1822.] 
from their soil in foreign lands, while 
their own pastors, proscribed and aban- 
doned, are doomed either to absolute 
penury, or to recvive a precarious sub- 
sistence from the eleemosynary bounty 
of their parishioners, Surely legislation 
might do something kere, surely laws 
might be devised to alleviate the ini- 
quity and revolting incongruities of such 
a system, 
Let us see, then, what is really in the 
power of government to effect, and, that 
we may not aim-at unattainable good, 
we will propose something short of what 
we conccive most desirable. A gene- 
xal commutation for-tithe, payable by 
the landowner, would, unquestionably, 
be the best reform of the tythe system ; 
hut this is too great a boon to expect, 
therefore we shall content ourselves 
with asking something less. 
¥irst, I can see no hardship in a law 
to prohibit the clergy from farming out 
the tithe, and to compel them to collect 
it in person, or by their immediate de- 
pendants, without the intervention of 
proctors and their agents. A simple 
measure of this nature, I am per- 
suaded, would be of infinite service to 
Treland ; it would sweep away a thou- 
sand eauses of discontent and exas- 
peration; it would vest. the levy of an 
oppressive impost in those who had the 
emolument of it; and who, from local 
situation being exposed to the inconyve- 
nience-and odium resulting from taxa- 
tion, would be less liable to exercise 
unnecessary rigour. 
Secondly, in lieu of the tithe on po- 
tatoes, and the mere subsistence of the 
eotters, I would propose that the tithe 
of agistment, abolished by a selfish law 
of the Irish parliament, be restored, so 
that pasture, as well as tillage, might 
contribute to* the maintenance of the 
chureh. 
~ Lastly, it is desirable, that a proposi- 
tion introduced in the last session of 
parliament, for making a provision for 
the Catholic clergy, be carried into 
éffeet. | 1t is painful to think that a 
body of men; to whom is confided al- 
most the entire religious instruction of 
the community, should have no certain 
maintenance, should have no depend- 
ence farther thanthe casual and scanty 
contributions of their indigent follow- 
ers; and it is surprising that govern- 
ment delays a just and salutary mea- 
sure, that could not fail to attach to its 
interests the mostinflucntial class in the 
country. © 
With such ehanges as these, endan- 
MONTHLY Maa, No, 367. 
On the: Discontents and Disturbances in Irelund. 
321 
gering no system, attacking no esta- 
blished. principle, preserving, in fact, 
the interests: of the Protestant clergy, 
and merely taking away what is unjust 
in priscipld and offensive in practice in 
the levying of tithes, great and sub- 
stantial benefits would be conferred on 
Ireland; and the most prolific source of 
her agitations removed. 
The next subject afflicting the cot- 
ters is exorbitant rents. Here I con- 
fess neither legislation nor government 
can properly interfere. Rent must 
always be determined by the competi- 
tion of the market, and the only pro- 
per mode of reduction is by lessening 
the number of applicants for land. 
But though, in this case, there is no 
direct remedy, still something may be 
done by appealing to the landowners 
themselves. First, it can never be 
their interest to be surrounded by an 
enraged and famishing population ; the 
peril and misery of such a situation are 
apparent: their own security, no less 
than humanity, suggests that their wel- 
fare is identified with that of a com- 
fortable tenantry ; that they ought to 
discountenance all offers for land, which 
takes from the cultivator the means of 
subsistence ; and that they ought not, 
for a transitory gain, ultimately to ex- 
pose themselyes and families to the 
horrors of a servile bellum, originating 
in the disappointed expectation of a 
credulous and over sanguine peasantry. 
These appear to me the most impor- 
tant topics, ecnnected with the inferior 
population. Ihave purposely omitted 
observing on the Distillery Laws, and 
some other matters, because the eviis 
and remedies have been Jong before tlic 
public, and I have nothing new to add 
respecting them. Of education, too, f 
have said nothing ; and tor this reason, 
because the physical condition of the 
people must be ameliorated before any 
system of instruction, however perfect, 
can be acted on with advantace, ‘Phere 
is abundant provision for education in 
Treland when the people are in a state 
to derive the benefit of it. 
- I come to the second division of out 
subject, namely, the disunion which 
prevails among the upper-classes, It 
is here the wisdom of administration 
may be most conspicuously displayed. 
Ad present Ireland is little better than a 
great mad-house, filled with deranged 
spirits, without union among theia- 
selves, hating cach other without cause, 
perpetuating’ with bigoted tenacity ab 
surd .distinctions time has obliterated, 
25 and 
