with the mass of the people, that I possess means of information inaccessible to others, and am acquainted with the opinions and views of those who exercise in Ireland a powerful influence."

I am inclined to infer from the above passage of your Letter, that you may value too highly the judgment which I am enabled to form with regard to the political condition of this country, and therefore, whilst I submit my views without reserve to you, I beg you may bear in mind, that I too belong to a class of men who are supposed to be rendered bigots by their profession; that I have been bred up a slave, and imbibed from my infancy strong prejudices against the ruling party; that my religion is only emerging from persecution; and that my love of country, however laudable in itself, tends to inspire me with wishes for her happiness which perhaps cannot be realized.

You will therefore make a just allowance for such degree of prejudice and passion as you may suppose to obtrude themselves inadvertently upon my calculations. But I beg you may continue to be assured, as you have ever been, of my love of justice, of my abhorrence of religious feuds, and of my entire devo

tion to the King and Constitution under which we live.

I shall here endeavour to reduce to certain heads the questions proposed in your Letter, and will offer such remarks on each of them as will, I trust, put you in possession of my sentiments, as well as of the grounds upon which I have formed or adopted them.

Letter

I.

IJ.

IV.

V.

CONTENTS.

VI.

THE Character of the Irish Government, and the
effect of its measures upon the country; in-
cluding remarks on the Peace-preservation
Act, or Constabulary Bill, the Burial Service
Bill, and the Tithe Composition Act,

The State and Composition of Parties; Sketch

of the Irish Gentry,

III. The State of Religion, and the Character of its

Ministers in Ireland,

The Administration of Justice, and Spirit of the

Penal Laws,

The Increase of Population; its causes and
effects; prevailing errors on this subject,

Public Education, and to whom it should be

intrusted,

Page

37

55

81

95

119

Letter

VII. The Bible Societies: their opposition to the inte-

rests of Religion and Peace in Ireland,

VIII. On Catholic Emancipation; on the Papal Power,

and the nature of Allegiance; and on the

Oath and Declaration taken or made by Pro-

testants of the Established Church,

A continuation of the same subject,

On the Disfranchisement of the Forty-Shilling

Freeholders-how unjust and injurious such

a measure would be,

On a legal Provision for the Poor, its practicabi-

lity and advantages to all classes in Ireland,

but especially to the Government,

IX.

X.

XI.

XII. A continuation of the same subject,

Page

155

223

267

293

311

341