the aggregate of home production prohibition is not very

extensively exemplified. If /When/ such prohibition is employed it is either in the

view of favouring the inhabitants of one part of the country at the expence of the

other, as in the case of the tyranny so long exercised by English rulers over

Ireland, or for the purpose of favouring the importation of that same article or a

rival one that if on the importation of it a tax might be imposed: a tax which if

thus imposed upon importation from abroad /a foreign country/ might be levied with

more facility than if imposed on production or distribution within the country

itself. On this principle does the production of tobacco in England stand prohibited

by English law: on this principle does the production of wine in Spanish Ultramaria

stand prohibited by Spanish Law.