1S03.3 Ohftrvaiicns on Tylhe-s. ^p 



ftate, the tytheable produce is very limited. As it is perhaps 

 upon lands prefently charadterifed as'walles thaf the greateft ar- 

 tificial improvements would be made, it is abfolurely necefHiry 

 that the rate of payment ihould nominaliy be much lower than 

 fpecified with regard to the other two clafT^s ; though I have no 

 doubt but that in reality the greatefl increafe of tyihe would 

 arife in this clafs. I propofe, therefore, that one fifteenth of the 

 rent fnould be confidered as a full compenfation fof tythe upon 

 all lands of this defcription. Perhaps many people may view 

 this as too high a compenfation ; but when it is confidered that 

 rent, at the outfetting, when improvements are making, mnft of 

 courfe be very low, and that it cannot rife till a degree of perfeft 

 culture is eftablifned, I entertain a hope that the rate propofed 

 will be viewed as equitable and reafonable. 



Thus I have briefly ftatcd the rough outlines of a plan for re- 

 moving an important agricultural griivancej and there cannot be 

 a doubt entertained, but that the public intereO, as well as th^t 

 « of individuals, would be materially advanced were fuch a plan 

 carried into execution. The public would be benefited by a ge- 

 neral introdudion of convertible hufbandry, and h'j the culture 

 of that large portion of the iOand, which, to the Diame of our 

 ^government, is fufFered to remain almoft in a non-productive 

 ftate; The landed proprietor would receive the full value of his 

 property, as a removal of tythes would inftantly occafion con- 

 vertible hufbandry to be generally difieminated, and be the fore- 

 runner of a great rife of rent : The tythc-holders, whether cler- 

 gymen or lay-improprlators, would 'likev/ife participate of the 

 general advantage. At the outfet, it is probable that the amount 

 of tythes would exceed, at leall it would be equal to, the tax 

 in kind, or the money prefently levied in lieu of it, while all 

 the drudgery, all the ill will which inevitably fall to the lot 

 of the colleaor, would be avoided. As to the fiirmers, they 

 would moR likely gain more than the proprieiors, or tythe- 

 holders, by the eftablifhment of fuch a commutation. They 

 would be free of arbitrary exa^ions levied in direct proportion to 

 the extent of their merits and abilities. When improvements 

 were made, they would be fecured from the interpofition of a 

 third perlon ; and rent being fixed, no demand for a fhare of 

 profits could be made, during the currency of a leafe, by anv 

 perfon wdiatever. 



In order that a commutation of tythes, To devoutedly to be 

 wifhed, might be carried into execution, all that feems neceiTiry, 

 m the firfi: inftance, is an aft of the legiflature to afcertain the 

 bafis upon which the commutation is to be made. Under the 

 fuppofition that a plan, fuch as I have taken the liberty to oiier, 

 15 juft and equitable, the 7k<X Ihould direft that a co.mmllu-n fey 

 VOJ.. IV. NO. ^\\u I 



