So RELIGION. 



when manufactures are of fo fcckly a growth as to be confined 

 almoft to one province, and when trade is known to exift only 

 by the fhips of other countries appearing in the harbours, while 

 a kingdom is in fuch a fhuation, is it wifdom to perfift in a 

 fyftem which has no other effedl than to clog, defeat, or exter- 

 minate the capital and induftry of four-fifths of the inhabi- 

 tants ! Surely the gentlemen of that country when they com- 

 plain of reftri&ed commerce, and the remittance of the rentals 

 of the abfentees to England, cannot be thought ferious in la- 

 menting the fituation of their country while they continue 

 Wedded to that internal ruin which is the work of their own 

 hands, and the favourite child of their moft a6tive exertions. 

 Complain not of reftriftions while you yourfelves inforce the 

 moft enormous reftri&ion ; and what are the body of abfentees 

 when compared with the abfence of induftry and wealth from 

 the immenfe mafs of two millions of fubjefts. I fliould be well 

 founded in the affertion that both thefe evils, great and ac- 

 knowledged as they are, are trifles when compared with the 

 poverty and debility which refults from the oppreffion of the 

 Roman catholics. Encourage the induftry of thofe two mil- 

 lions of idle people, and the wealth arifing from it, will make 

 ample amends for nioft of the evils complained of in Ireland. 

 This remedy is in your hands j you have no rivals to fear j no 

 minifters to oppofe yoo. 



Think of the lofs to Ireland of fo many catholics of final! 

 property, reforting to the armies of France, Spain, Sardinia 

 and Auftria, for employment. Can it be imagined, that they 

 would be fo ready to leave their own country, if they could 

 ftay in it with any profpeft of promotion, fuccefsful induftry, 

 or even liberal protection ? It is known they would not ; and 

 that under a different fyftem, inftead of adding ftrength to the 

 enemies of this empire, they would be among the foremoft to 

 enrich and defend it. , Upon the whole it appears fufficiently 

 clear, that in thefe three great objects, of making the religi- 

 on of government general, internal fecurky, and national prof- 

 perity, the laws of difcovery have totally failed ; a long feries 

 of experience enables us to difcufs the fubjecl by a reference 

 fo fafts, inftead of a reliance on theory and argument j the 

 language of thofe facts is fo uniform, that private intereft muft 

 Unite with habitual prejudice, to permit it for a moment to be 

 mifunderltood. 



Upon the general queuion it has been afTerted by the friends 

 of the law, that gentlemen in England are apt very much to 

 miftake the point from being ignorant of Irifh popery, which 

 from the ignorance of the people, is more bigoted than any 

 thing known in the (ifter kingdom ; alfo that the papifts in 

 England are not claimants of all the landed property, wliicli is 

 fhe cafe in Ireland. 



Both thefe obfervations are too fFiallow to bear the leafl: ex- 

 amination ; oppreilion has seduced the major p*art of the frill* 



i 



