io6 WHITE BOYS. 



fubfcriptions to give private rewards to who- 

 ever would give evidence or information con- 

 cerning them. The private diftribution had 

 much more effect than larger fums which re- 

 quired a public declaration j and government 

 giving rewards to thofe who reiiited them, 

 without having previoufly 'promife^L it, had 

 likewife fome effect. Laws were paffed for 

 punifhing all who affembled, and (what may- 

 have a great effect) for recompensing, at the 

 expenfe of the county or barony, all perfons 

 who fuffered by their outrages. In confe- 

 quence of thvs general exertion, above twenty 

 were capitally convicted, and moft of them 

 executed^ and the gaols of this and the three 

 neighbouring counties, Carlow, Tipperary, 

 and Oueen's-county, have many in them, 

 whofe trials are put off till next affizes, and 

 againft whom fufficient evidence for convicti- 

 on, it is fuppofed, will appear. Since this all 

 has been quiet, and no outrages have been 

 committed : but before I quit the fubject, it 

 is proper to remark that what coincided very 

 much to abate the evil, was the fall in the 

 price of lands, which has taken place lately. 

 This is confiderable, and has much leffened 

 the evil of hiring farms over the heads of one 

 another ; perhaps alfo the tythe-proctors have 

 not been quite fo fevere in their extortions : 

 but this obfervation is by no means general ; 

 for in many places tythes yet continue to be 

 levied, with all thofe circumfiances which ori- 

 ginally raifed the evil. 



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