The Sun.
London, England, 1823-10-16 00:00:00

THURSDAY, ADerrollEß 16, 1823.

their opinion they need only refer to the Report of Mr. )(Mille,
from whence it appears, that in the County of Clare, " 24,1345
persons, -Least of them unfitted, from age or disease, to procure
by labour the means of existence, were supported at an expen re
of not quite one penny each per diem." • - •
The condition of. the peasantry of those districts of frelaulte
which the evidence refers, appears to your Committee tio, be
wretched and calamitons to the greatest degree. An hitelligent
Scotch Agriculturist,' who visited !rebind during the last year,
alleges, " that a large portion of the peosautry live in a state of
muter), of which he could' have formed no eati cept hitt, not integi
ting that any human beings could exist -in such wretchednese4;:
their cabins scarcely contain an article thacen be called furni,
ture; in some families there arc no such things its bedelotitl, the
peasants Khorred some fern, and a quantity of straw thrown over
it, upon which they slept in their working-clothes, yet, vejten-
ever they had anieal of potatoes they were cheerful; the greater
part he understood to drink nothing.but water." state-
ment appears tuniirMed by the teetin onyof blank 'cif the -"-
netters examined ,by your .Committee, etgree•not on 4, in
this melancholy desceiption -of the uncleien of a considerable
portion of the 'lrish peasantry, snit, agree also in attributhig
it
to the total want of employment' in Which they are left. .1/2
some parts of the country one-half of the. en ate population are
suited to be without employment, in *here ,the proportion is
said to be still greater; anti all thnesailt exareined agree
fn attribitting, to a. considerable case .epte4
of the . peasantry Tani• their ex cese ete •eittistie..• At Clop-
akilty, in the County of Cork, where the linen .inenntaie
tore has been introduced; tranquillity' is stated ta 'have ;lire-
wailed. The county of Mayo,. where. yarn- and . lineni to, a
eonsidereLic extent are manufactured, ..the
,paibliqcpeage, has
not been endangered. One Barony. in the county of Katy;
hat been uniformly the least 'dititurbed, and in that ilatany
alone has- immufacturing industry. been carried to; any: ex-
tent. . In the neighbourhood of Waterford "no slue* of
disturbaece hat existed, the p'insantry bitvitig a Steady innrket
for their' labour I whilst' in parts of Cork, where the People are,
i 911., considerable. degree tinenOloyed, the dangerous enmbi-
batlone ageinst the laws, and t 4 molt violent attacks, upon
jiiciperfy hfiveletely taken place ; ' sad yet hitt* very dis.
mots your committee have been infbrmed On the•mithoritY of
engineer,geinitioncei that ho . very soon pacified', the
country by extended
.vmptoillent. of the. people in opening a
inteoline of road' thernember who gave this lo forniett on add-
frOm himsellf, 44: that if ensploymeitt CCM d be,msdesuili-
ROntly •extensiVlN. he. doubted not that, ;114; ntritl4l4llt habits-of
thepoptilation Vonlel be abandoned." When, in addition to
these exPretetioni tyf 'Opinion; the Impi:oVitel CondltiOn and trim--
gyillityeeftite north Of Ireland; where the linen Manufacture,,
prevails, is contrasted with the wrocbOtietwof the south, your
Committee cannot re••fuse adthite,ing the immediate connection.,
existing betiveen the employment and peace, as welltts between..
wept.of yseful.occtipation,and turbulenee. ~ • -.1

leis the opinion of
,your,Committee, that there.exists in the
minds of the people a great anxiety for labour. The peasantry,
of the south and West'-'olt.their homes at particular times of
the ~year, in search of employment. ,111r...islitnino, the civil
engineer, when.extunined befoec the Committee of 1819e stated.b
that many'hundrecis ol• the peasantry of Kerry had willingly.
hired theinselfes ,its labourers in :the.neighbouritig county -of.
Limerick at, four-pence a day ; anti it member of the Cotme,
miltee 'hits stated, that VC has known many of the pea.,',
-Vaal of 'Kerry to quit their homes 'in search. of' employ.
meat,. ‘‘ offering , to work for the meanest. subsistence that
-could be obtained, at the lowest possible rate of. -wages,' for
tWo.pen'te a day; in short fin. any thing diet would' purchase
,focal enough' to keep them alhie during the ensuing '24 b.:hits."
,—When able be obtain labour by contract, or by' task as it is
Called, the peasantry are frequently known to overwork thetn.
sates, in a minner tiijuriOus to their health. The inhabitants
of those-Peninsulas-of the. South West of 'lreland, which' are
waslied.by.f,he Atlaiitic,..caery., the , eve ore ;end the calcareous
Sandi of ;the coast many 'mike inlenelre ipo some cases,
Where- tbernoun tains are steep, and roods haVe not as yet been
.opened, these manures are tarried two be three miles inland on
theba front cksi, of the peasantry. From these facts, your Committee
have.every reason to conclude, that' so fir fro being *uniformly
inactive and Idle, the peasantry of Ireland have a considerable
nsiaty 0. preen re employment, ' • • • • •
Vartouaceuses have been referred to,,hyt the witnesses exa-
p
mined' before'your Conimittee„ as being sutikient to account
fortha want' of cniloyment
ITeJand; -fort Alia the newest
ample maybe treced to the..rapid incresie'nh the population...—.
population 1695, the poation was, calculated to be 1,084,10`,r; -in
-1781; 2,010121 ; in 1791; .1,260,000 • In 11104,Ite:400,1)00 i 'and
ih 1821; nfiari74,600,009.• Tito 'injections of `industry have
_not increased in the sante ratio, and the. demand .for labour
heti considerably diminished, if cony:ire(' with the number of .
.and.
Seeking' ler emidliyment. Varlhoi causes Of 'Peal:
and temporary nature have contr.; buted. tea increase tht• pepu.
people r. these are adverted to in the yiderice.
lotion, and ,to diminish the natural. Mean* 0.1,09)14)Y.ing the
trade! in in cora:produced ]luring; the
war, the high "prices of 'C'orn, and the ' effect of the free,
stimulus to the extension of arable husbandry. The
cord @lons Of Irelaral inercas.ed to tin extent wnich Juts
,by the Act of, 11106, gain. 'a
raspier' y been noticed in Parliamert. Miring the sem;
period, partly front: political motives in adding to the Mini-
ber of freeholders, and partly, from the NW with which
rents were 'paid for lin& an extraordinary subdeyieion „of
farms took !place; Alhey of the twilit 6f Ireland,. morel and
political, as ,well as the depreesed state-of the .Peettantry, '
n the judgment of your cominittee, he traced to the tuts-
' thievous and • frequently franthilent niatiplication of the elec-
tive franchise.. This subject ier highly deserving of the notice,;
if. not, of the interposition ;of ,the Legislatttrt• in An "Wu-
-104 district in the Queen's` County (the.,,ltaronyof Naomi-
itinchy, containing 1,187 fainik, 1,029 • appear -not to exceed
twenty acne, in extente and tan tereoneler fireacris.
• Since die depression of the .prices: of Agricultural preduce, e
beecisity of censolidating many small into one greater t the
seems to be generally.: admitted' and acted uptint end tritteh
of arable land hes. been laid down for the, purpose of rearing
and fattening cattle,. as well as for -deiry. That this.alteratiOn
of system may oltiMately bobeliefleitil, and that it was actu-
ally necessary toprevent the indefinite subdivision of land,. be.
lore in progress, 'may be admitted.; but the first sheet or the
alteration has ,been to make a sudden, change in the peasant's
mOde bf life; depriving many of their Fortner hontre, ant' malt-ing it extremely difficult for them, to obtain nuiv bebilatiOn.
The districts to-which thjs.obeervadoo.refere will be .tbund by,
reference to the evidence.. Another Cause Of the diminution
of employment 'arises froin the effect of the fall •Offirices on the'
gentry of ttie country. The fixed' payments to which in anyof ;he
landholders of Ireland are subjected, pertly, fro in • im provident
habits, and partly from the peculiar system of manitgmg lond,
by granting anti taking leases for long terms in that country,
are greater than can he found in any otherpart of the Empire.
These fixed payments, whether in the shape ofbeadrrons, .Or
inceitNt tm ittettinbranceli, are, to a considereble extent, re
witted to-England-. The alteration of the value of money has,
made these fietel payment.* bear a greater. proportion to tine
whole' income of the country. than they did during the war,
'and,' consequently, thelialance remaining for the subsistence of
tbereeident-gentry.has proportionably diminished. . From this
reduction of.inco.tne,n Teductll empleyment of the pc9llle
sect rily proceeded. Labourers have been discharged, and
the ilistrcss of the higher clan: es has reacted to a considerable
extent u pon: the, lower.
The want of capital acenis to be generally referred to as, the
principal'principalcenseoldieredacednmti,n asf employ ing the people and
this complaint of "want Of capital is getterallyiteconapanied by it
.statetnente.that capital Might in. Ireland be profitably invested.
if that itivestmentcoold take
Assuming this position to be correct, your Committee were me-.
ssea extonined imputed this
aurally led to inquire into the causes which irripeiled the invest.
npleance,t
of tttitisli
difilculty of in tiritish capitalists to invest their money.
in Ireland, to the'disturbnnees tvhich haVe unfortunately tire
Ireland;
that coitutile, by which amt inipretteion huts been matle. to
a considerable extent produced, that property lAttqArt., in those
districts where distalbane& s have prevaitl.
The want of capital in Ireland ma' shoWri by the wretched de-
, scription4firnoeukete, used both in domestic manufactures
and in agriculture,as well as by the general, deficiency:even Dr
such implements es die Paverti of timer people enables thein to
Th,:ooteghe,‘carts, and harrowseare generally attic
rudest- deeeripuon, though, When improved models have been,
giveo, nri enxiety has been evinces' on the ,part of the farmers to
pinfit by:the experience and informetien of others, se far as
-was ecaSistent with former littbits and extreme poverty'. Tlie
stone want of. capital-. het: led,to A. pftyiti -Of Wageo, not in
money, but by allowances in tonottot, alwayelesa ~atittfactory
Ms the Peasantry, because, it gives:them leas Milne:a i:tte re.
ward- or their industry, Old a lesa clear and in t.lligible mode
. of =art aining ..that they pro dealt with. fairly. This spit em of
paying wages in amount be applied not only to the operation
w
Of field industry, hen it results perhaps neceeearily from
the poverty of the 'people of Ireland, but it is stated to

extend itself in merle dietriete, to the execution of pubs
lie works, by Grand Jury presentment. It appears from- the
rel4lll of Mretslittenio, :"that the repairs of roads are carried
on by a class of persons who make a trade of it, as a market for
the labour of their poorer tenantry; the latter are net, properly
speaking, paid. for what work .they. do,- but have the amount of
e :presentment allowed by their landlords, as a, mu-off against.
ae rest of their holding's" The obsdrvittions of 'slr.
Nimmo, on the subject of the execution of grand. jury 'pre-
sentinenbs are well deserving of the attention of the House;
and it being admitted, that if the wage's of labour were paid in
motley, the labour would be more cheaply purchased, and
moreilu ecelpleers.feulall'itvil! . et
Pact jealitleYysltriencin'irf"reuiruly°...°MulonneityteepacgteitiT6tt!
might be introduced, so 'far as the public works of the enontry
are concerned. . This o syxternoperates, stalest' as a discoufage-
inene to the .reelectien of rune, but a an increase to Te amount:
of local burdiens. The present amount of Grand u rylevies
wotail, uncleten system' of ready-money payments, give More
extended . employment, arid !effect objects of greater: .public
utility ; or if the amount of work to be performed remained
the stone, a redaction in tha amount of the local burthens
would neeeeescritytalek.plitice.i ce . . - . - • '
Your Committee may, be here. allowed to remark, that it an-
pears, that under the prevent SyStent of grand Jury'laws, the
dernend for liboltr, on the pithier-roads generally' occuriut the
I most iticolieenient periods of the year. either Burin, Ast, Kpring
work of the fatmer, or daring his early hariaffee,•or turfserintstin
iti slimmer. • If mitaeures eatild be .adopred to distribute this
, work moo jutlicionely, it would tend- to equalise the demand
for, labour nt different periotts of the year, and to prevent; the
dangeroue vicissitudes of an extended demand for Moue, suti..
1.1 till), followed by a diminution °Oh* means of employment.
Respecting the erects which are likely to •flow final the the in-
struction of the peasantry in agriculture, your Committee refer,'
with great satisfaction, to the evidence on the subject of aSebool
of industry, eettililielicel in the comity of Wexford, by theixe.r.
tions of public spirited individuals, who, in the experiment he
has tried, and the example he has given, appears to have roe_
demi- a service to his country. Your Committee cannot doubt
but that eimilar efforts made elsewhere would lead to the same
beneficial resiilts ; and when the' large sums annually voted,
for charitable establishments and for schools in Ireland, an
e.onsidered., your Committee carioca but think that the inetruee,
den in induetry taught be most Advantageous teethe public ,
combined with the instrUctioe Cif letters; and they dilute!, not
that it would produce Let diffusion. of improved habits among
the people.
Among the various suggestions which have been laid before'
your Committees stile from Mr. Robert Owen, of leenark, has
. attracted Ito much of-public attention as to require particular
notice. , Jr hat been so much canvassed in public,•And has exch.
ed so mueleintereetti'lrelendi that your Committee have felt it
..tbeir.duty.to Inquire minutely into its details,, and consider the
. tendency ofethe pritioiptee on which it Is .lounded, During
.the last pear' .111r.',Olvenevisited a very considerable part of
Ireland, anti at various places explained 'his 'plane both
by publication And 'at uteetingt of the most respectable de-
Aeription i Land :during- theepresent Session a POtitien, signed
by many individuals of renk.end consideration, hat been pre.
sented-ItieParlianeent, praying that an experiment might be
. tried,ort an enlarged emit, to ascertain how fir the augges.
s e tions of Alr..owen-were applicable-practically to the condition
of the Irish people. The public spirit and benevolence of that
...gentleman, in, thus devoting his time anti intelligence to the
amelioration of: the people its a country :with which he had no
persenal- connection, to deserving, of every praise; but hie plan
must be discuesed with a view to the necessary consequences
resulting (rainsitt'!adoptionetindenot from any consideration
of his motives .in laying It before the publie. 'The principles
of the plan are Sewell known,. that -it.is Unnecessary to do
more than tea • refer to them in general terms; the details
-will: be, foundele -the Evidence 'subjoined to this 'Report.—
. But when it is etmeidbred, that Mr. Owen's '.Plan is fountie
ed upon et. prioetpleethat, a state of perfect equality cad
leyb:4gOebenit.74C:.
deliarrarst:lie:llit.;.
ea: 0 e'
ottia:e:9o4:l;tevreotlb;:dreototnit!talar:ih)ietnt3°li.
itt;b:44,on:lperi
jot:3,11°1:1;3:3cl: tel: 'consequences,,abeeitlililairieit:ll4lev sitwtattite.
the natorteantlintereate-eif.tuankiiiii, rout the experience of ell
in which an ipeetuallti. iir 'eseulicione offers t fie •nateral rewards
of ...total conduct,* hn sleticiatet widely and geoerally.ttie hopes
of rising salt the feur cif felling in society, -alt unquestionably
the best celcalated to drielope the energies end facultiee.of
matt ~-and ..it ibo4sest oohed", tb the exerchit, and Improvement of
human vitt:tit:On Mi. -Owe ree . is t abl i stnnen i secoul it. be con.
ducted eicorelliter table inteetionti,oheidle and profligate would
be,placed ins elttiatiortequel'uethat which 'would .be a reward
. to the intimations and virtiatui,". , True leis, that Mr. Owen .
luggeSts,L.thateeeedt.iiiis new arum gentente id le noes 4ut.l profit.
lacy might iki3:4ltogtliet extirpated one hooietyv but . 'men an
opinion-le one Which eppottrectitogethee slsiottertri Ceraeinly
- . your .: Conatiteee ifeA every dtspoiltion highly to estlinite the
.effects of peed -education and eeirly miltalhehits, but' to eon-
cek 0 ehat any'" ontrigertierit-of ciretintstances” can altogether
divest man of his -iiititteont and-frailties, 'es they:comprehend
principles- in themselveseindeniable, Is &result which can never
be anticipitted— .1
.. ~ . , e !,ee. : ~ .;,. , •
Your Cemmittee will not deny, ithat;. the combination of in-
. dividualeefor ..mutual support,: in establishments Conducted-
nether tm ehe strinecipleir adopted :at ~New.Lxnark, titan .up stn
,those novesiuggeeted. by 1.11.r,1),wen, might improve the habits
' of the people., in.. partietilar districts. An economical; ex.
penilltute- of. head and . fuel; the introduction et.scientific
improvements applicable to the interior of hebitatiOnS ; reiJ
velar.. employmeote,,and,gped education, are all importapte,
nnt tileY must., carefully he separated *Om the doctrine, at
community of getela end, equality, of profits. It doeie not
appear to your. cenntuittesettiet Attest causee of improvement ,
tire in any reiTtict.. WittsivelY,roinseeted. with . Mr. Owen'splan ; they rimy flow from It 'so 'fir as that plan comprehends'
those common principle* case which ell society is foilndeile anti
fitful wheoteeall mural pe intellectual advancement proceeds.
With sincere► respect, therefore, :far. the benevOletica of 'Air.
piiicen, .voter Cpiumietee cannot de otherwise:than disiniai his
pint! 4s intpritetiealtlee"eicept so far as. its meellionatends in to
.heemproVement of publie'estabilstiMents, pstrait warhlionsee,
•:.Iruf great. Schools for- the education of, the ioWer classes, In
;these respeets,,it 'might perluipe bens:'oly tzied by private,
indivitliials, though your Cotninittee base net eetltTlerld it
advisableS m o lecomend• it ait s fit sibject 01, esessetiative tts-
.
'nuance. . - - . . . .
• ,
Your Committee have coneidered. with . great ' pleneure. veri.
Pus etliirts which hove been reach? for the imprevetneett iii the
co:Onion of the peoele, indifferent peas of Irelaral. The die
, tailed account of theee experhuente, tried with effect in the
County of lioscolmoen, At Abiegton in the county of Liimerick,
rind in the county of 'Fippersty, will be towel in the Evidence;
auti.youe -Commute° cetenot but hope ,that theie exattiples of
perseteranee anti benevolence. twee be followed and 4lttentlOti
with eitnilittgood effecte Mother parts of Ireland.. , . ,
. To .the extension, of. the, linen trade ':in the tooth, wheee it
. is,now in its infaocy; ,your COnimittee cannet butloek with
the greatest solicitude. -They comment in the opiiiioo of the
-Committee cut, he. Linen Trgliel in coneidering itethe duty of
the Liuen :Nerd, .by ".every possible means. to extend this
niannfaettue in ,the south . and weet, lot. wherever it Inns
ehtatued a footing, industry,, Inorrilehabite,
,contentment mid
tranquillity leave followed." .This. -May,- iti the. south and
west, resOttse tome .artificial eneouregement, or father; it inay
require a remove' of thoete difficulties which poverty and
ignorance produce, end which at present cheek let intreditc-
tton and extension. .The want of inipletrients is peculiarly
felt ; the want of ieutchingertille, end a defectiVe system of
preparing the flax, yhrn,. hod linen, .for the 'market. Aid
might he given in all these reApecte to the people, not sitbetitnt.
ingpithlic fOr peivate.effort, but assisting and Oneouregiog alit'
. latter, and makiog public assistance.strtetly de,iXetlent upon
kcal eontributione.. The effect of. charitable leani in Ire.
land is stro4ly-shewn in the evidence. ' These loans Might lie
made applicable to the agriculture, the lisheriee, and the mu.
nuftectures Of the country, and would- become instramental,
not only in providieg the inttrumenta of labour, but in diffue-
ing better models throughout the distant parts of Ireland, -anti
, - in promoting frugelitheariti a punetuelelischaege of
molts. ,As loans Must necesearily be locally tichninistered
through. the resident gentry end clergy,' they would also
inrKe the efffett.' of creating. or of nuortentitig the connection
be "T 411 -Pie ClirOctl, t ohtsses. of mauliind, so eteetitial to. Alt
tile beg interests of goyim, , ' ' •
The, coetinuell. enecitiegement a the. fisher lee , the erectile!'
of 'P.3.ers...fula the ,fesuicetion;ot harlenire, tied Abe opening of
inteintaio reeds, ere .etilijecte of oictionel Intereete the bene-
ficiel consequeliees remitting. hem both art to be found
~ntie.-
. • natelteset ranch in the Minutes, The exothple ef She'll ighlatt4.
Ronde and Rrisiges is peCuliarly applicable to Ireland, which
Will appear on refereuce to the evidence given on a former
-.acre-gum by Mr. Telferd on this subject.
- The attention of Government having been' letely turned .to
, the subject Of emigration, your Committee have been led to

PnlcE SEvEblriticc&.

examine into the particulars of the experiment abeetWto ha
tried. They 'cannot but express theirs pprobation the prin.
ciples 'on whiehlt has been cell-ducted, arid that
it .mity tread to satial;aetery results. if it tett.ilato the tran.
quillity of the CountrY, it mitY lead to the introditetion cyr: Uri.
'that -capital into Breland ; and it may aloe, in aie'esteht mu eit
more confined,• though -more direct, promote seine. 34tielitIidelle
Lionel demand for labour in the parts of Ireland from udtence
the emigrants are taken. The attention of the Vish'pentey
maybe advantageously .called•to tine toahileist, aod tlee'evidertee
which has been given before your Committee rett4 with
the greatest interest. The fecility With which iliditidtiettmel
•be 'assisted • in obtaining eittablishruenta in the-04600i, 1134
lthe conieequences to which it may hied, are beth.svoraq of
cons; d creel on.
• l'otlr 'Committee are aware, that Accorling to ma%
ft% re.
Ift#ived principles'of science, nil ardlielitt ntoetrhge.
menu to Industry and production are difficult to be el efentled,and
they arelikewiee disposed to admit the denger of public intede.
recce in llrelilntl,tut tending to make the people of that country
• 1 ook to thetternin t anti to tlm Legieleture ter relieteititer then tee
their own industryand theirown exertions. [tit t i i the present nate
of part of that teluntry„ it 'nay peihape be questioned wiiether
any increased ititplication of capital is 'likely to taer.e4i,ce, 041
PA to give mermactive. employment to tine people, until peac,t
aid treequility ere fully resorted. If rte hoer IM",
gested, tranquility cart bet be EiVelir;fl bq ettiouvie;itni kr;
ttustry among the people, it may perhaps be tiN,:p,,,,;lty diet
the fret slap towards the attalament of this obieeM'lth,ll-11,1 lac
telien with the Aid or the public, relying afterwards en tle, opt.
ration of not era! rause e. Your Conlin' ttee, weVistr,
fittictly.aelliere.to•the principle of aiding' local effort.•llnly. Buz
wherever works can he undertaken,-which, on the ••fielle,it inveio.
tiention, are roneidered to be •of real utility, and of smeh mag-
nitude as to exCeed the 'tirtlinary local resoUrces find where
such-security can 'be `offered as to protect thelittblie from
eventual loss, y.oter Committee consider, tints somettsitistanee
may wisely be wren by the nation to stiinulate private exertions.
The necessity of passing a fleneitil Drainage Bill fins been
stated in the Report of 1 lite itt :thist'opiitton youitlortimitto
fitly coincide, end trust that suelt A measure _Mayebe,
&iced into Parlialcient tiering the earliest pari of the, next See,
sion: Front 'the lateettoi cif the'periott itt yhln'etentnit-
tee were eppitinted, titer hate•tiot been 'eble to !ittyir.etigitte the
iabject so fully as they could wish, but they ttyat ..t.cy may
Ue allosted tai reitimie‘' theitlehburt eerly in the'
They cannot, however, conclude without itgainexptelisink their
opinion, that the employment of the people of lyeltentl.', and the
iniprovethient`Of their moral condition, in eusentially necessary
to the peace end trenquility Of that island as well ex to the; pm,.
rat interest.) of the United Kingdom.--July 111, ROB.