ell the House that, "in the
present state of Ireland, it was impossible to deny that, by this
course, a great impetus must be given to employment, where the advances
could be safely made." He even contradicted his own assertion, made with
such confidence on the information of "the great Unknown," that only 25
per cent. would go for labour, and admitted, that more would be expended
upon it than Lord George Bentinck ever assumed there would. After
several members had condemned the proposal in strong terms, that noble
lord rose, and assured the Chancellor of the Exchequer that he would not
object to the vote going forward. "There was," he said, "more joy over
one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety-nine just persons." He
greatly rejoiced to find that ministers had at length discovered that it
was cheaper for England to lend her money (receiving interest for it)
upon reproductive works, than upon those useless relief works, which
were to return no interest and produce no fruits. He greatly rejoiced,
also, to hear from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that, in the course
of the last two months, he had become better instructed upon the subject
of the number of men to whom the construction of railways would give
employment. He (Lord George Bentinck) had proposed to employ one hundred
and ten thousand men with L6,000,000, but the Chancellor of the
Exchequer then told the House that L6,000,000 laid out in railways would
only furnish employment for forty-five thousand labourers. Now, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer told the House that L600,000 would employ
fifteen thousand labourers; so that, upon his calculations, L6,000,000
would afford employment not merely for one hundred and ten thousand, as
he (Lord George Bentinck) had formerly stated, but for one hundred and
fifty thousand able-bodied labourers. It must, said Lord George, be a
great disappointment to the people of Ireland, to find upon what false
grounds they were deprived of their darling measure for the construction
of railways. He was glad the right hon. gentleman had at last come to
his senses, and proposed to grant a portion, at least, of the
L16,000,000. He (Lord George) now found, that his calculation, that
L16,000,000 would give employment to one hundred and ten thousand men in
Ireland, for a certain number of years, was understated. When it suited
the purpose of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a million of money would
give employment to half as many more able-