LETTER

SENT TO

SCOTLAND,

FOR THE

SCOTS MAGAZINE.

I

AM informed by my correfpondents in Scot land, that feveral letters have been published in the newspapers there, containing the most viru lent reflections upon me, on account of an advertifement by JP, merchant in Glasgow, relating to the fettlement of a tract of land in Nova Scotia, in which he mentions my being concerned. One or two of these papers have been fent me, and contain fo many mistakes in point of fact, as well as betray fuch ignorance of the fubject they attempt to treat, that it would be a difgrace for any man tó enter into a formal quarrel with fuch opponents. Were I in Scotland at this time, I fhould think it e

very great departure from prudence, to take the leaft public notice of thefe invectives. Few per

fons have been lefs concerned than I have been, through life, to contradict falfe accufations, from an opinion which I formed early, and which has been confirmed by experience, that there is fcarcely any thing more harmless than political or party malice. It is beft to leave it to itself; oppofition and contradiction are the only means of giving it life and duration.

But as I am now at fo great a distance, and the fubject of the scandal is what paffes in America, fo that impartial perfons in general may be less able to judge of the probability of facts, and cannot have proper opportunities of making a complete inquiry, I think it neceffary to ftate this matter with all the perfpicuity and brevity of which I am capable. The accufation, I think, may be reduced to the following argument-Migrations from Britain to America, are not only hurtful, but tend to the ruin of that kingdom; therefore J. W. by inviting people to leave Scotland and fettle in America, is an enemy to his country.

It will not be improper to mention in the entry, that my having any concern in fuch an extenfive undertaking, was wholly accidental and unexpected. I was invited and preffed to it, from a motive that was not at all concealed, that it would give the people who intended to come out, greater confidence that they should meet with fair treatment. This very reason induced me to confent; and that I might the more effectually answer that purpose, one of the exprefs conditions of my joining with the company

was, that no land fhould be fold dearer to any coming from Scotland than I fhould direct. This was the more neceffary, that either through mistake, and the power of European ideas, or through mifguided avarice, fome advertisements had been published in the Scots newspapers, which would not appear furprising to perfons born and educated in Scotland, but which are infinitely ridiculous to one acquainted with American affairs. In particular, one I cut out of a Glasgow newspaper and fent home, relating to Newfoundland, where perfons were invited to go to make their fortunes, by renting each family thirty acres of land, at the eafy rent of fixpence Sterling at first, and gradually rifing till it came to two fhillings yearly for ever. Now how abfurd is this, when in many places you can buy the fee fimple of land for the fame or lefs money than is here afked for rent! Befides, how fhall thirty acres of land maintain any family, in a place where land is fo cheap, and labour fo dear?

I have heard it given as a reason for these ensnaring proposals, that people in Britain will not believe that land is good for any thing, if you offer it for a few fhillings per acre in fee fimple. But the people in Britain fhould be told, that the value of land does not depend upon its quality, unless in a very fmall degree---it depends upon its situation, distance from other fettlements, and many circumftances that need not be mentioned. It is a matter now as fully afcertained as univerfal uncontradicted teftimony can make it, that the back land in America is in general better than that along the shore, though very different in value; because the one is full of

trees and wild beafts, and the other is full of houses, fields, and orchards. One would think that this matter might be well enough understood by this time. When a new fettlement is making, especially if one family or one company have a very large tract, they will fell it very cheap; and if they are urgent to forward the settlement, they will give it to one or two families at firft for nothing at all; and their profit does not arife from the price paid by the first purchasers, but from the profpect of fpeedily raifing the value of what remains. Any man that can think, may understand this from JP's advertisement. He propofes to fell to the firft families at fixpence Sterling an acre. What profit could he make of that fmall price? Suppofing he fhould fell 20,0co acres, the whole produce would be but five hundred pounds, to be divided among twelve or fourteen perfons. The plain fact is, that the fum is not at all equivalent to the trouble and expence of ferving out the patent; therefore the profit must be future, and muft arise wholly from the profperity of the fettlement. I believe it is a rule, without any exception, that a man's duty is his intereft; but there is no cafe whatever, in which the interest of both parties is more manifeftly the fame, than in felling and purchafing new lands to fettle upon; for the proprietors can receive no benefit, but from the success and thriving of the fettlers.

New land may be bought in America at all prices, from fixpence Sterling an acre, to forty fhillings; and those who would judge of the quality by the price, would do just like one who fhould judge that

an acre fold for a houfe in the city, must be twenty times better in foil than the fields at two miles diftance, because it is twenty times the price. The price of land in America is rifing very faft, and fometimes rifes in particular places far more rapidly than could be forefeen. A gentleman who has a

large tract in New York government, within thefe three years offered to give away for nothing several thousand acres, at the rate of two hundred acres to each family of actual fettlers, and yet has given away none; but fince that time has fold a great deal at four fhillings and fixpence Sterling, and now will scarce fell any at that price.

Having premised the above, I would intreat the reader's attention to the following remarks:

1. There is very little ground for being alarmed at the migrations from Britain to America. The numbers who come abroad never have been, and probably never will be, of any confequence to the population of the country. Any one who will read Montefquieu will foon be satisfied, that when the spirit and principles of a constitution are good, occafional migrations, and even war, famine and pestilence, are hardly felt after a little time. The place of those who are removed is speedily filled. Two or three hundred families going abroad, makes a great noise; but it is nothing at all to the people in Great Britain, and will but make way for the fettlement and provifion of those who stay behind, and occafion them to marry and multiply the fafter. It is probable that the people in Britain imagine, that the new fettlements in America are wholly filled VOL. VIII. C c