acter, which prevents the development of the
resources of the country; but with all deference to that opinion,
I would observe, that in this case, as in the Highlands, the
fundamental evil appears to be, the existence of a population,
such as nothing but the potato can support, who 'cannot find
employment,' as these commissioners themselves state, 'during
several months of the year,' and therefore cannot afford to
purchase any other food, and whose only resource, when they cannot
find employment, is beggary; and that it is the absence of skill
and capital to give them work, rather than the presence of the
potato to keep them alive, which ought chiefly to fix the
attention of those who wish to see the resources of the country
developed. And without giving any opinion on the political
question, how far it is just or expedient for Great Britain to
give farther assistance by advances of money, to aid the
improvement of Ireland, we may at least repeat here what was
stated as to the Highlands, that when it becomes the clear and
obvious interest of every proprietor in a country, to introduce
capital into it, with the specific object of employing the poor,
as well as improving his property, we may expect, either that such
improvements as will prove 'profitable investments of labour,'
will be prosecuted, or else, that the land will pass into other
hands, more capable of 'developing its resources.'"

"When we read and reflect on these statements, I think it must
occur to every one, that whatever other auxiliary measures may be
devised, the greatest boon that has been conferred on Ireland in
our time, is the Law which has not only given a security, never
known before, for the lives of the poor, but has made that motive
to exertion, and to the application of capital to 'profitable
investments of industry,' which is here distinctly avowed, equally
operative on the proprietors of land in every Poor Law union in
that country, and in all time coming; and I believe I may add, that
the individual to whom Ireland is chiefly indebted for this
inestimable boon, is one whose name we do not find connected with
any of the questions of religion or of party politics, which have
caused so much useless excitement; but who has distinctly perceived
the root of the evil,--the absence of any security, either f