e-want dwellers in large towns whom business may frequently
bring in contact with those who toil. With the millions, then, who in
this country must be next to naked, without furniture in their houses,
without clothes to cover their straw beds, is it not the nonsense of
nonsense to talk of "over-production." Enable these men to satisfy the
wants of themselves and families, enable them to make their homes
comfortable, and that alone would find employment for a goodly number,
while those so employed would also be enabled to purchase the articles
others are engaged in manufacturing. To produce so desirable a result,
nothing is wanted but FREE TRADE repeal the corn and provision laws, and
the shadow of "over production" could not exist: in three months there
is not a man in the kingdom who would not have full work. And when we
had supplied the physical wants of our population (a greater task than
it appears at the first view), we should have introduced from every
corner of the world the luxuries which refine civilization; the artisan
building himself a house would then make it more comfortable and
healthy, with wood floors, carpets, better furniture, &c.; and the
master manufacturer erecting a house would have marble stairs and floor
in his entrance hall, doors, &c. of mahogany, furniture, of rarer woods,
and ornaments of marble, paintings, plate glass, &c.; and when all these
things were procured, "over-production" would be still as far behind us
as during their acquisition, as we would then work but three days a week
instead of six, as with so much labour we should be able to procure the
necessaries and luxuries of life.

And all nations would be compelled to minister to our real and created
wants, for England is the only nation in the world incapable of
internally supplying its inhabitants with food, and therefore, under
Free Trade, has the command of the markets of the whole world. Then the
English merchant going to, say America, to dispose of manufactures need
not fear the merchant of France, Belgium, Germany, &c., he may meet
there with similar goods; for the American asking each what he requires
for the articles offered, is told by the former, "I will take your
surplus corn in exchange, we want every year from six to ten millions of
quarters;" and this latter answers, "We have more corn at home of our
own growth than we can consume, I must have cash;" the American,
preferring barter, will turn on his heel and trade wit