The Express.
London, England, 1847-11-26 00:00:00

LITB.RATU.RE.

A Free Currency the Remedy for Ireland. London: 1847.
Irish violence and ingratitude furnish a too ready
theme for those who are more inclined to punish than
to prevent offences. For our parts, we are strongly
convinced of the truth that every step towards im-
proving Ireland has been more the result of forbear-
ance, than of putting forth strength and rigour, by
England. When we have abolished a cause of vexa-
tion, a corresponding energy in the cause of social
order has exhibited itself in Ireland.
English minds were a long time in coming to the
conclusion that there were in fact no wild Irish.
What nursery-maids and grandames may have figured
to themselvesaa the type of this character which figures
in legislative enactments and royal proclamations, we
do not know. He may have been a loss as a bug-
bear : but the country improved when all its inha-
bitants were estimated fellow-subjects.
This relaxation, no doubt, only made other oppres-
sive enactments appear in their true light. The
bloody papist was substituted, and answered as a sub-
stitute for those, whose vitiated fancies delighted in
distorting God's image into monsters. A justification,
indeed, appeared in the fact that many highly re-
spectable families in England and Scotland were
equally outlawed for the same offence, and hunted
down with the same ardour. The Irish, therefore,
were supposed not to have a right to complain. They
did complain, however, and managed to get the penal
laws repealed, whereupon England as well as Ireland
found itself none the worse and none the poorer.
The United Irishmen, Whiteboys, and other classiti-
, cations of traitors that followed, are in the recollec-
tion of most men of the present generation. We
led nothing by drawing our social bonds tighter than
before by the union, nor even in making Irishmen
ministers, commanders-in-chief, and governors-general
of India.

The economical side of the connexion between Eng-
land and Ireland begins from the period when security
of person and property was recognised by the govern-
ment, and all Irishmen admitted to have equal claims
on the state. Unhappily this is an occurrence of com-
paratively recent date in its full sense. Bat for the
purposes of industry it may be assumed to date from
the settlement of the country after the rebellion of
1798. With the present century, the " union " began
by imposing taxes on all goods imported from
Ireland, and export dues on most objects sent
to that island. Fiscally, therefore, Ireland was
then treated as a foreign country. There were
years in the war when we were starving, and actually
importing from France, but what statesman had
then the courage to propose abolishing the ditties
between England and Ireland, and thus inducing the
Irish to improve their cultivation ? No ; the English
parliament was willing to vote bounties to Irish spin-
ners and weavers, to prescribe crops and manufactures
—but to let the Irish think and act for themselves—
who could propose such a measure? What would
parliament find to do if this business were taken off
their hands? Well, after a time, somebody did pro-
pose it. The result was, that good farming imme-
diately spread in Ireland ; grain and flour poured into
England ; and yet parliament found something to do.
But as it is difficult to let well alone, the corn
laws were suggested, and, unhappily, the Irish
landlords were as little able to resist the bait
as the English. They swallowed it, and
have been struggling ever since in vain for re-
lief. The effect of limiting supplies of food with a
rapidly increasing population, was to reduce the
greater part of the people of Ireland to grow food
instead of growing market crops of another descrip-
tion that would have sold well elsewhere, and have
furnished wherewithal to bay food and a great deal
more beside.

But who could venture to insist on the truth of this
maxim a few years back? Why the Standard and
Herald
_maintain at the present moment that potatoes
are a better crop than flax, beef, or butter, and would
have the laws that superseded the last-tiamed crops by
the former back again ! Then came Mr. Cobden and
the league, who declared that every man had a right
to buy and sell when and where he thought proper.
They came at a lucky time, for if we had not made
up our minds before last year to use foreign supplies,
and be thankful for getting them, there would have
been few of us left to chronicle the wisdom of oar
legislature.
Ireland by this law is set free in two ways. First
I she is allowed to buy her food instead of being forced
to grow it, if she prefers so to do ; secondly, sho gets
Ia good market in England for her beasts, her dairy
produce, and her flax—a market all the better for
the price of bread being such as to allow John Bull to
batter it. He may even afford in time to wash this good
cheer down with a mug of Guinness's brewing. Bat,
to ! here we make another valuable discovery. Ire-
land is runied by this change—the farmers will grow
produce, but where are they to get money to pay
their rents? Lots of land that were deemed sufficient
for the support of a family are now discovered to
be too small for a cow and her calf; potatoes had
to be grown upon half en acre, but flax, it seems, re-
quires farms of 300. And for this the land is
being cleared, and how ? After tying a popu-
lation down by stringent laws for a quarter of a
century to grow its own food under circumstances
most disadvantageous, and accumulating a mass of
hopeless inhabitants in localities where nothing but
such laws would ever have brought them together,
we turn round upon them and accuse them of causing
the evils which can be traced to the working of acts of
parliament and to the preaching of English wise-
acres. But the law must be respected, and a man
must do what he will with his own, is the cry! Is
this fair in men who never have let the Irish peasant
do what he will with his own ? Is not the law for
both parties? The landlord had the benefit; why
should he withdraw from the responsibility entailed
by the corn laws? He crowded the people on the
land unprofitably, and, therefore, gave them • claim
to stay there until some other provision is forted
for them.
We have no doubt that if the Irish are left to them-
selves they will find a way of thinning the over-
peopled agrarian districts ; but they must be allowed
to exert their own intelligence, which (with leave be
it said) is quite equal toithat of their neighbours. AU
restrictions on their industry are now removed but
one, and it will just as little justify the maintenance
of this last, that Englishmen are willing to put up
with it, as the same argument justified the keeping
up of the penal laws. We allude to the currency
restrictions.

If restrictions on banking are to be resumed, on
which subject it seems nobody can say whether they
will or will not, let them be voted for England, in
heaven's name, if English members are content; bat
let Ireland be left out of the bill. England is peace-
able, rich, and fond of risking crotehetty experiments.
Why should she not do so?
Ireland is poor, disorganised, suffering under dan-
gerous excitement, and very desirous to mend her
state in a quiet manner. We have no doubt that the
immense responsibility attaching to the manner in
which this question is directed will be felt by every
member of both houses„

We would but call to mind the obvious fact, that
if it be a question deeply involving the condition of
England, it still more deeply touches the condition
of Ireland.

AND CLERICAL.

Oirostn, Nov. 25.—1 n a contraption holden this morn-
ing the following degrees Were confined :—Doctors of Divinity: Ten.
C. C. Clarke, Archdceorin and Canon of Cit. Ch, osnd «imp.; RIM.
T. H. Whorwood, Lod Rey. T. 11. Newman, Fellows of Magdalen.
Bachelor of Divinity: Bev. 0. Gordon, Kaden of Ch. Ch. Masters
of Acta : W. C. Ribbert, Rev. G. Butterworth (grand comp), sad
Rev. W.V. J. Kaye, of 8.11101; J. O. Englebeert, Student of eft. Ch.;
Rev. H. A. Wake, Univ. • B. B. Venable', Warily= Bachelme of
Arts : W. S. Prout. Wortnter Coll. H. Jackson (sohdar), and W.
M. Willis Branum ; R. Bliley (grand comp.), and J. T. Parma.
Balliol ; R. Thornton, Fellow of St. John's: H. Baker, and A. S. Sat.
top yteier ; F. Wayet (grand comp.), New lan Hall ; H. L. D. Ward,
J. H. Jams (eeWar), Utat..• N. M. Benson Catmint:, and H.
Roundell, Ch. Ch.: and F. M. Nichol. (scholar), 11. W. Blandford
(scholar), J. Macaonght, T. G. Welch, and A. A. Lee, Wadham.
A. convocation wan holden immediately afterwards, when
the names of the following gentlemen, who have been nominated to
succeed to the aloe of select preacher at Michaelmas, 184 S, were ap-
proved of by the house--via., Rev. H. Wellesley, D.D., Principal of
New Inn Hall; Rev. R. Walker, M.A., of Wadhain ; Bev. J. °erten,
M.A., of Broeeneee: Rev. H. O. Liddell, M.A., of Chr. Ch.; Rev.
0. C. Hall, M.A., of Magdalen.
Ina convocation holden in the Sheldonian Theatre, at two
o'clock, the tauten degree of Doter of Civil Law wan conferred on
J. Brooke, Eq., RaUli of Sarawak. Mr. Smoke was presented by
Dr. Phillicnore, Regius Professor of Civil Law, in a Latin spent,
which at intervals was loudly cheered by the numerous company as-
sembled to witness this murk of esteem paid to coe who has so much
diatintalehed himself to promoting the muse of civilised:n=l
emendlag education, la connection with the oharoh of

among tbe arvage tribes of die island et Borneo. The mega Mr
I Brooke be* kb seat modest the doe** ebeering talt
undcriteinstie Ia tba vary was very leek Med trrlM amend
minu the th Ae same time mu accepted lie benaiseden of J. H.
Maria uad, Egg , Lad, Ida treaseme et Oa tothe kr tM Popme•
don of the Hegel fa !brews PaeAreT&Lbese per Ont.Medte
' on condition that the dividends be pit
*Melon to the crdbia7 payment, aas telec=aftelsee
the antvervity upon •• Church Eateries ever the NM De.
penderielea of the Belli* Empire." It wee dm selmattatt sad ap-
proved of by the house, that the sermon be paushid manually la the
afternoon of Trinity Sunday, and that the prosiber be appointed by
the viocelmnoellor.
The altered form of the statute recommended by the
curators of the Bodleian Library, relative to the aMpus ot that !nab-
totem, and promulgated in congregation un Meaty buit, was aloe
aPapedutetions previous to taking the degree dB D. will be
held In the Divinity eehoois on Monday sod Tuesday next, between
the Rev. J. M. Wilson end the Bev. M. Harrison, fellows of Corpus
Christi College.

THB New CHI.7II.CR AT STAPLETIFLD-COMMON, SUSSEX,
woe consecrated on Saturday, by the Mellon of Chichester, and added
or • chapel 01 lose to tho vicarage of Cuekfteld. About 630 persons
were present. The church is built of omit stone dug on the spot,
and ly hr the early English style. It consists of a nave 60 feet by 25,
and 40 feet pitch to the point of the roof. This to the only portion net
apart for the congregation, and boo seats for about 350 persinc, moot
of which are free. A bold and henchmen° Fantod arch connects the
nave with the ellannel. The building cost about 2,0001., the principal
portion of which is ratsed by subscription. The foundation stone
was laid on Nov. 19, 1844. It is dediestod io St. Murk.
PIICFRILMeNTS.—Rev. W. Kerr, vicar of Woodbattwick,
Norfolk. to Tipton P.C., Staßordah., die. Lich, on cachalot with the
Rev. IL P. Donner ; pat. of Tipton, J. 8. Haler, Req. ; value 4101.
of Woodbestwick, J. Cantor, Esq. ; 2061.—Rev. J. M. Wesley, to Over.
wale It., Leicestersh., dto Peterb. ; pat., Sir T. Greeley, Bart.—Rev.
T. A. Drought, to Mosley C., Nortlumptonalx, die. Peterb.—Rev.
T. Mitchell, to Long Clawson C. Leiceste.h., dio. Yetiwix—Rev.
J. 11. B. Grem, to Gicalield C., foletotersh., tho. fetal.—Rev. J.
Oldham, to Wdooken C., Norfolk, din. Norte.—Rev. J. Leary, to
octirabsncy of new district of Holy Trinity, Willenboll. Staßordeho
die. Lich.—Rev. W. Yorker, to Bolton C., Cumberland, die. Carl.—
Rev. H. Fowler, Pell. and Dean of Sidney Sussex Coll., to the head
masterehip of the Holston Grammar School, vacant by the resignation
of the Res. C. A. Johns.
VACANCIES.—Prebend of Carlisle, by death of Rev. W.
Vanslttart, D.D., who., demise also vacates Shottobroolt V., with
White Waltham V., Berlisti., die. Oxford; 5134., with reoirkner;
pat., A. Vanaittart, Req.