The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-04-23
A FORGOTTEN ASPECT CT THE IRISH
QUESTION.


ideas. Not thus have we dealt with India,
or French Canada. or even the Isle Of Man,
and the Channel Islands. The land tenure
of Ireland was altogether different from that
of England. The land belonged to the sept.
not to the chief, nor TO any Of his vassals.
This was forgotten OF ignored when the lands
Of chiefs were declared forfeited and granted
to fresh landlords. It was not mere class
which the confiscations disinherited and up
rooted from the soil, but the entire race of
lrishmen; and these still cherish the trsdi-
tions that they are the lawful owners Of the
land.
And as if it were not enough to have di-
vorced a whole nation from the soil hich
gave it birth, and which Of right belonged 70
it, the ingenuity Of English statecraft found
other means Of completing the ruin OF Ire
land. Till Queen Eiizabeth's reign the Irish
had flourishing trade in supplying England
with cattle. This was supposed to depreci-
ate rents in England, and Irish cattle were
accordingly declared by act of Parliament
''a nuisance" and their Importation was
forbidden. Thereupon the Irish killed their
cattle at home and sent them TO England as
salted meat. This provoked another act Of
Parliament, forbidding i'm perpetuity the i'm
portati0n of all cattle from Ireland, dead
or alive, great or small, fat OF lean" New
ertheless the Lord Lieutenant appealed to
Ireland on behalf Of the sufferers from the
great FIRE Of London. The Irish were wretch
edly poor and had no gold or silver to spare,
but they sent handsome contribution in cat
tie. This gift the landed interest in Eng
land resented in loud and angry tones as "a
political coutUivauce to defeat the prohibit
ton of Irish cattle" d" Driven to their wits
ends the Irish turned the hides Of their cat
tie into leather, which they exported 20 Eng
land. But here too they were baffied by
English jealousy. Then they took to sheep
farming, and sent excellent wool 70 England.
Again the landed interest OF England took
alarm, and Irish wool was declared contra
band by act of Parliament in the reign Of
Charles II. The Irish then manufactured
the raw material at home, and soon drove
thriving trade in wooden stuhs. The manu-
facturers of England thereup0n rose mp
against the iniqnlty Of Irish competition. and
the wOo'en manufacturers of Ireland were
promptly excluded from the markets Of the
Continent. They We're, however, SO e-ecel-
lent and so cheap that the industry SIN
fiouTished But English jealousy nr-ar
ceased its clamor against it. and in the year
16gS both Houses of the English Parliament
petitioned the King to suppress 10. His
Majesty replied to the Lords that La would
take care to do what their lardsiiIr- de-
sired" To the Commons he said: Il shall
do what in me lies TO discourage the woolen
manufacture of Ireland Discouraged they
were accordingly: and so eTect-ai'y that
whereas two centuries ago they held their
find from an official return Of 1866 the follow
ing significant figures The value of She
woolen exports Of Great Britain in that wear
was E21, 795,g 81 that that of Ireland, E246.
The woolen industry being destroyed, the
Irish tried their hand with marked success
at the manufacture OF silk. From That field
also British jealousy drove them in despair.
But they are pertinacious race, and do not
readily ''say die 50 they tried their hands
at the smaller Industries, since ali the large
ones were taboOed them. Awaiting them
selves Of Ireland's facilities for the mHnutte-
ture of glass they were suumarily stopped
by a law which prohibited the expectation Of
glass from Ireland, and lis Importation into
Ireland from any country save England.
Cotton, sugar, soap, candle making, and va
TiOIs other manufactures were an tried ia
turn, and with a like result. Toc-usl her in
duStries beyond all hope OF competition with
English merchants, all the Nedite lrGUeau
ports were closed against her, and she was
at length shut out from commerce With the
whole world, Old and New, including even
our colonies. To such a pitch did this lluel
policy, and not more cruel than stupid,
reach, that even the spontaneous produce Of
the ocean which washed his shores could
not be enjoyed by the IrisLman without Ire
jealous interference of English interests
and the fishermen of Waterford and wexford
were thought presumptuous FOR pursuing
their calling along their own coasts because.
foTsOoth the fish markets OF England ulf -Lt
he injured. One solitary industry rena fnod
to Ireland. She was allowed to cultivate
the linen trade, though British interests
tried TO strangle it also; and Manchester in
in1IS5senta petition TO Parliament 81 i-1e5 by
. ll7,ooo persons, praying for the prohibition
of Irish linen. The voice Of reason and fus-
tice for once prevailed, and Derry, and Bel
fast, and LisbUrn flourish to prove what the
rest Of ireland might now be. if tile purrlird
champions of "British interests had rot
then, as lately ignorantly sacrificed 10
purely imaginary danger the welfare and
good viii Of an oppressed race. The s.us OF
nations, as Of i=dividuals, are sure 90 find
them out, and we have no just cause Of com
plant if events should prove that our sins
against Ireland are not eypiated in fun. We
robbed the Irish of their land, and they be
took themselves to other industries fora live
Ehood. OF these we robbed them also. and
drove them back upon tie land exclusively
FOR their support. Yet we wonder thotthere
is now q Land Question i'm Ilelaud.-- The
Contemporary Rcrielg.