whose revenues have been so greatly exaggerated. By Parliamentary Return, No. 265, dated 10th May, 1833, it appears that the total number of benefices in the different dioceses of Ireland is 1456, of which the respective values are-465 from 307. to 2007.; 118 to 2507.; 95 to 3007.; 84 to 3507.; 89 to 4007.; 67 to 4507.; 90 to 5007.; 66 to 5507.; 58 to 600l. ; 46 to 6507.; 44 to 7007.; 36 to 7507. ; 22 to 8007.; 23 to 8507.; 22 to 9007.; 17 to 9507.; 12 of 1,000l.; 10 of 1,0507.; 15 of 1,100.; 10 of 1,1507.; 13 of 1,200.; 2 of 1,250l.; 5 of 1,3007.; 2 of 1,3507.; 7 of 1,4007.; 2 of 1,4507.; 5 of 1,500l.; 4 of 1,5507.; 5 of 1,6007,; 3 of 1,7007.; 2 of 1,7507.; 2 of 1,8007.; 1 of 1,950.; 1 of 2,000l.; 1 of 2,0507.; 1 of 2,1007.; 1 of 2,150.; 2 of 2,2007.; 1 of 2,2507.; 1 of 2,350l.; 1 of 2,4507. ; 1 of 2,500l.; 1 of 2,6007.; and 1 upwards of 2,6007. Dublin has the greatest number of benefices, viz., 114; Meath, 106; Armagh, 88; Cloyne, 75; Ferns, 63; Derry, 57; Kildare, 50; and so on throughout thirty-three dioceses.

By the Parliamentary Return, No. 81, March 24, 1835, it appears that the number of curates is 365; of whom 51 have less than 507. a year; 240 have less than 1007. a year; and 49 have less than 1507. a year. There is scarcely a Roman Catholic priest in Ireland with less than 1507. a year-the average is 3007.

Parliamentary Return, No. 651, August 12, 1833, shows the then gross and net income of parochial benefices, amounting, gross, to 526,1367., net 478,3467. on 1,184 returns; 272 returns not received.

Parliamentary Return, No. 264, May 10, 1833, shows that the total gross income of all the Ecclesiastical Corporations in Ireland is 23,6067., and the expenditure on the canons, vicars choral, choir, repairs of cathedrals, &c., is 21,4007.

Parliamentary Return, No. 461, July 31, 1835, shows the total income of the archbishops, bishops, dignitaries, and parochial clergy of Ireland, under the then proposed bill for the "better Regulation of Ecclesiastical Revenue and the Promotion of Religious and Moral Instruction in Ireland," to be gross, 434,3727.; net, 414,3637.

This statement is very remarkable. It appears that the net income of the whole Protestant Church in Ireland under the Ecclesiastical Tithe Composition, is but 266,7717. The net revenue from parochial glebe lands is 81,9727. But referring to the parliamentary document itself for details, it will be seen that the "Net Income" on the "Amount of Rent Charges payable on behalf of Parochial Clergy" is no more than 295,1217. 7s. 6d. Now, taking the Protestants of Ireland in number at one million, and the church revenue 300,000l., we find that the amount for their spiritual and moral instruction is only six shillings per annum for each Protestant. But when we further consider, that about nine-tenths of the landed property of Ireland belong to the Protestants, on whom the incidence of any taxation must ultimately fall, we are justified in inquiring the actual amount per head throughout Ireland, with reference to the Protestant Church. Taking the inhabitants of Ireland in round numbers at 8,000,000, and the net income of the Protestant Church in round numbers at 400,000l., we find that the whole taxation of Ireland in support of the Established Church is one shilling per head per annum. Can this be considered a national grievance? Can this be rightly viewed as a cause of suffering in Ireland?

Lord Bernard, M. P., in an excellent speech during the last Session, on the Protestant Church of Ireland, said: "With reference to the operations of the Church and the application of its wealth, he would not enter into the statements made by the Noble Lord on the previous evening, but merely recite some statistics of a diocese with which he was acquainted. The Diocese of Cork during Bishop St. Lawrence's incumbency had 10 unions broken into 22 benefices, 28 curates promoted, 25 new places of worship erected, 81 scriptural schools; additional resident clergymen-20 rectors, and 23 curates. Since 1831, in Cork, Cloyne, and Ross-new churches, 12; churches building, 2; licensed places of worship from want of churches, 45; glebe-houses built by clergymen, the commissioners being unable to build them, which fact proved the fallacy of a surplus

revenue; in 1726 there were but 141 glebe houses; in 1800, after nearly a century, but 295: in 1820 there were 768 glebe-houses, an increase of 473 in 20 years; in 1806, resident beneficed clergy, 693; curates, 560; in 1830 the number was nearly doubled, amounting to 1,200, with about 750 curates, a total of about 2,000; in 1843 the number of officiating clergy exceed 2,000, with church property reduced 70,000l. per annum, and a quarter from the remainder. The reduction of clerical income since 1833, amounting to 407. per cent., has prevented the dissolution of unions and employment of additional curates. On the other hand, in his evidence before the Lords, Dr. Doyle stated the average income of the Roman Catholic clergy of Kildare and Leighlin to amount to 300l. per annum; the income of the Scottish clergy averaged 2007. per annum, exclusive of house and glebe. The building of glebe-houses, except from private sources, had ceased since 1833; one of the very strongest arguments that the revenues of the church of Ireland were insufficient to support the clergy of that church; he need only appeal to the fact, that at the present moment there was an institution in existence for establishing additional curacies in that country. He was a member of that association, and was sure that if its funds were sufficient ten times as many clergymen could be instantly employed. He called upon hon. gentlemen to remember, that at the time of the Emancipation Act, as far as pledges and words could go-and pledges were supposed to bind any national party, they had the assurance of the Roman Catholics of Ireland that they would be content if they got their civil privileges, and there was their sworn evidence before the committee of the House of Lords that they had not a wish or intention to interfere with the property of the Protestant Church of that country."

The Protestant clergy are well-educated gentlemen, scattered over Ireland, and with their refinement of mind, and hospitality of feeling, may each be viewed as an oasis in the desert. In many districts I found the Protestant and Roman Catholic clergymen of the parish living on the most amicable terms; exchanging the friendly intercourse of life, and ready to aid each other in

works of charity and goodness. It is earnestly to be hoped that this good feeling and Christian principle may be perpetuated and extended; and that in future the only rivalry between the Protestant and "Catholic" creeds will be, which shall do the greatest amount of good to the poor and destitute.

The points substantiated in the preceding pages are— 1st-That the early Irish Church was a pure church, and for several hundred years after its formation not only free from the domination of the Bishop of Rome, but in direct hostility to its doctrines. Consequently, that the "Ancient Church of Ireland" is the Apostolic-and not the "Romish Church," which was one of dissent and innovation. The "Protestant Church," as it is now called, is therefore the pure and ancient Faith and Apostolic Church of Ireland, and, as such, entitled to claim the hereditary endowments for its Ministers in the same manner that they are vested in the Ministers of the Established Church in England.

2nd-That the penal laws and the confiscation of property that have taken place in Ireland since the Reformation, were not the result of so-called "religious bigotry," or of "English tyranny," but the inevitable consequence of many and most formidable rebellions to destroy the lives of all those who professed the pure and ancient Faith of the country, and to abolish the free and constitutional principles of the land.

3rd-That the Irish Church as by Law Established is essential to the maintenance of public liberty,-equally conducive therefore to the peace, happiness, and civil liberty of the Roman Catholics and other Dissenters, and merely adequate in income to the existing due fulfilment of its sacred and national functions.

PART VII.

CONCLUSION.-IMPERIAL AND FEDERAL ALLIANCE.

A CHAPTER XIII.

Imperial and Federal Alliances;

Effects of each Illustrated;

Royal and Parallel Legislative Incorporations of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland; Proceedings in 1798 and 1843 ;-Disastrous Consequences of a Separation, and Imperative Necessity for Preserving the British Empire in its REGAL and LEGISLATIVE UNION.

I HAVE now brought to a conclusion a detailed examination of the charges preferred against England; and an impartial public will decide whether those charges be true or false, and whether the Legislative Union has been a curse or a blessing to Ireland.

Although this work has been enlarged beyond the original intention, and several important documents still remain unpublished,* yet there is one subject requiring a few words of expla

* It may be necessary to observe that the statistics and documents in this work are all derived from Parliamentary Papers or public documents. Not one figure has been obtained from Government. The materials from whence the work is prepared may be purchased at Messrs. Hansards', the Printers to the House of Commons, and are thus accessible to all. Without the slightest aid from any individual these materials have been unsolicitedly collected, prepared, and printed in a few weeks by incessant labour day and night, sustained solely by a consciousness that the subject was of national importance, and deserved prompt and serious consideration. A large part of the work was in the hands of the printer, and printed before the suppression by Government of the Clontarf Meeting-October, 1843. Ten years ago, in 1833, the Author published a work entitled "Ireland as it was-is-and ought to be;" which, at the time, effectually aided in suppressing the Repeal agitation; and while advocating the maintenance of the Union, he has also unceasingly urged an investigation of the real wants of Ireland, and an application of those remedies for her relief to which she is most justly entitled. The necessity for condensation has prevented the addition of various interesting matter, while the special nature of the question discussed, has precluded an investigation of the resources of Ireland, and of the means proposed for the advancement of that country.

PART VII.

DD