337 



afting. Man, in the aggregate, (through the clafliing of interefts, and 

 contrariety of corruption) is, ever more abfurd, than he is individually. 

 In this chaos of felfiflanefs and ignorance, the voice of the intelligent 

 few is completely drowned and loft, and thus ignorance, impudence, 

 and fraud devour the golden fruit, which ought to be the prize of 

 induftry, integrity, and Ikill. 



It is highly incumbent on the legiflature, and on thofe perfons, who 

 poffefs an influence in the country, to guard their minds, againft the 

 impofitions, and arts of needy and profligate pretenders, and noify char- 

 latans ; who, in proportion, as they difcover ignorance and incapacity, 

 in thofe to whom they apply themfelves, are loud and vehement, in 

 aflfeverations, and profufe in promifes. 



Yet, while I profefs myfelf, in general, unfriendly to bounties ; I 

 admit, there may be fome exxeptions, in their favour. The political 

 fituation of Ireland, conCdered in all its circumftances, is fomething fo 

 peculiar, that it fecms to ftand, without a parallel, in the hiftory of 

 mankind. This peculiarity in the political fituation of the country, 

 has had a great and very injurious effeft on its commerce and arts ; 

 and fo warped and infefted the induftry, the exertions, and even the 

 very fentiments, and opinions, of the inhabitants, that the common 

 maxims of political economy may be over-ruled, with refpeft to Ireland. 



For a long feries of years, the manufactures and induftry, of the 

 country, were in a ftate of profcription. The unvaried operation of 

 a cruel and miftaken policy, and a code of oppreffive laws, and regu- 

 lations, like a chilling wintry wind, froze up all the energies of the 

 people, and blafted their induftry. The woollen manufafture, the ftaple 

 of the country, in particular, was fo compleatly ruined, that it, now, 

 exhibits all the debility of an infant manufafture. 



It is a ruling principle, in the allotment of bounties, to particular 

 manufaftures, in preference before others, that we are not to confider, 

 fo much the intriufic utility, and abftraft importance, of the manu- 

 fafture itfelf, as whether it ftands in more need, of afllftance. — This 



Vol. IX. ( U u ) need 



