RELIGION. 4} 



that at the ports of Belfaft, Deny, &c. the paffenger trade as 

 they called it, had long been a regular branch of commerce, 

 which employed feveral fliips, and confuted in carrying people 

 to America. The increafing population of the country made 

 it an increafing trade, but when the linen trade was low, the 

 pajjenger trade was always high. At the time of Lord Donne- 

 gall's letting his eftate in the North the linen bufinefs fuffered 

 a temporary decline, which fent great numbers to America, 

 and gave rife to the error that it was occafioned by the in- 

 creafe of his rents : the faft, however, was otherwife, for 

 great numbers of thofe who went from his lands actually fold 

 thofe leafes for confiderable fums, the hardfliip of which was 

 fuppofed to have driven them to America. Some emigration, 

 therefore, always exifted, and its increafe depended on the 

 fluctuations of linen ; but as to the effeft, there was as >n'ich 

 error in the conclusions drawn in England as before in the 

 caufe. 



It is the misfortune of all manufactures worked for a foreign 

 market to be upon an infecure footing, periods of dec'e (i^n 

 will come, and when in confequence of them great numbers of 

 people are out of employment, the bett circamftance is their 

 enlifting in the army or navy ; and it is the common refult 9 

 but unfortunately the manufacture in Ireland (of which I fhall 

 have occafion to fpeak more hereafter), is not confined as it 

 ought to be to towns, but fpreads into all the cabbins of the 

 country. Being half farmers, half manufacturers, they have 

 too much property in cattle, &c. to enlift when idle ; if they 

 convert it into cafh it will enable them to pay their paflage to 

 America, an alternative always choten in preference to the mi- 

 litary life. The confequence is, that they muft live without 

 work till their fubftance is quite confumed before they will en- 

 lift. Men who are in fuch a (ituation that from various caufes 

 they can not work, and won't enlift, ihould emigrate, if they 

 ftay at home they muft remain a burthen upon the community; 

 emigration fhould not, therefore, be condemned in ftates Co ill 

 governed as to poflefs many people willing to work, but with- 

 out employment. 



SECTION VII, 



Of Religion. 



TH E hiftory of the two religions in Ireland is too generally 

 known to require any detail introductory to the fubject. 

 The conflict for two centuries occafioned a fcene of devaftati- 

 on and bloodfhed, till at laft by the arms of King William 

 the decifion left the uncontrouled power in the hands of the 

 proteftants. The landed property of the kingdom had been 



greatly 



