of Empire. The natives--Irish or Anglo-Irish--were still more than twice
as numerous as the colonists; they were scattered over the whole
country, barren or fertile, and that country was within a day's sail of
England. The titles of the colonists to the land rested on sheer
violence, sometimes aggravated by the grossest meanness and treachery,
and these titles were not recognized by the plundered race. Even with
their gradual recognition it would have been difficult to introduce the
English system of tenure, which was radically different and repellent to
the Irish mind. The bare idea of one man absolutely owning land and
transmitting it entire to his heirs was incomprehensible to them.

The solution for all these difficulties was unfortunately only too easy
and obvious. England was near, strong, and thoroughly imbued with the
policy of governing Ireland on the principle of antagonizing the races
within her. It was possible, therefore, by English help, under laws made
in England, to constitute the Irish outlaws from the land, labourers on
it, no doubt, that was an economic necessity, precarious occupiers of
plots just sufficient to support life; but, in the eyes of the law,
serfs. The planters of the southern American Colonies imported African
negroes for the same purpose, with irretrievably mischievous results to
their own descendants. Nor is it an exaggeration to compare the use made
of the Irish for a certain period to the use made of these negroes, for
great numbers of the Irish were actually exported as slaves to
Barbadoes, Jamaica, and even to Carolina.

The outlawed multitude in Ireland were deprived, not only of all rights
to the land, but, as a corollary, of all social privileges whatsoever.
"The law," said an Irish Lord Chancellor, "does not suppose any such
person to exist as an Irish Roman Catholic." The instrument of ostracism
was the famous Penal Code, begun in William's reign in direct and