338 PROSPECTS OF THE PEOPLE 



far as the interests and feelings of the rural inhabitants are 

 concerned. The landholders and tenantry are unknown to 

 each other, and dislike may sometimes be traced in both 

 parties. The tie of farmer and ploughman is waxing weak, 

 and instead of the quietness of conduct which now pervades 

 all classes, a very few years may develope the troubles of 

 Ireland, and the south of England. 



It has already been stated, that nature contributes much 

 towards the manufacture of farm produce ; but the fruits of 

 her exertion do not benefit the tenant nor operative. The 

 landholders receive as rent all that results from nature, and 

 also a considerable portion flowing from the tenant s capital 

 and the operative s labour. The tax which the corn-laws 

 impose on the unagricultural portion of the population, for 

 the benefit of landholders, is collected free of expense by the 

 tenantry. The ragged and half-starved peasant of Ireland 

 labours amongst, and begs from, the people of Britain, and, 

 on reaching home, gives his earnings to the owner of the soil, 

 that he may be permitted to exist only on the potato he him 

 self cultivates. The East Lothian tenant of the present day 

 is often not more happily situated, gradually paying the land 

 holder the earnings of early life, or inherited wealth, for the 

 privilege of occupying the soil, and returning its produce. It 

 is fortunate landholders do not possess the power of prevent 

 ing the population removing to other countries, and there 

 growing produce for themselves. 



There seems but little in the present constitution and state 

 of agricultural relations to brighten futurity. An abrogation 

 of the corn-laws would ensure an extended application of ca 

 pital to the soil, and create employment for operatives. An 

 nulling the law of entail would produce landholders interested 

 in agriculture and the people who follow it. But however 

 beneficial might be the effects of such measures, the evil of a 

 limited surface with a numerous population would remain. 

 The landholder would perhaps be reduced to the necessity of 

 superintending the cultivation of a part of his own soil, and 

 generally interest himself in his estate. The situation of te 

 nants and operatives would only be improved for a short while, 

 as they would soon compete with each other as before. Nei- 



