The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1841-02-26
From the Lancaster Intelligcncer
Ireland mud her Mrouyx.

In our number of last week. we gave
an article from one of the New York pa
pers, stating that the character of the Rep.
resentatives of the United Kingdom in
the English Parliament From that, some
of the causes which are now impeling
so many thousands of men TO ask for the
Repeal of the Union" between England
and Ireland may be gathered
1t is there shown that Ireland with 4
population Of eight millions, has about
one fifth the number of Representatives
sent from England, the population OF
which is only five millions greater Ii
is also proved that England has three
hundred and nineteen more representa-
tives than Ireland, Scotland and Wales
together SO, that some cause for the
great Movement now agitating the Emer-
aid Isle particularly, and the British pos
sessions generally, may be CLEANED from
these facts.
But this does not ill the cup of Irish
wrongs. There are other grievances, OF
higher and graver import, operating upon
the minds of brave and prosecuted race
of men. Four ffths of the people OF
Ireland are Catholics, devoted to their
faith and ready to die in It's defence. -
The established churchis that of England.
The income of the church, from taxation,
&c. annually is five million of dollars
The people-pay these taxes, and the cath
olics, therefore must support two hierar-
chles. These enormous taxes are gener-
ally raised by those infamous tithes
which are wrung from the most abect
and needy. In the language of the His
torian, the last COW and the last pig are
often forced away by the officer to satisfy
the demand of an English clergyman
whose doctrines they dlsbeIeye. Ty-
ranny and injustice like these are the GER
tain agents of misfortune and beggary and
desttulion brood over the hearlhs of the
poor. The food of the peasantry, as
they are called by their too patronlzing
friends, is principally buttermik and po-
ta;oes, and sometimes 4 scarcity of even
these. A COW is kept in almost every
cabin, but neither butter nor cheese, not
even poultry and eggs are ever though, of
by the owner the tax gathercr takes
them all The farmer fears to cultivate
his soil, lest his rent be raised. From
these grievances of course arise a thou
sand others. The people are driven to
acts Of which the Irish character proper
ly developed is never guilty. The land
is neglected. Agriculture very backward,
and the scant products of the soil export
ed to other countries, or made the means
of paying the enormous claims Of ab-
scntec landlords, who live IN London, i'll
gorgeous splcndor, rioting upon the hard
earnings Of the miserable tenantry.
This is but an unlaihful picture of the
case, but it will serve to show why the
people Of Ireland are calling out with all
their energies for repeal of the union
between that country and England
More than 10 years before the Rebellion,
the people Of Ireland were placed on the
same footing with England, in regard TO
Representation, and enjoyed oil the bene-
fits of their own Parliament. The effect
then shows what it would be now under
the same circumstances. The resources,
genius and powers of the Nation were
then rightly developed, and the content.
mcnt of the people proved that Ireland, il
properly regarded, properly governed
nay, if treated with ordinary justice, mus
rise to the height of glory in all that re.
lates 20 character, wealth and intelligence
But the Revolution of 1903 followed, ant
the unfortunate Union between Irelant
and England was consumated in 1901 -
From that day to this the iron hand o.
despotisnl-becausc the wrongs of Ire
land have been more than tyrannlcal, anC
worse than the treatment of his serls by
the Russian czar-has laid heavily anC
crushingly upon the people-bighting
their prospccis--beggaring thcm and mort
gaging, to foreign spectators, the fruits o
their toll.
They are now asking for a repeal o
this Union. The agitation" is pro
crossing with the fury Of 4 tempest; ant
linked with the cause Of Temperance, Ia.
become moral movement Of that extra
ordinary kind which stronger than physi