Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-03-19
IRELAND.

THIS island, from its size, its population. ito
! Situation Goo miles distant from Great Brittany
the high place which its natives hold in the
scale of intellectual greatness, the salubritv of
Its climate, and the fertility of its soil, must be
supposed to rank high or first amoner the 70.
reign colonies in the estimation Of the mother
country. The justice, the kirSInesses, the IA.
yors, the immunities, and the protection. which
England dispenses towards Ireland is full as
great AS any ether COLONY ought so exrect; and
greater than what the United States can expect,
should ahey claim British protection. or submit
TO be again designated as "British colonies
1t is not now intended to travel through the
bloody record ofirish suf.erings under British
misgoyernment, nor TO inquire the causes which
compelled England to suspend, inpart the per.
secutions of centuries. Let all this, If possible.
be forgotten; nay, let it be forgiven and let
England have credit tor the utmost she CAN
claims Oh the scote of Justice TO Ireland. hv a
display os only some OF the present sufferings Of
Irishmen.
There are certain Rights, beref oft which man
becomes slave, III the preservation IF which he
should risk his all, his life; and, in the recovery
Of which, he is justified in recourse to every
expedIent.---tiow stands Ireland, in this re-
spectl
Has she the liber,yof conscience Three
foprshs of the popula, ION are disqualified from
serving their country, in any occupation of high
honor or trust, because they do not pray,to God
according TO form prescribed by act of jParli.
ament.
Has she civil libertyi Three four,hs of the
population are deprived of the representative
franchise, because they pray not according to
act of Parliament:
Does the other four h fihe population enjoy
liberty OF conscience. orcivil libertyl No man
in Ireland can vote for Representative in paF,i
a,nent who NAV be of that class which is dis.
frspchised; the voer must, therefore, choose
FROM among the minority of the people. Every
man must support the state religion by payment
of an exac,ion amounting to one.tentb nar, nj
the produce of the SOIL besides other additional
charges. From this my !siriy be inferred. that
no man has a fair rieh TO vote for a re r,reeep,.
tive in the iegsl ture, and that every mans con.
science is taxed.
Ireland is then without betty civil or relissi..
Gus. This being admitted, and il canno, be de-
MED, It becomes OF little consequence to inquire
into her minor qualifications, for, compfretI
with those already mentioned. every other must
be minor Some few remarks will however be
here added.
Ireland has no parliament; and this evil is in.
creased by her being obiige d to send 200 OF her
riches men to serve as her repr sertatives in
the imperial parliament which meets in The
British capitol, London.--Tle Irisl popules.5n
is TO that OF England as 6to 9--Th Fish repre
sentation, III iar lament, to that OF rngla. d as
TO 5--Ii the Isli were honest, they could do
no service, where they mast b.. a niiio,ity, but
they are not honest, because the, do not rcpre.
sen he people about so Of these r presen.sa
tves ar chosen by sbnut as MANY electors the
re,rainder bt about one twentieth OF the m: lie
Population for every man, Of wlia;eyer religion
or acqir n nts, is disqualified from voting un
less I've is a ireehol1sr Tie riei,; TO send a re
pr sentatIon to an imperial parliament ~ there
fore a curse 10 reiand, because Il ob,igcs the
wealthy landlord TO be an absentee and drains
the country OF wealth, and where there cannot
be wealth, there viii be neither manufactures
nor trad, ireland has, comparatively neither.
Let the sFeculatiag niefchanf, the cruel mo
nopoist and extOrtocr reflect before lie will sci,
his country to crafty sordid passion and let
the honest thoughtess yeonnn not lie the dune
OF designs which would leave him without a
country, and reduce the mass of the inhabitants
to- be like the uniortunats Irisb on irnpov rished
dIsirsnchised, degraded; and bare.ioo;ed pea
santry The natural qualities Of the Irish are
great and good ss those OF any other d ople.
but the soul withers before the chilling innus
ence oftyranny. as the leafbefore the less chill
ling blast oiDecembcr rhe Americans disco
yer qualities noble and great, but they should
ever remember that these qualities arc jiagtnred
by liberty ana independence, and that t!,cy also
would wither under foreign yoke.
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