more steadily resisted a century ago, Ireland would not have been
the scene of poverty, misery, and distress which it now is.

The Catholic religion, among other causes, contributes to the
backwardness and barbarism of Ireland. Its debasing superstition,
childish ceremonies, and the profound submission to the priesthood
which it teaches, all tend to darken men's minds, to impede the
progress of knowledge and inquiry, and to prevent Ireland from
becoming as free, as powerful, and as rich as the sister kingdom.
Though sincere friends to Catholic emancipation, we are no advocates
for the Catholic religion. We should be very glad to see a general
conversion to Protestantism among the Irish, but we do not think
that violence, privations, and incapacities, are the proper methods
of making proselytes.

Such, then, is Ireland at this period--a land more barbarous than
the rest of Europe, because it has been worse treated and more
cruelly oppressed. Many of the incapacities and privations to which
the Catholics were exposed have been removed by law, but in such
instances they are still incapacitated and deprived by custom. Many
cruel and oppressive laws are still enforced against them. A tenth
part of the population engrosses all the honours of the country; the
other nine pay a tenth of the product of the earth for the support
of a religion in which they do not believe. There is little capital
in the country. The great and rich men are called by business, or
allured by pleasure, into England; their estates are given up to
factors, and the utmost farthing of rent extorted from the poor,
who, if they give up the land, cannot get employment in
manufactures, or regular employment in husbandry. The common people
use a sort of food so very cheap that they can rear families who