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Untitled Article
est justice and impartiality , with all the strength which just principles of action would give it ; but with all the vigour and resolution of a determined purpose to enforce fair play , and to repress disorder of every sort on the instant of its manifestation . 3 . An entire reform in the administration of justice , civil and criminal ; an inflexible enforcement of all legal authority ; an appointment , at least for
a time , of persons removed from all internal faction or national partialities , as the administrators of local law . Justice has long been a stranger at the tribunals of Irish justices ; and it is doubtful with me whether , for a time , it would not be necessary to send English stipendiary magistrates of respectable character into most districts . Every county might for a time be furnished with a strong and able board of supervision of every thing conducive to the perfect administration of justice .
4 . The representation should be placed exactly on the footing of the English ; not that the English does not want amending , but equality is highly important , and both may proceed to amendment together . The present system of tributary electorage , though at the moment stimulated into becoming an organ of national retribution , must , in the long run , form a herd of slaves to the aristocracy , and can never be looked to as the healthful organ of a country ' s freedom and independence .
5 . In all towns and cities where the exclusive system has been enabled , by a bad distribution of elective authority , to monopolize power , and make it the instrument of faction , such a moderate remodelling should take place as should allow the fair voice of public opinion to be heard , and should put an end to oppression on the one side , and smother discontents on the other .
6 . The present Protestant Church Establishment is the fruitful source of endless dissension . It is not proportioned to the station and comparative importance of its professors , and the nature of its revenues occasions perpetual discord . It , in fact , exists in direct defiance to real Protestant principles . Those who wish to strengthen it , should endeavour to proportion it in some degree to the obvious justice of the case , and should at least remove , as much as may be , of the causes of offence in the management and collection of its revenue . All parties have been afraid to speak plainly on this
subject , but it must be met . Although the possessory rights of no individuals need be affected by any judicious reform , the feelings and prejudices of too many , perhaps , are involved to render it easy to have recourse at once to any such principles of impartial justice and policy as would , no daubt , guide any one who should sit down for the first time to provide for a church so situated ; but many glaring anomalies might he removed ; cures might be provided for on equalized principles ; and tithes ( the perpetual source of discord ) might every where be commuted for land or corn
rents . 7 . In a country so situate , policy and justice , I think , require that a legal provision should be made for such a church as the Catholic church must be . If there be a justification for supporting any religious worship from public funds , the Catholic worship is one which should be decently provided for in
every Irish parish . This should be provided , for all at least who chose to receive it , through some public institution founded and conducted on fair principles . The Protestant establishment ought to furnish the fund from its excresce ^ ncies . The tithes , or their value , are , no one can doubt , enough in amount for both , and the public have no right to pay twice - , but
Untitled Article
Ireland . 5
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1829, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2568/page/5/
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