IRELAND.
A meeting of persons desirous of promoting the improvement of Ireland by encouraging emigration to New Zealand, in connexion with the London New Zealand Company, was held at the Mansionhouse' Dublin, on Saturday ; and was most respectably attended. The following resolutions were passed unanimously ; an amendment to the first resolution—declaring the inexpediency of encouraging emigration from Ireland—having been moved by Mr. Jagoe, but not seconded. " That in the present state of Ireland, it is highly expedient to promote emigration, as a means of relieving the destitution of the labouring people, mid of Improving the condition of all classes of society.
Tint, in the opinion of this meeting, it is unjustifiable to induce intending emigrants to take up their abode in the midst of the vice and immorality which notoriously prevail in the Penal Colonies ; but that such persons should be encouraged to settle in countries where they will be likely not only to thrive in fortune, but to lead good lives, and bring up their children in virtuous habits.
"That New Zealand appears to offer all the requisite advantages of a desirable emigration deli; and that this meeting approves of the system of colonization pursued by the New Zealand Land Company of London.
" That the following gentlemen, who had offered their voluntary service, be appointed a Committee m Dublin, to be called the New Zealand Committee of or Ireland, to act in conjunction with the London Association—viz. the Lord Mayor, the Lord Archbishop of Diddin, General Sir George Cockburn, G.C.B., the Provost of Trinity College, Dublin, David. C. Latour:Lie, Esq., the Rev. Dr. Dickinson, the O'Connor Don, M P., Cornelius O'Brien, Esq., M.P., George Hope, Esq., Alderman, Patrick II. Fitzgerald, Esq., Joseph Kincaid, Esq., W. II. Carroll, Esq., Secretary.
Speeches in support of the resolutions were delivered by Mr. Kincaid, agent to Lord Longford, Dr. Dickinson, Chaplain to the Archbishop of Dublin, and Mr. Ward, Secretary to the New Zealand Company. The most interesting speech was Dr. Dickinson's; but, to render it perfectly intelligible, we quote Mr. Jagoe's in support of his amendment— Mr. Jagoe said that he wished to make a remark or two before the resolution was put from the chair. He was an opponent of emigration, because he conceived that proper measures were not taken to develop the resources Of Ireland ; which, if done, would supersede any necessity for it. When he nerdkeel tint the country possessed a considerable quantity of unreclaimcd land, and that there was vast room for improvement in her fisheries, he was confi dent that the population of Ireland could be as profitably emplord at home as in New Zealand or any other colony. It was stated by Mr. Amens, at a recce'. meeting held in Loeglirea, that there were 500,000 unemployed. labourets in Ireland. He was not disposal to echo this opinion; and. as a proof that the allegation was incorrect, it was a well-authenticated fact that the rate of wages, in the county Dublin for instance, was advancing. In that county, labourers, who were some time ago employed at the rate of 8s.11,;—"set now got 108.; and fishermen who formerly were satisfied with 30s. a reeja now got 2/. In many other parts of the counties of Ireland the wages ml labourers were increasing. In the Western part of Cork, labourers who* tofore got 8d. now received 10d. and a is. per day, and no labourer was muss ployed. In the county Down, the rate of wages was increasing ; and from Dublin to Donegal the workmen got a shilling a day. Tinder these acme, stances, he felt it his duty to propose as an amendment, " That it was hiss's, dient to encourage emigration, while Ireland. possessed sit many resources, which if developed would sufficiently increase her prosperity and happiness," Dr. Dickinson expressed his regret that the amendment of Mr. Jagoe brides' been seconded, in order that an opportunity might have beers afforded acme fisting his false positions. One of his arguments, relating to the increase of wages, was answered by the circumstance of the emigration which he mt. donned diminishing the number of hands in the country, and consequently increasing the rate of wages an4_giving employment to those who otherwise would not have obtained it. ("Hear, sear! ") It should not be supposed that the encouragers of emigration were opposed to the various other expedients to
provide the poor with employment. The establishment of railroads—the esl. tivation of tue waste lands of the country—the improvement of the fisheries-would contribute much towards giving employment to the poor ; but there IN nothing incompatible between emigration and the development of national re. sources. He was desired. by the Archbishop of Dublin to state, that his Gnu intended to have been present upon that occasion ; but, finding that his as. pointment as one of the Lords Justices of Ireland, in the absence of the Loeb
Lieutenant, precluded him from attending any public meeting, the Arable's1 had delegated to him (Dr. Dickinson) the task of' moving the present reso. lution. He regretted the unavoidable absence of his Grace, because it ws well known that his Grace had given the subject of the Penal Colonies long as serious consideration. They were aware, he presumed, that the Archbishop fiss
written and published Letters to Lord Grey, ceding his Lordship's attention sod
that of the nation at large to the state of those colonies. Iu the Utters alluded to, he demonstrateil that the Penal Colonies were by no means a desirable plate
for emigrants or respectable families to live in. It was well proved that haw portation to those colonies was a system got up in despite of all reason, and continued in despite of all experience. There was scarcely a session or cost.
mission at which the criminal did not supplicate to be transported—exultia his sentence, and. even commit crimes in order that he might be so sentence& (" Hear, hear!") It was in vain to think that a colony composed of such
centious, uneducated, and vicious inhabitants, would ever become respectable. It was worse than impolitic to place the youthful delinquent in association wba the old and hardened criminal—to locate females dragged from the worst hauas of our large cities together, and expect that they would become virtuous be. cause they were placed in another land. It was one of the wildest dreams that ever entered into the mind of man to conceive. It was therefore right that the respectable families should be warned of the pernicious influence which pre. veiled in those colonies, to initiate the young in vice, and perpetuate whin. crease this depravity of the old. For two sessions a Committee of the House of Commons were engaged in considering the condition of those colonies ; but no fall report ever emanated from the Committee, because the details of the evidence were so indecent that it was declared unadvisable to circulate them. An elaborate digest of the testimony given was prepared by the Chairman, (Sir William Molesworth,) to which a letter of his Grace the Archbishop was as. peuded ; and though the chief objectionable portions of the evidence were ex• punged from this document, some facts were preserved in it which proved the horrible depravity of the colonies. He believed that a parent could not commit a greater crime with reference to his offspring, than to take them to a colony
where every feeling of virtue would surely be extinguished, and vice of every kind openly indulged. To remedy the necessity which would exist for persoio to emigrate to those colonies, other colonies should be established and poitaal out to the poor or the enterprising capitalist, the passport to which would not be the perpetration of crime, but a good character, virtuous habits, and a de. sire to engage in industrious avocations. He had heard front persons cois !meted with the Army, that the children of the moot respectable settlers in the Penal Colonies displayed at the tender ages of twelve or thirteen years, a precocity of vice such as was scarcely to be thund in the worst haunts of London: and why ? Because they were associated with convicts and the most despicable characters, tinder these circumstances, he felt pleasure in proposing the second resolution, warning the people and. the respectable inhabitants of the country against emigration to the Penal Colonies—New South Wales an! Iran Diemen's Land.
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