" Finally, they tell the
Lord Lieutenant frankly, that they feel it to be their duty to deprecate
the continuance of a system which tends to discourage the exertions of
landlord and farmer, and to misapply the labour of the people--closing
their admirably reasoned address by repeating the principle with which
they had set out: "_That the labour for which the land is compelled to
pay should be applied in developing the productive powers of the land._"
O'Connell, as was to be expected, took the greatest interest in the
perilous state of his countrymen at this critical period; and he
expressed his views in public on several occasions. His great anxiety
was for united action. In a letter written from Darrynane, dated 17th of
September, and addressed to the Secretary of the National Repeal
Association, he says, the system of public works is, in its nature,
sufficiently comprehensive, if carried actively and energetically into
effect, to afford employment to the great bulk of the adult population;
but he feels convinced, that to be satisfactory it requires the most
active co-operation of landowners and farmers. The great difficulty, he
thinks, is not in want of employment, but in the want of food, and to
leave to commercial speculators the supply of food for the people will
keep it at a famine price.
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