d upon productive works. The common-sense principle
contained in this expression of opinion could not be denied: it was,
indeed, the general opinion of the country; still every one felt that it
would require time to develop such works--the starving millions must be
fed, or at least the attempt must be made to feed them; they could not
wait for tedious preliminaries, and more tedious surveys, and no other
means existed to supply their daily food, but those afforded by the
Labour-rate Act.[174] But very early in the business, as soon as a
famine seemed imminent, it was urged by men of weight and character,
that reproductive works should and could be found for the people. Yes;
and it was a fatal error--it was worse than an error, it was a crime,
not to have adopted, at the earliest moment, the principle of
reproductive employment. At length the Government felt the force of this
logic, and did, although late, make an attempt to lessen the effects of
their own great blunder. On the 5th of October, the "Labouchere letter"
came out, authorizing reproductive works, the very thing the landlords
were agitating for; now that their agitation was successful, what did
they do? Nothing, or next to nothing, except that they opened a new
cause of disagreement with the Government about boundaries. In the
Chief Secretary's letter the Government followed the subdivisions of
electoral districts, as they had been doing before; the landlords
insisted on townland boundaries, and would not be content with--would
not act under--any other. Their opponents said this was merely to cause
delay; some even asserted it was an attempt to turn the whole system of
public works to their own private advantage; a contrivance of the
landlords, they said, to enjoy just so many jobs unmolested. The request
about the change of boundaries was not granted; and so the Labouchere
letter was not acted upon to the extent which it ought to have been. The
entire amount presented under the letter was L380,607, of which
presentments were acted on to the gross amount of L239,476. The sum
actually expended was about L180,000; and the largest number of persons
at any time employed was 26,961, which was in the month of May,
1847.[175]

Another demand which the landlords put in the shape of a resolution was,
that the Government should advance loans for the construction of
railways in Ireland. This the Government also refused, or rather, they
insisted on conditions that amounte