Despatches, Correspondence, and Memoranda of Field Marshal Arthur, Duke of Wellington, K. G. Volume 8; 1831-1832 - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880 Excerpt: ...government, but from their fellow-sv.bject» of one kind or oilier, as well as of the dearness of provisions, and say these oppressions are one reason of their going; but whatever occasions their going, it is certain tliat about 4200 men, wonieu, and children have been shipped off for the West Indies within these three years, and of these above 3100 this last summer. The whole North is in a ferment at present, and people are every day engaging one another to go next year to tlie West Indies; the humour has spread like a contagious distemper, and tlie people will hurdly hear anybody that tries to cure them of their madness; the wont u that it affects only Protestants, and reiijni chitfly in the North, which i the seat of our Ham manufacture" This letter was written above a century ago, in 1728, and was followed by another letter the year after, whieh says: "The humour of going to America still continues, and the scarcity of provisions certainly makes many quit us; there are now seven ships at Belfast tlutt are carrying about 1000 passengers thither." Thus wo learn that even then a thousand emigrants sailed from one single port, ami still farther learn that this Protestant emigration was deemed by the then Primate and the government of the day a fitting subject for anxious inquiry. Although there were, no doubt, some subsidiary causes, yet the main cause of this desertion was the conduct of the landed proprietors, who learned unhappily that they could obtain a greater rent from the native Papists than from the Protestants. A writer of the dny informs us of this: "Popish tenants are daily preferred and Protestants rejected, either fur the sake of swelling the rental, or adding some mean duties which Protestants will not submit to."...