74 LAND REFORM 



as trespassers and their cattle inipounded. They 

 had to submit, and finally sank into the position 

 of hirelings. They were only men, and figured lightly 

 in schemes which promised higher rents and profits. 



The present writer has now before him a printed 

 copy of a form of a petition which was largely used in 

 the various parishes. The preamble is as follows : — 

 " We the underwritten the Freeholders, Copyholders, 

 Leaseholders and others of the inhabitants of the 



Parish of in the County of beg leave to 



set forth," etc. After referring to the high rent to 

 be paid for land when inclosed, " where now no rent 

 is paid for rearing cattle on commons," the petition 

 states " that provided the said common be inclosed, 

 many poor inhabitants in the said parish will be re- 

 duced to distress, as they will be deprived of their 

 present benefit of rearing horned cattle, pigs, etc., and 

 furnishing themselves with fuel in winter, etc." " In 

 short," the petition concludes, "we cannot see any 

 benefit to the nation in general, nor to any individual, 

 by enclosing said common except to the landowners 

 who may thereby be enabled to raise their rents at 

 the expense, and detriment of the parish at large." 

 Besides individual protests, combined action was taken 

 by the farming classes against the rapid increase in 

 inclosures. The arguments against the practice are 

 often expressed in dignified and well-reasoned terms. 

 One farmer writes : — 



" I have laid it down in my mind as a truth that 

 agriculture is the parent of industry and wealth. . . . 

 It is the only root from whence can spring lasting 

 v/ealth, power, and happiness. , . . Whenever the 

 farming interest shall be considered by the legislature 

 as subservient to the trading interest, this nation, from 



