CH. IV.] SMALL TENANTRY. 65 



are paid with the greatest reluctance, and it is on this 

 account that the landlords insert in their leases the con- 

 dition that the farmers should pay the tithes, knowing 

 very well that the peasantry would oppose the payment, 

 and in the end get rid of it. Several baronies of the pro- 

 vinces of Ulster and Munster are in fact freed from the 

 payment by insurrections against the receivers, in favour 

 of all those whose property is seized and who are ejected 

 from their farms : other persons have been prevented from 

 taking possession of these same farms. 



The Commissioners wished to know if the small tenants 

 were not better off on the lands where the landlord was 

 resident, than on those where he did not reside. The reply 

 was, that in general the tenants are better off under a re- 

 sident landlord, because he affords the farmer facilities 

 for paying his rent, by employing him in day-labour or in 

 the improvements on his estates. 



The Commissioners inquired what were the disturbances 

 or crimes caused by this system of small farms, and by the 

 great competition for them. In the barony of Mohill, 

 province of Connaught, it was stated, that, in spite of the 

 excessive misery of the tenants, their patience is truly 

 surprizing, and that there are few crimes committed by 

 the peasants. It was added that there have been capi- 

 talists, who were desirous to purchase lands, and clear 

 them of all these people, in order to cultivate them on a 

 better system, but that the population appeared to them 

 so dense that they regarded the thing as impossible, and 

 have never ventured to make the experiment. 



In the barony of Galmoy, province of Leinster, it was 

 stated in reply, that the perpetrators of the outrages were 

 usually persons reduced to destitution and prompted to 



