roper officers, who, though their employment is not very reputable,
pursue it at least without any personal danger; and who inform their
superiours of any attempts to defraud the revenue, without being
censured as officious or revengeful, and, therefore, are without any
terrours to hinder them from their duty.

It has been asserted, indeed, that the price of a license is now so
small, that none who are inclined to deal in spirits will neglect to
secure themselves from punishment and vexation by procuring it; and
that no man will subject himself to the malice of a profligate, by
carrying on an illicit trade, which the annual expense of twenty
shillings will make legal.

If this argument be just, my lords, and to the greatest part of this
assembly I believe it will appear very plausible, how will this law
lessen the consumption of distilled liquors? It is confessed that it
will hinder nobody from selling them; and it has been found, by
experience, that nothing can restrain the people from buying them, but
such laws as hinder them from being sold.

This plea, therefore, by removing an objection to a particular clause,
will strengthen the great argument against the tenour of the bill,
that instead of lessening, it will increase the consumption of those
liquors which are allowed to be destructive to the people, to enfeeble
the body, and to vitiate the mind, and, consequently, to impair the
strength and commerce of the nation, and to destroy the happiness and
security of life.

That the cheapness of licenses will induce multitudes to buy them, may
be expected; but it cannot be hoped that every one will cease to sell
spirits without a license; for they, are, as I am informed, offered
every hour in the streets by those to whom twenty shillings make a
very large sum, and who, therefore, will not, or cannot purchase a
license. These ought, undoubtedly, to be detected and punished; but
there is no provision made for discovering them, but what has been
found already to be ineffectual.

It appears, therefore, my lords, that this bill will increase the
number of lawful retailers, without diminishing that of private
dealers; so that the opportunities of debauchery will be multiplied,
in proportion to the numbers who shall take licenses.

There is another fallacy by which the duties upon distilled liquors
have been hitherto avoided, and which will still make this bill
equally useless as the former, for the ends which are to be p