ituting other articles of food, so as to leave the poor only
partially dependant on the potato crop, for their support."[48]

Some Acts of Parliament, without perhaps intending it, gave a further
impulse to potato cultivation in Ireland. As if the violation of the
treaty of Limerick by William the Third; the exterminating code of Anne;
its continuance and intensification, under the first and second George
were not a sufficient persecution of the native race, statutes continued
to be enacted against them, during the first twenty-five years of
George the Third's reign--that is, up to 1785, But although this was the
case, the necessity of making some concessions to them began to be felt
by their rulers, from the time the revolt of the American colonies
assumed a dangerous aspect. So that, whilst, on the one hand, the
enactment of persecuting laws was not wholly abandoned, on the other,
there sprang up a spirit, if not of kindness, at least of recognition,
and perhaps of fear. "It was in the year 1744," says Sir Henry Parnell,
"that the Irish Legislature passed the first Act towards conciliating
the Catholics."[49] And a very curious concession it was. It was
entitled--"An Act to enable His Majesty's subjects, of whatever
persuasion, to testify their allegiance to him."[50] Previously, the
Catholics dared not to approach the foot of the throne even to swear,
that they were ready to die in defence of it. But, two years before this
an Act was passed of no apparent political significance, which was of
much more practical value to the Catholics. It was "An Act to encourage
the reclaiming of unprofitable bogs."[51] This Act made it lawful "for
every Papist, or person professing the Popish religion," to lease fifty
acres, plantation measure, of such bog, and one half acre of arable land
thereunto adjoining, "as a site for a house, or for the purpose of
delving for gravel or limestone for manure." Certain immunities were
granted, and certain restrictions imposed. The immunities were, that,
for the first seven years after the bog was reclaimed, the tenant should
be free from all tithes, cesses, or applotment; the restrictions were:
(1) that no bog should be deemed unprofitable, unless it were at least
four feet from the surface to the bottom of it, when reclaimed--the Act
having been especially passed for the reclaiming of _unprofitable_ bogs;
(2) that no person should be entitled to the benefit of the Act, unless
he reclaimed ten p