ON TITHES IN IRELAND.
5, tithe-payers instead of tax-payers ?—I
think £te would have answered the purpose The Rev originally, but I think now it would not, that the prejudice is so high and so strong.
£<»*"** 2*.
ifofcrft.
636.
Is not there a great deal of grass land in Ireland that is not subject to the " payment of tithe ?—Certainly.
24 January 1832.
637.
Then you would subject all this land to be taxed at the will of the tithe-payers in the parish ?—-That
was the object of the Legislature in forming the Com-position Act.
638.
You are aware that under the Act the others are also put upon the vestry, from which you would exclude them, inasmuch as you would constitute the vestry solely of tithe-payers r—I would if I had had the framing of the Act, because then the whole country would be put under composition.
639.
Would that be just?—I
think it would be as just as to enforce the compo-sition without giving them any voice at all.
640.
Do you think it would be fair or just to force the composition universally upon the people of Ireland ?—I
think that the landlords at present are subject to the tithe as a burthen upon their estates, and they have in general a large quantity of land, and I think they are in general the persons most opposed to the composition j and I certainly would not have much compassion upon them, because at present we have a claim upon them.
641.
Then you would force them into the composition?—I
am asked what I would recommend as a remedy for the present evil, and I recommend that.
With respect to any consequence that may be drawn from it, I am not responsible for that.
642.
Would you not equally force the reluctant clergyman to come under the composition ?—Yes
; I think it is the first step that should be taken to remedy the evil; the bishop and the clergy and the occupier should all be put upon a level.
643.
Are there any farmers in your neighbourhood who are holders of grassland only and not holders of tillage also ?—Very
few.
644.
Is it your opinion that, under existing circumstances, it would be expedient to make the Composition Act compulsory in Ireland ?—It
is.
645.
Is it your opinion that it would be expedient to make any further change In the tithe-law in Ireland under existing circumstances ?—I
think, with respect to that, I should be a very bad judge; because I think the Government alone, and the country, are to be the judges of that.
646.
Would you then rest satisfied with making the Tithe Composition Act com-pulsory all over Ireland ?-—I
do not think that would be sufficient, unless the Government gives such assistance as that the law of property will be respected; because, in fact, it is just as dffle^ibiell(fec&*fhe payment under the Composition Act as it is in other parts.
647.
Is there any species of assistance you can suggest for the Government to give which the Government have not given already ?—The
only species of assistance would be military and police; the Government of course could not do it by magic.
648.
In the present state of feeling in Ireland, do you not believe that a com-pulsory composition would have the effect of irritating still further the feeling of the people?—With
respect to that, it greatly depends upon the feeling they have now, because the resistance to tithe is now openly avowed.
649.
Would you not subject the gentry of Ireland to the same animosity as that to which the clergy are now subjected, if you forced them to pay the tithes to the clergy and collect it from the people in the shape of rent?—I
know that a great many of the landlords about me insist upon the people paying their tithes.
650.
Unless there be some augmentation of the military and the police, would the making the Tithe Composition Act compulsory all over Ireland have any ten-dency to facilitate the payment of tithe ?—It
would have a tendency to facilitate it if there was a protection to property.
651.
Is your opinion favourable to the commutation of land for tithe or not?—
Certainly, it would be the interest of the clergy to have a commutation for land.
I have consulted some landed proprietors, who were anxious about the state of the country, and they would prefer to give land to any thing else.
177.
G
