iture may
be necessary for the cabins of graziers; with a sufficient quantity of
gin, and other spirits, for those who, can afford to be drunk on
holidays.
As to the civil and ecclesiastical administration, which I have not yet
fully considered, I can say little; only, with regard to the latter, it
is plain, that the article of paying tithe for supporting speculative
opinions in religion, which is so insupportable a burden to all true
Protestants, and to most churchmen, will be very much lessened by this
expedient; because dry cattle pay nothing to the spiritual hireling,
any more than imported corn; so that the industrious shepherd and
cowherd may sit every man under his own blackberry-bush, and on his own
potato-bed, whereby this happy island will become a new Arcadia.
I do likewise propose, that no money shall be used in Ireland except
what is made of leather, which likewise shall be coined in England, and
imported; and that the taxes shall be levied out of the commodities we
export to England, and there turned into money for his Majesty's use;
and the rents to landlords discharged in the same manner. This will be
no manner of grievance, for we already see it very practicable to live
without money, and shall be more convinced of it every day. But whether
paper shall still continue to supply that defect, or whether we shall
hang up all those who profess the trade of bankers, (which latter I am
rather inclined to,) must be left to the consideration of wiser
politicians.
That which maketh me more zealously bent upon this scheme, is my desire
of living in amity with our neighbouring brethren; for we have already
tried all other means without effect, to that blessed end: and, by the
course of measures taken for some years past, it should seem that we are
all agreed in the point.
This expedient will be of great advantage to both kingdoms, upon several
accounts: for, as to England, they have a just claim to the balance of
trade on their side with the whole world: and therefore our ancestors
and we, who conquered this kingdom for them, ought, in duty and
gratitude, to let them have the whole benefit of that conquest to
themselves; especially when the conquest was amicably made without
bloodshed, by a stipulation between the Irish princes and Henry II.; by
which they paid him, indeed, not equal homage with what the electors of
Germany do to the emperor, but very near the same that he did to the
King of France for his
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