Page:An answer to a pamphlet, intitled, "Thoughts on the causes and consequences of the present high price of provisions" in a letter, addressed to the supposed author of that pamphlet.djvu/21

( 19 ) heart, and say, that he has never acted this inf—m—s part, and I will freely pronounce him a patriot; but upon none else will I, without great reserve, before that honourable appellation. You say, indeed, that a great part of this public money has flowed into the pockets of merchants, contractors, brokers, and stock-jobbers: but admitting the fact, these men are much less culpable than the ministers; as it is reasonable to suppose, that they had little or no hand in opening the channels through which this money flowed: and as they saw, that those who had opened them, had opened them chiefly for their own benefit; it was natural for the merchants, &c. to endeavour to come in for a share; and happy was it for the public that they did so, as a rich merchant is always a more valuable member of society than a rich courtier: the latter encourages idleness; the former encourages industry; the latter maintains an useless pack of thirty or