Dr. Johnson defines a smuggler to be a " wretch, who, in defiance of justice and the laws, imports or exports goods either contraband or without payment of the customs." This is rather a harsh definition of the learned Doctor's. We define smuggling to be the clandestine introduction of prohibited goods, or the illicit introduction of goods charged with excessive duties, and the evading payment of those duties which have been imposed by government. A smuggler we define to be one who thus endeavours to import or export goods without payment of the duties. In parts of a country where a " free trade " is extensively carried on, the smuggler is rather a popular person than otherwise, and in some countries , as in Spain, still more so than in England. His neighbours do not usually regard his mode of acquiring a livelihood disgraceful, but rather look upon him as a benefactor who supplies them with necessaries and articles of luxury at a cheap rate.
Excessive duties present a temptation to evade them ; and the law loses a part of its moral force, when it first tempts to a violation of it and then punishes the offender. We have only to examine the tariff of a country to know if smuggling is practised. If a bad system of commercial policy has been long pursued, there the smuggler will be found ; and we may lay it down as an axiom that whenever the duties exceed thirty per cent, -
