The Case of Emigrations from Germany and Holland, hath been in Part considered already: But as the continual Emigrations from Great-Britain and Ireland (which I will always consider as one Country) have something more particularly prejudicial in their Nature, if compared with others, I hope the Reader will not think it lost Time, if I give them in this Place a distinct Consideration.

A Set of Labourers, or Tradesmen resided lately in Great-Britain, or Ireland; and earned their Bread by the Sweat of their Brows. Their natural, or artificial Wants might be summed up under the three great, and comprehensive Articles of Food, Rayment, and Dwelling. In respect to Food, including drinkables, as well as eatables, they paid for it by their Labour and Wages; and consequently were the Means of employing all those different Trades both in Town and Country, which were concerned in, or connected with, the raising of Corn, or the rearing of Sheep and Cattle, the making of Bread, Butter, Cheese, Malt, and Malt-Liquors, Cyder, &c. &c. also in the fattening, killing, dressing, or preparing of Flesh, Fish, Fowl, &c. &c. and in the raising of all Sorts of Garden-Stuff, and other Eatables: The like might be observed in regard to Rayment, traced from the Raw-Material up to the perfect Manufacture, and including every Article of Dress, and all the Trades dependent on, and supported by it, throughout all its Stages: Dwelling is the last Article; in which Estimate ought to be included not only the original Materials for framing the Structure of the House, but also its successive Repairs; together with all Kinds of Household Goods from the highest to the lowest Piece of Furniture, and their continual Wear and Tare.

These Persons, who have been thus useful to their Country, and have contributed to its Trade and Riches, both by paying their own Rents and Taxes, and also by enabling others to pay theirs;—these Persons I say, have been inveigled away to leave this Country, and to settle in North-America.—Here therefore I ask this plain Question, What Recompence can they possibly make in America, for the Loss which hath been occasioned by their leaving England? And what Gains will accrue to the Mother-Country by this flourishing State of her Colonies? Begin therefore wherever you please;—examine, I beseech you this Matter to the Bottom, and mark the Consequences. Food for Example, consisting of its various Kinds, and including eatables as well as drinkables, common Food, I say, must certainly be raised and manufactured on the Spot; for a Man cannot wait for his Dinner ’till it comes from England. Similar Observations will likewise extend to the chief Part of every Article respecting Rayment or Cloathing;—not forgetting also Housing and Furniture. For in all these Respects, the principal Quantity, and the Bulk of the Goods, Manufactures, or Provisions must be procured from adjacent Places, and not from a Country 3000 Miles off. Perhaps indeed a few, a very few Elegancies and Ornaments of Dress or Furniture, or of the Dainties of the Table may still be imported from the Mother-Country. But alas! What are they, if compared with the Whole? Perhaps they would not amount to more than a twentieth Part of the general Consumption.—And most certain it is, that if these Emigrants should not settle near the Sea-Coasts of America, but wander higher up the Country for Hundreds of Miles, in pursuit of fresh unpatented Tracts of Land, (which most New-comers are desirous of doing,) it would then not be a fortieth Part of what they would have either used, consumed, or worn, had they still remained Inhabitants of Great-Britain or Ireland: So little Cause hath the Mother-Country to rejoice at this rapid Progress of the Population of her Colonies, arising from, or caused by, Emigrations.But here, I know, it will be said, because it hath very often been said already, “That tho’ these Emigrants might not employ as many Persons, or mechanic Trades here at Home, as they did before they left England; yet they will employ more Shipping and Navigation, and consequently more Sailors than heretofore; and Sailors are the Defence, Sailors are the Bulwark of the Nation,” &c. &c. Now in order to detect this Fallacy, as well as the rest, I will here state a Case, which must open People’s Eyes, if any Thing can, respecting even the Articles of Seamen, Shipping, and Navigation.

Suppose 1000 Tradesmen with their Families, Watch-Makers for Instance, settled on one Spot somewhere in the Neighbourhood of London, [I only mention Watch-Makers, because it is computed, that about 1000 Families, or one-third of the City of Geneva are supposed to be of that Profession.] Now the first Thing which would attract our Notice respecting Navigation, is to lay in a Provision of Sea-Coals; and a yearly Supply of this Commodity for 1000 Families would employ a good deal of Shipping: Fish would be the next Article, Sea-Fish especially, whether fresh or Salt, in respect to which a good many Sailors one Time or other must be, or must have been employed: After this, the like Observation will extend to Cyder, and to other Articles brought Coast-wise; also to Wines, Brandies, Rum, Sugars, Fruits, Oils, &c. &c. imported from Abroad: likewise to Timber of various Kinds for building or repairing, also for making a Variety of Houshold Goods; to Iron, Hemp, Linen Cloth, and other Commodities, especially those of the bulky Kind: Now here I ask, Is it possible to conceive, that, were this Group of Manufacturers to take Flight, like a Swarm of Bees, and settle in some of the Towns or Provinces of North-America, they either would, or could employ as many English Seamen in their new Situations, as they do at present in their old ones? And can any Man be so absurd as to maintain such a Paradox? [Remember I limit the Matter to English Seamen only; for as to Americans, let their Number be what it may, Great-Britain never was advantaged by them. Not to mention, that several of the American Provinces have disputed, or rather denied, long before the present Disturbances began, the Right of pressing Sailors for the Navy; though it is well known, that this is the only Method whereby a Navy can be manned; and though that eminent Whig, that upright, learned, and truly-patriotic Lawyer [Judge Foster] hath demonstratively proved in his Law-Tracts this Right to be as legally and constitutionally vested in the Crown, as any Right whatever.]I will therefore take this Point relating to Sailors for granted; [at least ’till the contrary shall be proved,] and then it will follow, that British or Irish Emigrations are to be considered as being very unfavourable to the Increase of English Sailors, as well as of English Manufacturers; and that the Loss and Detriment to the Mother-Country are very great in both Respects.

But here a Difficulty of another Kind, and from a different Quarter, will probably arise. It is this:—Granting that Emigrations are bad Things in all Respects;—granting that they tend to diminish the Number of your Sailors, as well as of your Manufacturers; yet how can you prevent this Evil? And what Remedy do you propose for curing the People of that Madness which has seized them for Emigrations?—I answer:—Even the Remedy which hath been so often, and all along proposed, A Total Separation from North-America. For most certain it is, that as soon as such a Separation shall take Place, a Residence in the Colonies will be no longer a desirable Situation. Nay, it is much more probable, that many of those who are already settled there, will wish to fly away, than that others should covet to go to them. And indeed we begin to find this Observation not a little verified at present, a considerable Re-emigration (if I may use the Term) having already taken Place. In short, when the English Government, which was the only Center of Union, and the only Bond of Peace, shall be removed, Faction will rise up against Faction, Congress against Congress, and Colony against Colony; and then the Southern Provinces will find to their Cost, that they have been egregiously duped and bubbled by the Northern; then they will perceive, that they have no other Alternative, but either to submit to the tyrannical Usurpations of those canting, hypocritical Republicans, whom they used both to hate and despise; or else to implore that Help, Defence, and Protection of the Parent-State, which they now so wantonly and ungratefully reject and oppose:—In either of these Situations, and under such Circumstances, there is no Reason to fear, that many of our People will flock to North-America.