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Upon the whole, it evidently appears, even from this "brief furvey, that the majority of the English Nation,

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[that is, male and female fervants, low mechanics, journeymen, fishermen, and failors, day-labourers, and all "kinds of cottagers, with their numerous families,] are "not heavily or oppreffively taxed. And fuppofing that "fimilar taxes were to be laid on Ireland, the poor of that country would efcape tax-free, at leaft according to their "prefent mode of living; for they ufe and confume much "lefs Malt, Hops, and Cyder, lefs Salt, Soap, and Candles, "Leather, and Stamps, than the poor of England are "known to do. Therefore they have much lefs to pay.

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"But, indeed, were an Union to take place, why should " it be fuppofed that the taxes must be invariably the fame ? They are not fo in Scotland, nor can any reafon be "affigned why they must be exactly the fame in Ireland. "On the contrary, many regulations might be fuggested, "efpecially in regard to the land-tax, which would enrich "Ireland, instead of impoverishing it. For it can never be "too often repeated, that any tax, which promotes industry "and encourages a circulation of labour, enriches a country; "and any tax, which checks industry and ftops labour, ne

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ceffarily impoverishes the country in the same proportion. "This is the true touch-stone for discovering the merit or "demerit of any tax.

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"Ireland is continually complaining that her trade is crampt, and her people have not work; yet there are no "people

"The claim of opening Parliament to Popish pretensions is "faid to be a claim made on the right of three millions. Now of "these three millions, it is a known fact, that two millions, one "hundred thousand are, by the late Hearth Money act, excufed on account of poverty from paying four-pence a year each to the "State."

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Speech of Robert Johnson, Efq. Member for Hillsborough, before the Irish House of Commons, May 24, 1795.-Dublin, Printed by Mercier.

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people under the fun who take fo much pains to cramp "her trade, and check her industry, as the Irish themselves. "Were they to create an Yeomanry [and they alone* must "do it,] this very circumftance would raise up fuch a de"mand for the confumption of their internal produce, and "coarse manufactures, as would give full employment to their

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prefent miferable, lazy, starving poor, for ages to come. But "they unhappily expect a foreign trade, without an Home "confumption; thereby grafping at the fhadow, and let"ting go the fubitance. They think it good policy to keep " the

* The great tracts of land that are given in lease, and divided by the Leffee, to be fub-divided by other Leffees, until the Cottager is crushed by the number of those, whom he has to support above him, is a fore and crying evil. It is hence that the lands in Ireland are let § higher, though they are purchased cheaper than in this country; while the Tenant does not receive as much for his produce; and even of the returns of this produce, he has by no means a portion equal to that of the English Tenant. Were the gentlemen of Ireland to adopt the plain principle of thofe in England, by taking one-third of the produce of the land, and giving the remaining two-thirds to the Farmer for his profit and expences of cultivation; and if the lands were let folely to those who occupy them, a yeomanry would foon arise valuable to all parties.

§ Mr. Arthur Young's opinion is, that if an allowance be made for the disproportion between the English and Irish acre, and the difference of the currency (Is. 8d. in the pound) in both countries the lands of Ireland are not let higher than those of England. There is a deference due to the investi gations of Mr. Young; and his opinion is juft, if formed upon the rental received by the owners in fee of the lands of Ireland; for their rents are extremely low and moderate. Or if he has formed his calculation upon the rental of even the leffees under the owner in fee, (many of whose tenures are for 999 years) it may perhaps be just. But if a calculation were formed upon the rental paid by the cultivators in Ireland (whofe cafe we are here confidering) and upon that paid by the fame description in England, it would be found after all allowances for fize of acre and currency of money, that the lands of Ireland are let higher than thofe of England. This is an opinion formed upon much enquiry and intercourfe with the two countries,

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"the mass of their people so poor, and so deftitute of the three great neceffaries of life, food, 1 aiment, and dwelling, [which, by the by, are the foundation of all commerce whatever, even the most brilliant and extenfive] that their black "cattle are almott, if not altogether, as good cuftomers to the "community, and as much promote the trade of it, as the "peafantry of Ireland-that is, in other words, as five“fixths, perhaps as nine-tenths of the mass of the people.”

This is a point which calls for peculiar confideration, as one of the first importance, in these times. At every period, however, husbandmen are of higher value to a state than those endowed with the sharpest invention or most profound genius. But if industry be not animated by due remunerations, all the rich gifts of God and Nature to that Ifland are vain. As well might great portions of its land have remained buried in the chaos, or overwhelmed by the waters. Under incorporation, new repofe and widely extended trade muft arife, with a whole fyftem of industry, encouragement, and happiness, bleffing and exalting the nation. Incorporation is the angular stone of its greatness. Its natives, whofe talent and induftry are fcattered over the earth, will no longer explore foreign climates or dangerous deferts, if they be happy at home. Neither will foreign markets be fo neceffary for commerce, when there is through home industry an home trade and good price for the commodities. The influence extending from this to the agricultural system will put all these co-operating powers in motion, which tend to the population and profperity of Ireland. For agriculture.

*Perhaps a better criterion of the happy effects of industry can not be had than the home confumption of Britain compared with its trade all over the globe. The profits of the home trade are calculated by Mr. Pitt at 28 millions: The profits on the foreign trade at but 12 ditto.

culture is not only the first and great fouree of wealth to a ftate; but agriculture and population are like the ocean and the rivers which fupply each other. Agriculture promotes population, by invigorating the bodies of men, and by furnishing food for an increased progeny. And population promotes agriculture by the confumption of the fruits of the earth. Agriculture gives existence to the landed intereft, population is its support.

"Were a land-tax of 100,000l. a year to be con"stantly levied on lands and houses in Ireland, as in England : "but were the occupiers of dwelling houses in cities, towns,

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and villages, under the rent of three pounds a year, to be "totally exempted; alfo every cottage or cabbin in the country, to which was annexed any quantity of land, "not exceeding half an Irish acre, to be exempted like"wife; moreover, were every farm, not exceeding 50 "Irish acres [provided it had a dwelling houfe, upon it in"habited by the farmer, or owner himself,] to be taxed "only three-pence annually for each acre; were every "other farm, circumftanced in the fame manner, and not "exceeding 100 Irish acres, to be taxed fix-pence annually "for

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"The greateft advantage attending the English land-tax is "that it is not fubject to fluctuations in the proportions to be "observed. In which it widely differs from the land-taxes in "France, which arofe according to the improvement of land, or "the advancement of rent. What the Proportions were on each

county, city, or borough town in the reign of King William, "the fame proportions have remained to this day. Confequently "the fum levied on each individual operates as a quit rent on his "eftate, to pur him on to improve it as much as he can; knowing, "that if he should improve the eftate fo much as to double, or "treble his rental, he fhall pay no more; and were he to let the ❝land run into an uncultivated wilderness, he should pay no "lefs. The great improvements of the landed eftates in England,. "date their origin from this caufe."

"for each acre; but were all other lands or farms of a "larger extent, or not fo circumftanced, to be rated to the "land-tax at two fhillings per acre [unless they happened "to be barren rock, or inclaimable bog, not capable of im"provement, or lands covered with woods, or coppices] "these few regulations would foon fill the Irish towns and "cities with induftrious inhabitants, and the country with "laborious cottagers and working farmers; most of them in eafy circumstances, and none too proud or too lazy for "their condition and ftation in life.

"Another good circumstance would naturally arise from "fuch a plan. The prefent clamors for protecting duties ❝and prohibitory laws would ceafe of courfe. Clamars "which betray a total ignorance of the true interest of that "country, because Ireland ought always to excite an emu❝lation among her mechanics and manufacturers to excel "her rivals, instead of checking and preventing it by "monopolies, pains, and penalties. And above all, Ireland "should never ufe such a conduct towards other nations, "efpecially towards the English, her best, and almost only "customers, as would provoke them to retaliate the injury

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upon herself with redoubled vengeance. For were "England to lay the fame duties on Irish linens, which she "doth on German, and other foreign linens :-the whole linen trade of Ireland, her only ftaple manufacture, and the fource of all her wealth, would fink to nothing.*

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* There have been 52,000,000 yards of linen exported in one year. Great Britain by her protection fecures a monopoly of this branch to Ireland. In the English market Irish linens have an advantage of 37 per cent. over German linens, and receive a bounty of thrée-half-pence per yard on re-exportation; for all, whereof the value does not exceed eighteen-pence per yard.

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