第30章

whichisdonetwoways：bysolebuying，andsoleselling，bothathomeandabroad。Sothattogranttoacompanyofmerchantstobeacorporation，orbodypolitic，istograntthemadoublemonopoly，whereofoneistobesolebuyers；anothertobesolesellers。Forwhenthereisacompanyincorporateforanyparticularforeigncountry，theyonlyexportthecommoditiesvendibleinthatcountry；whichissolebuyingathome，andsolesellingabroad。Forathomethereisbutonebuyer，andabroadbutonethatselleth；bothwhichisgainfultothemerchant，becausetherebytheybuyathomeatlower，andsellabroadathigher，rates：andabroadthereisbutonebuyerofforeignmerchandise，andbutonethatsellsthemathome，bothwhichagainaregainfultotheadventurers。

Ofthisdoublemonopolyonepartisdisadvantageoustothepeopleathome，theothertoforeigners。Forathomebytheirsoleexportationtheysetwhatpricetheypleaseonthehusbandryandhandiworksofthepeople，andbythesoleimportation，whatpricetheypleaseonallforeigncommoditiesthepeoplehaveneedof，bothwhichareillforthepeople。Onthecontrary，bythesolesellingofthenativecommoditiesabroad，andsolebuyingtheforeigncommoditiesupontheplace，theyraisethepriceofthose，andabatethepriceofthese，tothedisadvantageoftheforeigner：forwherebutoneselleth，themerchandiseisthedearer；andwherebutonebuyeth，thecheaper：suchcorporationsthereforearenootherthanmonopolies，thoughtheywouldbeveryprofitableforaCommonwealth，if，beingboundupintoonebodyinforeignmarkets，theywereatlibertyathome，everymantobuyandsellatwhatpricehecould。

Theendthenofthesebodiesofmerchants，beingnotacommonbenefittothewholebody(whichhaveinthiscasenocommonstock，butwhatisdeductedoutoftheparticularadventures，forbuilding，buying，victuallingandmanningofships)，buttheparticulargainofeveryadventurer，itisreasonthateveryonebeacquaintedwiththeemploymentofhisown；thatis，thateveryonebeoftheassemblythatshallhavethepowertoorderthesame；andbeacquaintedwiththeiraccounts。Andthereforetherepresentativeofsuchabodymustbeanassembly，whereeverymemberofthebodymaybepresentattheconsultations，ifhewill。

Ifabodypoliticofmerchantscontractadebttoastrangerbytheactoftheirrepresentativeassembly，everymemberisliablebyhimselfforthewhole。Forastrangercantakenonoticeoftheirprivatelaws，butconsidereththemassomanyparticularmen，obligedeveryonetothewholepayment，tillpaymentmadebyonedischargethalltherest：butifthedebtbetooneofthecompany，thecreditorisdebtorforthewholetohimself，andcannotthereforedemandhisdebt，butonlyfromthecommonstock，iftherebeany。

IftheCommonwealthimposeataxuponthebody，itisunderstoodtobelaiduponeverymemberproportionablytohisparticularadventureinthecompany。Forthereisinthiscasenoothercommonstock，butwhatismadeoftheirparticularadventures。

Ifamulctbelaiduponthebodyforsomeunlawfulact，theyonlyareliablebywhosevotestheactwasdecreed，orbywhoseassistanceitwasexecuted；forinnoneoftherestisthereanyothercrimebutbeingofthebody；which，ifacrime，becausethebodywasordainedbytheauthorityoftheCommonwealth，isnothis。

Ifoneofthemembersbeindebtedtothebody，hemaybesuedbythebody，buthisgoodscannotbetaken，norhispersonimprisonedbytheauthorityofthebody；butonlybyauthorityoftheCommonwealth：fortheycandoitbytheirownauthority，theycanbytheirownauthoritygivejudgementthatthedebtisdue；whichisasmuchastobejudgeintheirowncause。

Thesebodiesmadeforthegovernmentofmen，oroftraffic，beeitherperpetual，orforatimeprescribedbywriting。Buttherebebodiesalsowhosetimesarelimited，andthatonlybythenatureoftheirbusiness。Forexample，ifasovereignmonarch，orasovereignassembly，shallthinkfittogivecommandtothetowns