IRELAND, AS IT WAS, IS, AND OUGHT TO BE.
Tans is a pamphlet composed of statistical proofs of the increasing prosperity of Ireland. The author takes the same line of argu- ment that Mr. TANCRED did in the House of Cbnamons; and would prove by figures that Ireland is doing very well if she is . only let alone. h appears that that unhappy island is distinguished by every sign of political health,—trade and commerce increase;
• rity of the law be upheld in Ireland, and personal security and property be pn- tected by the sword."—P. 133.
There is not much ingenuity in these suggestions; they are
• such as readily occur to the mind of a man in a certain state e; civilization. But Mr. MAcauLAy is right (in spite of himself)-- a gallant nation is not to be put down by the law of quarter. sessions. That the repeal of the Union would prove a panacea for the woes of Ireland, we cannot believe : but is there no way Ui opening the eyes of a people to a delusion, but that in which oyster is opened ? is it to be always the knife? As long as th Irish are a poor, starving, beggarly people, they will be a riotous people; for they are an excitable, passionate, brave, and in their wrath or in their despair a terrible and a cruel people. Of all na. tions, perhaps, they are the most difficult to govern peaceablv: and they have always been ruled even with less than ordinar;
skill. Things have been getting on from worse to worse for ages: evils have taken fast root—they have now penetrated deep int men's minds : the national morality is warped, the love of justice, the respect for truth, the disposition to benevolence, which ouglu to pervade a country, are all perverted. Every institution bk been the tool of oppression : there is not a relation which stand; fair with another, —landlord and tenant, master and servant priest and parishioner, official and citizen, all have been NI at war with each other. A system of extortion exists from South to North : the OH= ratio of violence is the me:: familiar means in the minds of men : every thing is temporary; no future is looked to ; the national maxim is, now lay hold of something and make the most of it, for there is ne knowing what may happen—it is live to-day, for to-morrow you die. This is political fever—functional- derangement of the most morbid and dangerous description. Unhappily all the play. sicians hitherto have been of the C/utterbuch school: bloodletting is the cry—bloodletting ad syncopen: this is the recipe wheneve the disease gets a head; it was prescribed in the last Rebellion tothe extent of fifty thousand lives. Parliament may do something, bur it will require many Parliaments to do all : no one enactment, hew. ever broad, however ample, however rich in its boons, however particular in its clauses, however gracious in its spirit, can do all or even much. It is with nations as with men—a continuous COME of welldoing can alone secure happiness and true prosperity. Penal enactments have this merit—they aggravate the disorder, exaspe. rate the patient, and justify the most energetic measures in the Go. vernment, on the principle of self-defence. Exhaustion follow:, and at any rate, danger from the culprit-invalid is for an interval no longer to be apprehended. But is this health—is this restorna. tion to mental and corporeal vigour? As the veins fill, the bead will mount, the hands and arms be thrown out in a vain struggle, and the cry of despair and agony once more distract the ear. Hume pharmacy is not very well understood—political pharmacy mod less : State-medicine is mere empiricism. What hope is there: Were Ireland left to herself altogether, there is nothing to be an- ticipated but a series of horrors : the struggle might, indeed, end in peace, but what an ordeal! No; a Reformed Parliament with a course of consistent sanatory Measures, doing full justice and go.
verning the country for itself, is the only chance, the only hope, In these measures, public opinion, nay public prejudice, must be consulted, as far as it is safe ; and the patient with you, hini self heartily anxious for the success of the curative process, half the business is done. Additional powers were not wanted by the Government : the increase of police force is simply strengthening one of the parties in an intestinal struggle ; the police must be foreign, and the tinily practicable foreign police is the army. The army was used for still-hunting : it may be used for the repressiec of robbery and murder, and be well employed.
people are saving money, and deposits grow in the poor-banks; the number of schools is rapidly increasing ; the taxes are cool. paratively : and yet poor miserable land it is perishino, the people are starving ; rapine and famine are abroad; life is int. cure, and property is but a fatal mark. Ireland ought to he happy, and is not: what perversity ! How is this obstinate and inis16.1 people to be convinced of their own prosperity ? There is but ore remedy suggested by Mr. MONTGOMERY MARTIN—
"Do you mean that Murray is making an ass of himself by the publicity of " The passing an act of Parliament, declaring that every attempt or d.
his homage to this obscure adventurer?" sign, overt or covert, to repeal the Legislative Union between England, 1. " Obscure ?—Mrs. Clermont is just noiv the person par excellence. Society land, and Scotland, be deemed high treason, and subject to the pains 07 has always a bagged fox in reserve, to insure a good season's sport. No matter penalties attending thereon. Until this act he passed, let the supreme autlb.
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