s been compared, I
should, with as little hesitation say, that such a trade in corn, as
has been described, would be subject to much more distressing and
cruel variations, than the most determined system of prohibitions.

Such a species of commerce in grain shakes the foundations, and
alters entirely the data on which the general principles of free
trade are established. For what do these principles say? They say,
and say most justly, that if every nation were to devote itself
particularly to those kinds of industry and produce, to which its
soil, climate, situation, capital, and skill, were best suited; and
were then freely to exchange these products with each other, it
would be the most certain and efficacious mode, not only of
advancing the wealth and prosperity of the whole body of the
commercial republic with the quickest pace, but of giving to each
individual nation of the body the full and perfect use of all its
resources.

I am very far indeed from meaning to insinuate, that if we cannot
have the most perfect freedom of trade, we should have none; or that
a great nation must immediately alter its commercial policy,
whenever any of the countries with which it deals passes laws
inconsistent with the principles of freedom. But I protest most
entirely against the doctrine, that we are to pursue our general
principles without ever looking to see if they are applicable to the
case before us; and that in politics and political economy, we are
to go straight forward, as we certainly ought to do in morals,
without any reference to the conduct and proceedings of others.

There is no person in the least acquainted with political economy,
but must be aware that the advantages resulting from the division of
labour, as applicable to nations as well as individuals, depend
solely and entirely on the power of exchanging subsequently the
products of labour. And no one can hesitate to allow, that it is
completely in the power of others to prevent such exchanges, and to
destroy entirely the advantages which would otherwise result from
the application of individual or national industry, to peculiar and
appropriate products.

Let us suppose, for instance, that the inhabitants of the Lowlands
of Scotland were to say to the Highlanders, 'We will exchange our
corn for your cattle, whenever we have a superfluity; but if our
crops in any degree fail, you must not expect to have a single
grain': would not the question respecting the