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O'Rourke, John

"With Notices of Earlier Irish Famines"

"
Mr. Senior here affirms Mr. M'Culloch's proposition, quoted above, but
with the qualifying clause--"which does not export raw produce." I have
italicised this clause because it contains the very exception which
makes the general proposition inapplicable to Ireland, and to every
country whose chief exports are, like Ireland's, raw produce.
To use the words of Mr. Senior, "If an Irish landlord reside on his
estate he requires the services of certain persons, who must be also
resident there to minister to his daily wants. He must have servants,
gardeners, and, perhaps, gamekeepers. If he build a house, he must
employ resident masons and carpenters; part of his furniture he may
import, but the greater part of it must be made in his neighbourhood; a
portion of his land, or, what comes to the same thing, a portion of his
rent, must be employed in producing food, clothing, and shelter for all
these persons, and for those who produce that food, clothing, and
shelter. If he were to remove to England all these wants would be
supplied by Englishmen. The land and capital which was formerly employed
in providing the maintenance of Irish labourers, would be employed in
producing corn and cattle to be exported to England, to provide the
sustenance of English labourers.


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