THE ANSWER TO THE CRAFTSMAN. SIR, DETEST reading your papers, because I am not of your principles, and because I cannot endure to be convinced. Yet I was prevailed on to perufe your CRAFTSMAN of December the 12th, wherein I discover you to be as great an enemy of this country as you are of your own. You are pleased to reflect on a project I proposed of making the children of Irish. parents to be useful to the publick instead of being burthenfome; and you venture to affert, that your own scheme is more charitable, of not permitting our popish natives to be lifted in the fervice of any foreign prince. Perhaps, Sir, you may not have heard of any kingdom fo unhappy as this, both in their imports and exports. We import port a fort of goods, of no intrinfic value, which it cofteth us above forty thousand pounds a year to drefs, and scour, and polish, which altogether do not yield one penny advantage; and we annually export above feven hundred thousand pounds a year in another kind of goods, for which we receive not one fingle farthing in return: even the money paid for letters fent in transacting this commerce being all returned to England. But now, now, when there is a moft lucky opportunity offered to begin a trade, whereby this nation will fave many thousand pounds a year, and England be a prodigious gainer, you are pleafed, without a call, officioufly and maliciously to interpofe with very frivolous arguments. It is well known, that, about fixty years ago, the exportation of live cattle from hence to England was of great benefit to both kingdoms, until that branch of traffick was stopt by an act of parliament on your fide, whereof you have fufficient reafon to repent. Upon which account, when another at paffed your parliament, forbidding the exportation of live men to any any foreign country, you were fo wife to put in a clause, allowing it to be done by his majesty's permiffion, under his fign manual, for which, among other great benefits granted to Ireland, we are infinitely obliged to the British legislature. Yet this very grace and favour you, Mr. D'ANVERS, whom we never difobliged, are endeavouring to prevent; which, I will take upon me to say, is a manifeft mark of your difaffection to his majefty, a want of duty to the miniftry, and a wicked design of oppreffing this kingdom, and a traiterous attempt to leffen the trade and manufactures of England. Our trueft and best ally the most Christian king hath obtained his majefty's licence, pursuant to law, to export from hence fome thousand bodies of healthy, young, living men, to fupply his Irish regiments. The king of Spain, as you afiert yourself, hath defired the fame civility, and feemeth to have at least as good a claim; supposing then that these two potentates will only defire leave to carry off fix thousand men between them to France and Spain, then by computing VOL. XIII. the the maintenance of a tall, hungry, Irish man, in food and cloaths, to be only at five pounds a head, here will be thirty thousand pounds per annum faved clear to the nation, for they can find no other employment at home befides begging, robbing, or flealing. But, if thirty, forty, or fifty thousand (which we would gladly fpare) were fent on the fame errand, what an immenfe benefit it must be to us! and if the two princes, in whose fervice they were, fhould happen to be at war with each other, how foon would those recruits be deftroyed! then what a number of friends would the pretender lofe, and what a number of popish enemies all true proteftants get rid of! Add to this, that then by fuch a practice the lands of Ireland, that want hands for tillage, must be employed in grazing, which would fink the price of wool, raw hides, butter, and tallow, fo that the English might have them at their own rates; and in return fend us wheat to make our bread, barley to brew our drink, and oats for our horfes, without any labour of our own. Upon Upon this occafion, I defire humbly to offer a scheme, which, in my opinion, would beft anfwer the true interefts of both kingdoms: For, although I bear a moft tender filial affection for England, my dear native country; yet, I cannot deny but this noble ifland hath a great fhare in my love and efteem; nor can I exprefs how much I defire to fee it flourish in trade and opulence, even beyond its prefent happy condition. The profitable land of this kingdom is, I think, ufually computed at feventeen millions of acres, all of which I propose to be wholly turned to grazing. Now, it is found by experience, that one grazier and his family can manage two thoufand acres. Thus, fixteen millions eight hundred thousand acres may be managed by eight thoufand four hundred families; and the fraction of two hundred thoufand acres will be more than fufficient for cabbins, out houses, and potatoe-garden; because it is to be underítood that corn of all forts must be fent to us from England. 0 2 Thefe |