Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-08-13
From tho Mobile Herald and Tribune.
The Secret OF INis2a Raisc1y.

Oae OF the puzzles of political economists--at
least those on the English side OF the chahnel-
is the cause of the utter degradation OF ireland,
and the total inadequacy OF the means devised
to improve their condition. We think the New
York Tribune has solved this puzzle The idea
with it is original only so Tar fhat, instead OF
making this case a mere ADJUNCT IL gives 10 II
the main share in the consequences which have
proved so lamenabe to this poor, blasted spot
which we call Hibernia-We extract below from
that paper.
An English proprietor of an Irish estate last
year got rid of all Irish tenants resolved to have
all his lands cultivated after the most approved
English fashion. He took over thorough Eng
fish farmer to examine and make an otier Tor
the land The farmer went over it thoroughly,
studied and figured. and made his offer. He
must have decent farm house built fer him, the
land one year rent free to get it in order, and
then he would take the whole on a long lease at
9s. (S2) per acre. But demonstrated the Irish
owner 'smy Irish tenants that have paid oil,
paid me Ct l5s. ($s) per acre. n can't help
thato said the business-like farmer Il have
counted carefully, and land is worth but IS per
acre. If you calLtnd men to work Ter nothing
and give the privilege OF staying OIL it, that is
Your luck, but can't work land on such terms"
Oae more fact. We lately conversed with
one of the better class Of fugitives just from Ire
land-a man whose integrity and worth none
who saw him could doubt. He had tor twenty
years worked thirty acres of very good land
about as good as Ireland can afford. He had
worked hard, lived frngally, and met with no
special mistortunes lie began with a sung lit
tie property, and hung on till he had barely G
nough left, by selling every thing, to take ms
family to Wisconsin, whittier he had gone
What rent do yon suppose he paid Tor these
thirty acres? Ninety pounds or over s14 per
acra per year! Can yous pretend not to say
what ate him up? ).
Talk not then of Irish indolence, nor unthrltt,
nor prestly influence, nor even OF the pofatoe
rot The blight of the potatoe is a bad thing,
but only brings the disease to speedler cTlsis
The blight of the land stealing aristocracy was
there before it. When lreland's soil was de-
clared to be the property OF certain iavortes OF
her English conuueror when British swords and |
British law decreed that Ifeland's poor should
till her soil not mainly for themselves but 1or
the absentee landlords, the doom OF Ireland was
sealed Its execution may be modified, sus-
pended, accelerated, by good Or bad harvest the
failure OF root or the crushing of a rebellion,
but the essential curse is in the Land Laws,
which compel her people to be ignorant, wretch
ed, and furnishing, while producing wholesome
foodsenough to feed bountfuliy tar larger
population Who 50 blind as not to see that
Land Monopoly is the paramount curse OF Ire
land
ANY one who will pause to consider this ex-
tract will find how very RATIONALE. ls. Rents IN
such country as Ireland, where the peasantry
are all tenants are the great moving cause OF
great results Rents every where are as wages
are to the price Of provisions If you give a
community of mechanics one dollar per diem,
and then charge for each ones food, what, to
make him well-fed would cost one dollar and
half, YOU reduce him to the lowest stage OF mis-
ery. He must struggle constantly with starva-
ton or he must fly his country or, perhaps: what
is ulster. he mustsrevolt against those who en-
p]oy him and force them to pay him two dollars
instead OF one.
Take rents in Mobile. Here it has been con-
tended year after year that exorbtant rents have
been great obstacle in the way the progress
of the citv-that they have driven away small
dealers and capitalists and procured generally
"A thorough depression in the vital part OF our
population Adj to these rents as they now e1-
lit three-fold and look for thu consequence
Within two years the Town would be deserved;
If the citizens did not rise up aid hang tflei
landlords; and, that as a remedy, might De as
dangerous as the consequences 10 Mlichet lof
doing similar thing. The natural effect would
be that every mau who had money sufficient to
get away would forsake the city and leave 1t to
silence and the presence of extortioners, who
would be obliged to follow suit or eat one an
other.
All this is occurring in Ireland, and all of it,
we have no doubt, may be mainly attributable
to the cause laid down by the Tribune. II Ire
land could hang the landlords, or suspend British
supremacy, which is better, what blessing it |
would be to humanity.