CONCLUSION. 181 



evil of Ireland. For the latter, the act of last session 

 of Parliament will probably be found a sufficient 

 remedy, and public opinion is gradually gaining strength 

 for the cure of the former. Still we must endeavour, in 

 the mean time, to alleviate her condition as much as 

 possible, by the remedies which are within our reach. 

 And if public loans can be justified at all, there are 

 the strongest grounds for their application to Ireland. 

 Nor can they ever be applied to any private object more 

 generally beneficial than the improvement of land ; 

 thereby at once providing employment for the people, 

 and increasing the annual produce of the country. 



Having thus brought to a close my observations on 

 the state of the West of Ireland, I cannot conclude with- 

 out expressing an earnest hope that a happier under- 

 standing between all classes in that country, based on a 

 juster perception, and a more conscientious fulfilment of 

 their respective duties, may soon form a moral power, 

 stronger for the future preservation of order than the 

 50,000 armed men whose presence is now found neces- 

 sary to maintain it. 



