: 4 S COMPACT WITH ENGLAND, 

 geous to this kingdom than the woollen manufacture, which 

 being the fettled ftaple trade of England, from whence all 

 foreign markets arc fupplied, can never be encouraged here 

 for that pvtrpore ; whereas the linen and hempen manufac- 

 tures will not only be encouraged, as confident with the 

 trade of England, but will render the trade of this kingdom 

 both ufeful and neceflfary to England." 



The Commons of IRELAND returned the fallowing Anfwer 

 to the fpeech from the throne. 



" WE pray leave to allure your excellencies, that we fhaii 

 heartily endeavour to eftablifli a linen and hempen manufac- 

 ture here, and to render the fame ufeful to England, as well 

 as advantageous to this kingdom, and that we hope to find 

 fuch a temperament in refpect to the woollen trade here, that 

 the fame may not be injurious to England." 



And they pafTed a law that feffion, commencing the 251?! 

 of March, 1699, leaving 45. additional duty on every 2os. 

 value of broad-cloth exported out of Ireland, and 2s. on every 

 2os. value of ferges, baize, kerfeys, ftuffs, or any other fort ol 

 new drapery made of wool or mixed with wool, (frizes only 

 excepted) which was in effect a prohibition. And in the fame 

 feffion a law was parted in England, reftraining Ireland from 

 exporting thofe woollen manufactures, including frize, o any 

 other parts except to England and Wales. 



The addrelfes of the two houfes to the king carry the clear- 

 eft evidence of their fource, the jealoufy ot merchants and 

 manufacturers ; I might add their ignorance too, they are dic- 

 tated upon the narrow idea that the profperity of the woollen 

 fabrics of Ireland was incohfiftent with the welfare of thofe 

 of England ; it would at prefent be fortunate for both king- 

 doms if thcfe errors had been confined to the laft century. 

 There is an equal mixture alfo of 'falfhood in the reprefenta- 

 tidns ; for they alfcrt that the cheapnefs of neceffaries in Ire- 

 land drew from England the woollen manufacturers, but 

 they forgot the cheapnefs of labour in Ireland, to which no 

 workman in the world ever yet emigrated. The Irilh were 

 engaged in various flight fabrics not made in England ; but 

 had they been employed on broad cloth for exportation, 

 the Englifh manufacture would well have bore it ; they did 

 at that time and afterwards bear a. rapid encreafe of the 

 French fabrics, and yet ftaurifhed themfelvcs. We have had 

 fo long an experience cf markets increafmg with induftry and 

 inventions, that the time ought to have come long ago for 

 viewing competitors without the eye of jealoufy. 



The memoirs of the time, as well as the exprcffion in the 

 above tranfaclion, evidently prove, that it was underftood by 

 both kiogdeins to be a fort of compact, that if Ireland gave 



up 



