rise from a
thousand nameless circumstances produce a _tact_ that regulates without
difficulty what laws and magistrates cannot regulate at all. The first
class of labor wants nothing to equalize it; it equalizes itself. The
second and third are not capable of any equalization.

But what if the rate of hire to the laborer comes far short of his
necessary subsistence, and the calamity of the time is so great as to
threaten actual famine? Is the poor laborer to be abandoned to the
flinty heart and griping hand of base self-interest, supported by the
sword of law, especially when there is reason to suppose that the very
avarice of farmers themselves has concurred with the errors of
government to bring famine on the land?

In that case, my opinion is this: Whenever it happens that a man can
claim nothing according to the rules of commerce and the principles of
justice, he passes out of that department, and comes within the
jurisdiction of mercy. In that province the magistrate has nothing at
all to do; his interference is a violation of the property which it is
his office to protect. Without all doubt, charity to the poor is a
direct and obligatory duty upon all Christians, next in order after the
payment of debts, full as strong, and by Nature made infinitely more
delightful to us Pufendorf, and other casuists, do not, I think,
denominate it quite properly, when they call it a duty of imperfect
obligation. But the manner, mode, time, choice of objects, and
proportion are left to private discretion; and perhaps for that very
reason it is performed with the greater satisfaction, because the
discharge of it has more the appearance of freedom,--recommending us
besides very specially to the Divine favor, as the exercise of a virtue
most suitable to a being sensible of its own infirmity.

The cry of the people in cities and towns, though unfortunately (from a
fear of their multitude and combination) the most regarded, ought, in
_fact_, to be the _least_ attended to, upon this subject: for citizens
are in a state of utter ignorance of the means by which they are to be
fed, and they contribute little or nothing, except in an infinitely
circuitous manner, to their own maintenance. They are truly _fruges
consumere nati_. They are to be heard with great respect and attention
upon matters within their province,--that is, on trades and
manufactures; but on anything that relates to agriculture they are to be
listened to with the same