332 ON THE STATE OF IRELAND. 



is in the distribution of her population, must be partial 

 and precarious. 



IV. Because it is notorious that many contributions, in 

 name voluntary, are frequently obligations of the severest 

 character. The pressure of such a tax must be unequal : 

 the class least removed from want would furnish, as it 

 now does, the largest number of contributors, and to the 

 greatest amount ; while the wealthier classics, resident as 

 well as absentee, would in a great measure be exempted 

 from the liability of contributing in proportion to their 

 wealth, or even from contributing at all. 



V. Because, viewing the peculiar state of society in 

 Ireland, the extent to which religious zeal prevails, as 

 well as the influence it must exercise, we consider the 

 difficulties attendant on the raising of a voluntary fund in 

 the first instance, and of an impartial distribution of 

 relief in the next, all but insurmountable. The two 

 great classes of the community, the wealthy proprietors 

 and the great bulk of the population, are so widely sepa- 

 rated in feelings and in opinion, it can hardly be expected 

 that the local managers, of whatever religious persuasion, 

 will attract such confidence towards their judicious choice 

 of objects and impartial distribution of the funds at their 

 disposal as is indispensable (even supposing all other mo- 

 tives for withholding contributions to be removed) to the 

 success of voluntary associations. 



VI. Because it is unhappily too true, that where volun- 

 tary associations for the relief of the most helpless poor 

 have been organized and directed with great skill, and a 

 degree of perseverance which the purest benevolence could 

 alone support, these institutions have not only failed in 

 providing for the necessities of their respective districts, 



