The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-04-02 00:00:00

BLANDFORD FARMERS' CLUB.

CHE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF
LANDLORDS, TENANTS, AND LABOURERS.

On Saturday, March 23n1, a lecture on the above
subject was delivered by the Rov. Lord Sydney
flodolphin Osborne, at the Crown Inn, before the
members and friends of the Blandford Fanners'
Club. About 100 gentlemen were present. Ths
Chair Was taken by the president of the club for the
present year,

ontsbid—they gain the prise. Now comes reflection.
The loose is signed, the lot has come home ; they cannot
get rid of that which they deliberately purchased; it is
not • chest of drawers or an unsound horse. obtained
at an auction in the market place, but • large farm 1
taken 911 a tweaty-one years' lessee. I say, the occupier
of such A (arm may be • good farmer, and what is
called a good fellow ; I do not believe he will be, in my
sense of the word, a good tenant. He is the voluntary
victim of • very hard bargain ; no mercy was shown
him ; from the very nature of the system under which
he purchased he had no title to expect any; he will not
In asked for anything beyond the letter of his lesee ; he
can auk for nothing else himself. Now, I say it ie the
duty of a landlord to abstain from this systein of letting.
This a virtual surrender, in many A case for the probable
period of his own life, of every farm on his estate so
let. He beconies at once as ono with little, if
anything, inure than a mere rent-charge on his own
freehold. Ha mut, moreover, well understand that a
tenant so leased can have little real respect for his land-
lord, no one inducement to treat him in any way different
from that in which • tenant of a house in • square iii
London may treat, if lie knows hint by sight, the land-
lord to whom he pays, through the agent, his ground•
rent. With whatever ability a leue may be drawn,
legal covenantal of this nature. however well defined in
words they may appear, are but too often subject to more
or leas dispute u to thei r real construction —ci rcurnsta nee+
will often arise between landlord and tenant, against
which no human foresight could provide; these become
not only grounds for mutual initiation, but very fre-
quently for • prolonged and acrimonious litigation.
Where the tenant rents under the competitive tender
system, he will very naturally be found to tak3 and
contend for the interpretation of every letter of his lease
in his own special interest. Again, I hold that • land-
lord in duty to his proper position should not only
regard how such a 'Totem of letting tends to lower that
poeition. but also how it tends to cripple the tenant in
his power to carry out the duty of his position. Such a
tenant can only hope to get any return for his capital
during his long tenure,by • course of hard practice in all
Isis business transactions; he must get his labour at the
lowest possible rate ; economiae every farthing lie can
in every direction ; with all lie employs, or with whom
lie dads, he must do as lie Lea been dune by—obtaining
every sixpence that lie legally can; renting under the
hard pressure uf tho tender system he mast work out
his rent upon the same exacting principle. A man who
lives on from year to year the victim of his own folly,
is little likely to be a friendly neighbour to him who is
reaping the benefit of it. I will only add, on this sub-
ject, that in my opinion, if it is the fluty of landlords to
study the best means of preserving the honouraWe
rank in society their class most justly enjoys, they must
see that it becomes them to avoid a course which ap-
peens more in character with the spirit ef a speculating
trader than • country gentleman. t am well aware
that in some parts of the kingdom this system has been
widely carried out, and ham almost superseded aoy other
mole; that it will be saill,for instance, that in Scotland
this is the cue, and no real evil follows from it. It may
be so. I am arguing against the principle. I cannot
say how, where it has bemine general and not unpopu-
lar, it may or may not have been qualified by particular
provision* in the leases, or by the weight of long-exist-
ing understood interpretation, giving to it • very differ-
ent complexion from what it may appear to possess: In
parts of Ireland, tenant right has obtained a settled and
recognised position • landlord and tenant are content
with it ; in other ;saris of the saute country it is de-
nouneed as confiscation. With regard to Use question
of leasing at all, or the letting of farms,
as is the custom on many estates, from year
to year under agreement, I cannot see that
any principle of duty is at all concerned, it is clearly at
the landlord's option to grant a lease on fair terms, or
to trust himself as he would have his tenantry trust, to
the operation of a mut* good feeling, giving to a
temporary agreement all the reasonable stability of
tenure to be desired on the one hand by the tenant ;
all security for proper cultivation of his land, and good
tenant faith desirable by the landlord on the other. I
have known many estates on which tenants of the same
families have rented their farms for many generations,
fanning always up to the highest existing standards, 00
which no lease has ever been granted. I believe the rents
have been as punctually paid, and all that either side
, could hare wished of real good-will has existed, to as
;rent an extent as any lease could have secured.
Grunting, then, the full liberty of the landlord to let
his land by lease, or under any other form of leas per.
1 manent agreement, we have yet to regard his duty to
• the tenant in either case. The two parties to • lease to
any covenant of tenure, are equally bound to be truthful
, as to how far either party is really committed by its
1 terms. On the part of the landlord there should be RO
' reserve as to the construction he puts upon the terms on
i which he lets his land ; the real meaning of everyolaune,
1 to its fullest extent, should appear, so far as plain words
I can give It ; and this applies *Racially in the ease of
, what are known as " compensation clauses." If Hugo
, are any such clauses they should be drawn with the
1 greateet care, in language admitting of mine but the
most evident interpretation. It should be clearly under.
I stood that fair Claims under these clauses are as clearly
I the right of the tenant as the rent lie is to pay is that of
. his landlord ; that demands made under them are not
to be taken as proofs of discontent, or an endeavour to
exact undue gain. The same masoning applies in the
cane of all agreements as to draining, building, repair-
ing, and other more or lees contingent provisions in a
lease or agreement. I sin quite aware theta obese-
rations may appear as trifling with my subject, but 'I
am satisfied that the greater portion of the illwill and
antagonism veleiph arises in many counties between land-
lord and tenanTlitt, source from clauses in leases or
agreement', gad acme reaum,hare from their ob-
scurity, beelL,ppen to two different interpretations.
A great deareT discumion has arisen of late on tb•
question whether • landlord ought to bind • tenant as
to the manner in which lie crops his land. I can hardly
mr it yens within th• strict line of my address to yot.
I may, however, perhaps he allowed to observe that in
the present day it appears to me almost a duty on the
part of the landlord to leave the tenant altogether on.
fettered in the matter. Just as the cultivation of the
soil, the management of stock, the nature of *irked-
tuna machinery is certain to improve as more capital,
more scientific knowledge is devoted to these ends, it
would appear but • wise and just course to allow the
tenant the fullest liberty to make the most profit from
the capital embarked in his farm, by ensiling himself
of every discovery which may fairly promise, in the
matter of cropping and other parts of his business, to
give him fresh advantage. ((heers.) In saying this,
however, I must be understood as reserving to the land-
lord full right to take precautionary Security as to the
condition in which • farm is given up by the tenants,
under any condition of an agreement, or at the expira-
tion of • lease. I must now proceed to touch on a few
points of &somewhat delicate nature, and I fear eaten-
listed from the remark, I feel bound to make to give
sossie offence. It will be unintentional. In evading
them I should betray nia own sense of duty. I for ever
hi ed, "Is a landlord justified in getting rid of a
to 4 on rounds er
6ri
7tunds which only affect their tenant's moral
ci I hold it ae • rule' that it would be
In • landlord to take 'iota* of the
domestic life of • tenant as it would be in a tenant to
do so in regard to his landlord. But there may, and will
unhappily sometimes be,exceptional cuess,in which infer.
ference on • landlord's part may not sody not be impro-
per, but in my opinion inseeratinsly demanded. Where
• tenant has by open, notorious slishoneety, or con•
tinued open profligacy in his daily life, become so far a
disgrace on the estate that he exists on it openly defying
the laws of common dereticy and morality, an example
of evil, • disgrace to his own clam. I do think it is the
diity of the landlord to remove him. I now pass on to
the vexed question, of the high preservation of game.
It is the fashion of the day to speak of the high viil;
serration of game as if it were some new thing.
is by no means the case. I speak from my own know.
ledge that more than 30 years ago in counties celebrated
for the highest farming of the day, the benne system
was as flourishing as at present. The evil was then aggra-
vated by the fact that sporting at all required a certain
qualification of rank or the possession of real property.
Assuming, then, this high preservation of game is of old
dete, I am still not at all surprised that to the tenant
farmers it is now a far greater source of complaint
than it used to be. They now, in farming, fight •
pitched battle with the corn growerim of all countries.
They have no privileges to secure them • price for their
produce, which might, in some degree, compensate for
the loss of a portion of it. By the use of expensive im-
ported and artificial manures, and • very bold sinking
of capital in the soil, they can alone hope to contend
with the foreign grows re of corn. Good fanning is now
a :natter of very close calculation; the loss of so many
poles of thus or that field's produce, by the feeding of
hares and rabbits, is a matter plainly appreciable in the
calculation of any given year's probable return. Good
fanning is &boost garden farming, and it is easy to
imagine the annoyance to the eye,se well as to the pocket,
which the ravages of these animas in huge numbersruake
on the farm. It is my belief that by degrees the present
very high preservation of game will diminish, and at
lasi cease altogether wherever it exists, to the ibjqyy of
highly-cultivated land. I shall be glad if it does.-for I
know how muck moral evil It produces, irrespective of
that particular evil of which lain now speaking. I
do not, however, expect, nor do I desire to see the day
when landlords shall CCPAO to take pleasure In the
sports of the field. The right of "chose has ever been
the most jealously guarded privilege of the owner of
landed property. The value of land has ever been much
enhanced from tlie fact that it secures facility for sport-
ing purposes, thus affording • great source of moue-
ment to the owner and his friends. Still it
cannot be denied that all reasonable indulgence
in xporting may be obtained on an estate at a far less
jsmitive cost to the tenantry than is now but too often
the case in many counties. There RI • limit at which
the exaction of a right borders on the perpetration of
• wrong. As to the duty of the landlord in the matter
it resolves itself into this. Is be dealing as be would be
dealt by, if be systematically keeps up • large head of
game so close to a tenant's occupation as necessarily to
inflict much injury on that tenant, admitting that be
ban the clear right to do so by the actual letter of the)
lean, under which the said tenant occupies? I may be
told there is a compensation clause in the lease or
agreement, giving a right to claim payment for damage
done. roonfess I regard such • claim, however lust in
theory, to be one which in practice is rarely available
for the purpose for which it is ostenxibly drawn. The
amount of damage is • matter AO open to dispute in its
di...tuition, so likely to provoke ill feeling; the reluct-
ance on the part of the tenant, for fear of giving offence,
to make the claim, in so natural, that I fear these
douses, comnion as they are, exist far more to challenge
attention to • very possible injury, than to pave the
way for its redress. In may opinion it is the duty of
the landlord, who retains the right to preserve game
for his amusement, to at the sanie time do this, in that
fair spirit of forbearance to his tenantry, which good
feeling demands where be cannot doubt but that much
injury has been done, not waiting for • claim of
compensation, but in • generous spirit himself inviting
it. Landlonls should bear in mind that the modern
custom of only beating their best preserves at the very
close of the SCAAOII, not allowing any wholesale
destruction of ground game, until these covers have
been shot over, throws on the neighbouring farms the
support of the hares and rabbits, not only for a longer
time, but for that particular meson in which they do
the most mischief, especially to the root crops. There
can be no doubt that the practice pursued on many
estates of selling the game has aggravated the irritation
of the tenantry in the matter whenever there has been
much damage done; with some truth they say their
farms cease to be mero pasture for birds and animals
which are to give their latillord and his friends sport;
they are grazing fields for stock, much of which they
breed and feed, but he, fee his own profit, sends to
market. I have never yet discussed this subject with

- •
Mr. R. Frrerusit, who stated that he had the au-
thority of Lord FL G. Osborne, to state that he was
not the writer of the letter in the Times newspaper,
signed "Observer," nor did he know who did write
it. Ha thought it well to set the meeting right on
that point, as it was strongly suspected by some that
his Lordship was the author of it. He believed,
however, that it was generally well known that his
lordship always wrote openly--not anonymously—
signing himself S. G. 0.
Lord OSBORNE now entered the room amidst con-
siderable applause.
The Cli•lntilazt again Mlle, Ana mid he felt ex-
tremely honoured that evening, in having to call on
Lord Osborne to introduce the sulsject ol discussion
via, on the "Duties and Responsibilities of Landy
lords, Tenants, and Labourers." His Lordship
would, no doubt, express opinions with which they
did not all heartily agree, but let them not on that
account set it down that his lordship was wrong, and
they were right. He would ask for his lordship
• patient hearing, and trusted that they would
receive his opinions with the most kindly feeling,
however much they might differ from their own.
Lord S. G. OunOitne said,--Geatlemen, at your re-
quest, made to in. through your chairman. I am now
about to deliver an address to the members of the
Illandford Farmers' Club, the subject of which is, "The
Respective Duties of Landlords, Tenants, and Labour-
ers." I was offered the choice of any other subject I
might prefer; I thought it right to accept the one
suggested to me. I cordially admit the propriety of the
intimation conveyed to me, that you do not wish any
subject to be treated in • way which shall have any per-
social application or be in itself of apolitical nature. In
the consideration of my subject I feel myself bound to
keep in view —who it is I am tdressing, individuals
engaged, as the rule in business, as tenants of farms
for the most part obtaining their income from the profit
they derive by the cultivation of the land they occupy,
who have formed themselves into a slab to discuss sub-
jects incidental to their own position as eultivaters of
the soil•—as tenants, in crinnection with the landlords
from whom they rent their farms—and as employers, in
conneotion with the labourers they hire to do their work.
I shall endeavour to confine my remarks upon the
duty of the three classes, within the limit of that view
of it which affects their condition in their direct mutual
relation to each other. From local circumstance' I
shall assume that I am to speak of two or three parties
as I find them here and in many other counties—that
is, as resident landlords, possessed of large 'states—
tenants, in the occupation of large holdings. Unless I
ant misinformed, your club numbers about 100 members,
the gross rent of some of its tenant members being as
high as £lOOO. The subject of the duty of the landlord
leads me, first, to consider his responsibility as one
bound to act justly in his dealing with those from whom
he is to derive income, from that portion of his estate
he lets to tenants. lam not to regard him simply as
• landowner, but as • landlord ; not as one possessed in
fee of • certain portion of soil, but as one, so possessed,
who deputes to others that cultivation which is to cause
it to return its fair vale* in rental to himself. It can-
not be denied that land is coveted as • possession,
because of all others it is the most enduring. It most
also be admitted that very great value attaches to the
peculiar position in which a landowner is placed from
the very nature of his property. He not only has what
is called • large stake in the country, but something
more than this. If the value of his estate were invested
in the funds he might get his interest punctually paid;
bet funded property gives him no more of position in the
eountre,no more direct infi wince in it,than heroin purchase
by his wealth (ruin day to (ley. As • landowner On •
large scale he at once obtains that which we all love—
an infinence over others, capable of beieg exercised for
great good. A large tram of God's soil is, by man's
laws, under God's ordinance, made entirely his own—
his to the greatest depth ho may seek to penetrate, to
the higher* elevation of any structure he may seek to
erect. True, he is • subject to the laws which secure
him the quiet possession of his property, and must pay
according to its value towards the support of the
State; but as the owner of large landed property, the
State most wisely treats him with special deference, is
always ready to accord him certain privileges, place him
In high authority, oftentimes give to him and his heirs
bighrank. Those who live—his neighbours—are, when
he acts worthily as landowner and landlord, ever die
-
posed to offer him • respect which gives great local value
to hisposition, increases it, power tome it for thegeneral
good • just as • man has others dependent upon him,
does his own woolly importaaos and responsibility in-
crease, but the nature of the tie between him and those
who thus have to look up to him being subject to
his good or ill will, has a great deal to do with the
real weight of his position. The landowner
becoming • landlord, has first to consider the
question how he can best obtain in income •
fair owner's share in the value of the land he lets to
tenant'. Hem at ones arise' the question of rent.
He has also to eonaider how he can best obtain this, and
yet preserve to himself that social position as head of
the estate which sonstitutes, not only one great element
in the vales of landed property, but involves "Lahti
power of making his estate, through those who live on
It. • I.••lthy portion of 51,a oomolonereelth
tenants, in their degree, will have their position in the
motel fabric; they have their dependents, and the
welfare of these, the largest number of dwellers on the
estate, will much depend upon what manner of men
their immediate employers may be. It follows, then,
that one duty of a landlord is, to secure ic the obtaining
his rental, No far as may be possible, thill he obtains it
under conditions which may give him a tenantry who
will fulfil their duty to him and to thane they employ,
ash. is also bound to do hisduty to heti". The landlord
of the present day has to take anything but • super-
fisial view of estate management. His tenantry are
contending with the world's markets, as to the vales of
their produce in the matter of corn, and more or less
so as to the value of the stock they breed. Investing •
very large capital in (their business, they are
dependent for • profitable return upon it, on
their own skill and industry, subject to the wiser-
Minty of the seasons, and those sudden terns of the
market which are influenced by political calks at home
and abroad. Their share of local taxation is • very
heavy one. I believe it to be the case that tenants
very generally invest the greater proportion of their
capital in the land they occupy—doing this with the.
expectation, at best, of no very great return, and this
subject, as to its date and real amount, to great neces-
sary uncertainty. It should be a cause of very great
thankfulness to every thinking man that the land-
owners have very generally become practically OA'
q•Aidioed with the exigencies of modern farming. They
may not have arrived at • perfect knowledge of all the
trials of tenant farming, but they have acquired some
knowledge of what it is exposed to from the operation'
of bad seasons, epidemics amongst stock, the Buenos-
tions of prices, and other causes impossible to foresee.
In letting • farm the landlord has to regard what on
his side must at once be done to put the said farm in
that tenantable condition now necessary to enable the
occupier to farm according to the best modern practice.
This may involve • large outlay on buildings, with the
necoseity for much judgment in their construction and
position. It must also be borne in mind that just in
proportion as farm buildings are now more costly than
they were of old, and in their construction require far
more attention to detail, No is it also with the residence
of the tenant. He is • far different man from the
tenant of old. Not only does he embark a far larger
=pant in • more extensive business, but that business
requires en amount of education which the tenants of
Past generations did not absolutely need, even if they
had been able to obtain it. The fann has become •
factory, in so far that it requires the heed of it to be
not merely amen of business and enterprise, but pos-
sessed of • skill only to be acquired by • pod deal of
study. Hen who have the requisite capital and qualifl-
asthma for a modern large farm must have
their dwellings consistent with their position in
life. What would have been luxury in one generation
is nothing more than • proper attention to ordinary
comforts and convenience in another. The man who
invests from £5.000 to £15,000 in his occupation com-
mands • position in life calling, for his own sake and
that of Lis family, for house occupation con-
sistent with it. It is, then, the clear duty of a
landlord to himself as owner, his tenant as occu-
pier, to see if he expects the fair rental his
land should return him under fair farming,
that his homestead and farm buildings are suela as to
offer to a good tweet all that in these he has • right to
expect. Now, 111111i1•0300.it cannot be denied that in the
ease of every landed proprietor who lives upon his
estate, his position upon that *stets will depend open
the direct influence he can himself bring to bear upon
every part of it. Just as its whole economy is more or
less dependent upon the influence he may have over all
concerned with it, as occupiers labourers, and others,
will MOTO or lea be the value of his real position as its
central bead. Possessory right involve • large amount
of free power of motion. It is this which gives to what
is called territorial position its great value. Just as this
right of action on the mixt of the owners of land is
restricted on any portion of his estate, in so far ash, cats
off from himself power to control its general eeopmny,
so much the less will be his social importance in regard
to his property, and therefore his direct power,
through it, to effect good. If an estate were
viewed simply with reference to the utmost rent it
would yield, the agent and the solicitor, properly in
-
'treated, could do all that was necemary. It would be
• matter of letting by tender, on skilfully drawn cove-
nants, professing to cover all the claims of • long lease,
bringing all contingencies on either side down to aline,
beyond which neither party was legally liable. The
landlord would then argue "I know the rent lam to
receive, subject to • well-caleulated foreseen expendi-
ture, under heads laid down in legal phrase." The
tenant would say "I have my farm almost in fee, for a
considerable number of years; I bold in writing, under
seal, the utmost of my liability to my landlord, and his
tome; I can repel all inteferenee ; the matter of my
business is wholly my own; I have bought it at its
highest value; I must stand or fall by the very letter
of the conditions of my purchase." Such a tenant will
only have obtained his farm by outbidding other onto-
peStors for it. We all know the weakness of human
nature when exposed to the allurements of • sale by
auction; how men will buy for the mere sake of buying,
with little referees" to the question of the value of
what is bought. When the lota come home,
then comes the hour of reflection, of conviction
id folly. (Chien.) A landlord by the tender
system may obtain a very high rental; there
will be competitors who, wanting farms, may have
studied the real value of those offered, and every claims
of the covenants under which they are so offered;
exposed to the competition of others who, like them-
selves. are seeking to settle in life, to invest their capital
in that particular business in which alone they have
been bred : it is • ram in which all run with their eyes
open, but the very eager, and perhaps the best men will
forth. twe have their undendandinip blinded, They
listen to the encour4ng statements of the agents, they ,
become deal to the Ws loud promptinp of their own
=Zseeing the risk el the offer they make, but
ama bps, they Ind high that they may not be

any liberal-minded landlonl who did not allow the full supply of good agricultural labourers, which has been
ed
teweniangbtaa dantbdatehaeilotwhinsebreigloifprellaaing . To mu isbeatnarevaial ewvasbilliffiff tlattlemnastinaaioirley serious mischief. anle relsualma of which
eanodtuaredba ,lanandtothb:
iidiepmloarenyd,mbeeearifiseromita is toine utthlye
y:a everyt,
estateshonest
hlasyned egheee t Ilecadmitthat
to
returnfor very
w h
t manythey
part of the tenants to act in any way offensively had no right to return, if the waste and want of repair
towards landlords wbn have proved kind and considerate of the labour element had been pTh
roperly considered. e
dislikePa
in everything else. There can be no doubt but that in consequence is, that the dwelling question has beco.ne
days gone by to speak on this iehject as I have done, a most serious one ; and whilst the fundso
would hero been considered an act scarcely less heinous an estate are exhansted upon the farm buildings
which
•
than an attack un po soma cherished prerogative of the are a positive necessity, a pressure has arisen which
Crown, so completely has the right of 'free chase" must be attended to; i.e., how to find the local labour
been held as almost the mend prerogative of the land- strength for time tenants cultivating the lend. It is all
owner. Bony indeed should Ibe to ace the landowner very well for the world to cry out, the landowners mutt
deprived of any of those privileges, any of that whole- meet this state of things, it ma their duty, I admit it, but
some deference which the English are ever ready to let MO throw hack in the teeth of this said world, it
accord liii,, ; but it is vain to regard the subject in its cannot be, until you, tyrant that you are cease to
~
ancient light; the whole nature of soil oultitation, exact from men of property, their sons, their feinleee,
—the character of the tenantry is so changed, a style of living as proper in your Idea in men theirof
that what was once in reasonable use, a fair and proper acres, which common sense declares to be whollya
concession to the lendlords' position, is now, when aistent with the real demands of their estates. Could
beatenoe of the tenant. I must also add that the injury dary to the raid demands of the property by whie
pushed to en extreme, and unreasonable tax on the for- I ever hope to ace the demands of society made seetn-
•
done is not oonfined to mere destruction of farm pro- landowner lives in it, I should have no fear of hie losing
dame ; the labouring-omen on an estate are not deep what is called" position." lam quite assured many
thinkers, are not accustomed to refine on the subject of would find a pleasure in their estates, which present
strict right; the game on an estate highly preserved grievances have deprived them of, and what was just
becomes to them like the gaudy gin palette to the poor and right to the labourer would be done without any
of towns—a lure to evil, but too often entangline the real loss in respect towards themselves. I turn now to
steadiest, from which the young and edventurona seldom the consideration of the duty of the tenant. rif.c.u!
escape. I turn now to the duty of the landlord In re- would say, Ili' is bound to weigh well the nature of
geed to what is called the labourer's dwelling question. lease or agreement under which he occupies, to regard
Mc actual manual work of am, estate is done by men, it in • fair and considerate spirit. His farm become;
women and children. These require elsvellinge, in which Ili, lioni", the lend he is to cultivate the source of his
they can live in their own proper character DA human inceine ; in the one he takes up his position as is Dlom.
b/141D1 like ourselves. Within a reasonable distance, if Imer of a class, deservedly possessing a great and increa-
not directly connected with the hoineeteade, it is sing influence in the country ;on the other, he sluice the
necevary that there seould be proper dwellings for some capital, the return (rote which can alone support that
of the chiefs of the farm staff, whose business is the position. There is no one business in life, in which as
most important and more immediately connected with • rule, it is more necessary for a man to endeavour to
the stock and machinery tnere situate. Ido not think settle permanently, where he settles at all, than that of
it the duty of the landlord to find a dwelling for every the tenant farmer, lie can rarely change his (mows.
labourer employed on the estate ;at all seasons of the tion except at a great sacrifice of comfort and capital.
year there is not the same demand for labour, and it He 'ha,, therefore, to aiin at • oontinned oampation,
doex so happen in ordinary seasons, at the time of the by the faithful fulfilment of the terms upon which
greatest demand for labour on large arable farms, the lie has entered on his farm. The peace and
extra power is obtained without much difficulty, as at comfort of his life, in no little measure,
thee time labour employed in other ways is to • great must depend upon his living on thoroughly
extent set free. It was to myself for a long time a good terms with his landlord. I hear it sometimes
curious problem,how under the modern system of almost said "Nothing is worse than for • landlord to be over
cropping,and the grad increase each year of civil to his tenants." I say nothing can be worse than
rereirlat brokenO pinto arable, the labour market was • tenantry who expect or will willingly submit to so
to be supplied, the power necessary to gather the crops hollow a show of civility, if it is meant that the dealing
to the barns and rickyard so much exceeding that no. with them in this way simply aims at what is celled
paired to get it into the soil. The rapid invention and keeping them it good Minolta. nu duty of the tenant
improvement of machinery for harvest purposes is sole. is to respect the head of the estate under whom he
Mg the apprehended difficulty. Still a large amount of occupies. It is not his duty to sell this respect for the
available labour is necessary in agricultural districts. I poor offering of • designing civility. He must be free
shall not go into the question how much should be pro- and independent to offer what he feels for one really in-
sided for an estate of any given extent, for this I believe alined to feel and act kindly towards hiumelf. Although
could not be stated with any approach to reasonable under every torn, of tenure, the tenant must in a great
truth, depending as it does on mlculations which them- deal be independent of his landlord, lie will ever act
selves must depend on local circumstances, very variable wisely whilst he preserves this independence, to at
in their nature. I shall confine myself to the statement the same time reciprocate all kind feeling shown to him;
how I think it is the duty of the landlord to nay, if unhappily it is necessary, show that he on his
house or home that amount of the labouring class site, however dealt with, will himself deal justly and in
lie niust have for his omen purpose, and the work • conciliatory spirit. A tenant may do much to preserve
of his tenantry living on his own property. lam no ad' his landlord's property by a little care and attention,
vocate for cottages constructed with a good deal of refe• as, by want of these, he can allow it to suffer much
renee to their ornamental character. I assert it to be the injury. It may not be according to the letter of his
landlord's duty to regard the labourer as one who should lessee that he should show this care, but no mere ems'
possess honesty, industry, decency of life, good health, grossed covenanted claim can excuse, from the mere fact
and skill in his calling gained from the use of a training of omission, the duty of acting justly to those from
offered him to fit him to attain it. In other words, as whom we expect )ustice. I have, in many localities,
you want strong, respectable labourers, understanding teen farms on which it was clear to me the self interest
their business ;as these must be housed, it follows that of the tenant was the only goveruing interest, 1
the dwelling should be adapted to the dweller, be such a have seen others where the tenant was as
one as • labourer of Ids character could inhabit with evidently jealous of injury to the owner's pro-
remonable hope of living in decency, in health, in ton- party as to his own. The man who owns bad
osty, with no avoidable impediment to his roaring his and the man who renta it, are, after all, of the seine
family under circumstances, in perfect harmony with species, oubject to the same tempers, to all the failings
the character expected in himself. In estate management of their common race; but too often alike, easily &s
-
it is moist important that much discretion should be posed to take offence and to resent it. We must net
used in this matter of housing the labourers. It is • only all say, "Live and let live," but " bear and for-
department of duty requiring constant supervision— bear." Of all living men there are no two parties who
kind, but very firm use of authorite. There are large are so situated with respect to each other, as to re-
and small families, able couples with DO families or quire the exercise of them principles more
very small once, grownup single men and women, all than thou who stand to each other in the relationship
to be provided for. Apia at harvest time, there will of landlord and tenant. To them a mutual good feel.
be • great influx of foreign labour ; all this baste be re- ing is most valuable, any interruption of it most
garded, that in building or altering cottage*, erecting pernicious. The tenantry hold, as I have already said,
large farm buildings, provision may be made to secure • most honourable social position. To them as
what is necessary in tho most convenient way and at parish officers, guardians, jurors, and large employers
the least expense. I believe with forethought and good of labour, is given great responsibility, and great
management, this end may be obtained, and the authority. I had hardly need to say that duty de-
various families and individuals so located in house mends in the execution of these trusts, that men should
adapted for them, that all the hateful and degrading come to them, not only at the time disposed to act
association of the sexes by night may be avoided without uprightly, but with characters already obtained for
overcrowding or breach of common decency. The mar- honesty and integrity. I avoid all comment upon the
ried labourer under the operation of the law of settle. cultivation of the farm; it would be impertinent in use
ment is much restricted from any voluntary change of to speak to you upon it. Where not restricted under
the field of his life's labour; bets therefore in the matter the terms of your occupation, it would seem to follow
of his dwelling in • very great dopes at the mercy of that the duty of the tenant amply consists in making
him who possesses the land where by the law he is all he can by industry and skill out of his holding, not in
settled, for he cannot seek work far from his own • rash and gambling spirit, but with all prudent con-
parish. I am truly happy to say that I see and hear sideration for his own and the future interest of his
on all sides proof that the obligation in this family. lam not now about to enter into anything
matter of the landlord is generally admitted of • really political nature, that is, having reference to
and gradually acted on. Decent habits can any party political opinions, or to any political mee-
only exist in dwellings where the spaces, and the sures: But I feel that I am bound to say something
structure, are adapted to give them fair play It is of on a rather delicate point, bearing on the tenant's pia-
no use reviling the present race of labourers, because tion as one to whom the State has given a voice in the
they are soften inclined to set aside decency, when the election of members of Parliament; and this is forced
landlord provides them with the means of preserving it. upon me from the (*aviation that the truth is rarely
We must bear In mind bow they were reared. The spoken about it, and the untruth, which is popularly re-
real action of new habits will not show itself until mired, Hems to me to degrade both parties interested.
another generation exists, to whom education has taught There are • certain clam of writers and speakers who
decency, and the better dwelling has given opportunity assert that • tenant farmer loses, as such, his political
to preserve it. However much many of you will differ independence; that his position as • county voter is nu]-
from me, Imu clearly of opinion that the landlord Idled by his becoming • renting tenant on any
should hold all his cottages in his own hands, under his large estate. I deny this. Ido not credit all the stories
own direct control. I consider all sub-letting to be • I hear of landlords compelling their tenants to vote
great evil. It is, as I have said, &clear duty of the land. against their oonsciences. It may be very true that in
lord, to find • certain number of dwellings conveniently the great majority of eases, tenants do support thou
situated for the chief farm servants; this affords to with their votes for whom they know their landlords
the tenants liberty to put such servants into them, and are interested, just as in many other matters carried
it may perhaps be said that them are likely to be some by election men vote, not directly as they regard the
of the most respectable and orderly of their race. I merit of the candidate, but to oblige their friends. It is
grant it, but as I hold the landlord to be in duty answer true that most landlords would with regret Nee it
able for the supervision of the whole economy of his otherwise, but where any question arises, affecting
estate, and especially as regards the sustaining order the interest of the tenantry as a dem, or affecting the
and decency amongst the poorest and most numerous deep-seated politiad or religions feelings of individuals,
class upon it ;as he has to see that the repairs to the I believe, and I hope there are few, if any, landlords,
dwellings are done, and that his own provision for the who would try to restrain the freest exercise of the
moral tionduct of the labouring class in not abused, I franchise. Now, as to the principle .of duty herein in.
consider he can only effectually do so by holding all his volved, I have seen occasional ill effect from what may
cottages in his own hands; but of course I assume that be called the chaining of tenantry of one estate. Their
in the case of the cottages set apart, for the chief farm holding together, acting as one body, to in almost every'
servants, he would always listen to any fair application thing support, the head of it. but I have only seen this
from the employer wishing to change any of the occupenta. in eases where neighbouring landlords may unhappily
I can quite understand the argument of &tenant farmer, have been on bad terms with each other, otherwise, I
that It is most important to him to have his shepherd, assert my conviction, that it is in some degree • duty
Ills staldeman, and a few others, no under his comnsand, in separate tenantries, to support their landlord where-
that he can dismiss them at his will, and therefore that ever they conscientiously can. I believe it to be one of
he ought to have the power to give the seine notice to the great bonding supports of our constitution, that
quit time cottage that he gives to quit the service. I landed property should have great political weight—
must, however, state my conviction, that it is a lesser that it is metimpoilant to thepermanent interests of the
evil to make this contingency a matter of arrangement renting occupiers that it should do ere Whereon, man
between the landlord and the tenant, both foreseeing the ever gives a vote from party feeling alone, how many
necessity of some understanding in the matter, than to thousands, feeling no real party interest, vote to oblige
leave the cottages to be sub-let by tho tenant., giving those whose good will they desire to preserve. So far
them all power over their occupants. I think the rent from thinking • tenant, who has no prancing conscion-
as the rule, should never be made part of wages, but tious feeling in the matter,, wrong for voting, aa the rule
should be paid as such to the oiener of the dwellings, with his brother tenants, in support of the landlord's
for thus only can the tenant be made to be wishes, I think him not only prudent, but in every
careful in matters concerning the agreement under way justified. He thus Ntrengthens the position of the
which be holds. That cottage building can be made a landlord, and makes the weight of his possessions tell on
good investment. Ido not believe, if it is done as it questions affecting the commonwealth. I know it is
ought to be. But the dwellings of the labourer are • said the farmer and the manufacturer are in the same
positive necessity of the estate, just as stables, abode, boat, and must sink or swim together. This is in some
andfarmhonses are. You musthave the men; you require measure a truth, but there can be no doubt but that the
them to have certain qualifications; they cannot coin real safety of the State consists in the jealous feeling
their sweat into bread, clothes, fuel, and dwelling • of interest in every class in its own particular well-
badly housed, they will be badly reared ; no school doing; in the wholesome antagonism of many
power, no church or *chapel power can make good ser• interests consists the life of that vigilance,
yenta out of men, women, and children —bred, reared, which secures to each fair play in the good
and stabled on an estate, but never in regard to their government of all. The plough finds the food the
homes treated as human beings, who are susceptible of loom purchases. It would be useless to produce, were
the claims of decency, who have ideas relative to a there not consumers with money to make the market.
home, beyond that of mere shelter. A good deal of The food-producing interest, and that which bays food
complaint has for the last few years arisen amongst but does not embark impala io, its production, will
tenant farmers, on the subject of the scarcity of labour, naturally enough drive the best b they can with
and the probability of this becoming • greater evil than each other. The justest bargain will be that which is
it now is, from the fact of the few mnarriagss among the founded upon both having done their best for them-
labor.r:ng class. It has been said and I know in many selves in the matter. It is wise for manufacturers to
parts of the country with a pod deal of reason, that the have their "Chamber of Commerce" and other means
great scarcity of dwellings is at the bottom of this evil, of combination, that by holding together they may push
With your permission, although hardly within the limit in the political field their own interest. Is it less wise
of toy present address, I will say a few words on this and right for the landed interest, owners and occupiers,
subject. During the last twenty years a very great to act an union to preserve their Particular property?
amount of fresh land has been turned into arable uat When 1111,P.'s me pretty generally allowed to make
the same time, • system of forming has gradually pre- party their conscience, I see no sin In others making
Tailed, which allows to any portion of the land of a farm Omit life interest their party, and doing what they
little rest ; no sooner is one crop takec than preparation can for it. I think, then,that where they conscientiously
speedily commences for the growth of some other crop, can, it is rather a duty than otherwise for tenants
Here at once has arisen a great demand for to rapport their landlords, but I altogether deny
extra labour. Before however, this demand had reached that the landlord Is justified In using any'
Its present point, there Was a peat coin- thing the least approaching to compulsion. It
plaint in many districts of • surplus pop. should be • grateful tribute of respect freely given; it
lation, and to reduce this great efforts were made can never be a right diet any man. 41 a free land, should
to promote emigration; a very large number of young be conscience-bound in a matter in which the law de-
healthy labourers and large families were thus removed clarreedotidni to he free. (Cheara.) Let rim now proceed
from the country. At th
etame time there has ar to isen the duty of the tenant towards those be em-
throughout the whole land a very large demand for • ploys. I can quite imympathlas with the difficulties
specially
qualified servant—l mean not only for the large which beget a fanner employing man labourers. The
force of police kept up in London and the other larp law of settlement and other causes !ford him small
towns of England, and now over the whole land' but choice as to who he must hire. He has a direct
with this a still larger demand on the part of all the interest in the eniploytneat of all who belong to his
wish, fur when any are out of employ, be has through
labour railwaysw with
am l °mai nfru
Lia nabdasi kingdom.ot te. te pay
ofraiedleuarecadaretioynovilnetjYgiut'lArgeb"ithetbaameyl"moueo:ni clear poor
meaaaathat°t intotewllaadamen. caebesoia aureqpuiParred inlathe
now so generally obtained is the schools of the present labouring clue does not develops in proportion to
day. The wimps are sufficiently good to attract many the demand for it. The large amount of valuable
from ,our villages, and there is the hope of rising by stock now kept requires a great deal of skilled atten-
good conduct to an amount of pay which cannot be tion. The Jamie/meats are more numerous, and in
obtained in common farm work. It is within my own their construction sufficiently complicated to require
knowledge that a very large proportion of the police and from those entrusted with them a good deal of head
rail. ay Mad is drawn from rural districts. Again, the knowledge. The farms are so large, that even with
recruiting sergeant is always amongst us, and draws the aid of superintending foremen, • great deal must
away • great many from us. I cannot see myself any still be left to the discretion of ordinary labourers,
evil from this, speaking as an Englishman, although which requires • certain amount of thought, as well as
were I a large landlord or a tenant farmer, I should mere hand skill. Little beyond holding plough, sowing
find it one as regards my own particular interest, by hand, team management, hoeing, raping, and mow.
Education not simply gives • qualification for higher ing used to be required of • labourer; • great deal more
pursuits than mere manual labour, but it gives • cer- is needed now. The farms of one generation must be
lain amount of refinement which shrinks from much in the school for the next—the temente of them the chief
the lot of labourers on too many estates. I do not teachers. That he may make the greatest profit the
wonder that the lad who has been well taught in what farmer must study economy in labour. Doing this, he
and skill,
by
inpodwer
sof readmaLining waen,ll,o.7ittioga wiktnhoessewledrand
acorreacittuly,.
gibovuignhgtto. Hbi:tdhutthyeim, industry
migll
is right and decent, has health, strength, and the will soon learn cheap labour to be very often dearly
proper value,
meth, should become restless in • home where employs ace that it is their interest as well as his own
Ihe is a burden, and often from the crowding, a that they should be qualified to earn more by work by
a nuisance,--should look at marrying on the spot as working better. Kindness will go • long way to beget
impossible, seeing that pain need nests and roost., and pains-taking seal in hired labourers. At best their life
there are none to be had, should at last determine to is • hard struggle ;it may be made one with nothing to
emigrate and seek work where his qualifications give to cheer them in it. A kind and feeling master
him better prospects, where he may hope at last to get will easily induce them to bend to lite's burdens, live
• home, though it be amongst stranger,, should content, to serve to their best, one who has sympathy
prefer this to waiting at home, entangled perhaps by a towards them. A farm may became a school of evil, is
sweetheart, hopeless of ever making her in decency his it may become (me of great good. If the labourer is
wife. Gentlemen, there is but one remedy for this only looked at for his labour' if your fields, barns,
state of thing,. The value in expenditure to retain stables, are open to any license in word and deed, so
sufficient good labour, to breed good labourers on the that your work is done, I say you do not fulfil your duty,
spot, must form a greater element than it now does in It may form no park of lease or agreement that you
taking into consideration the value in money to be should check vice, encourage decency end virtue, bat
derived yearly from an estate. The pressure of there are duties unwritten in law which to every
external demand must be balanced by at least equally respectable man are, or should be, as binding as any
advantageous home depend. The condition of the law. Justly would you complain of your clergy if they
labourer on any given estate must be made good enough failed to tell the labourer his duty; remeinlmr every
either to attract from other quarters ;or a population, man is, by his example, • preacher. It becomes yea,
by judicious expenditure, must be kept where decent then, to use your example, your influence to promote
homes and opportunities to earn in them what they what is good; boldly to discourage all that is evil
could earn elsewhere, should be the means at amongst those who must see so mach of you—owe no
causing them to remain on the estate where they are much to you. Continued employment under one
born and bred, to rear up again, generation after muter is a very great advantage and if this is made
generation, as I would hope, each an improvement upon more or We dependent upon good general character,
the last. I have very long horn of opinion that there industry, and skill, it becomes not only • powerful
is no so serious • question as this of the dammed and means of repressing evil, butting grist aid to balladry

and virtue, in that It afford', that direct enoouragement,
so necessary to develope and protect them. I an, well
aware that farmers are exposed to a great deal of petty
depredation. I my it is your duty to at once in every in-
iii.tanee check this by all the means in your power, even
with the utmost severity, if necessary ; at the same time,
you are bou
nd not wantonly to expose your labourers to
temptation. A gnat deal of your property must Ire
only under the protection of the good principles of
those you eniploy. Still there is alsoa great
,leal to
which you can, by a proper precaution, and vigilence,t
give every reasonable security..
.Rear iliinincrolvtlirnag
three
" winking" at trilling crimes is, in reality,
stashing.
seeds of great crimes. Many • man whose
handsful of corn daily was CODDIVCII at,lias ended in strid-
ing sheep or fowls. Let it be understood upon your
farms that it is with you • principle of duty never to
connive at anything wrong, end you will thus won
raise and keep up an honest tend *omega: your men,
i,
I can quite enter into your difliculties thsl
der. Custom has, alas! almost sanctioned
certain kinds of petty dishonesty, and there
are those who now fear to chock it. It may
require some little moral courage, but that man is not
It to hold up his head as honest, in open market, who
from fear or favour, willingly connives at dishonesty on
bia farm. In whatever way you hire labourers, ever
make the terms of the agreement as clear as pourable
to them, and then justly abl.le by them, The highest.
character I ever heat piton of an employer is that " he
Is a just rose, but kind ; will have what is right, Ina
gives it himself." Never make liquor • mere goad to
get work out of jaded men. It may gain something to
the barn on An cult rgeuic , hut in the end it will produce
habits which degrade the luso, drive them to the public
house, to be dishonest to pay the score there. Never
suffer any cruelty to the beasts or horses on your farm.
Nut only is it against your own interest in every case,
but it begets a brutal habit in the man or boy. If
allowed to vent an ill-temper on a dumb animal, which
they are too cowardly to show to any of their own kind, '
that temper hccomes their inaster—rlavee to it, at last
It leads them to deeds of violence of a serious char-
acter. The religious profession of • labourer is his own
choice. If not in atcortionee with yotir own, or that of
any who may seek your influence in the matter, I hold
it your duty not to interfere. Neither church or chapel
will thrive for good, if those who in heart are with one,
are made by pressure they dare not redid, to attend the
other. Avoid violent altercation with your men ; angry
words breed very fast, and the cross between thou of
an angry muter and an angry servant produces • breed
reflecting no good on either. It has little real weight.
You may be feared beanie yod art violent, hut the Men
will not respect you. The fear will make them cunning
to conceal error; respect would have made them anxious to
avoid it. I must now my • few words on the subject of
wages. As traders in labour it is clear that you cannot be
expected to give more for it than the market price,
that is, the price at which you can fairly obtain it. But
your market is not in reality a fair we. The man
who goes to purchase labour, and the moan who is in
the market to Nell, are alike in • false position. The
law of settlement contracts the field of the labourer
who has to sell his labour. It also restricts you to a great
degree in the choice of your men, for it has made it in
one sense almost penal not to employ as many, as you
can of those settled in your own pariah. 'The man
cannot seek • master, or the master • man, just where
they like; except, perhaps, at harvest time, when some
men will go from home for a few week's work. They
are compelled to take wages, far more determined by
custom than by the operation of any fair competitioh
in the labour market. In fact, it is only where the
hands are short in a district, that the labourer can
himself make any advance on the price of his own
labour. I have no right to blade yon foe a state of
things over which you hare no control. I wish both
masters and men were free from this restriction.
Until they are, local custom will rule wages, and the
bad man and the good man must work pretty much
upon the same level. Assuming it to be so, I have
only to speak of your duty under this state of things.
I have spoken of the propriety of your making every
condition of hiring plain at the time, and your just
adherence to such conditions. Let me add that if you
hire by measure—by piece-work—this conduit Is not
only moat proper, but it is your bounden duty to follow
it up by acting out the contract in a liberal spirit,
taking care that the men have no reason what-
ever to complain that any, the least advantage was
taken of them. Again, it is often the custom to pay
souse part of Use wages in kind. As the ride, and in
theory, this is now very generally conaidsred abed plan.
Noon. has looked into the evil of it more than I him.
It will, however, sometimes happen that it is to the
advantage of the labourer to buy corn at the barn and
have it ground, rather than to buy flour. He is, there-
fore, thankful to take part of his wages in corn from his
muter. I therefore see no breach of duty, but rather
an OIOIVIIO of kindness in such a ease ; built would be
dishonest tolffer this as an act of kindness, and then do
it in a way which made an undue profit out of it. You
have a right to the fair value of your corn. You should
sell it to your men only at the market price of the day,
tulless, on a fair, considered agreement, voluntary on
both modes, it is aimed to pay always one average pries
for corn of • certain average sample. What I do repro-
bate as dishonest is the making it compulsory on the
labourer to take farm or dairy produce unfit for open
market, at a value it could never fetch in any market
whatever. The tenant farmer degrade. his class when
he compels the purchase of an inferior article at • high
price. The greater portion of that obloquy which has
now from time to time been laid at the door of the
tenantry generally, in this matter of paying the men in
kind, lum arisen from the conduct of some among them,
of whom the majority are ashamed. This may be
matter of regret. It is to me no matter for surprise.
There will, in every professioo, in every dolling, be men
who put gain before justice. I an state front
my own knowledge that whilst I have known
in years gone by but too many cases, where
masters have in the payment of men in kind been
guilty of the grossed tyranny and dishonesty, I have
also known very many masters who have acted in such
payment in the mod liberal and kind spirit. Ever bear
In mind that this kind of "payment, is open to great
abuse, inasmuch as the labourer dare not for his bread's
sake complain, and seldom is in a position to find friends
In a position and with the moral courage to represent
to the master the nature of his wrong. The labourer
is far more at the mercy of the tenant than the latter is
at the mercy of the landlord. As you would then be
dealt justly with, it must be your duty to give justice to
those to whom it is due. I DOW passon to the considera-
tion of the duty of the labourer. The life of a labourer
Is one, so to speak, from hand to mouth. His hand can
hardly receive earnings for which there is not im-
mediate demand towards his own, and the keep of those
dependent upon him. His health, strength, and labour
are his capital, and these he has to invest from one day
to another, that each day may And the return, to
afford him the necessaries of, at bet, a very frugal life.
He may, under very favourable circunistances, being in
constant work, save enough to meet • week or two of
sickness, or sudden want of employment. He very
seldom can do more. He is surrounded with teuipta-
tions and difficulties; but too often p tins him from
doing this. His duty is to prudently regard, from
time to time, his real position, i.e., the demands which
are certain to be made on him in his home, and the
means by which he can hope to meet them. Economy
is a necessity of his life; he has no margin for the
least waste. His wife, if he is married, has the task to
share with him of making the two coda, wages and ex-
pense, meet. If he has children, their support is not
the only question, but how, to use a cottage expression,
they can be "growed up". the quickest—to find the
food for their own mouths. A labourer requires
thought at home, as well as thought and energy at his
work. It will be his duty diligently to avail himself of
every honest means of adding to his store, bearing in
mind that a pound or thirty shillings in hand, is not
that much to spend. The wear and tear of clothes, and
shoes, the fuel for winter, and the rent—these are all
ordain claimants, though at the time perhaps not im-
mediate ones, they are not only to be watched for,
but provided for. It is no dishonour to him that he
must often be in need of assistance from the benevolent.
The poor exist that the charity of the rich may in them
find life; but let him remember that his best and surest
claim on the charitable, will be a character for industry,
honesty, his being a good servant of God and man. A
clean home, however poorly furnished, tidy, well-be-
haved children, however poorly clad ; the man and the
wife striving to be, if p mr, dill respected—these ass
the real passports to sympathy, and I firmly believe
there are few such families to whom God will not
direct aid in an hour of need. Never let him throw
away a chance of getting a good plain educe.
Uon for his children, and let him take all care
that the habits of his house are in accordance
with the teaching his children get at school. It may
be denied him to preserve every rule we should cell
deoeut, in our dwellings; but the father and mother of
• family under the worst of circumstances, can do •
great deal to blunt the edge of expieure to evil, to pre-
vent bad getting worse. It has been my lot Maw in many
• wretched dwelling efforts made to uphold delicacy,
which however apparently hopeless to an =pea:aimed 4-
server wore to me of thisiveall value, thattlaey made evi-
dent the fact the family acknowledged what was
modest and right, and were not utterly beaten in the
attempt to carry it out. The labourer when hired
agrees to give to his master, in return for a oertain pay-
ment, stair day's work from day to day, as long as their
mutual engagement continues. It is not, however, a
mere matter of Urns given to work, bet it is his clear
duty to exercise all necessary skill and exertion on the
particular labour in which he is employed. He may
work every hour of the day, and yet rob his master, if
he does not seek to do his bad. A great amount of con-
fidence must be put in him. An honest man will awry
out to the utmost in his power all that he is trusted to
perform. A labourer may often allow injury to his
master's property, which he could, if so disposed, have
prevented. Now, it is as much his duty to protect his
master whenever he can as it is himself to do biro no
injury. I cannot think that man honest who would
never rob himself, but who would dill stand by to see
others rob his master. Perhaps one of the most valuer
ble things in • labourer is • character for thoronA
truthfulness. He may, like others, be liable to error, In
the cause unintentionally of damage to his employer's
property, but if he is known as one not prompt to make
excuse, but rather as never flinching from telling the
whole truth, he will be more valued and respected than
a man, however skilful, on whom word no depends/me
can be placed. Again, it is the duty of &labourer to be
teachable. It is not for him to question the propriety
of an order, but to week at once to understand it, that
he may diligently execute it. Never let him hesitate
to mac advice, When he feels that he needs it. It is
better to annoy even a hasty master, by asking the real
meaning of an order, than to set about it only partially
understanding it. There is now attest deal of encourage-
ment given, in the shape of public rewards, for skill in
certain kinds of farm work. A good labourer will do
well to try and qualify himself to compete with success
for these prima. But there are important branches of
labour on the farm in which no master's eye can easily
detect the application or the neglect of • servant.
Mowing, ploughing, hoeing, sheep-sheering, hedging,
thatching—these speak at ones the skill bestowed epos
them. Not no the real amount of care given to the live
stock, the treatment of teams in and out of the stable.
There can be no doubt, but that in taw duties a bed
servant can deceive, especially where the hams are
worked and the stock kept some distance from the
homestead. Now it is as much the duty of the Lamer
to prove himself a valuable servant when be could
deceive, as when his value must at once clearly prove
itself. The man who in all seasons gets his breed by
farm labour is just the last man who can be ignorant of
the effect weather has upon his master's interest. He
knows well enough that there will he often seasons when
• large number of men are dill paid wages, whom hire
could at the time be dispenied with, es in reality titer

iv scarcely anything for them to do. He also knows
that id times there will be a sudden and very pressing
demand for great extra exertion and prolonged hours of
work on the part of the whole farm staff. Now were it
possible that these ups and downs in the labourer's life
could he made • matter of sound calculation, them
would be little difficulty in the raze, but this cannot be.
All Shen that can be done is for both sides to try and
act as justly as they can. If the employer, often for
weeks, pays men wages, who, without loss to himself
he could for that time discharge, that is their gain, for
what hinder* work on one farm will generally do so
over • large district. If at other time" he asks them for
extra work and more of it, without any extra retuunm-
don, it is not • gain to him with which they
can justly qnarrel. A real upright labonmr,
whilst he fairly puts • proper value on his service.,
will even so far Identify himself with his master's
interest as to be ready in a day of unavoidable trial to
fretly give extra service, he will And his reward In
doing so, even if hb obtain It hot from his master's grati-
tude at the time. There is nothing mere unworthy of •
labourer of good character than a desire t 146 his
master at • disadvantage, because by the hand of Prii-
vidence the harvest work hes been arrested until the
moment when it requires great seal and great sae:lieu
to save it. To endeavour to make the trial of the
muter a pretext for extorting unreasonable hire is
altogether wrong. I hear a great deal of the merit of
lode service with one master. It "peeks well for 160
servael: but the merit is not all his. There moat have
been great forbeardice Oil both sides. Neithe: man
nor master are ever so perfect that either can say all
the merit of a long connection was ell his cwt. It is
the ditty of the labourer to do all he can to preserve I
character for sobriety. The bread of his children,
his own bread, depends upon his health and hia steady
employment. The drunkard's health is soon gone.
Whilst lie can work, and yet be a drinking man, be is
robbing the mouths at home of that lie wickedly
spends, on his own degrading gratification. But the
love of strong drink grows fast on the food it obtains:
as it grow*, it destroys him who is it. victim; be
becomes • man who militia be trusted, • curse to his
home' mown • curse to himself. He fru made drink hie
master, and finds too late the slave to it he has
become. lie becomes • blasphemer by it, an idler' •
he has to thieve for it for he cannot earn all that it
will have. He awakes al lei to the conviction he
has drank misery into his hoed, disided frith
▪ None respect him, few will employ him; Id bile
made life • burden because he sought pleasure by the
path of guilty folly. No man becomes a drunkard
all at once. It is the labourers' duty to
shun edit: the lead leaning to that love of strong drink,
which none know better thttli the /Inglish lithium?, is
the foulest curse of his class. A skeet, rod l
has little choice in the companions of Isis day'six3
lie may be subject to much offence daily in all • •
dear to himself, to those of his children who may work
on the same farm. It is his duty, if he gannet avoid
that which is evil to the ear and the eye, to take care
that it reaches not te pollute the heart. Let him bridle
his owe lips, meek to teach his children to do the sante.
In his class the veil of refinement, which in other
dames, hides, if it does not cheek evil, has little
existence. His own younger days have taught him how
soon his children must learn much, too ninth of this
world's sin. It is his duty to preserve to them his owe
good example in the field, and careful protection at
home. They are not of those who sin may entrap
because they have had tie reason to respect its full
power to destroy. Nally, too early, have they
known its language to the eat, seen to what it can lead.
In the home, and the parents there, in what is there
taught and done, must be the ehildren'a thief safeguard
The offence to modesty, to chastity, and piety reetived in
the day's work, must find its antidote in the pile did
righteous atmosphere of the home. I have had • long et,
perlence in the way of watching the lieu
of the labouring poor. Long since I arrived
at the conviction that there Is tur dam so
dependent for all that can protest from evil and
secure good, on the proper rule of theft borate by
parents. I can in most eases safely predict Whar
son and daughter will be, from what the parents 11l
underneath their own roof. As the father of the
family, it is the bounden duty of the labourer never
to allow any kind of dishonesty in his children—in
any beneath his root. Pilfering in the smallest matters,
poaching, the taking wrongly anything which is the
property of another, is robbing. Children suffered to
take • few apples, • little wood, or a eon permitted to
bring home • rabbit, may be held, and are often held by
parents, as namely doing wrong; at all events, not
wrong enough fat *orlon. notice. These small crimes
are the alphabet of advatieed guilt. If overlooked in
the child or youth, they lead De to a life that will find
the means ol unlawful pleasure by the indulgence of
dishonesty on any scale in which it may present itself.
I have now, gentlemen, finished my teak. I am n well
aware that it has been but weakly done. It was one of
no common difficulty. You may, perhaps, be iaclined
to say, I have repreented the landlord as one with the
despotic power of a sovereign over his estate; the
tenant as holding, under much reetrietion, only • deter
gated authority ; the labourer as little better than a
serf, bound for life to the locality of his settlement, with
little choice as to the master he will serve, the terms of
his hiring, or the nature of his dwelling. I did
not meet you to draw upon my imagination for
your amusement but to 'peek of thing' as
I see and know them. So far as regards mere legal
right, the landowner does bold his acres with almost
unlimited power as to the use he males of them. 11 15
Is his pleasure to let them lie barren, I know no law to
prevent him. U for profit or for pleasure he chooses
to cultivate them, or to let them to others to do so, in
either case it is • matter subject to his own sovereign
will. He can make his own terms, although he can own-
pel none to accept them. But it is so ordered in this
country that the words and deeds of our lives WO more
or less subject to another law, besides that of Courts
of Justice. Public opinion is ever ready to pus verdicts
upon us, whose weight we can hardly venture to defy.
The prerogative of the Monarch is notonly wisely limited,
but if it should attempt to interfere with what the
good sense of the nation declares to be right, it mist
bow to the national opinion. The landosniers' high
position in England OWOS not a tittle Of its hotroera
character to the feet, that the power which his freehold
of the land ides/ him, must ever be exercised, subject
to certain deference to what all classes acknowledge to
be just. Let him be found using his power only to abuse
It, he will quickly and himself unsupported by his inn
"order," and despised by others. The contempt of
society will soon bring him down from any social
height to which the greatest landed possessions may
have raised him. If I have elaimed for him the pd.
vileges which are clearly his own, I have used no hest-
tating language as to the responsibility under
which he is entitled 'to enjoy them. I may have
described your position as renting tenants In •
light in which you appear subject to a good deal of metric-
tionosid in much only axe • • our calling in dependence
on the good will of your landlord. I have made it no
matter of degradation to you that it is so. If I have
drawn • strongly defined line between ownership and
tenure, by reeling, I have tried to render to the latter
all the influence, all the social importance it clearly
ought to pewees. I would far ratherad Tea you in the
honourable position of men who admit at ea renters,
they must be more or less dependent, than on those
who would assume on the grounds of • hired occupation.
all the independenoe of an owner. As • body, the
tenant farmers are very powerful; will, I belleve,yell
become more so, but the secret of your power will coastal
in the proper understanding and right use of your real
station in life, not in any attempt to raise youreelves by
encroaching on what justly belongs to tbe station of the
landlord. On the whole, I know no one profeedoe he
life which has more personal enjoyable freedom 11u4
your own. It calls forth • wholesome activity of mind
and body; it gives you, without interfering with your
business, • great deal of social enjoyment; it exempts
you from the depressing nature and strict confinement
attendant on almost every other kind of business. I
am not one who ever says, in these days, you
can =the great money gain, but you mad
pardon me when I sow that in my opinion
• modern tenant farmer holds • position of
freedom of comfort, of authority in very
many things, I know no other man to Dom/need from
the same amount of capital. I cannot qualify soy
opinion of the utter dependenee of the labourer's pest..
tion. It is the resell of a combination of circumstances,
susceptible, I hope in time, of much amendment. Still,
in this Our day God haa raised up to him many able and
active friends. His condition occupies the thought'
and enlists the abilities of many of the most distin-
guithed of our publis men. The amelioration of his
condition, by improving his dwelling, affording him
education, the means of healthy recreation—these, and
many other matters bearing on the labourer's life, have
taken • strong and abiding hold on the public mind. I
look in time for good restate. I hope the days of the
law of settlement are 'timbered. I have every con-
Mance that the dwelling question will not fall to the
ground. After all that can be said of his lot, there
is still much blooming in it. Working in a narrow
sphere, if honest art worthy, be seldom faits to lad
good friends in it The law is as jealous in the
matter if his peoperty and his person as in that of
the richest. He can peas through • if, of honest
labour to • grave to which be not unboneered.
"Old George wan • good man Mare was one" says
a master worthy of sea • servant. "That be was," I.
the echo from the lips of these who walk after al-
to his grave. The undertaker and the mason may
have but little to do with him in his end, but Wore
God and every good man, that man dies • hero, who
has lived honest, a life of temptation, and given his
years to industry with no hope of rising beyond the
power to earn • labourer's wages and leave • good
name in a cottage home. (Cheers.)
Mr. Woon dated that he had listened with •
great deal of interest and attention to the address of
the noble Lord, and fully concurred with all he had
expressed, except on one or two points. In the find
Film:o be held that the cottages ought to be all in the
hands of the termite and not in those of the land-
lord, as if they were, the farmers would not have
the same jurisdiction over their labourers they other-
wise would and ought to have. It was true that
in some KYOGA of the year the farmer had more
hands than he knew what to do with; but the evils
to which Lord Osborne had referred were nut to be
cured by taking the cottages out of the bands of
the farmers. Anyone acquainted with farming, and
the' difficulties they experienced in obtaining
labourers in times of pressure, must agree that there
ought to be a certain number of cottages allotted to
ear-h farm, according to it. extent. He also took
exception to a remark made by his lordship to the
effect that as the landlord was the absolute owner of
the land, there was no law to restrict him from
doing what be pleased with the tenant. It was tree,
there might be no homes, law, but did
not his lordship believe that the moral
law wee applsnsle in thin respect, as well
as the sense and feeling of the people?
He main= that there was no desire on the part
of the farmers to set up their own in opposition to
the landlords and labourers, but on the contrary W
unite with thaw in Promoting the general weal.
Mr. &mulcts indorsed the opinion expressed by
Mr. Wood. He also took exception to his lordship's
renarldr.kibliiircuraraltaltoisderajor tot tender.
Mr.
in respect to ties cattege question, and bald that the
landlord =to erect • cottage on the farm for
every he law occupied by the temeat. He
also ripoommeodad hiring mu-rants by the yew, as
tbara vas Flat diliallaYe «gpsalialy et postai*