The Express.
London, England, 1847-11-02 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 2, 1847.

I rigorous In its inductions, and charitable and tole-
rant in its judgment. This air, which seems partly real
and partly put on for a purpose, is eminently calculated to
prepossess its readers with the idea of its strength and firm-
ness. Its conductors are by no means commonplace men.
There is evidently a great deal of ability and power of spe-
cial pleading in them. Such men may not be despised, nor
their doings overlooked with impunity. The writers of the
other works which we have classed with these have no ob-
jects beyond the miserable pittance which their labour brings
them These men have a creed. They apparently have
principles, too, at stake—false, impious, and disorganising
though they be. They have an audience too, to whom
their words are oracles—their dicta law. The Reasoner is the
expounder and the advente of all extreme opinions—in reli-
gion, infidelity; in society, communism ; in politics, ochlo-
cracy. It preaches up a faith, in which D'Holbock, Vol-
taire, Tom Paine, and Richard Carlyle are the presiding
deities. Bubeauf and Robert Owen are the types of its
social reorganiser( Its political heroes are found so Robes-
pierre and St. Just. Infidelity is openly avowed and de-
fended in its pages—nay, it is declared to have had a great
mission in the progress of nations, and the development of
man, which gives it an air of grandeur in the eyes of those
who cannot penetrate the sophisms with which the writer
overwhelms the truth in his reasonings.
Amongst the great infidels who have done eminent service
to the world, and thereby vindicated the utility of infidelity,
are numbered Xenophines ! Anaragores ! ! Socrates!!!
Because these philesophen were teachers of new moralities,
propounders of new theological systems, they are ranked
with men who have struggled to destroy all religion, and to
shake the very foundations of all ethical systems. Nay, the
writer who undertakes to enunciate the mission of infidelity,
claims for it the sanction of the names of Luther and Mei&ZlC-
then ; and declares that " it (namely, infidelity) is the very
essence of protestantism." One mode is which the con-
ductors of the Reasoner seek to obtain a higher sanction
for their doctrines, is, to write letters of invitation to eminent
1 scholars and prelates Lord Brougham, Archbishop
Whately, &c.—challenging them to discuss their opinions.
No notice being taken of these communications, the inference
is raised that their principles are indisputable—and thus the
Itinerant are misled. Clergymen do, however, occasionally
embroil themselves in discussion, but no palpable good arises
from it. The points of moment are lost sight of in meagre
generalities, or rendered unintelligible to those to whom it is
most essential that they should be clear, by the use of logical
forms. The minister and the schoolmaster might meet the
evil nearer home—and more effectually.

IRELAND.
Dtrar.rx, Ocr. 31.
The reconstruction of the Devon estate in Limerick
into a separate electoral division is still the cause of
local discontent and agitation. At a meeting of the
Newcastle guardians on the 19th inst., his lordship's
agent, Capt. Kennedy, read a paper with respect to
objections to making electoral divisions co-extensive
with particular estates. This document was ordered
for consideration, and the guardians are particularly
directed to the contemplated erection of the Devon
estate into a separate rateable division. The more
important meeting took place on Monday last, at
which 19 guardians were present, and the following
resolutions in reference to Capt. Kennedy's sugges-
tions, and indeed the whole poor-law, foild, and em-
ployment questions, were adopted:
Resolved.-1. That we view with the greatest possible apprehennion
the derming proportion of destitute labouring families throughout
Traded, and more especially these plaoed under our own responsible
superintendence in the union of hewntstle, who are without their
usual winter. store of food and for whom the ordinary demand of
employers is wholly Insufficient to furnish support.-2. That those
superabundant fatuities must be supported in idleness by rates levied
from the proprietors and occupiers of land to an =oust that matt
ruin both these classes, and In the end leave the labourers themselves
unprotided for, unlearn Impulse can be given to the investment e(
capital on permanent reprodu tire works of improvement, doh an
drainage, reclamation of wake lands, mining projects, Ste., of which
our union, and, we beLeve, mod other districts in Ireland, could far.
nit an ample supply to meet the employment of the superabundant
Inboards.— 3. That this impulse cannot be produced unless by
givingo the invader. of such capital some security against the
pressure of rates which may come upon them miler present
arrangement., even after they shall have amply provided fur the poor
of their own properties by employment-4. That without some such
security it would be unreasonable to expect capitalists to invest the
lerge sums of money which the exigency would require, because, after
haying so done, they might still nod their property, including all such
outlay, virtually coollacated to the poor-law guardians, to meet the
rate. thrown upon it by the pauperism of neighbouring neglected pm-
pedlar Included in the name electoral dlutrieta.-5. That the only .e-
-curdy which we can suggest, as calculated to encourage inveament
in the improvement of property and the employment of super-
abundant labour, would be that of reforming the rateable did.
111063 of each in such a way as to give to every owner of
lend desirous of engaging in thin vital undertaking his property hi a
*emirate rateable dieted unconnected with any other property.-4.
That we, therefore, prom upon the poor-law commiscioners our sep.
nest conviction of the absolute necessity of revising the rateable dd .
alone in every union throughout Ireland, with a view to make Nib
property, where any considerable relative outlay is prop:nod to he
Invested, a distinct rateable division ; and we beg I. call the corn-
inweioners' attention to the fact that the rateable or electoral districts
at present eddies appear to °ambit of a ram variety of intermediate
d of value, from 402,5111., down to 3311.-7. That we further
area still more strongly pens upon the commissioners the neenelty for
the nunedlate adoption of the principle we have urged in
the poor law union of Neweaatle, the dietriat in whisk
WO 0/0 responsible foe the mapped of the poor, awe cannot
massive any other measure without this as an adjunct which en
render their support, humanly speaking, certain, or even probable.-
8. That we would request the special and immediate attention of the
ppoaoor[•law commissioners to the memorial of the trustees of the late
dui of Devon on this subject; their estate forming a considerable
portist of our union, containing a large town with an unemployed
population, an well as some very poor and densely peopled rural
district.s. And we would strongly urge the forming of their estate
into one or more separate rateable district.; es if this were inn we
are aware that extensive employment for the poor of the state would
immediately commence, and the guardian. and yen would
re theby be relieved from the heavy charge of toe the
lessoning bunnies of that extensive pestles of our =low
The example of Garryfine is not lost on the gentle
spirits of the south. The very questionable snows'
of the legislators who fired the brakes and marched
through the turnip fields has not deterred their neigh-
bours from a similar parade,—for what object, except
the pleasure of meeting, shouting, and returning back,
none can tell. There is a real monster meeting, for
which notices have been regularly issued, to be held
neat week on the banks of the Blackwater. The
language of the notice is violent and disorderly.
The withdra al of a military detachment from %Iv
neighbourhood has inspired the turbulent with
courage; but the military will be at Aherinah—all in
good time.
The petty sessions magistrates make great exer-
tions to have the protection of the military—partly
for safety and partly for the advantages conferred on
the marketh by the presence of troops. In reply to
various applications, Mr. Redington issues a general
order stating that in all cases where applications are
made, the magistrates will first ascertain what accom-
modation can be provided, and forward the same to
his excellency.
The Limerick Chronicle throws out a hint to the
landed proprietors of the county which is not un-
worthy of attention. " A resident landlord," says
that journal, " furnishing a trusty band of his ten-
antry with fire-arms, and accompanying them at
night, would do more to deter the reckless and dis-
affected than even the civil and military authorities,
to whom the leaders of the agrarian conspiracy are
mostly unknown." In the Whiteboy rebellion in
1821-2 this course was very generally adopted by the
more extensive proprietors in the disturbed district',
and produced a very decided effect in mitigating oat-
rage and disorder.
The Limerick guardians are about to establish an
agricultural and tradesmen's school; and propose
taking a plot of twelve acres in the north suburbia
The Killarney guardians are about to pursue a similar
course.

and valuable vatic in the library

There is a very rare
of our university—the Gospels of St. Patrick in the
old vernacular. In the glass eases towards the
eastern end of the library this carious deposit attracts
special attention. It was the gift of the late Professor
McCullagh to the university, and purchased by him
for 300 guineas, thus anticipating the British Museum
for which they were in transit u.

gas improving proprietors and enterprising tenants
at the mercy of a sanguinary peasantry; for,
be it remembered, the landlord who seeks to improve his
estate, and c impel the cultivation of his farms, is the object
selected for slaughter, the more especially if he should be
bold enough to require • regular payment of his rent.
In too many instances the priest of the district
is the indirect means of these aasueinations. la how
many cases have landlords been denounced from the altars
as " exterminators"—and how seldom have individuals in
the congregation failed to take the hint, no matter that the
landlord was a just man :—" sure, hasn't he been denounced
by the priest ?" (the minister of the living God, as he bias-
prtemeusly calls himself) and " won't it be soy to get abode-
[ion'?" This system of denouncing must be put down at all ha
cards, if Ireland is not to be made a alaughter-house; but
also ! the provincial press is equally to blame: for the most
part dependent on the good will of the Roman catholic clergy,
it gives a ready credence and circulation to all their anti-
landlord attacks, be they true or false; and it; a lamentable
fact, that the Roman catholic coadjutors of Ireland, Anglicil
the curates, labour with success to prejudice the tenant
against his landlord. All this may appear incredible and in-
deed to an Englishman ; but let him ask eny disinterested
person acquainted with the south of Ireland if this picture
be not true. Each day some new victim is added to the list
of Tipperary revenge. How long will the English public
permit it to continue f—A LANDLORD WHO HAS HERM
Diusourecen.—Tipperary, Get. 25

Tun damn POOR Law.--Sir,—Having used many efforts
to speed the framing of a sound poor law for Ireland,
and attended many meetings upon that subject, after the
original act had posed, I beg leave respectfully to claim the
latinrivilege of offering a remark upon a very clever article re-
g
to the Irish poor law, distinguished for historical and
philosophical research, which appeared in a recent number
of the Erpresa. The article assumes that the present
law is adequately framed to meet the wants of the Irisertli to
poor,
as attended to by the boards of guardians, and y
provide the funds for that purpose. Now it has frequently
come under my notice, that the skin-flint landlords of Ireland
(whose name is " legion "), although legally bound to pay
one half of the rate, when their rent claimable out of the
tenants' holding and the poor-law valuation thereof agree,
and when the former exceeds the latter the poundage rate
on so many pounds of rent beyond the valuation also,
contrive to make the tenant pay the whole rate—in this
way. The whole legislation of the present century, in refer-
ence to landlord and tenant, having been against the Irish
tenant and in favour of the landlord, the latter distrains for
his rent; and such is the needy condition of the Irish gentry
in general that he will detrain, aye, and proceed to eject-
ment', against a good and solvent tenant, in order to make
coats for his poor relations, who "follow the law," as the
Irish call it, there being no commerce or manufactures in
this country to absorb the talents of the race. The tenant's
remedy in case of an excessive distress, whether in regard
to the value of his property seized or the non-payment of
rates by his landlord, is by an expensive process, called ee-
i plerin, n reference to which I will give you some facts
which occurred this very week, and they will better eluci-
date the state of things under the present law of rating
for the relief of the poor than a volume of argument and
description. Two landlords, one of them reputed worth
30,0001. in ready money, distrained an improving tenant for
151. lie. for rent due in August last, and which was never
paid later than about tho middle of October ; but in this
instance the remittance on which the tenant depended
Its pay the rent did not arrive to him until the 24th ult. ; the
keepers or bailiffs were placed in possession on the 21st ult.
Upon examining the tenant's receipts for rent and poor rate,
it was discovered that for years the worthy pair of landlords
had not paid a farthing of rate. Although their rent was a
rack-rent, far exceeding the poor-law valuation, they had
never in fact paid any of the numerous taxes the premises
were subject to, nor a farthing for repairs, while the tenant's
hand was never out of his pocket for the latter purpose ; and
it was also discovered that in one of the receipts for rent
given to a lady, they had cunningly inserted a memorandum
that the tenant was liable for the whole poor-rate, The
tenant proceeded to the sheriff's office to replevin the furni-
ture, and obtain a legal decision whether he could not make
the landlords pay their proportion of the poor rate. He ob-
tained an auctioneer from the sheriff's office to value the fur-
niture, and make an affidavit thereof; this cost him lie. 6d.,
or thereabouts, and consumed the second day of the capture
the third day was spent instructing his attorney to replevin,
for which he paid 10s.: the fourth day was consumed going
to and looking for his friends to enter into a bond for 521. to
the sheriff ,• for 261. worth of property having been seized i
the kind and protecting law empowers the sheriff to demand
responsible sureties for double the amount, no matter whe-
ther it be 1,0001., while the rent demanded was only 151. 151-
On the sixth day the bond was perfected, and 10!. lodged I
with the sheriff besides: this cost the tenant 7s. ; a bailiff was
sent with a warrant to discharge the bailiffs in possession,
and this cost 2s. 6d, The subsequent proceedings may in-
volve a expense of 201. Would it not be but fair and humane
to compel the landlord to pay his share of the rate to the board
of guardians, when he is known to live within their union
And if he be an absentee, an exterminator, or rack renter, or
all three together, let the union be made by law the receiver
of his portion of the rate, and a speedy criminal process be-
fore a magistrate be provided, if he in person distrains with-
out allowing the rate, or if his agents, in his absence. do so.
But to give the boards, as at present, the power of proceed-
ing against the tenant for the whole rate, and then to tell
the tenant he may bring an expensive action of replevin
against the landlord, and also an action for damages against
ham for diatraining without allowing the rate, while the
whole code is adverse to the tenant, is an arrangement which
suits extremely well the whole race of akin-flint landlords,
with whom it is dangerous at any time to quarrel, especially
if his rent be not ready the moment it is demanded ; but it is
practical injustice to those who more from a sense of duty
continue to reside in Ireland, and exert themselves to
relieve the mass of misery around them, than from any con-
viction that they can permanently improve its condition,
which, notwithstanding the manly and talented efforts of
men like you is daily deteriorating, and makes one often
imagine that " a thrust of the bayonet is worth them all."—
S. G.