The Sun.
London, England, 1833-12-20 00:00:00

during the former period, 364,613 tone were imported,
during the latter, 516,573 tone. Of blankets, during the
former period, 14,455, during the latter, 73,826 ; thus it
appears that within eleven years only, from the time of
the Union being passed, so important an increase had
taken place in the import of these articles; and, let me
add, not only in the import, but in the actual consump-
tion ; as I have purposely taken this statement from
Wakefield, where the quantity re-exported, if any, is de-
ducted.
" If we take the return, of the year 1827, we shall find
that the imports of tea had increased to 3,887,955 Its. ;
exhibiting an increase over those of 1800, of 961,789 lbs. ;
those of sugar bad increased to 319,014 cwt. ; being an
increase, since 1800, of 87,945 cwt. ; those of coals had
increased to 921,043 tons, being an increase, since 1800,
of 605,698 tons."
Of course these luxuries and comforts require
to be paid for, and the mode of payment adopted
by Ireland, as that most easy to her, is by ex-
porting her pigs, her cattle, her corn, &c. The
O'CONNELL cant about the robbery and plun-
der of Ireland by Britain, may therefore go
along with the rest of his veracious statements.
Should there be any waverers upon the question
in Ireland, the following extracts may serve to
assist their judgment :
" And here we are much assisted by a very valuable
work, which has recently appeared from the pen of Mr.
Martin, and who has demonstrated, that, so far from it
being correct, that Ireland flourished most during the
period whets she had an independent legislature; that her
prosperity was then rapidly declining, and that the Act of
Union, instead of impeding her improvement, saved her
from ruin and decay. Taking the average of three years,
1797, 1798, and 1799, and contrasting them with 1824,
1825, and 1826, we find that an increase had taken place
in the total Irish tonnage registered, during these periods,
of 91,650 tons ; and in the total tonnage from Great
Britain to Ireland, of 499,917 tans."
• • •
" Considerable stress is laid on the injustice done to
was
in a financial point of view ; but, surely, never
was any charge more unfounded. Compare Ireland with
Scotland, a country whose population is one-fourth less.
The taxes of Scotland, in 1829, amounted to 220,0001.
more than those of Ireland. The amount of the assessed
taxes in Scotland, in that year, was 291,6351., Ireland
has none ! Many articles are subject to the excise duties
in Scotland, that are exempt from them in Ireland. The
stamp duties in Scotland are double those of Ireland—in
many instances treble. The duties on deeds are double ;
the probate duties are all double, some treble ; the legacy
ditties are double ; the tenth of all charitable bequests in
Scotland goes to the Exchequer; in Ireland they are
untaxed ; and yet Scotland must suffer from absentees as
much as Ireland ; more than three-fourths too of the re-
venue of Scotland is transmitted to London, But notwith-
standing this, so far is Scotland from having suffered by the
Union with England, that she has since that period
made rapid and uninterrupted progress in agriculture,
and commerce. England, Wales, and Scotland, all pay
a greater amount of taxes in proportion to their population,
than Ireland ; and there is no argument adduced in
favour of the repeal of the Union with Ireland, that might
not be adduced in favour of the repeal of the Union with
Wales, of the Union with Scotland, or in fact of the re-
establishment of all the separate kingdoms of the hep-
tarchy."
• •
• • • •

" But, perhaps, the most important proof of the im-
proved prosperity of Dublin is that the revenue of the
penny post office, which in 1800 was only 230/., in 1830
amounted to nearly 5,000/.
. .

" Taking some of the principal towns in Ireland, we
find that in the last ten years, the number of houses has
increased from 67,904. to 72,654, and the population
from 306,361 to 597,072. The revenue of the post
office exhibits an increase, since the Union, of 106,930!.,
and there had been an increase in the excise in 1825, as
compared with 1802, of 1,489,141!.
" When I compare these statements with the lamenta-
tions that we hear on the effects of the Union, they seem
hardly credible. Nirla,‘re are the proofs that the Union
has done harm? Are we to look for them in the increased
comforts and happiness of the peasantry ? in the increase
of trade? in the improvement of commeree? in the in-
crease of buildings ? in the increase of the excise and post
office revenues ?"