"
Towards the end of his letter, the First Minister gives his views on
another point or two. "One thing," he writes, "is certain--in order to
enable Ireland to maintain her population, her agriculture must be
greatly improved. Cattle, corn, poultry, pigs, eggs, butter, and salt
provisions have been, and will probably continue to be, her chief
articles of export. But beyond the food exchanged for clothing and
colonial products, she will require, in future, a large supply of food
of her own growth and produce, which the labourer should be able to buy
with his wages."
There can be little doubt but the Premier intended this letter as a
defence of his Irish-famine policy. As such it is not very conclusive.
It is quite true to say, that the landlords should have exerted
themselves far more than they did, to employ the people in improving
their estates, by draining, subsoiling, and reclamation; which works
were sure to be remunerative, and at no distant time. But had they done
all this, Lord John Russell could take no credit to himself for it,
having done nothing to induce or compel them to do so. When he says he
expected it, he shows great ignorance or forgetfulness.
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