The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 08 (of 12)Burke, Edmund
History
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 08 (of 12)
Burke, Edmund
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1820; Political science -- Early works to 1800
give no cause of just complaint to private traders. He adds, "I have no
doubt but that they have hitherto provided investments, and it cannot
turn to my interest to preclude them _now_, though I must ever think it
my duty to combat the private views of individuals who _set themselves
up as competitors_ under that very body under whose license and
indulgence only they can derive their privilege of trade: all I contend
for is the _same influence_ my employers have ever had." He ends by
declining any reply to any of their future references of this nature.
The whole of this extraordinary letter is inserted in the Appendix, No.
51,--and Mr. Rouse's minute of observations upon it in Appendix, No. 52,
fully refuting the few pretexts alleged in that extraordinary
performance in support of the trade by influence and authority. Mr.
Hollond, one of the Council, joined Mr. Rouse in opinion that a letter
to the purport of that minute should be written; but they were overruled
by Messrs. Purling, Hogarth, and Shakespeare, who passed a resolution to
defer sending any reply to Mr. Hurst: and none was ever sent. Thus they
gave countenance to the doctrine contained in that letter, as well as to
the mischievous practices which must inevitably arise from the exercise
of such power. Some temporary and partial relief was given by the
vigorous exertions of Mr. Rouse; but he shortly after removing from that
government, all complaints were dropped.
It is remarkable, that, during the long and warm contest between the
Company's agents and the dealers of Dacca, the Board of Trade seem to
have taken a decided part against the latter. They allow some sort of
justice in the complaints of the manufacturers with regard to low
valuation, and other particulars; but they say, that, "although" (during
the time of preemption) "it appears that the weavers _were not allowed
the same liberty of selling to individuals they before enjoyed_, our
opinion on the whole is, that these complaints have originated upon the
premeditated designs of the delals [factors or brokers] _to thwart the
new mode_ of carrying on the Company's business, _and to render
themselves necessary_." They say, in another place, that there is no
ground for the dissatisfactions and difficulties of the weavers: "that
they are owing to the delals, _whose aim it is to be employed_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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