In
That Case, I Presume, The Legislature Will Make The Same Distinction
That The States Of Holland Did, And Not Suffer The Private Advantage
Of Any Particular Company To Stand In Competition With The Good Of A
Whole People.
It was upon this principle that I laid it down as a
thing certain, that the African company would
Be allowed to settle
the island of Madagascar, though it lies within the limits of the
East India Company's charter, in case it should be found necessary
for the better carrying on of this trade. It is upon the same
principle I say this southern continent lies within the intention of
the South Sea Company's charter, because, I presume, the intent of
that charter was to grant them all the commerce in those seas, not
occupied before by British subjects; for, if it were otherwise, what
a condition should we be in as a maritime power? If a grant does
not oblige a company to carry on a trade within the limits granted
to that company, and is, at the same time, of force to preclude all
the subjects of this nation from the right they before had to carry
on a trade within those limits, such a law is plainly destructive to
the nation's interest and to commerce in general. I therefore
suppose, that, if the South Sea Company should think proper to
revive their trade in the manner I propose, this proviso would be
explained by Parliament to mean no more than excluding the South Sea
Company from settling or trading in or to any place at present
settled in or traded to by the East India Company:
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