Franco-Gallia | Page 7

have as much need of

entertaining a standing Army against our Brethren, as against our
known and inveterate Enemies; that certainly whoever can oppose so
publick and apparent Good, must be esteem'd either ignorant to a
strange Degree, or to have other Designs in View, which he wou'd
willingly have brought to Light.
I look upon her Majesty's asserting the Liberties and Privileges of the
Free Cities in Germany, an Action which will shine in History as bright
(at least) as her giving away her first Fruits and Tenths: To the Merit of
which last, some have assumingly enough ascribed all the Successes
she has hitherto been blessed with; as if one Set of Men were the
peculiar Care of Providence and all others (even Kings and Princes)
were no otherwise fit to be considered by God Almighty, or Posterity,
than according to their Kindness to them. But it has been generally
represented so, where Priests are the Historians. From the first Kings in
the World down to these Days, many Instances might be given of very
wicked Princes, who have been extravagantly commended; and many
excellent ones, whose Memories lie overwhelmed with Loads of Curses
and Calumny, just as they proved Favourers or Discountenancers of
High-Church, without regard to their other Virtues or Vices: for
High-Church is to be found in all Religions and Sects, from the Pagan
down to the Presbyterian; and is equally detrimental in every one of
them.
A Genuine Whig is for promoting a general Naturalization, upon the
firm Belief, that whoever comes to be incorporated into us, feels his
Share of all our Advantages and Disadvantages, and consequently can
have no Interest but that of the Publick; to which he will always be a
Support to the best of his Power, by his Person, Substance and Advice.
And if it be a Truth (which few will make a Doubt of) that we are not
one third Part peopled (though we are better so in Proportion than any
other Part of Europe, Holland excepted) and that our Stock of Men
decreases daily thro our Wars, Plantations, and Sea-Voyages; that the
ordinary Course of Propagation (even in Times of continued Peace and
Health) cou'd not in many Ages supply us with the Numbers we want;
that the Security of Civil and Religious Liberty, and of Property, which
thro God's great Mercy is firmly establish'd among us, will invite new

Comers as fast as we can entertain them; that most of the rest of the
World groans under the Weight of Tyranny, which will cause all that
have Substance, and a Sense of Honour and Liberty, to fly to Places of
Shelter; which consequently would thoroughly people us with useful
and profitable Hands in a few Years. What should hinder us from an
Act of General Naturalization? Especially when we consider, that no
private Acts of that Kind are refused; but the Expence is so great, that
few attempt to procure them, and the Benefit which the Publick
receives thereby is inconsiderable.
Experience has shown us the Folly and Falsity of those plausible
Insinuations, that such a Naturalization would take the Bread out of
Englishmen's Mouths. We are convinced, that the greater Number of
Workmen of one Trade there is in any Town, the more does that Town
thrive; the greater will be the Demand of the Manufacture, and the Vent
to foreign Parts, and the quicker Circulation of the Coin. The
Consumption of the Produce both of Land and Industry increases
visibly in Towns full of People; nay, the more shall every particular
industrious Person thrive in such a Place; tho indeed Drones and Idlers
will not find their Account, who wou'd fain support their own and their
Families superfluous Expences at their Neighbour's Cost; who make
one or two Day's Labour provide for four Days Extravagancies. And
this is the common Calamity of most of our Corporation Towns, whose
Inhabitants do all they can to discourage Plenty, Industry and
Population; and will not admit of Strangers but upon too hard Terms,
thro the false Notion, that they themselves, their Children and
Apprentices, have the only Right to squander their Town's Revenue,
and to get, at their own Rates, all that is to be gotten within their
Precincts, or in the Neighbourhood. And therefore such Towns
(through the Mischief arising by Combinations and By-Laws) are at
best at a Stand; very few in a thriving Condition (and those are where
the By-Laws are least restrictive) but most throughout England fall to
visible Decay, whilst new Villages not incorporated, or more liberal of
their Privileges, grow up in their stead; till, in Process of Time, the first
Sort will become almost as desolate as Old Sarum, and will as well
deserve to lose their Right of sending Representatives to