48 ABSENTEEISM OF LANDLORDS. 



for the interest of the manufacturer and com- 

 mercialist than in the improvement of the 

 country by the employment of our agricultural 

 labourers. This, however, is a conclusion more 

 popular than true, and based upon the unchari- 

 table hypothesis that landlords mis-spend their 

 money. The obvious duty of the landlord is 

 to make provision for his own family, not 

 those of others ; and if his income is prudently 

 spent in this channel, it is as favourable for our 

 commercial and manufacturins; interests as if 



O 



spent by our agricultural labourers. Even grant- 

 ing the justness of this popular conclusion, 

 unfortunately for it as a scheme for the refor- 

 mation of Ireland, it leaves us exactly in our 

 former position, 28,000,000/. short of being upon 

 a footing of equality with England, and even 

 worse than that: for the latter would pocket 

 the lion's share of the manufacturing and com- 

 mercial advantages which the former would 

 yield under, this improved system of things, 

 independent of the benefits resulting from her 

 own. 



TTe cannot therefore procure the necessary 

 funds from this source, in accordance with 

 any plan at present in operation, either in 



