Lowering the Coins
Jonathan Swift
Reasons Why We Should not Lower the coins now current in this Kingdom. Occasioned by a Paper Entitled, Remarks on the Coins current in this Kingdom. to which is added, The Rev. Dean Swift’s Opinion, Delivered by him, in an Assembly of above One hundred and fifty eminent Merchants who met at the Guild Hall, on Saturday the 24th of April, 1736, in order to draw up their Petition, and Present it to his Grace the Lord−Lieutenant against lowering said Coin.
Dublin: Printed and sold by E. Waters in Dame−street.
Gentlemen,
I beg you will consider, and very well weigh in your hearts what I am going to say, and what I have often said before. There are several Bodies of Men, among whom the Power of this Kingdom is divided. 1st, The Lord−Lieutenant, Lords−Justices and Council, next to these, my Lords the Bishops; there is likewise my Lord Chancellor, and my Lords the Judges of the Land, with other eminent Persons in the Law, who have Employments and great Salaries annexed. To these must be added the Commissioners of the Revenue, with all their under Officers: And lastly, their Honours of the Army, of all Degrees.
Now, Gentlemen, I beg you again to consider, that none of these Persons above−named, can ever suffer the loss of one Farthing by all the Miseries under which the Kingdom groans at present. For, first, until the Kingdom be intirely Ruined the Lord Lieutenant and Lords−Justices must have their Salaries. My Lords the Bishops, whose Lands are set a fourth part value, will be sure of their Rents and their Fines. My Lords the Judges, and Those of other Employments in the Courts, must likewise have their Salaries. The Gentlemen of the Revenue will pay Themselves; and as to the Officers of the Army, the Consequences of not paying Them, is obvious enough; Nay, so far will those Persons I have already mentioned to be from suffering, that, on the contrary, their Revenues being now way lessen’d by the fall of Money, and the prices of all Commodities considerably sunk thereby, they must be great Gainers. Therefore, Gentlemen, I do entreat you, that, as long as you live, you will look upon all Persons who are for lowering the Gold, or any other Coin, as no Friends to this poor Kingdom, but such who find their private account in what will be most detrimental to Ireland. And, as the Absentees are the strongest views, our greatest Enemies, first, by consuming above one half of the Rents of this Nation Abroad. And secondly, by turning the Weight, by their Absence, so much on the Popish side, by weakning the Protestant Interest. Can there be a greater folly than to pave a Bridge of Gold at your Expence, to support them in their Luxury and Vanity abroad, while hundreds of thousands are starving at home, for want of Employment.
Lowering the Coins