288 THE FALLS OF BALLYSHANNON. 



and irrational obedience which is given to 

 our national childhood, in order to preserve 

 it until it is capable of true loyalty and rea- 

 soning obedience. They are not freemen — 

 they have never learnt, and therefore I 

 would not play at freemen with them. They 

 do not yet understand the principles of Truth 

 and Justice — till they have learnt them, I 

 would give them no trial by jury. They 

 cannot meet without fighting like savages — 

 till they do so, I would not give them the 

 franchise of civilisation. I would suspend 

 the Habeas Corpus permanently, and then I 

 would govern them as you would govern 

 children, as honestly and as justly as I could, 

 but peremptorily ; and I would do this in 

 the hope of teaching them one day to govern 

 themselves, and as the only means of doing 

 so. His own condition, if you like, should 

 be his criterion ; when I saw him respect 

 himself — ay, when I saw his house neat and 

 tidy, with a little flower-garden round it, 

 like our English cottages, I would begin to 

 respect him myself; but as long* as I saw 

 him making no difference between himself 

 and his pig, I would take him at his own 

 valuation, and treat him accordingly." 



