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A % t . Vi—« 4 Wte (^ fiemintmsaf'Melaridy their Causes ktid \ their ' Remedies ;¦ « in a Letter to Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., M . P . By William Sturcb , Esq . 8 vo . pp . 64 . Hunter . 1826 :
THE . name of the author will be sufficient pledge to a wide circle of readers , that this pamphlet abounds with correct knowledge , manly sense , comprehensive and enlightened viewa of society , benevolent Christian
sentiments , and the true principles of civil and religious liberty . No one can peruse it without feeling a strong conviction , both that the sole object of the writer is to do good to the unhappy country to which it relates , and that he has stated the real " causes" of the
miseries of Ireland , and that his proposed " remedies" would in time work a favourable change . Mr . Sturch does not take up the state of the sister island upon report ; he has again and again witnessed the actual condition
of its wretched population 5 and he has been naturally led to inquire what means would better that condition , by the important and responsible station which he occupies as one of the oldest and most active members of one of the
London Companies , ( the Fishmongers ' , ) which possesses very considerable estates in Ulster * In this Letter to the true-hearted English Baronet , Sir Francis Burdett , Mr . Sturch asserts the importance of the connexion between Great J 8 ritain and Ireland , and the necessity of their
union being cemented by their mutual interests ; and traces the melancholy history of English misrule in Ireland from the time of Henry II , downwards . To this long series of bad government he attributes the evils , too obvious to be overlooked , io the character and condition of the Irish people .
* ' — the sum of all is , that Irfxand , blest with a soil and climate well stilted to the production of all the necessaries of life , and many of its luxuries ; with noble rivers , magnificent lakes , spacious and commodious harbours , above all , With A PEOPLE NOT INFRRIOR IN
CORPOREAL OR MENTAL ABILITY TO ANY IN Europe ; numbering amongst her sons many illustrious characters whose names adorn the pages of history in successive ages , and having been connected with Great Britain more than six hundred pears , is yet , to this day , sa far as re-£ * rds the great mass of her iiihabittots ;
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BOO& 0 AND : ? 'UUfOgAAfftf OCT&lSS&Jill JkWk V ^ AtVYS' ^ . M * r ¦;; ., ; . ; . * ' ^ " fc *? > TCe t&uses- of all this pmseiy Mr . Sturch considers to be tljte four fdllowing—the removal of whktoi , ^ course , constitutes thfc remedies Which he proposes :
1 . By far the most powerful and universally operating cause of the wretched state of a great part of the population of Ireland , appears to me t <* be one which , although its- origin and its long continuance may possibly be
traced to the want of a good general government , yet it is now beyond the power of any government on earth , to remove ; and with which , indeed ,, the state has no right whatever directly to interfere , I mean , the too generally prevalent custom of letting lauds , or as it is usually called in Ireland , and indeed
in some parts of England , setting , or permitting them to be underlet , in very small holdings , —at very high rents , —to needy persons , —and upon long leases . " 2 . " The second great point to which I would solicit attention , is intimately connected with the first . I mean , the universal instruction of the children of
the poor , without distinction of sects , in the necessary arts of reading , writing , and the first , rules of arithmetic , in the simple principles of moral obligation , and in decent and regular demeanour . I would add , as a matter of no- ' -trifling monoetit , in the English language * " - 3 .
" The third point of importance in considering the state of Ireland , is that which is commonly called Catholic Emancipation ; and which has lately so entirely occupied the public mind . " 4 . " The fourth essential consideration for the welfare of both countries , and the last that I shall advert to , is the entire consolidation of
the Executive branch of the Constitution with that of England ; the complete reform of the revenue laws ; the revision of the system of interior government , and the removal of the oppressions which arise out of it ; and the establishment of perfect freedom of trade between the two islands . " *
We have not room to explain m what way Mr . Sturch would apply all his remedies , but must refer the reader to the " Letter" itself , whidh will atoply reward the perusal . Wei
may briefly observe , that his scheme of " Catholic Emancipation" is , that the Church-lands in Ireland should be vested in Commissioners , who should let them to the best advantage , and divide the net proceeds according
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vol .. xxi . q
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1826, page 113, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2545/page/49/
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