A treatise on the causes and principles of meteorological phenomena : Also two essays ; the one on marsh fevers; the other on the system of equality, proposed by Mr. Owen of New Lanark, for ameliorating the condition of mankind / by Graham Hutchison.

  • Hutchison, Graham.
Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the causes and principles of meteorological phenomena : Also two essays ; the one on marsh fevers; the other on the system of equality, proposed by Mr. Owen of New Lanark, for ameliorating the condition of mankind / by Graham Hutchison. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    627/670 (page 609)
    National debts, which render heavy taxation neces- sary in order to pay the interest of them, are palpable infringements upon the rights of posterity. Borrow- ing money and converting it into a transferable stock, bearing interest, and using it for government pur- poses, is neither more nor less, than one generation borrowing and spending money, and leaving those that succeed to pay the interest thereof, or the prin- cipal, according as they find it convenient. The rea- son assigned in defence of this conduct immediately subsequent to the Revolution in 1688, when the debt of Great Britain commenced, was, that the wars aris- ing out of the Revolution were carried on as much for the benefit of succeeding generations, as for that which then existed; and it was therefore supposed to be fair, that succeeding generations should pay part of the expense. A similar argument can be brought forward in defence of contracting debt during every war. Succeeding generations may be supposed to be benefited by their ancestors resisting aggression and invasion. All such arguments, however, are evi- dently absurd and unjust. Are succeeding genera- tions to be burdened and incapacitated from defend- ing themselves by being encumbered with the debts of their ancestors ? Is the industry of their labour to be thus mortgaged ? Or are they bound, upon any in burghs, should not be permitted to remain too long in office,— a circumstance which is uniformly observed to have a corrupting influence. This is best provided against by a burgh constitution, which prohibits town-councillors from being elected to serve for more than three years at a time ; and, upon going out of office in rotation, from being eligible for at least a corresponding period. 4 II