The Express. — London, England, 1847-02-03 00:00:00

- - estates p• chaps °ace a year in order to coricat the rents. (Hear, hear.) The I‘4lll, member fill Bath said the available income of the Irb'ss proprietors was oaly 3,000,0001. out of 12003.0341. It sons estimated by the poor 7a+ commissioners of 133'; at 6,03;s,0001. bat there was • return made to the land emaunission ea the sub See. which he thought worthy of the attention of the house. It appeared from this, that in an average of three year& property to the amount of 702,00 W. a year was under the, Courts of Chancery and Exchequer, that during those 'pile years the arrears of the property increased from • emnporatively small sum to 400.0(101., and that the n ,ma read in costs amounted to 30,0001. Wnilst this iud' easel the possession of property to a large amount, it had listed also that there must be • great deal of ntiannoagens eat with regard to the conduct of estates under the Court of Chancery. (Hear, hear.) Any measure which woe id enable the proprietors of large districts to sell a portion of them, would be attended with great advantage to Ireland. But the system of borrowing on mortgage which prevail A ia Ireland was different from that which prevailed in this country. Here the mortgage only affected that put of th estate on which the mortgage was effected ; but in %rebind the money was borrowed u nder bond and kid guest, and the whole of the property was liable. Tl le effect of that system was, that those whose property wras affected by the judgments, found it quite impossible to 'relieve any portion of the land of the charge which was brought upon it. He had node-tire to enter into the question of the subdivision of land. An hon. member had said on tho previous evening, that every one in Ireland was out of his proper position. He had a right to ask whether !wide lion had not had something to do with that. (Hear, hear.) He was a strong advocate for the maintenance of the union, but he could not conceal from himself the fact that the anion, by drawing the landed aristocracy of Ireland to this gauntry, nocemanly tended to raise a clogs is Ireland to • position which did not naturally belong to them. The hoaourable and learned member for Bath (Mr. Roebuck) had, in strong term., charged the landlords with culpability in the management of theirestates. He was not re . ppared to deny that in times gone by the landed proprietors of Ireland had been guile of great neglect and improvidence; but he believed that within the lest thirty years there had been a marked improvement in the g eneral habits, opinions., and conduct of the landed gentry of that eountry--a spirit of foresight, &desire to economise, and &de termination to improve their estates ; and unless the hon. and learned member meant that they ought to carry out the eteaream system, he was at a loss to know precisely what it was with which he charged them. For his own part he would rather the landlords erred in allowing the population to mul tiply than in acting too extensively on that /system. (Hear, hear). They were now reaping the intim of their own neglect of repeated warnings. (Hear, hear.) Whoever might he to blame for the remote causes of the disarrange ment of the social system of Ireland, the immediate and proximate causes of that disarrangement consisted in the great disproportion which existed between labour in Ireland and in England. There was scarcely a single evil which could not be traced to that source. From what did the eooacre system arise ? From the difficulty which the farmer had in paying his labourers in money. The best thing which they could do was to introduce capital into the country. He approved of the measures of the noble lord, because they were founded on that principle. The only government mea sure of which he disapproved was that of giving outdoor relief to the able bodied; he thought that that would tend to prevent the increase of habits of industry. He could not too strongly impress on the house his belief that the im provement of Ireland was not to be effected by what were called " great measures," but by a genes of small measures. (Hear, hear, hear) There were many evils which might be considered comparatively indifferent in that house, yet by remedying which the habits of the people would be improved, their energies stimulated, and a peat advantage be secured to the country. He thought that the appointment of a legal commissioner to consider how far the law of property in Ireland could be beneficially as similated to that cf England, was a desirable step. An hon. member had said that the late meeting in Dublin was a meeting of landlords whose object was to secure for themselves as much as they possibly could, He would ask hon. gentlemen to refer to the resolutions adopted at that meeting; they would then perceive that the description given was not correct. The bon. member for the University of Oxford had designated that meeting as "a meeting of united Irishmen." He would like to know what stronger proof could be afforded of the imminent danger of Ireland than the fact that gentlemen differing essentially on the most important points, felt it their duty to lay aside their political hostilities, and join to gether for the purpose of rescuing their country. They were united, not to destroy, b-t to preserve; they e ere united, Wit to create, but, if possible, to prevent the horrors of a so• eial revolution • they were united, not to inv lee the country in anarchy andeonfusion, but to raise the condition of the people, and, in the words of the resolution by which the unroll was formed, " to save all classes from the ruin with which they are at present threatened." (Hear, hear.) He could, too, smuts his hon. friend that the union amongst Irish gentlemen on that subject was but a faint reflection of I the unity of purpose and the harmony of feeling which ex isted amongst all classes in Ireland at the present crisis. (Hear, hear.) This heavy visitation of Provident* had soft ened men's hearts, and had milled forth the holier and better impulses of their nature ' • and it was delightful to see them emulating each other in an endeavour to alleviate the miseries of their fellow-creatures. (Cheers.) He quite agreed with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary for Ireland, that Irish eo-operation was essential to the samessful carrying-out of any measures for the improvement of Ireland, and he thought he could tender the united and zealous assistance of those who had heretofore been kept too much mender in the promotion of measures which had that object. At all events he was quite sure that all measures would be consi dered imepectively of party oonsiderations ; and he could say for himself, most unfeignedly, that he should be the first to magratulate her Majesty's ministers, if the measures which they proposed should prove to have been calculated to alleviate the present distress, and to conduce to the permanent improvement of Ireland. Mr. J. O'CONYELL said it was not his intention to occupy the house for any long time, simply for this reason, that while they delayed the progress of these measures the people of Ireland were peris ing. (Hear.) With the utmost haste which the house could make, they would not be able to overtake the numbers who were suffering from famine. He had no wish, however, to prevent proper dis cussion. and there were two or three characteristics of the debate which he himself could not help noticing. In the first place, he felt bound to bear his testimony to the general sympathy for the distress of Ireland, and to the apparent readiness of every party on each side of the house to adopt the strongest measures if they appeared to afford a chance of relief. The next characteristic which had been dis played was, he was sorry to say, a degree of ignorance respecting the social state of Ireland, which strengthened has conviction that no parliament but one compose! of persons resident in the country was com petent to make the laws. The third eharactenetie—he was happy to say it was less general than the two preceding ones —was, the aspersions and attacks made on the landlords of Ireland. One gentleman had in that respect rendered himself peculiarly prominent—though of course anything which came from him possessed exceedingly little weight in that house, and still less in Ireland—(laughter)—he referred to the hon. and learned member for Bath, who, at a time when almost every other gentleman in the house seemed anxious to dismiss from his mind every irritating topic, made the most malignant attempts to rouse anger sad ill will, and to prevent them from coming to • fair and calm conclusion. In his speech of the previous evening, there was a *odor running attack on the priesthood of Ireland —en attack all the more ungenerous at that moment as that priesthood were sacrificing their lives in attending those who were suffering from famine and disease. (Hear, hear.) The Catholic priesthood did not, however, need his (Mr. J. O'Connell's) vindication, as they did not heed the hon. and learned member's attacks. But the hon. and learned mem ber also attacked the people. He said they came there in a beggiog posture. He (Mr. J. O'Connell) indignantly denied that each was the case. He would also say that the people isf Ireland did not deserve such expressions. It was whilst they were exhibiting instance, of heroic resignation that they were selected by the hon. and learned member for Bath as torgets for his foul aspersions: ( Hear.) The Irish people had not adopted the tone they might have adopted at the present not-adopted; They had not said that by the legislation of the imperial parliament Ireland had been robbed, or that the money now being given to Ireland formed but a smell portion of the money which would be found to be rightfully due, were a fair account to be settled between the two countries. (Hear, hear.) As regarded the hon. and learned tirember's ;Racks ou the Irish landlords, though be did not den thatthere had been grave faults, he must remind the house that the legislation of the last 46 years had been such, that Irish manufactures bad perished, and undue com petition for land had ensued, attended wish e-ratiqoent evils. At the present time. he 0.,.-'al, the Irish 'anchorite acre actin t's , s ably. He concurred with the hon. member f nrveraite of Dublin in rejoiderr that all parties w.. 'Sing their guierah'e M'erences inifealaiting for , . rood. ilisirmaa of a relief camases - is t • bourhood of Dublin, he hail men gentlemen of the L., • °Pinion! , uniting, their only coutenhon being al.- ' • do most to afford relief, clergymen of different • . , Ssoa ern,, amongst the number. There was, in fact, a ni.nas c.sr isl s o i: . li i ti &rid brot hethis a rh u ood ore . Amidst the darkness , of tb.ifr Pres.:n iPse :4, Ifght t . t tlear, beer.) He bright t and Ilim):"l.°;m'es!ragra .it bail committed a great mistake is not having endeatsor'o to supply We people with food but he admitted that an pro posal of that kind was not liicely to have been sweetest.° i'l, l August last. The amounts from Ireland every s'sy wertr - ficient to distract the mind, and ha feared that it !bey di, not adoptsotoe means ofsupplying the people with foot , they w indd count the deed not by thousands but by h un d re d s o f th e irosPds Looking at the effects of the Poor-law in Engine l u , he felt , that in Ireland, where the number ofpaupers bon so largo . a proportion to the number of rate-payers, all the evils of trf system would come upon them at once if the governnicat pro. posed and carried its extension. Nevertheless, hews. hound to my, that under the pressure of distress with which the country suffered, he should no more oppose the passing of such an extension of that law than he sho u ld imps. - the launching of a raft were be in a sinking ship. Their curet at the - present time was • desperate one it was • case, he was I bound to say, which never would have occurred had they been left to govern themselves it was a rase for which, as he and multitules of others believed, there war but one real panacea, and that panacea was the repeal of the union. Lord CASTLEItEAOH wished leas to speak to tile general question than to express his respectful and heart felt thanks to her Majesty's government for the mason, which they had oroposed. He thought they were govern ing Ireland well. their lord-lieutenant was au excellent officer of the crown, and he could beer testimony that the appointment of an Irishman to the chief , filer in Ire land was creating great confidence in the minds th peo ple. He wished to take this opportunity also of saying that ha thought the Lonelier& of Ireland were, as a clam, much '1 aimed. He had heard in that house many elided eager tied madeagairat theta, but he had not yet beard cited one single individual illustration. At the same time, no one could doubt that there were bad as well as good landlords in Ireland ; and, far his own past, if any one in that house would propose a tax upon absentees, be (Lord Castlereaeh) would be one of the first members to support it, on the con dition that the amount seised by such taxation should s a expended in Ireland. He concluded by observing that the question of administering relief to the able-bodied out of the workhouse seemed to him to be a question attended with great emote:at difficulties. Mee. LAWLESS thought the measures of Per Majesty's government came six months too late. For many of them he was thankful ; and some it was bets s er to adopt atthe eleventh hour than not to adopt at all. There were others, however, which were likely now to demote harm than good, and among these was the measure relating to distilleries, which, if it had been adopted six months ago, would have raved much grain for the use of the people, bat the only effect of w hi c h a , t h e present time, would be to. ruin the last remaining manufac ture of Ireland. (lied.) He felt that the present wasa great crisis in the affairs of theacountiy; one in which she must either rise immeasurably, or fall altogether. Good government was what they wanted, end if they consulted their own interests they would secure i.t for Ireland, for they might depend that if she fell, England would participate in her ruin. The hon. member for Bath. had spokes of Ireland as the bane of Eng land. Certainly, that member's tone and language was nut calculated to turn that bane into a blessing. He was asto nished that one who had, no doubt, drank so copiously of the healing waters of Bath still felt so nervous whenever Ireland was mentioned. He would advise the hon. member, before he spoke again, to acquire a little knowledge of the country from personal experience. Mr. GREGORY observed, that if ever there was an occa sion when the principles of political economy might be pro perly relaxed, it was the present; and he blamed her Majesty's government for adhering too strictly to the rules of that science, by declaring to the corn-dealers their fixed intention not to interfere with the importation of foreign grain into Ireland. It would have been better for the govern ment to have said "we will abstain from interference so long as or unary commercial operations can goon , but when we find these ineffective then we will step in." (Hear, hear.) He blamed the government also fur keeping their stores closed during the greater part of the winter. Despite the statements of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he knew from personal knowledge, and he was assured by others, that many of the government depits had never been opened. They would have done infinitely more good had they opened their granaries two months ago, than they could do by opening them now. In his opinion it was now almost too late. Their soup kitchens were establishing when hundreds were already dead; their navigas ion laws were suspended when no benefit could arise from their suspension ; and they took off the 4s. duty on corn only just when it would be profitable to the speculators, and a dead loss to the Exche quer. No one made greater allowances for the difficulties of tee government than he did; no one more admired their lord lieutenant and the chief secretary for Ireland; but if they asked him to give them credit for being far-seeing and sagacious statesmen, he must decline to do anything of the sort. (Hear, hear, hear,) The great principle on which the imperial legislature should proceed in its enactments for Ireland should be to give encouragement to than; who merited it by their industry and energy, and to apply the spur, end that not lightly, to the lazy, the apathetic, and the improvident. The circle of responsibility should be drawn close round every person con cerned, so that no vagueness or remoteness in this respect might present an excuse to any one, but each be distinctly aware of what he was called upon to do. (Hear.) lie doubted whether the noble lord's measures were sufficiently stringent in their compulsory effect. lie thought that the I sndlords of Ireland had been as a body most unjustly assailed. There were, unquestionably, cases in which Irish landowners had been and still were guilty of great neglect of their duties towards Ireland •, but these eases were exceptions. The heaviest difficulty that had im peded the progress of Ireland, was the narrow-minded policy of England, which had checked her manufacturing in dustry. (Hear, hear.) The wisest statesmen had seen and denounced the injustice and mischiesousnesa of this policy s but for centuries it had been persevered in. The north of Ireland clearly proved of what that country was capable, where its manufactures were allowed to proceed, as in the south, to a certain extent; but, like the south of England, circumstances showed the struggling p :verty to which the absence of manufactures condemned a country like this. Sir H. W. BARRON expressed his great gratification at the kind and conciliatory tone manifested by speakers on Doh *ldes of the house, and of all parties throughout this debate. lie corrected a fallacy in the speech, on a former evening, of the hon. member for Coventry. The bon. me:o bey hal greatly underrsted the extent to which Ireland par ticipated in imperial taxation. Of the fifty-four millions of annual taxes, Ireland was subjected to her share of forty eight millions, a proportion much larger than that stated by the hon. member. Tho hon. baronet repudiated the propo sition that the Irish came as beggars to implore advances from the imperial exchequer. Ireland was united to Eng. I •nd in a common bond, and her people were as well entitled to make demands upon the common exchequer as tie English. It had been flippantly asserted that to talk of a loan to Ire land was an absurdity in terms, seeing that never had a loan to Ireland been repaid. lie utterly denied the truth of this assertion, and could, on the contrary, distinctly affirm that never had there bet n a loan to Ireland, fur public purposes, which had not been repaid, and with immense interest—ay, ' with immense interest. Always with the five per cent. in terest; and, as in the case of the loan for public works, men dotted by Mr. Nimmo, with five per cent more, Mahe shape of increased consumption of all exeiseable commodities in the localities of those public works. The evil legislation which Ireland had suffered at the hands of the impe rial parliament, arose from the utter ignorance under which that parliament had leboured as to the con dition, and character, and wants of Ireland. (Hear, hear.) The present position of Ireland was the consequence of English misgovernment. He trusted that English members would recollect that, and not visit their own acts on the Irish ' landlords and people. His countrymen had much to com plain of a portion of the English press ; and one calumny, in particular, he could not allow to remain unanswered. It had been generally asserted that the money paid by the state for public works in Ireland, or that which had been gener ously subscribed by English charity, was often expended in that country in the purchase of fire-arms. (Hear, hear.) ' Now, as far as the labouring population were concerned, a grosser calumny was never uttered. (Hear, hear.) Farmers and persons in the more comfortable classes of so ciety had purchased guns and pistols to protect their pro perty from apprehended a.tacks by the starving people, but ' none of the latter he could confidently , assert had expended the scanty fruits of their labour in the purchase of fire-arms. ' (Hear, hear.) He thought it hard that the landlords and people of Ireland should be so much taunted about what ought to be looked upon as a great calamity. Why, many of our colonies had in times of misfortune received aid from the imperial exchequer, and no one in that house had thought it a proper subject for taunt. 20,0001. was granted to Quebec after the fire, and the more insignificant colony of Newfoundland had a grant of 30,0001. after the conflagra tion at St. Johns. Why then should an exception be made in the case of Ireland. (Hear, hear, hear.) With regard to the introduction of poor-laws into Ireland, he had always supported such a measure, and should continue to do so, hut hoped that government would introduce an efficient measure and not one which should make the good landlords pay for the sins of the bad ones. One subject more he stashed to allude to—he mesnt that of Irish runways. lie knew that government had had ' the subject under consideration, and that political economists were opposed to any assistance being given by the state. But he trusted it would be held in remembrance that the present was an extraordinary crisis requiring extraordinary remedies, and that state assistance to railways would be adopted as one of three, and as one most likely to afford the great Irish denderatum, employment. He begged, in resumiug his seat, to return his best thanks on his own behalf, and on that of the • Irish people for the generous charity which had been so actively exhibited by the people of this country. Such probes , of good feeling and •otherhood would do more to conciliate • the Irish people then a hundred acts of parliament. (Hear, • hear.) Mr. LEFROY 'spatted that the tumainaity so graerelly ' prevailing should have haw alisterbed by say Omega tis the Irish Church. He thought *et the primeat adgeueywas one requiring all their attention, and that to It their anew . tion should be confined. (Hear, hear.) The preemie at calamity was great on the people of Ireland at the plume moment, but still he had one consolation and that was that but three members of that house had attempted to obstruct the humane intentions of government. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member for Montrose proposed the abolition of the • viceroyalty as a panacea for Irish ills. He (Mr, Lefroy) I cared little about the office, but this he must my that it i had never been filled so much to the universal mtisfac t tion of the Irish people as at the present moment. (Cheers.) ' The sugg-etions of the hon. and learned member for Bath • for alienating the property of the Irish church, and sweeping • away the law of entail, were in his opinion unworthy of a f British statesman or a British lawyer. It had been truly • said that one great cause of the position of Ireland was the . , constant struggle going on there for political influence, and • undoubtedly to the 40s. freehold, as a franchise qualifies , non, such of the misery of the country was annhutable. He believed that the measures of the government were cal ' 1 culatod to confer great and important benefits on Ireland, especially if due attention were paid to the many important practical suggestions which would probably be advanced ' when the bills were in committee. The hon. member con ' eludes/ by expressing a hope that in future legislation for • Ireland, emigration and colonisation would not be host sight 'ofas a means of carrying off the surplus population. lie I thanked the government for what they hod already done,and wished them every success in their endeavours to improve the condition of Ireland. j I. el r LEM ENTS defended the landlords of Ireland from / the charge laid against them by . the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, of not attending to their duties on the relief corn ' metes s, a charge which the right hon. gentleman hinusolf remand when he adverted to the absence of all local ma , Mary. One great cause of the failure of the Labour Rate jut woe, that those who were i practically acquainted th w m, the reentry had not been consulted in the framing of l it t Ifie period of the year when it was brought forward being 1 th at s hest Irish members were necessarily absent ; then the enestitution of the relief committees rendered it impos tsible e r thee to act togeher for good. Again, the s•fficers ' appo i nted by the government had acted without consulting I the magisarstes, else were acquainted with the requirements I of the several localities, and the result had been that em , ehs.ment had been given to farmers and others who were not entitled to it. lie had sugeested that a line should be drawn, sei I that thee. also did nut pay 41. a year, and who eansequs•ntly were not rated, should alone he employes'. No such plan, however, had been adopted, nor had any list of petters (he spoke now more particularly in reference to his urn perish), been made out. The breaking dowa of the act hail, in fact, been occasioned by the 'REM, WEDNESDAY distrust the genterhigints -.r•-• fflffillialfflA4 eti gentlemen. sails thed tOntenesi extent te,, lithe •eerv%o4, , amen this ven would be *Jodi ' to mutt lia" Aced the Itspidelesysteffa s Mot • it I Ahrens to agneettnreS and - rateslAdsm smith most important commerce being that of the home a and the interchange of the produce of the _country _ manufactures of the town, and condemning the encourage ment of agriculture to the prejudice of manuhnures. But Ireland was without artisans and manufacturers ; govern. ment had encouraged absenteeism; the consequence was, that she had no population in her towns to form a home market for the agricultural produce of the country. If this system were persevered in no one could complain of the demands which were necessarily made in consequence of it upon the purse of England. It was a most ruinous system to the country,and the government ought gravely to consider how far they could compel the Irish proprietor to do his duty. Nothing had given him more pain or trouble as a magistrate, than endeavouring to protect the farmer against the landlord's bailiff. (Hear, hear.) The time was certainly come when the absentee landlords ought to be compelled to look after their property, to attend the assize, and act as jurors. It was also of the highest importance that some means should be adopted for forming a home market; with out which it was impossible that a country so purely agri- i cultural could avoid such calamities as Ireland was at present afflicted with. He would peen upon the government the necessity of establishing inland depots; for even with a Gut& • ciency of fond upon the coast, s famine might, nevertheless, exist in the iotenor of the country, so great was the difficulty of transmitting it. The land in many districts was com pletely exhausted, and he feared that it must be thrown out of cultivation, unless other measures than those before pm- Bement were enacted, to enforce its tillage. He must do the government the credit to admit, that in the barony in • which he lived, every public week that was undertaken had been attended with the greatest benefit. But he was . utterly at a loss to know how the measures of the govern ment could meet such a case as that of Castlebar presented, and which was only one of many. In Castleber 3,t50 emu piers, being the immediate lessors, paid rates, and 6,761 paid . no rates, the quantity of land in the possession of the latter being 72,382 acres. And yet this was a difficulty which it • was absolutely necessary that the government should grapple • with at once. They must adopt somemeatut for compelling those who luta Lind to cultivate it, or else let some one else ' do so. The prior-law of Elizabeth had been recommended' for Ireland. When that law was passed, the state of Eng laud was as bad as that of Ireland at the present day; but • that was not the first nor the only means adopted by Queen Elisabeth for improving the condition of the kingdom. It was, in fact, one of the last of her enact ments ; having previously in 1462 passed en act for the maintenance and increase of tillage, and an act for labourers, servants in husbandry, and apprentices ; in 1470 en act against usury—an act which was much required in ' Ireland—another act fur the increase of tillage ; an act for the punishment of vagrants and the relief of the poor and impotent ; an act against the erecting and maintaining of cottages otherwise than in domains and villages, unless they bad four acres of land attached to them. That was a penal enactment and appeared coercive, but he thought . that something of the kind ought now to be instituted considering the rapid increase sf population in Ireland He (Lord Clements) for the last eight years had done all in his power to assist the peer, but he confessed he had been l discouraged and almost broken-hearted at the small results which had ensued. With every d sire to acknowledge the kindness towards Ireland which bad been exhibited by the house, he yet implored them to be fi rm ; and in dealing with . the di fficulties of Ireland not to make any further false steps. It was most distressing to see the poor man starving neer the relief works. If the legislature neglected to declare what , should be the pivot on which the persons who were entrusted I with the administration of relief were to turn, they could not expect either public or private individuals to uudermke : the task on their own responsibility. The land must be cultivated, and the crops raised, which were to produce food i fur the people, and unless parliament took the lead in this, , the present situation of things would only be the commence meet of more serious disasters. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that his noble friend who had just resumed his seat had blamed with some severity the conduct of the government and the Labour Rate Bill ; but there was one observation of his noble friend which had given him so ninth gratification that it hal removed from his mind much of the weight of the unpleasant feeling which had been caused by the severity of his other comments. His noble friend had declared that in his barony there was no public work which had been undertaken under the Labour Rate Act which would not be permanent benefit. It hardly, therefore, lay in the mouth of his noble friend, who from a sense of justice had been obliged to bear his testimony to the beneficial effects of the bill, to pronounce en sweeping a oeoaure against it. He (Mr Labouchere) confessed he had heard that declaration of his noble friend with surprise. It was true he believed that the evil effects which had been attributed to that bill, and the wholesale condemnation of the work' which had been commenced under its operation, had been exaggerated ; but he was too well aware of the justice of many of the animadversions which had been uttered against the nature of the works, and the circumstances un der which they ware carried on, not to be surprised to learn that it should be said with truth that in any barony the works would be a permanent benefit. His noble friend went on to tax his right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with uttering &sweeping censure on the c induct of the landlords of Ireland. He (Mr. Lab maitre) did not understand his right hon. friend to have used any such ex pressions. He was sure that if his right hon. friend had so spoken, he (Mr. Labouchere) would not have been prepared to concur with him. He had, durinz his official resa dence in Ireland, too many opportunities of observing the conduct of the landlords, some of whom were in that house, and among them his noble friend (Lord Clements), who had been for the lan four mouths constantly resident in his own couatry, and carom ly exerted himself to relieve its distress ; and he was too well acquainted with the public spirit which they had exhibited, and the exertions made by the charity of the gentry of Ireland, to join in any censure of their conduct during the late distressing circumstances of the country. Ball that admission was consistent with his saying that the efforts of the government to meat the tre mendous difficulties with which they had to grapple were not met by that support from the gentry which they had aright to expect—and in saying this he was bound to add that the relief committal,. a especially had not given to parliament and the government the support which they ought, nor did he believe that there was any conscientious Irishman who would contradict that statement. The fact was admitted with sorrow by many Irish gentlemen; but he was unwilling to lay the blame on any class when he well knew the unfor tunate circumstances in which Ireland was placed, and the gulf which existed between the gentry and the people. He would not say that the blame of circumstances there which had been the produce of many years should be cast on the landlords, but he would say that he did not universally find them making those exertions which might have been expected from them in the extraordinary exigencies of the country. There were many noble exceptions, and he had received assistance in these difficulties from many, without distinction of party, and he was bound now to offer his thanks to those noble and distinguished individuals who were usually op . oats of the government, such as Lord Farnham, Lord , en, and Lord Lorton, who, casting aside all considerations of party, did come forward and assist the government is every manner, and with an entire forgetful ness of party feeling and party prejudice. (Hear, hear.) But while he said this, it was quite consistent with his also saying that he did feel that unless the government received a more _general and cordial 00-operation from the resident proprietors, let them pats what measures they might, he must despair of ex tricating Ireland from the difficulties which surrounded her, di ffi culties of no light and trivial nature. He had hand those difficulties described in glowing colours in that house, and the more he examined into their nature the more tremendous he found them. (Hear, hear.) He did not say this with any view of discouragement •, it would be most unbecoming in biro to do so; but on the contrary, if these difficulties were met by a proper spirit of legislation, and were also met as they ought to be by all ranks and classes in Ireland, he did not doubt that out of evil good would come, and that she would eventually be carried • through them. But at the same time it would be the height of pusillanimity to deny that a great and awful struggle was before them. (Hear, hear.) Much of the discussion during the lest two nights bad been occupied by disputes as to the spirit in which Ireland should be treated on the present occasion. He had heard much that had been said with great regret; but still he believed that the majority of the house had entered on the question in the proper spirit. He did not think that Ireland should be a mendicant for alms to England. Those were not the terms on which assistance should be rendered to her, but as an act of justice, as when one member of a family was afflicted and in dietrns, the other members were bound by every sense of humanity and justice to relieve the weaker and more suffer ing member, so was it incumbent on the imperial legis- lature to succour the weaker and more suffering mesa ber of the empire. He should not he tempted ea the present occlusion to trespass at any length on the attention of the house. It appeared to be the general feeling of the hoses so favourably to consider the propositions of the government as to allow the bills to be read a second time, and to discuss them at greater length in committee. He hoped there would he no long interval before the house went into com mittee. They would recollect, that as regarded the measures of purely temporary relief, ifthe house thouaht fit to sanction them, they- ought to pass them with no longer delay than would give them time for fair discussion. (Hear, hear.) The house Appeared to be gencially of opinion that whatever ratig,lt be said of the system of relief-works, it was time they mere beought to a close so far as was con sistent with safe ty, and that another system should be i n t ro d uce d . If so, time was of importance ( Hear, hear) He did not believe t bat much injury had been done by these relief works in draw ing the people from ordinary labour Ile did not deny that: they had had some such effects, but they hod been much e laggerated. The Irish government had thought it their dut,' to issue queries to the inspectors of the constabulary in or.ter to pia information as to the cultivation of the soil as coripared with former years. The result was that it was found t, sat a larger breadth of wheat seas sown than in former years, while rye and banes had been substituted for potatoes. Little had yet been done in preparing the ground for the spring crops, but this prepara tion was always put off later its Ireland than in Eng land, and he believed that as yet there was no irreparable injury done by the delay. If, there fore, the labourer was set free to prepare the spring crops there was it time for the cultivation on which the subsistence of next year depended. But while the system of relief works was growing, which it must if the pesplo were not to be allowed t i starve by thousands, and uo other net, m substituted f r it, it wonld cause the greaten of all dangers, the interfieence with the spring crept of next year. He would venture, therefore, to sugi i e.t that it would not interfens_witli fair dines-ion (as the bills were to be discussed in committee) if they were read a second time without the interposition of any . EVENING, FEBRIURY 8,-.1847. ilatßsaheivier,' I pa , t sdipurtes, that 10 ri4i,efeti' ki the trAk tivhic *Nog ahlerrotio of the debate His right tea. fsirpd,•the Cly heel( t.l etturca so fully iftto the ejudi•=t4 d into ie , ..9lAnatiots of these fur Op . fy iAs (Ylr. Labouchore) Ism fellolind so ably, perform.d;. but time, is-buds by boo_ metebers in the st to which he wee ulaidpue to r krge_ukber_who . lutd:p!keu liestusenp,, ' ,Were of the non-interference on the part of the governnient with the Irbil' provision trade ' • bedsit had givers the 4uvernment the credit of having acted with the best intentinus, timid any error had becu commit:. d, tbevbtliered it seas only an error of judgment. (Hear, hear.) ltinoing that these gentlemen came from some of the most distressed parts of the country, he could not have complaine: even if they had assumed greater tone of asperity in reference to the course which the government had pursued. But he (Mr. Labouchere) differed entirely front the views which those hon. members had ex pressed, and he begged to ensure them that the determina tion of the government in this matter had not been taken without the gravest consideration, and he was bound also to say, that no far from time and experience having altered his views, he was now more than satisfied that the course which had been taken was the proper course. They had been told to-night that they ought themselves to have imported provisions into Ireland on a great scale, and to have establiabed depots, not merely on the coast, where they had been formed, but over the whole interior of Ireland. If, however, the government had undertaken to become the great importers and distributers of food in Ireland, his own conviction was, that they would have aggravated in a tenfold degree the horrors of the famine which prevailed. (Hear, hear.) If particular distress could have been relieved—if prices could have been reduced—if human lives could have been saved by the adoption of that course—attachment to the abstract principles of political economy or still less any regard for the merchants who deal in such commodities, would not have prevented the government from adopting it; but believing that distress would have been aggravated—that mices would have risen, and that human lives would have been lost, the goverament had been induced to maintain the determination at which they had arrived, and which it would have been criminal weakness on their part to have surren dered to popular clamour. (Hear, hear.) Among other things, they had been blamed because they had not, when corn was in the country, purchased it, and sold it again under cost price. The reason why this had not been done, was that the government felt it to be of infinite importance to encourage and foster in every manner the retail traders in Ireland, and he believed it would be impossible to say that Ireland could be safe from starvation fora single month, except retail traders were extensively eatablish-d in that country. (Hear.) It was with this view that the government had refereed assistance to relief committees, who contemplated a rivalry with the regular retail dealers. He held in his hand a letter from Mr. William Pollard, the chairman of the relief committee of Castle Pollard, in the county of Westmeath, lately received by the secretary of the Commisswiat Office, in which the writer stated, " the meal, &r., is sold now by the retail dealers at the same prim at which those commodities are sold by the relief committee, which was not the case until we obeyed the instructions of the govern ment on this subject." This letter presented a specimen of the results which all over Ire'and had followed the govern ment instructions, and he repeated his conviction that it was better not to check the growth in the number of retail dealers, not to impede trade, but by selling under cod price to teach the population to trust only to government supplies. (Hear.) The government bad been further charged by the lam. member for Clonmell, whom he (Mr. Lsboucherc) had heard for the first time this evening, with not leaving afforded relief to existing destitution, famine, and distress, by diming the distilleries in Ireland. This taunt really opened a very large question, but, without entering into it, he (Mr. Labou cheer ) thought it would not be very difficult to prove, that if the goveniment had done so in Ireland, they must have done the same with the distilleries of England and Scotland, and that so far from effecting any pod for the suffering population of Ireland, a great mischief mould thereby have accrued, and that the only effect would have been to revive that system of smuggling which it had taken so much time, I dour, and expense, to put down. (Hear, bear.) True, that the adoption of such a C4ll/.3 might have made the fortunes of such distillers as held large stocks, while it would have ruined those who had small stocks ; but as a measure of relief to the population of Ireland, it would have been perfectly visionary. (Hear.) While he was on this point ( which had been touched upon by the hon. member for Meath, who had mentioned the name of Mr. George Roe as a distiller who had consumed a large quan tity of oats), he (Mr. Labouchere) was justified in informing the house that he had received a letter from Mr. Roe, stating that he had not consumed in his distillery a single barrel of oats, malt, or barley which he had not imported from abroad. This fact proved that if the distilleries had been a'opped it would have prevented the labour ers therein employed from earning their livings, while the continuance of their operations would nut have led to the consumption of the products of the country. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Labouchere) was unwilling on the present omaston to make many observations upon the statements made veth regard to the whole of the measures propounded by her Majesty's government, because he felt it important that they should receive, as they deserved, separate and dis tinct consideration in subsequent stages of their pro- green He would only remark that it was most unjust to say of those measures that they were characte rised by a desire to enrich the Irish landlords without any consideration of their effect upon the main body of the population of that country. This was not the scope or object of these me, sures., and he did not believe they would have that effect. ( Hear, hear.) Let the boom consider what were the wants of Ireland. The first of her wants was employment for her population. To afford the means of employment, the legislature, unless it was pre- I pared to put the affair in the hands of the executive goner- meet, could not do b tter than adopt the agency of the owners of the soil. (Hear, hear.) The measures now pro posed for the adoption of parliament no doubt afforded to the Irish landlords facilities to employ the lobo, ring population of Ireland, and he held it to be a sound principle that the credit of England should be lent to the landowners of Ireland for that purpose. He could not concur in the declaration that loans ofrhis description heretofore made to Ireland had not been repaid ; on the contrary, he believed that all which had been advanced had been repaid, and he would add that the go vernment had every reason to expect that every shilling now proposed to be sent forward to the relief of the distress, under these bills, would faithfully be repaid to this country, and he was convinced that it would be to the advantage of Ireland if the repayment of the debt thus in curred was strictly enforced. (Heir, hear.) Ano ther matter of the utmost consequence was, that the productiveness of the soil of Ireland should be aug mented as rapidly as possible, and he believed that no means so efficient for that purpose as drainage works on a great scale could be adopted. Whether these principles to which he had given expression were carried out in an efficient man ne rby the measures proposed by the government, it would be for the house to decide when they came to the con sideration of the details, but from the tone which the debate had taken, he had • right to assume that already those principles had received the general concurrence of the house. (Hear.) He (Mr. Labouchere) had observed with the greatest gratification the temper and spirit in which hon. members had treated these most important questions now submitted to their consideration, and from that temper and spirit so displayed he augured the reat. est benefits being secured to Ireland. (Hear.) He con fessed that the feeling and spirit evinced by the house on these questions were of almost equal importance to the measures themselves ; and he could not but hope the tone exhibited would be persisted in, as from it Ireland observing an union, in self reliance would rise up, from which the best consequences might be expected. The course of proceedings to-night showed to the Irish people that their representatives were acting together in a claim for that consideration which she deserved, and he trusted it would be shown to the empire at large that they were not impelled by any selfish or grasping spirit, but that they were only desirous of laying before the im perial parliament the wants and wishes of the Irish people. And his belief was that so long as they did so they would not have to complain that either parliament or the people of England were not reedy to do for Ireland all that could be expected from them. (Hear, hear.) Sir R. PEEL rose and said that he concurred with the right hon. gentleman (Mr. Labouchere) that it would be mere advantageous to discuss the different measures intended by the government for the permanent improvement of the condition of Ireland when those measures came separately under consi deration, than now to deal with them in a general debate. At the same time he (Sir R. Peel) was not surprised that gentlemen from Ireland should, after witnessing the harrow ing scenes presented to them in their respective districts, exhibit the warmest and deepest interest in the situation of their native country—should avail themselves of the very find opportunity, not only of expressing their sympathy for those suffering under calamities of the severest description, but of submitting their views as to the means by which tibiae calamities ought to be met. He for one was, however, un willing to offer any delay to the passing of these bills. He was in the first place prepared to grant full and complete indemnity to her Majesty's government for the reeponsibility they had assumed in the course through which they had pamed. He thought, however, that with reference to the future, it would be advantageous that the bid of indemnity should contain a full explanation of the circumstances under which that responsibility bad been assumed, and with this view he would advise that the letter which bore the signature of the right hon. gentleman who had lest addressed the house, should be set forth either in the preamble or in a clause of the bill. He was, however, prepared to vote at once for the bill which gave an indemnity to her Majesty's g, vernment for the course they had pursued. (Hear, bear.) With respect to the bill which was intended to constitute relief committees, and to make alterations in the system under which relief was now granted, he was also ready to give his assent to that measure. The evils of the present system he felt to be great, and the sooner a remedy was applied to them the better, especially with a view to the cultivation and consequent reproductivenem of the ,oil. He was rather surprised that the right hon. gentleman had underrated the danger arising from the application of labour to public works, and he must remind him that in August lad, when only from 60,000 to 70,000 labourers were so employed, he ad verted to the great evil of diverting such an amount of labour from the cultivation of the mil, How metal greater :hen way now the evil, when not less than half a tenon of lallourers were employed on public works insteae , of the ',boar necessary to ensure the productiveness of the land ? ( Hear, hear.) He (Sir R. Peel) was quite ready' to gives ,Me discretionary power to the governmeet for the purpose nr altering tens system, Ile thought that the officers who had d the plans into operation were entitled • to the great `at credit. When he said this he did not wish to compliment these functionaries at the expense of the landed p r op,tictors to whom, like the noble lard oppo site (Lord Clements) * every credit was due for their efforts and plans to ameliorate the condition of their neighbours. N. idler to them or to the fair vex, ever the foremost in works of charity and humanity, .:id he intend any disparagement, when he ualsesitatinly mid that the subordinate . onions to whom h. A been entrusted Cue carry log out the instru of the government, had emulated the exam fle of Mr. Trevelyan, their head, 471bn hod shown the utmost anxiety, zeal, and energy, in tit deeite to odte ace the best interests of the country. him, and thin who had acted with him in the dis charge of most a donna duties, he (Sir R. Peel) was ready to confide the administration of the new avatem, pro- Feted by her f eajesty's government. (Hear, hear, hear.) It was imposs'.lffe to read the volume of correspondence that had been Pot' Dished without laying that Sir Randolph Routh, of the Com misaariat Department, and all the officer' em phi) cd, be'l higher and inferior, deserved the highest credit tor their mduatry, intelligence, integrity, and devotion of every fa''uity of body and mind, without thought of them selves, co the arduous duties which had devolved upon them. (Hear, hear.) Any attempt to limit the discretionary powers exercised by these officers, under such circumstances, would have been unwise ; and they had used their discretion in the best manner. With respect to the other measures relating to the permanent improvement of Ireland, it would be doing them injustice to discuss them on the pre sent occasion. The most important measures were not yet before the house ; and it was impossible to judge of the prin ciple of the measures without seeing their details. The bill which should permit those in nominal possession of pro perty to sell that property was of 10 times more import ance, as bearing upon the permanent condition of Ireland, than the measures they were now discussing. (Hear, hear.) It would only prejudice the consideration of such a measure if honourable member' were now to ezpress their views concerning it. To the measure for the cultivation of waste lands he would only so far allude as to express a hope that the noble lord would pause before he re commended the house to vote the public money for that purpose. (Hear.) He begged the noble lord would beat in mind the eloquent exhortation with which he had closed his speech in introducing these measures, that the people of Ire land akould learn to help themselves rather than to look for help from the government. Let the noble lord apply that principle to his policy ; let him try. by his policy, to teach the Irish landlords and the Irish people to act inde pendently of government aid. (Hear, hear.) Let the lees lature be liberal and just towards Ireland, but let them be ware of impoverishing her and paralysing her exertions, by teaching her to rely too much upon government assistance. The effective cultivation of the soil must depend upon the energies of the people, not upon any assistance that govern ment might render. (Fii ar.) Government interference in inland navigation or model firms was only such as to deter individuals from entering into such speculations, in which there was always needed ;he close attention of individual enterprise. It was in this way only that the permanent im provement of the land could be effected. The construction of great outlets to facilitate the drainage of private estates might be a fit work for government to undertake; but he trusted the expense would be recovered. As to the culti vation of waste land, if the noble lord's bill for per mitting the sale of encumbered etudes was successful, he could not help thinking that if these speculations were to be profitable, private enterprise would be applied to make them so ; and, if they were not to be prsfitable, the public money would only be thrown away in the attempt. (Hear.) His remedy would be to give an indemnity to the govern ment for what they had done, and to give them sufficient discretionary power. Though actuated by no party hostility towards the government, he felt that he should not perform his duty did he not state freely what were his views on measures whose operation was to be permanent. He hoped the noble lord would well consider the matter before embarking in such an expense ; he had plenty of other duties to perform without undertaking the reclama tion of Irish bogs—a task which would involve him in the utmost difficulties. (Hear.) On the poor-law he would not say a single word ; the subject was one of the deepest importance; and lie thought it infinitely better to reserve discussion on it till be saw the measure. He trusted that the house would, without the least delay, not adjourning the debate till another night, apply themselves at once to the preparation of that new system by which the permanent welfare of Ireland was to he promoted. (Hear.) Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN wished to add his testimony in approbation of the conduct of the offlcen in Ireland; from personal experience be could testify to the difficulties and dangers they had had to encounter. In his part of the country, he had always received the most ready assistance from them; end his district, formerly i.ne of the most dis turbed in the country, had become one of the most quiet. (Hear.) He hoped the noble lord, in introducing his per manent measures, would give the house a detail of the ex pense with which they were likely to be attended. He was far from thinking that the time for cultivating the spring crops had passed; in ordinary years, the sowing of those crops would not yet have commenced ; and, if no unnecessary delay took place, the chances for the next harvest were as good as ever. The bill was then read a second time, and the committee fixed for Thursday. DESTITUTE PERSONS (IRELAND) BILL. Lord J. RUSSELL, in moving the second reading of this bill, said that as it was a substitution of a system of relief for the one at present in operation, he thought it most desirable that the house should pay immediate attention to it; he would therefore propose that the house should go into committee on this bill before they went into committee on the one which had just been read a second time. He had thought it right to ask the sanction of parliament first to the indemnity bill ; but as the house had consented to give that indemnity, he thought it better to proceed first with the committee on the Destitute Persons (Ireland) Bill; end he should propose to take the committee on Thursday, or, if the debates on other subjects should prevent it, on Friday. (Hear.) Mr. BOUVERIE said that the nature a the evil' which bad fallen upon Ireland, could not be better de scribed than was done in the correspondence that had been published, some extract' from which he read. They were going by this bill to provide for feeding all the population out of the consolidated fund ; he objected to this principle, although he did not intend to offer any opposition to the bill itself. . . . Mr. GOULBURN thought it would be more constitu tional to call upon the house for supplies from time to time, than to intrust any government with the power of indefi nitely drawing on the consolidated Lund, which the bill pro posed to do. The bill was then reed a second time—to be committed on Thursday. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. The second reading of this bill was postponed until Friday. The house then adjourned at 20 minutes to 12 o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. PUBLIC PF.TITIONB.— Fire) Report of Committee.— From the 19th to the 26th of January 10/ petitions were presented to the House of Commons. Of these 1 related to the constitution of parliament ; 1 to ecclesiastical matters; 2to the colonies and dependencies; 9to taxation. The rest are classed as miscellaneous and bear upon emigration, Factories (the ten hours' bill), the famine in Ireland, the poor-laws, sugar and molasses, &c. There is one petition for repeal, with 2 signatures; 1 for the admission of Austra lian corn on the same terms as Canadian, with 288 signs , tures ; 5 for making the erection and maintenance of light houses a charge on the public revenue, with 654 signatures ; 49 in favour of a ten hours' bill for factories, with 16,599 signatures; 18 for facilitating the transportation of grain and provisions to Ireland, with 10,865 signatures; 7 for allowing the use of sugar and molasses in brewing and dis tilling, with 700 signatures; 2 for suppression of promiscuous intercourse, with 298 signatures ; 1 for better observance of the Lord's day, with 167 signatures. The ten hours' petitions pray the house to pass a ten hours' bill for all minors and females employed in factories. The promiscuous intercourse petitions state that there is a large class resident in towns who make a trade of, and live by, promoting promiscuous in tercourse between the sexes ; and pray that this may be made a highly penal offence, and that magistrates and police offi cers may be vested with summary powers of proceeding in cases of suspected delinquency. BILL TO LIMIT THR HOURS or LABOUR OF YOUNO PER BONY AND FEMALES IN FACTORIER—The preamble declares that it is expedient to alter the acts for the same general purpose passed in the 4th year of his late Majesty and in the 7th & Bth years of her present Mej.sty, "tor the purpose of further restricting the hours of young persons and females in fee tories. Clause 1 limits the hours of such persons to II hours in any day and 63 in any one week.-2. Further limits the daily hours of such persons to 10, and the weekly to 53, except in the exceptional cases in which the above acts allowed them to be employed more than 11 hours per diem, and more than 63 per week.-3. These restrictions are to extend to females above the age of 18.-4. This act to be construed RA one act with the two above-named.-5. The act may Ise amended or repealed in the present session. CANADIAN Poar-orrica.—The sessional paper, No. 721 (of session 1846), has been delivered ; it contains copies of the report of the commissioners appointed by the Govenors General of Canada since the union of the two provinces, to inquire into the state of the Canadian Post-office; and the statement of/dr. Stayner, which explains wherein, and why he dissents from the report, though, in his capacity of commissioner, he has signed it. GRAIN FROM IRELAND.—AII account of the quan tities of wheat, barley, &e. ' Imported into Great Britain • from Ireland, in every month of the year 1846. The I totals for the year are : Wheat, 186,730 quarters; barley, 92,854 ; oats, 958,851 ; wheat flour, 723,562 cwts. ; oatmeal, 553,147 ; oxen, bulls, and cows, 186,483 ; calves, 6,363; sheep and lambs, 259,257; swine, 480,827. The monthly importations of grain and meal were high from January to May (inclusive); low in June. July and August; high again in September and Oetober, and low in November and December. The importations of cattle, sheep and lambs, were low from January to April inclusive ; high from May to November inclusive, and lower in December. The importation i of calm a was incon siderable throughout the year; that of swine high. The statement in made up from offiaiial docu ments only in so far as corn is concerned. There has been no official record kept of exportation. from Ireland to Great Britain since the trade between the two countries was placed on the ceasting footing in 1825. The returnee( cattle ere from non-official reports transmitted to the custom-house from every port in Ireland since the autumn of 184;5. The department Ipommies no similar information regarding shipments of butter, cheese., and meat. AOORF.OATF. AMOUNT OF PROTISIONN IMPORTED FROM IRELAND INTO ENGLAND DURING 1844.5-6.—Grain of all kinds, including wheat, barley, oats, rye, peas, beans, malt, in 1844,2,801,206 quarters; in 1845, 3,251,901 quarters; •in 1846, 1,825,394 quarters. Cattle, oxen, bulls, and cows (during 1846), 186,483; calm ii, 6,363; sheep and lambs, 259,257; swine ' 480,827. These are the only returns under I the above heads. The inspector-general of export+ and im ports states, that in regard to other descriptions of provisions hoported tram Ireland into Great Britain within the above perod, no information i. possessed by the department over which he preside,. Witk respect to the supplies of cattle, it is important to star that the fisures are taken from the accounts amereantile repine, shipping lists, &c. transmitted to the office, and not from authentic official document. This paper is dated Jan, 28, 1847 . •.• AdvertSwale! must be at the, HISTORICAL. CONCERTS.-EXETER HALL. THE SECoND CONCERT (X a Series of Fouri, illustrative of the Hwaury of t:.NGLIsII VOCAL MUSIC, will b held on MON DAY EVENING tort, February 8, at which will be ;weer-Med mini mew of the miric of Rogers, Humphreys, XXe, Loa, Blow, • Creyeebtoes, Reeding, and Purcell. PAINCIYAL VOCAL PLAPOSAIIAA MISS LUNA/MTH, MISS DOLBY, MR. LOCKET, MR. W. H. SEOUIN, end MR. MACHIN. THE CIIOIILUS will assist of the MEMBERS of MR. MULLAH'S UPPER SINGING SCHOOLS, and Ow OICHESTMA of MR. WILLY'S CONCERT RAND. A new Organ has been erected by Mr. Robson exprerly ix Ewes Oxcarts. TICKETS—Area Western Gallery 3e. ad.... Ditto Ditto Se. Reserved anti 7e. 0d.... Ditto Deno Da. May be had X Mr. Parker, Put/Usher, 443, West Strand ; and X the Principal Moak Sellers. • SINGING CL A SSE S.-APOLLONICON ZOOMS.—Diroctor, Mr. JOHN MULLAH. Class No. 67 kor ladles, will commence on 'Thursday ceasing, Feb. nsary I I, at half-pad 6 &dock. Clam No. M for Ladies, will commence on Monday ensahm, Feb ruary 15. at a (muter before 8 o'clock. Clam No. 66 for Gentlemen, will oommence m Tuesday evening, February 9, at a quartenpast I °Wasik. Clam No. 66 for Gentlemen. will amasses on Friday evening, February 12, at balt.mme 8 o'sdoek. Terms: Twelve MMus% for the mune of Slaty Lemons, ot two pa=of Hem filiffiloge arid 81xpessoe each. and full pardealan may te bad at the Apolkaicon Rooms, 101, St. Martlabalsma VOYPTIAN-HALL, PICCADILLY.-LANTUM .12.4 ETHIOPIAN SERENADERS, THIS DAY (Wednesday), Feb. 3, and during the week. Ilte unanimous opinion of the minket world praclaints this entertainment to be unequalled. The delightfal tone of the Lent= le the survive and admiration of all who have heard it, whilst the gime, overtures, and duets, nightly elicit the mom rapturous applause. Doors open at half-pest Semen, commence at Eight.— Reserved mats, ?a.; Balcony, la.—Morning concert, Tb. morrow (Thursday), and Saturday, ecsausendng at Three o'clock. Sate may be taken from 12 toe. • - OYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.- iv PROFESSOR SCIIOENBELN'S GUN-COTTON, and ether Explosive Compounds, with brilliant Experiments, lectured ca by Dr. Ryan, daily, at half-past three o'clock, and on the Evenings of Mondays, Widnesdays, and Fridays. The principle of the various FLECIRO-MAGNETIC TELEGRAPHS explained daily by Preform Beehhoffner, including the patent of Meows. Cook and Wheat stone, in we on the Railways, and the more recent patent of Mews. Nott and Gamble. The various Models explained. Magnified ' of DISEASED POTATOES exhibited by the OXY-EIV ROGEN MICROSCOPE, with the Dentroetive tnmcl, supposed by A. Some, Esq. , F.R.S., to be the cause of the dime. A beandhl seem of NEW DISSOLVING VIEWS. The DIVING-BELL sad lIIIVEX, with Experiment. The PHYSIOSCOPE, New CHRO ATROPE, ta. tie. —Adinimics, la.; Mimi; MADAME DULCKEN'S SECOND SOIREE MUSICALE will take place cm WEDNESD %Y, the 10th of Febnuery, at her residense, 80, liarley-stroet, Cavendidi-nonare. The performance* to commence at half-past eight o'clock prociaely. Par ticulars and tickets may be obtained at the principal muse ware homes, and of Madame Dulcken, 80 Harley-street. Th e third and UM Soiree will take plain on Wednes day. 24th February. ETHIOPIAN SERENADERS. -THIS MORN ING.—ST. JAMEWS THEATRE—The celebrated Ethiopian berenaden Pell, Harrington, White, Stanwood, and Or anon, win give their inimitable entertahunent this Morning, at the St. James's theatre; this evening (Wednesday), at the Horn% Kennington; Tbarelay evening, St. James's Theatre; Friday, at Crosby Hall, Bishopegate-stniet ; datuiday evening, St. James's Theatre; and Monday next, Crosby HalL—The Programme will be varied on each ocassion. THEATRE ROYAL AI)ELPHI. Glorious Amusement—rnequalled, as no eland grand.—Decided bit of the new, splendid, romantic drama of "Cotcolho, the Corsican Sister." Last week of the woe trot the age, the celebrated " Enter tdationists," and the magnificent Fairy Spectacle. founded on Giscile," or the Phantom Dancers. —THIS IA Ni SG, the successful new romantic Drama of COLOMBA, the Corsican "inter. With the celebrated " Entortilationiste," Mr. John Lee. mid hi, force Pupils, who will exhibit their wonderful Jetts. Gymas:ique: .—And THE PHANTOM DANCERS, or the Wills Bride. ft, Q plregg• MAILS. The mails for Bridal, North America, Bermuda, and the United States, will be made up on the evening of the 3rd February, The malls for the Brasil*, the River Plate. Monte Video, Ferman,. buco, Bahia, Ma leira, and Buenos Ayres, will be dispatched on the evening of the 4th February. The mails for Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Madeira, Carlir, and Gibraltar, will be made op on the morning of the Bth February. The overhowl closed mulls, air. Maneilles, to the Mediterranean. Egypt, Men, Ceylon, India, Hong Kong, &e., will he mode op on the evening of the Bth February - . The Went hobo mils, including those for Menlo,, Honduran., and the limartnah, will be made up on the morning of the 17th February. orerfand walla for Gibraltar, Malta, Greece, the lonian Islands, Egypt, Men, Ceylon, India, Hong-Kong, and China, vier Southampton, will he made up on the morning of the trth of Febrnary. The mails for New South Wales, Van thalami'. Land, and New Zealand will be made up on the evening of the Ist March. 70 CORRESPONDENTS. Intended for The Erpress, London evening paper, Bet by Two o'clock on tbe day of puv'—•io^ MOE! WATER AT LONDMI-BRIDOP, Tam DAT. —240;1113:ff: 57 mtp, past i ; Alkrnoon, 12 min. past 4. To.lloasow—Morning, 27 min past 4; Afternoon, 45 min. post 4, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3. In the House of Lords yesterday, on the motion of the Duke of RICITMOIVD, the select committee of 1845, on entailed estates, was reappointed, with a view to considering the propriety of extending the provisions of the existing law to Ireland, in order to enable the proprietors of entailed estates to avail themselves of loans, for the purpme of draining and permanently improving them. Lord BROUGHAM trusted the com mittee would report speedily, as it would be a most unexceptionable mode of affording relief. Lord STALES, in reference to the Sugar Bill, not yet be fore their lordships, expressed his hope that it would not be passed as a permanent measure without the in terests of all parties being fully and fairly considered. Lord CLARENDON intimated that full opportunity would be afforded for due consideration. The Mar quis of LANSDOWNE, in reply to a question from Lord STANLEY, stated that it was intended to remodel the Poor-law Commission, and that it was proposed one commissioner should be resident in Ireland ; further than this he was not prepared to state at present. In the House of Commons, Sir F. THESIGER in- I formed the house that the Court of Exchequer Chamber had that day reversed the decision of the Court of Queen's Bench in the case of " Howard against the Seljeant-at-Arms." The Labouring Poor (Ireland) Bill, after a debate of some continuance, was read a second time ; as also were the Poor Relief (Ireland), and the Destitute Persons (Ireland) Bills. TUE debate, wisely confined to the general and temporary measures for Ireland, closed last night in the House of Commons. The difficulty of ministers lay not so much in defending their measures, as in knowing what to defend. The sole attacks on the policy of the last year were made by Irish landlords. But against these the power of retort was so great, that the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mr. LABOUCLIERE bad need rather of showing mercy than of putting forth strength. After the total waste of more than half yesterday's sitting, the Secretary for Ireland rose, chiefly to im plore tke house to shorten the debate, and to vote the measures of relief. Hereupon Sir ROBERT PEEL seized the opportunity to make one of his character istic speeches. He began by a world of panegyric, a perfect shower of au gared sweemeata to all the world. He complimented the ministry, andthehouse, and the Irish landlords, and the Irish ladies, and the Board of Works, and Mr. TREVELYAN. Towards ministers he assumed the most bland, and approving, and patron ising tone. In the midst of this, however, he let fall the usual drop of selfish bitterness, the one little sar casm, which was intended to stand forth as the proof at once of Sir ROBERT'S superiority and Sir ROBERT'S kindness. The ex-Premier declared that he would confise himself to the temporary measures, leaving the permanent ones, according to Mr. Lanorenent's suggestion, to future and detailed discussion. Still, he could not help having a fling at the most vulner able of them, inflicting a gentle ridicule upon Lord JOIIN RUSSELL'S scheme of reclaiming Irish bogs. I We were sorry to perceive that the house thought it a good joke. Sir Itonewr laid great stress on the maxim of " Help thyself." And he declared that this was the fit political maxim to be applied to Ireland. The English government should teach the Irish to exert themselves; but, beyond the funds necessary for charity, it were better to grant none, except perhaps in a little drainage. It is quite evident, that the cur rent of opinion in the house runs this way, and Sir ROBERT very ingeniously prepares and stretches forth his arms to swim with this current, which may thus be made to counteract all the efforts and plans of ministers in the way of permanent measures for Ireland. We should sincerely regret, if the result was to thwart them in these measures, and thus limit the future action of England upon Ireland to a system of charity. An immensity of money must be spent in Ireland. Shall it be given away, or can it not be given or lent, so as to ensure future repayment in some instances, increased produce and provision in others, or relief of the labour market throughout? Sir R. PEEL b'CCMS to agree with those who think that the money must be given away. This appears to us a grave and deplorable decision. In forming an estimate of the worth of any mea sures for Inlaid, it is not their absolute, but their relative merit thd t should be considered. The losing 1 e