42 EMIGRATION. 



lative rife of rents about the fame time, blown up the flame of 

 refiftance; the atrocious acts they were guilty of made them 

 the object of general indignation, acts werepalfed for their pu- 

 nifhment, which feemed calculated for the meridian ofBarbary; 

 this arofe to fuch a height, that by one they were to be hanged 

 under certain circumftances without the common formalities of 

 a trial, which though repealed the following feflions marks the 

 fpirit of puniftunent ; while others remain yet the law of the 

 land, that would if executed tend more to raife than quell an 

 infurrection. From all which it is manifeft that the gentlemen 

 of Ireland never thought of a radical cure from overlooking 

 the real caufe of the difeafe, which in fact lay in themfelves, 

 and not in the wretches they doomed to the gallows. Let 

 them change their own conduct intirely, and the poor will not 

 long riot. Treat them like men who ought to be as free as 

 yourfelves: put an end to that fyftem of religious persecution 

 which for feventy years has divided the kingdom agamft itfelf ; 

 in thefe two circumftances lies the cure of indirection, perform 

 them completely, and you will have an affectionate poor, in- 

 ftead of opprefled and difcontented vafTals. 



A better treatment of the poor in Ireland is a very material 

 point to the welfare of the whole Britidi empire. Events may 

 happen which may convince us fatally of this truth If not, 

 cppreflion muft have broken all the fpirit and refentment of 

 men. By what policy the government of England can for fo 

 many years have permitted luch an abfurd fvftera to be matur- 

 ed in Ireland, is beyond the power of plain fenfc to difcover. 



EMIGRATIONS. 



Before the American war broke, the Irifli and Scotch emi- 

 grations were a conftant iubject of converfation in England, 

 and occafioned much difcourfe even in parliament. The com- 

 mon obfervation was, that if they were not flopped, thofe 

 countries would be ruined, and they were generally attributed 

 to a great rife of rents. Upon going over to Ireland I deter- 

 mined to omit no opportunities of difcoveriffg the caufe and 

 extent of this emigration, and my information, as may be feen 

 in the minutes of the journey, was very regular. I have only 

 a few general remarks to make on it here. 



The fpirit of emigrating in Ireland appeared to be confined 

 to two circumftances, the prefbyterian religion, and the linen 

 manufacture. I heard of very few emigrants except among 

 manufacturers of that perfuafion. The catholics never went, 

 they feem not only tied to the country but almoft to the 

 parifh in which their anceftors lived. As to the emigra- 

 tion in the north, it was an error in England to fuppofe it 

 a novelty which arofe with the increafe in rents. The contra- 

 jy was the fact, it had fubfifted, perhaps, forty years, infomuch 



that 



