SECT. III.] RESULTS OF THE INQUIRY. 231 



of wise and elaborate contrivance ; and as well fitted for 

 the oppression, impoverishment and degradation of a peo- 

 ple, and the debasement in them of human nature itself, 

 as ever proceeded from the perverted ingenuity of man." 

 Although it is now no more, it has left behind it habits 

 and dispositions which are opposed to improvement 5 and 

 we should consider ourselves accessories to a continuance 

 of them, if we attempted to guarantee to the labourer pau- 

 per-support, instead of endeavouring to render him inde- 

 pendent of it. 



REMARKS. 



Mr. Burke was a zealous Protestant, who scru- 

 pulously fulfilled the duties of his religion. He 

 was the profoundest statesman, the most moral 

 and high-minded politician, and the most eloquent 

 writer that modern times have produced. We see 

 in the words quoted by the Commissioners how he 

 characterizes the government of Ireland by the En- 

 glish, or rather the government of the Catholics 

 by the Protestants ; and he spoke thus in 1 792 pro- 

 phetically, for Ireland had not then been reduced 

 to the misery which we have just seen disclosed. 

 The Commissioners are right in refusing to Ireland 

 the English poor-law. That law would be a re- 

 medy similar to those which Mr. O'Connell at 



