275 



LETTER LXIV. 



Ardbrackcn House, Oct. 11, 1813. 



A HOUGH Ireland is not subject to poor 

 laws, the county assessments applicable to the 

 repair of the roads and various other purposes 

 form a heavy charge, which is said to be little 

 short of a million yearly. This tax is imposed 

 by the grand jury the chief constables first 

 obtaining their sanction, which is confirmed by 

 the fiat of the judge. 



Great complaints have been made of sinister 

 views pervading the grand juries ; and as the 

 prevalence of corruption in the public concerns 

 of Ireland is notorious, the suspicion, whether 

 founded in justice or otherwise, is easily dif- 

 fused. The administration of distributive jus- 

 tice is loudly arraigned, owing to this important 

 office devolving on insufficient parties, from the 

 number of qualified and unexceptionable cha- 

 racters who as absentees are lost to the country. 

 Latterly, barrristers have been appointed to 

 preside at the Quarter Sessions of each county, 



TOL. u. T 



