Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/469

Rh of retirement, he considered how he might employ it use fully, encourage industry, and mitigate distress. But here it may be necessary to advert to the wretched state of the woollen weavers in the populous and manufacturing districts of the city, and Earl of Meath liberty adjoining. It has been calculated, that about twenty-two thousand persons supported themselves by this branch of trade, during those seasons of the year in which they could dry the wool warps and cloths in the open air; but in the winter, when rain, snow, or frost set i n , they were thrown out o f employ, and then suffered a l l the miseries o f hunger, cold, and the usual disorders attending such pri vations. I n consequence o f such complicated miseries, the woollen weavers and the artisans concurred i n 1809 i n presenting a memoir t o their landlord the Earl o f Meath, the Farming and Dublin Societies, the lord mayor, recorder, and court o f aldermen, the representatives o f the city and county, and other distinguished personages, praying them t o take into consideration their distressed state; and t o adopt some measures, whereby their warps, wool, and cloth, might b e dried i n the winter, and wet weather. For this purpose, many meetings took place, and i t was a t length determined, that a n application should b e made t o the Imperial Parliament, for about 3500l. sterling, which they supposed, might b e sufficient for a building t o answer the purposes prayed for. Accord ingly, this affecting appeal was laid before the Dublin Society, 2nd o f March, 1809, who admitted, that the im portance o f the subject, demanded their protection and recommendation, but that they could not a t present make a n application t o parliament o n the subject, and finally postponed i t s consideration t o a future day. I t was then proposed t o raise the sum b y shares o n transferable deben tures o f ten pounds each. This proposal also failed, though i t held out the probability o f i t s proving produc tive o f emolument t o i t s humane and patriotic promoters. I n short, nothing towards the relief o f this complicated misery was effected, until Thomas Pleasants, before whose WOL. I i . h in