The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-01-28
IRELAND ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO,
What DIR. BENJAMIN Franklin Then said of
Its Land System.
r.

Its Land System.
Northwestern Chroniclei
Last week, ia referring to Bigelow's Life
of Franklin" We f0Tebore 70 make some
quotations that had special bearing on the
history OF our own times, intending TO re-
serve them for seE ate and more particu-
lar treatment. Perhaps nothing is more re-
markable in the whole range OF MS CORE
spoDdence than his observations IL Ireland.
He early learned TO regard the sufferiugs of
the inhabitants Of that unhappy island sS
akin 10 those OF bis own eounnymen- En-
gland was then attempting 90 reduce
America 10 the S.aio Of yasSalsge which she
had successfully imposed upon Ireland.
Common suleTiDgs gave the Amf rican
patriots q keeneT knoSlsdge o. the wrongs of
the Irish, and q pr0fouDder pity 70. them.
We shall see thss the baseness Of Engisnd's
conduct toward Ireland vas then sppr9cis-
ted by all intelligent men ss il !s now. and
that Americans sa@ that there was al last
one nation In The world as bitterly oppressed.
A gratifying circumstances developed II the
course OF this cnrrespOndence is the sympa.
thy OF Ireland and lrishmar with the revo-
iutiOLary Cause. Our armies were. as We
kDoT. partly composed o. lrishmen, and TO
the extent OF their ability sid was furnished
TO the American. cause by the people OF the
Island. The wretchedness OF Ireland first
came TO the notice OF franklin JuTirg tour
of the country made in 1771 >. He wrote
Joshua Babcock under date Of January l.,
1712:
l have lately made a tour through Ireland.
In those countries a small part OF the society
are landlords, great noblemen and gentlemen.
extremely opulent, LIVING in the highest sffiu-
ence and magnihcence. The bulk of the peO-
pie are tenants, extremely poor, living the
mud and straw and clothed only in rags.
/ thought often OF the happiness of New
a vote in public Affairs, lives in tidy. warm
house, has plenty Of good food and f1el, with
whole clothes from head 90 foot, the manulac-
they Continue in this Situation. Rnt. ut 4 1hsy
should eyer envy the trade OF these countries,
can pus them in the way 10 obtain share
OF 1t. Let them. with three-fOurthS Of the
people OF England live the year round on po-
tatoes and butteTmilk, without spirits then
may their merchants export beef butter and
linen. Let them, with the generality OF the
common people OF Scotland, go barefoot, then
may theyi make large ports OF SHOES and
stockings; and, Ii they Will be content 10 wear
rags, like the spinners and weayers OF England,
they may make clothes and stytfs Tor al parts
of the world.
Farther, ifmy countrymen should ever wish
for the honor Of having among them gentry
enormously wealthy, let them sell their farms
and pay racked rents. The scale OF the land
lord will rise, as that OF the tenants depressed
who will soon become very poor. tattered, dirt,
and abject in spirit. Had never been IN the
American colonies, but were TO form my judg-
ment of civil society by. what have lately
seen, should never advise naI on or Savs-
ges TO admit OF civilization, for / assure you
that, in the possession and enjoyment of life,
gentleman, and the effect Of this kind of civil
society seems to be tho depressing Of multi
tudes below the average state, that A te| may
be raised above 1t.
In a letter to Sir Edward Neaenham,
dated Psssy, France, May q, 1772 Franklin
wrote:
L received some time since a letter from 4
person at Belfast, informing me that mum.
Der of people In those parts were deslsous OF
going 10 settle in America, II passports could
be obtained for them and their effects. shall
always be ready to afford every assistance and
security In my power TO such undertakings.
admire the spirit with which see the
Irish at length determined to claim some
share of that freedom of commerce which
ls the right OF all mankind, but which they
have been so long deprived of Dy the abomiu-
able selfishness of their fellow subjects. To
enjoy ali the advantages OF the climate, soil
and situation in which God and nature have
placed as is as clear right as that Of breath
pn as si nm Gne for soe atrcious crime
One hundred years after these words were
written the condition of the Irish peasantry
is not one whit improved.
These citations from the correspondence Of
Franklin are worth making in view or the
recent great re Vival of interest in the condi-
ton of the Irish people. The extracts show
that Ireland was as badly off 100 yesrs ago as
she is to-day. Oae hundred years of English
rule have not improved the circumstances
of the people, They have been annually
despoiled OF the products % their labor aud
the fruits oftheir soil. Nothing hss been
left them but the mere tools of their trade
the air, the sunshine and the land. Absen-
tees have grasped the surplus. prevented
accumulation, and limited the means Of
production. What should have been their
capital has been the spending money OK 3
race of prohigates. They have made no
progress, aud can make none until the con-
ditions OF their labor are changed. What
ever tends to make the Irish people SELF
supporting win be an addition TO the per-
manent reeou-ces OF Araeuoa. and IN this
aspect of tho case, az in every other,
American sympathy aud aid for suffering
Ireland are abundantly justified.