72 



ON THE STATE OF IRELAND. 



[BOOK i. 



are of the rent-value of 50/. We have just seen 

 how it is in Ireland. The following Table will give 

 an idea of the effect produced by the two systems 

 upon public morality. We give the last-published 

 official returns, observing, that they in no respect 

 differ from those of the preceding year. 



The Legislature sees, by this view of the state of 

 society, the influence which the mode of tenure has 

 upon the state of public morals. Here are two 

 countries, separated only by a short sea-passage : 

 in one country, out of 1,000,000 inhabitants, only 

 549 are annually brought to justice ; whilst in the 

 other, there are 2752 that is to say, in the propor- 

 tion of 1 to 5 ; and this is a regular course, which 

 for two centuries has been advancing progressively. 



We shall endeavour, in the following remarks, 

 to explain this phenomenon ; and it will be seen 

 that this number of offences, which criminal justice 

 prosecutes in Ireland as crimes, might be regarded 

 elsewhere as virtues. 



