If we could have deserved the liberty of coining for ourselves, as we formerly did, and why we have not is everybody’s wonder as well as mine,[4] ten thousand pounds might have been coined here in Dublin of only one-fifth below the intrinsic value, and this sum, with the stock of halfpence we then had, would have been sufficient:[5] But Wood by his emissaries, enemies to God and this kingdom, hath taken care to buy up as many of our old halfpence as he could, and from thence the present want of change arises; to remove which, by Mr. Wood’s remedy, would be, to cure a scratch on the finger by cutting off the arm.  But supposing there were not one farthing of change in the whole nation, I will maintain, that five and twenty thousand pounds would be a sum fully sufficient to answer all our occasions.  I am no inconsiderable shopkeeper in this town, I have discoursed with several of my own and other trades, with many gentlemen both of city and country, and also with great numbers of farmers, cottagers, and labourers, who all agree that two shillings in change for every family would be more than necessary in all dealings.  Now by the largest computation (even before that grievous discouragement of agriculture, which hath so much lessened our numbers [6]) the souls in this kingdom are computed to be one million and a half, which, allowing but six to a family, makes two hundred and fifty thousand families, and consequently two shillings to each family will amount only to five and twenty thousand pounds, whereas this honest liberal hardwareman Wood would impose upon us above four times that sum.

[Footnote 4:  Time and again Ireland had petitioned the King of England for the establishment of a mint in Dublin.  Both Houses of Parliament addressed King Charles I. in 1634, begging for a mint which should coin money in Ireland of the same standard and values as those of England, and allowing the profits to the government.  Wentworth supported the address; but it was refused (Carte’s “Ormond,” vol. i., pp. 79-80).  When Lord Cornwallis’s petition for a renewal of his patent for minting coins was presented in 1700, it was referred to a committee of the Lords Justices.  In their report the Lords Justices condemned the system in vogue, and urged the establishment of a mint, in which the coining of money should be in the hands of the government and in those of a subject.  No notice was taken of this advice.  See Lecky’s “Ireland,” vol. i., p. 448 (ed 1892) [T.S.]]

[Footnote 5:  Boulter stated that L10,000 or L15,000 would have amply fulfilled the demand ("Letters,” vol. i., pp. 4, 11). [T.S.]]

[Footnote 6:  It was not alone the direct discouragement of agriculture which lessened the population.  This result was also largely brought about by the anti-Catholic legislation of Queen Anne’s reign, which “reduced the Roman Catholics to a state of depression,” and caused thousands of them to go elsewhere for the means of living.  See Crawford’s “Ireland,” vol. ii., pp. 264-267. [T.S.]]