andtheirclergy，whoarefarfrombeingnumerous，aremaintainedeitherbymoderatestipends，orbythevoluntarycontributionsofthepeople。ThepowerofSpainandPortugal，onthecontrary，derivessomesupportfromthetaxesleviedupontheircolonies。France，indeed，hasneverdrawnanyconsiderablerevenuefromitscolonies，thetaxeswhichitleviesuponthembeinggenerallyspentamongthem。Butthecolonygovernmentofallthesethreenationsisconducteduponamuchmoreexpensiveceremonial。ThesumsspentuponthereceptionofanewviceroyofPeru，forexample，havefrequentlybeenenormous。Suchceremonialsarenotonlyrealtaxespaidbytherichcolonistsuponthoseparticularoccasions，buttheyservetointroduceamongthemthehabitofvanityandexpenseuponallotheroccasions。Theyarenotonlyverygrievousoccasionaltaxes，buttheycontributetoestablishperpetualtaxesofthesamekindstillmoregrievous;theruinoustaxesofprivateluxuryandextravagance。Inthecoloniesofallthosethreenationstoo，theecclesiasticalgovernmentisextremelyoppressive。Tithestakeplaceinallofthem，andareleviedwiththeutmostrigourinthoseofSpainandPortugal。Allofthem，besides，areoppressedwithanumerousraceofmendicantfriars，whosebeggarybeingnotonlylicensedbutconsecratedbyreligion，isamostgrievoustaxuponthepoorpeople，whoaremostcarefullytaughtthatitisadutytogive，andaverygreatsintorefusethemtheircharity。Overandaboveallthis，theclergyare，inallofthem，thegreatestengrossersofland。
Fourthly，inthedisposaloftheirsurplusproduce，orofwhatisoverandabovetheirownconsumption，theEnglishcolonieshavebeenmorefavoured，andhavebeenallowedamoreextensivemarket，thanthoseofanyotherEuropeannation。EveryEuropeannationhasendeavouredmoreorlesstomonopolisetoitselfthecommerceofitscolonies，and，uponthataccount，hasprohibitedtheshipsofforeignnationsfromtradingtothem，andhasprohibitedthemfromimportingEuropeangoodsfromanyforeignnation。Butthemannerinwhichthismonopolyhasbeenexercisedindifferentnationshasbeenverydifferent。
Somenationshavegivenupthewholecommerceoftheircoloniestoanexclusivecompany，ofwhomthecolonistswereobligedtobuyallsuchEuropeangoodsastheywanted，andtowhomtheywereobligedtosellthewholeoftheirownsurplusproduce。Itwastheinterestofthecompany，therefore，notonlytoselltheformerasdear，andtobuythelatterascheapaspossible，buttobuynomoreofthelatter，evenatthislowpricethanwhattheycoulddisposeofforaveryhighpriceinEurope。Itwastheirinterest，notonlytodegradeinallcasesthevalueofthesurplusproduceofthecolony，butinmanycasestodiscourageandkeepdownthenaturalincreaseofitsquantity。
Ofalltheexpedientsthatcanwellbecontrivedtostuntthenaturalgrowthofanewcolony，thatofanexclusivecompanyisundoubtedlythemosteffectual。This，however，hasbeenthepolicyofHolland，thoughtheircompany，inthecourseofthepresentcentury，hasgivenupinmanyrespectstheexertionoftheirexclusiveprivilege。This，too，wasthepolicyofDenmarktillthereignofthelateking。IthasoccasionallybeenthepolicyofFrance，andoflate，since1755，afterithadbeenabandonedbyallothernationsonaccountofitsabsurdity，ithasbecomethepolicyofPortugalwithregardatleasttotwooftheprincipalprovincesofBrazil，FernambucoandMarannon。
Othernations，withoutestablishinganexclusivecompany，haveconfinedthewholecommerceoftheircoloniestoaparticularportofthemothercountry，fromwhencenoshipwasallowedtosail，buteitherinafleetandataparticularseason，or，ifsingle，inconsequenceofaparticularlicence，whichinmostcaseswasverywellpaidfor。Thispolicyopened，indeed，thetradeofthecoloniestoallthenativesofthemothercountry，providedtheytradedfromtheproperport，attheproperseason，andinthepropervessels。Butasallthedifferentmerchants，whojoinedtheirstocksinordertofitoutthoselicensedvessels，wouldfinditfortheirinteresttoactinconcert，thetradewhichwascarriedoninthismannerwouldnecessarilybeconductedverynearlyuponthesameprinciplesasthatofanexclusivecompany。Theprofitofthosemerchantswouldbealmostequallyexorbitantandoppressive。Thecolonieswouldbeillsupplied，andwouldbeobligedbothtobuyverydear，andtosellverycheap。This，however，tillwithinthesefewyears，hadalwaysbeenthepolicyofSpain，andthepriceofallEuropeangoods，accordingly，issaidtohavebeenenormousintheSpanishWestIndies。AtQuito，wearetoldbyUlloa，apoundofironsoldforaboutfourandsixpence，andapoundofsteelforaboutsixandninepencesterling。ButitischieflyinordertopurchaseEuropeangoodsthatthecoloniespartwiththeirownproduce。Themore，therefore，theypayfortheone，thelesstheyreallygetfortheother，andthedearnessoftheoneisthesamethingwiththecheapnessoftheother。ThepolicyofPortugalisinthisrespectthesameastheancientpolicyofSpainwithregardtoallitscolonies，exceptFernambucoandMarannon，andwithregardtotheseithaslatelyadoptedastillworse。