MISCELLANIES. 



527 



burning and deep murmurs ; the 

 visit of the constable who collects 

 the cess, is a day of general mourn- 

 ing, and distress, and tribulation. 

 I spoke freely of these things to 

 the Grand Jury of the county of 

 Tipperary; what was the bene- 

 ficial result ? The Foreman (Mr. 

 Bagwell) came forward soon after- 

 wards from the Grand Jury room, 

 and stated publicly in court, that, 

 in consequence of my charge, he 

 and his Fellow-Jurors had thrown 

 out applications for presentments 

 to the amount of 9,600/. These 

 may be presumed to be jobs, under 

 pretence of building walls and 

 bridges, filling hollows, lowering 

 hills, &c. Here, indeed, was 

 some good done by this sudden 

 impulse of economy ; here were 

 the fruits of a free and candid ex- 

 hortation before the public eye. 



Gentlemen, the Judge, whose 

 dutj- it is to pass the presentments, 

 can be of little service toward, de- 

 tecting " a job" — he has no local 

 knowledge — he knows not the dis- 

 tances — the rates — the state of re- 

 pairs — or the views of the parties. 

 He may, indeed, suspect the job, 

 and tear the suspected presentment; 

 but he may tear inadvertently, 

 that which is useful, and let the 

 job pass. Therefore, for the sake 

 of the county, do as Mr. Bagwell 

 did at Clonmel. Begin the refor- 

 «aation ; and discountenance, firm- 

 ly, all parceling of "jobs." 



Gentlemen, when I visited the 

 House of Industry at Clonmel 

 (which is liberally and conscien- 

 tiously conducted by an association 

 consisting of persons of every re- 

 ligious persuasion, with the Pro- 

 testant Parson and the Catholic 

 Priest at their head), never did my 

 -eyes witness a more blessed sight 



— I immediately asked, ♦' what do 

 you pay to the Matron, and to the 

 Manager ?" The sum was men- 

 tioned; it was small. "1 suppose," 

 said I, " it is no object of a coun- 

 ty job." Mr. Grubb, the benevo- 

 lent Mr. Grubb smiled, and said, 

 " You have hit it, my Lord— that 

 is the fact." 



But there is one remedy, that 

 would, in my estimation, more than 

 any other, especially contribute to 

 soothe the minds of the discontent- 

 ed peasantry, and thereby, to en- 

 able them patiently to suffer the 

 pressure of those burthens, which 

 cannot under existing circumstan- 

 ces, be effectually removed ; I mean 

 the " Equal and impartial Admi- 

 nistration of Justice ;" of that Jus- 

 tice which the rich can pursue, un- 

 til it be attained ; but which, that 

 it may benefit ihe cottager, should 

 be brought home to his door. Such 

 an administration of justice would 

 greatly reconcile the lower orders 

 of the people with the Govern- 

 ment under which they live ; and, 

 at no very distant period, I hope, 

 attach them to the law, by impart- 

 ing its benefits, and extending its 

 potection to them, in actual and 

 uniform experience. Gentlemen, 

 if you ask me, how may this be ac- 

 complished } I answer, by a vigi- 

 lant superintendence of the admi- 

 nistration of j ustice at Quarter Ses- 

 sions, and an anxious observance 

 of the conduct of all Justices of 

 Peace. Perhaps, the Commission 

 of the Peace, in every county in the 

 kmgdom should be examined.— 

 During a long war, in seasons of 

 popular commotion, under Chief 

 Governors (all acting, unquestiona- 

 bly, with good intentions, but upon 

 various principles, and different 

 views), it is not improbable, that 



