More Poor Law - The Last Conquest of Ireland (Perhaps)

John Mitchel
Author’s Edition (undated)

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throwing themselves for support upon those who still strove to maintain themselves by their own labour on their own land.

In addition to the proceeds of the new Poor Rate, Parliament appropriated a further sum of £50,000 to be applied in giving work in some absolutely pauper districts, where there was no hope of ever raising rates to repay it. £50,000 was just the sum which was that same year voted out of the English and Irish revenue, to improve the buildings of the British Museum.

So there was to be more Poor Law, more Commissioners (this time under the title of Additional Public Works Commissioners); innumerable officials in the Public Works, Commissariat, and Constabulary departments; and no end of stationery and red tape;—all to be paid out of the rates. On the whole, it was hoped that provision was made for stopping the "Irish howl" this one season.

You have already been told that Irishmen of all classes had almost universally condemned the Poor Law at first; so, as they did not like Poor Law, they were to have more Poor Law. Society in Ireland was to be reconstructed on the basis of Poor Rates, and a broad foundation of able-bodied pauperism. It did not occur to the English—and it never will occur to them—that the way to stop Irish destitution is to Repeal the Union, so that Irishmen might make their own laws, use their own resources, regulate their own industry. It was in vain, however, that anybody in Ireland remonstrated. In vain that such journals as were of the popular party condemned the whole scheme. The Nation of that date treats it thus:—

"Unproductive work to be executed with borrowed money—a ten years' mortgage of a new tax, to pay for cutting down hills and filling them up again—a direct impost upon land proprietors in the most offensive form, to feed all the rest of the population, impoverishing the rich without benefiting the poor—not creating, not developing, but merely transferring, and in the transfer wasting the means of all;—perhaps human ingenuity, sharpened by intensest malignity, could contrive no more deadly and unerring method of arraying class against class in diabolical hatred, making them look on one another with wolfish eyes as if to prepare the way for 'aristocrates á la lanterne;'—killing individual enterprise,—discouraging private improvement, dragging down employers and employed, proprietors, farmers, mechanics, and cottiers, to one common and irretrievable ruin."

Whether this view was justified by the result, will be seen hereafter.

It may seem astonishing that the gentry of Ireland did not rouse themselves at this frightful prospect, and universally de- ...continue reading »

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