of disobeying it.

Sir John BARNARD spoke next, to the following purpose:--Sir, I cannot
discover the necessity of pressing the bill with such precipitation, as
must necessarily exclude many useful considerations, and may produce
errours extremely dangerous; for I am not able to conceive what
inconveniencies can arise from a short delay.

The exportation of provisions from Ireland is at present stopped by the
proclamation; and the beef which was designed for other nations, has
been prudently bought up by the contractors, by which those murmurs have
been in a great measure obviated which naturally arise from
disappointments and losses.

There is, therefore, sir, no danger of exportations from that part of
our dominions, which is the chief market for provisions, and from whence
our enemies have been generally supplied: in Britain there is less
danger of any such pernicious traffick, both because the scarcity here
has raised all provisions to a high price, and because merchants do not
immediately come to a new market.

The bill, at least, ought not to be passed without regard to the general
welfare of our fellow-subjects, nor without an attentive consideration
of those petitions which have been presented to us; petitions not
produced by panic apprehensions of imaginary dangers, or distant
prospects of inconveniencies barely possible, but by the certain
foresight of immediate calamities, the total destruction of trade, and
the sudden desolation of flourishing provinces.

By prohibiting the exportation of rice, we shall, sir, in one year,