ally of their oppressors, and view it with a like enmity and distrust. However purely administered, it cannot be expected that the peasant should confide in its impartiality, or deem himself. secure of justice. There ought, therefore, on this account, as well as for providing a really more efficient and just administration, to be no hesitation in superseding altogether, in Ireland, the Justices of the Peace, and substituting county and district Judges, such as the Sheriffs and Sheriff-substitutes of Scotland, with their accessory Procurators-fiscal or public prosecutors. In no part of the empire is justice, whether in matters civil or criminal, distributed more speedily, more cheaply, and more satisfactorily, to the mass of the population than it is in Scotland by these judges. Unbounded confidence is reposed in their impartiality. The poorest man knows, and is convinced that, against the richest and most powerful, he will obtain justice; while crime is followed up, detected, and punished, with a degree of certainty unknown in any other part of the three kingdoms. We doubt not that an experience of a very few years of the working of a similar system in Ireland would create a like confidence and security on the part of the population at large; and if this were once attained, a blow would be given to the practice of private vengeance as a means of redress, which would ultimately issue in its total suppression. Along with this, the efficiency of such a system, in repressing crime, would provide that security to life and property which is essential to the employment of British capital in making the many sources of wealth and employment in Ireland available. The beginning of a new order of things would be made, and by the time the temporary interferences with property, and with the proprietor's free management of his estates, which have been recommended above, came to an end, channels of natural employment would have been opened up, habits of exertion and industry would have been formed, and such progress would have been made, in elevating the condition of the population, as to hold out a prospect of prosperity and peace to that long distracted and misused land. Although in the preceding remarks we have not referred to the religion of the Irish population, we, of course, cannot but look on it as a main cause of their present degraded condition. The Legislature, however, can do little directly towards promoting a sound faith; and the utmost we could look for at their hand would be to refrain from positively encouraging Popery, and to open up a free field for the enterprise of private Christians, or Christian Churches. As to the encouragement of Popery, we know that the en Endowment of Popery. 535 dowment of the Irish priesthood is a favourite part of the expediency policy of our leading statesmen of all sides, who look upon religion, and the ministers of religion, as fitting instruments of political rule, and are infatuated enough to suppose that, by paying the priests, they would purchase their services and their influence with the people, and that that influence would be worth the price. A few months ago, we should have thought it necessary to have entered somewhat at large on this subject, and to have warned our readers to be up and doing in resisting the proposition of Popish endowment. We incline now to hope that the proceedings at the elections in Yorkshire and Devonshire, have determined the Government to postpone, at least, their meditated attempt; and while, rejoicing at this, we refrain from any discussion of the question, we would still urge on the Protestants of the empire the duty of being prepared to take the field, if necessary, at a moment's warning. We must also earnestly point to the continued existence of the Church of Ireland, as creating the great, and we might indeed say, the only real danger of the endowment of the Romish priesthood being ultimately effected. That measure will never, we believe, be carried against the combined and determined opposition of all classes of Dissenters, unless through the acquiescence and support of the Church of England. The maintenance of the Irish Church, however, is such a gross and indefensible injustice, that nothing can permanently save it except the enlisting in a common support of endowments the great mass of the population of Ireland. Many friends of the Church of England, therefore, convinced of this, seek, with a lamentable sacrifice of the cause of truth to that of Establishments, to satisfy their brethren that the interests of the Church of England-sure to be shaken by the overthrow of that of Ireland-demand that they should submit to the endowment of Popery there, in order to maintain the Irish Church in existence, at least, if not in the uncurtailed possession of all her present endowments. As yet, this view does not generally prevail; but it will doubtless spread, and if it do, may urge upon us the attempt of effecting, on the earliest possible opportunity, the overthrow of the Irish Church. All danger of the endowment of Romanism would, in this way, be for ever averted ;—a great barrier to the spread of the truth of the Gospel among the native Irish would be removed; and an opportunity would be afforded for ample provision being made for the support of hospitals, asylums, &c., for the blind, dumb, insane, and impotent poor, or for advancing the general prosperity of the kingdom by useful works of public advantage, when any temporary rate for such objects may have come to an end. We had contemplated noticing some other of the more important matters likely to come under the consideration of Parliament this session, but our space does not admit of our doing so. If, however, even those which we have adverted to be well disposed of, the country will not have, on this occasion, again to complain of a session barren of results for the benefit of the people. INDEX INDEX TO THE TENTH VOLUME OF THE NORTH BRITISH REVIEW. A Anderson, Dr., editor of the British Poets, Argyll, rebellion of the Earl of, 398-his Armament, reduction of, 515. Arnold, Dr., his views on the relation be- tween Church and State, 435, 457. Austria, its embarrassments-inability to B Barré, Colonel Isaac, his claims to be consi- ters of Thomas Campbell" reviewed, 459. Brandt, John, Esq., the Mohawk chief, his 495. Britton, John, F.S.A., his work, "Author- ship of the Letters of Junius Elucidated," Brougham, Lord, his opinion of Castlereagh, Burke's opinion of Junius, 103. C Cabal Ministry, character of the members Campbell, Thomas, Life and Letters of, 459 his pedigree, 460-character of his his politics, 466-walk from Glasgow -the executive, 235_Tone's reception at 66 - Chaucer, distant and misty reverence with 39-sources of information, the autho St. Peter's Roman Episcopacy a pure Church principles, dangerous tendency of, 427. Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, character Churchill, Lady, history and character of, Clarke, Mr. Cowden, review of his "Tales Coleridge, S. T., intimate friend of Charle Common sense, theory of, 158, 169. Considérant, Victor, leader of the Fourier- D Despatch of public business in Parliament, Dorset, Earl of, character and history of, Dryden the poet becomes Papist, 409. E Ecclesiastical History of Scotland, Essay on, |