Page:Irish Emigration and The Tenure of Land in Ireland.djvu/256

small French proprietor to be so intolerable, that

 left at their death?—The farmer generally leaves the farm to the boys, and leaves sums of money to the girls, if he has money; and sometimes he leaves money to be paid by the sons, which the sons are never able to pay."

R. F. Saunders, Esq., Land Proprietor and Magistrate.

"Children are most frequently provided for at the death of their parents by the father 'making his fortune on his deathbed.' That is the common expression. He leaves the farm to his eldest son, and charges it with more than it is worth (without leaving any assets to pay those charges), as provision for the remainder of his family. Litigation ensues, and the farm is lost in the end. I have known many farmers who have charged a property lease with a great deal more than the farm is worth, and which never has made any thing during his lifetime. Sometimes he subdivides his farm, and during his lifetime passes bills to the husband of his daughter, and distresses himself to pay them."—Dig. Dev. Com. p. 588.

Thos. Davidson, Agent.

"In what manner are people generally provided for at

 commune de deux cents feux, peuplée d'environ mille individus des deux sexes, grands et petits, tours cultivateurs. Ils possèdent, entre eux tous, cinque cents hectares en bonne terre, c'est-à-dire un demi-hectare par tête. L'hectare vaut là de quatre à cinque mille francs. Done ces gens sont riches en comparaison de bien d'autres. En fait, rien de plus mal vêtu, mal logé, mal nourri; rien de plus misérable et de plus ignorant qn'eux. Ne les accuser pas de paresse ou d'ivrognerie, vous auriez tort; ils travaillent toute l'année et ne boivent guère que de 1'eau. Mais leurs propriétés sont si bien divisées qu'ils ne sauraient avoir ni pré ni herbage, et partant ni chevaux ni boeufs."—Le Progres, par E. About.

Of the present condition of the agricultural population we have an account by M. Thiers, in his speech in the French Chamber, on Saturday, the 10th of March, 1866:—"Si ceux qui m'interrompent avaient lu la multitude des ecrits que j'ai sous la main, écrits non pas signés pas des ecrivains s'occupant