To be sure there was much reason for this,
but the landlords, of all others, had no right to cast the stone; for,
in the interests of truth and justice it must be said, that the
Government made some efforts to save the people, whilst the landlords as
a body, made none whatever. Their views were put in a striking manner
at a meeting of landowners and farmers held at Aghada, in the County
Cork. Mr. Fitzgerald, a landowner, attacked the Board for doing
unprofitable work. They had, he said, a staff of incompetent officers,
who were, moreover, absurdly numerous, there being, he asserted, an
officer for every workman in the works at Whitegate. The reply to this
attack is obvious enough. If the Board of Works were doing unprofitable
work, they could not help it, they were compelled by Act of Parliament
to do it; and when the Government enabled the country to undertake
profitable works, where were the landlords? They were in conclaves here
and there, elaborating objections to the Government plan, instead of
affording aid to carry it into execution; they seemed to make it a point
to throw obstacles in its way, and certainly showed anything but a
disposition to make it a success.
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