Page:Aristopia (1895).pdf/173

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their present degradation was the result of hideous misgovernment. Under good government he was sure the Irish would rise from their degradation and recover their ancient civilization.

He wanted only industrious citizens in Aristopia; the English of that time and for centuries afterward were never tired of descanting on Irish sloth. Says Macaulay: "The Irish peasant feared not danger half so much as work." But Governor Morton had read history enough to know that no misgoverned people are ever industrious, because they have no incentive to produce anything of which they would probably he robbed. No civilized race, well governed, has shown a lack of the industry necessary to obtain a comfortable living.

To feed this army, almost as great as was then the whole population of Virginia and Maryland combined, in a new country, until they could produce something from the soil, was no small task. The governor had several shiploads of wheat and barley shipped promptly from Holland, then a mart for every commodity, and as soon as possible sent word to Aristopia to export no more grain. When