The Express.
London, England, 1847-01-26 00:00:00

enabled to obtain a lean to the gone way, and on the norm
terms, as the proprietor of a femaimple estate. Both would
be charged interest at the rate of 3t pm cent., paying off the
loan by instalments. If, however, the borrower was
desirous of paying a higher rate and not repayirg, the
advance would be made, he paying ei per cent.
Powers would also be rivet to landed proprietors to sell
some portion of the it estates for the purple of paying
off advances made to effect the improvement of the same a
the remaining portico. This message he hoped would have
a moat rapid effect in meeting the exigencies which now
existed in Ireland • bat the government did not mean to
confine itee.f to that measure alone. In the case of works
undertaken under what was caned Mr. Labouchere's latter,
it would only be an act of fairnesm that proprietors who
bad undertaken them should have facilities afforded them to
ITAiI themselves of the more advantageous terms presented
by the intended bill, and to make them subject only to the
payment of three.and-a-half pr, cent. Though drainage
and other works would be superintended by
the proprietors themselves, yet there were many pee-
vote estates, end combination of estates, on which
improvements would be more effectually carried out
under the superintendence of the Board of Works.
It was proposed with regard to loans. which, if they were
independent, would bear interest at 31 per cent., in the'
event of any knot of proprietor, combining to obtain
sasioance from the Bout of Works, and co-operating
to bear the charge, should be advanced upon payment of
4 per cent. (es we understood.) The general result of
these two measure* would he, that there need not be one
proprietor in Ireland, be his situation what it might, whether
what was celled rich, or what was called comparatively poor,
who would not be enabled, if he thought proper, at once to
net in action a large amount of labour, and he (Lord Laos •
downe) did not think no ill of the proprietor. of Ireland but
thee with such facilities made acceseible to them, and with the
incitement derived from the occurrence. of the last few
months. and the prospects of years to come, the." would with
few exceptions universally vail themselves of t fimc
which would result to a very great extent at no distant
time in creating an active system of labour, and supply that
demand for labour which in the present state of Ireland
they were not able by ordinary mean:, and in consequence
' the habits of the people, to afford. In hie (Lord Lam-
'.) opinion, this was the most important =leisure the
-t could pro , and one in which he 11:141, •
et. Oltemeweee 'Mee
hate to ea
tad4lehteete:Vin
that It WAS coin thM
from system of employment under he
-tithe works undertaken by the Board of Works to
~gars, and cossidering the scarcity of food and the
difficultywhich would arise from this intermediate state, that
public relief should be afforded by temporary measures. As
the public works dropped off, and other labour was not
ready, many pumas must depend on public charity for sup
port, which it was impossible, in the present state of Ireland,
to afford. A bill would therefore be brought in, sanctioning
for a limited period the distribution of food to persons
wholly destitute, or who are unable to obtain it. This
would he done by what was called the workhouse
test, "leo-that it should not he given to those who could
gain admittance into the workhouse, or had any means of
maintenance; but where persons could not get into the work-
house, were in a state of destitution, and could get no em-
ployment or food, food should be distributed to them through
the most cheap and beneficial medium. A new relief committee
would be appointed, whose duty it would he to superintend
much relief to persons who were purely destitute, and who
could not gain admittance into the workhouse. The money
for Olio purpose would be raised by means of a rate, only
one half of which would be paid by the place where it was
levied, and the other half by the gum rnmeet This was to
be only • temporary measure to cover the misery and desti-
tution which might, more or hoe, intervene between the
embedding of the public work, and them which it was hoped
Individ eel enterprise would put in action. it weenie° iutended
to furnish loins of another kind. One most important
object was as far as pomible to provide for the production of
the future harvest, there being an apprehension that due
measures were not being taken for that purpose. This arose
from the indisposition of the labourer to cultivate the land,
but oftener from his poverty and that of the small land-
owner, which prevented his affording subsistence to the
labourer while so employed, and the difficulty of providing the
seed which was indispensable. It was proposed, therefore,
to advance sums of money at three end is-hall per cent. to be
repaid at the end of the year, after the harvest, to such
persona as wished to avail themtelves of it and only on the
security of Vie crop, so as to ensure their having any crop atoll.
Having adverted to the inferior measures which were intended
to meet the transition of labour by the diecontinuance at
public works, he would now resume the consideration ot
those which were more permanent. Ile would here roll
attention to that which had been a subject of frequent in-
quiry by commiesions, by committees, and made matter of
observation inept eche. in both homes of parliament, but which
had never assumed a practical shape—vie., the reclamation
of waste lands. It had been again and again stated that
there existed in Ireland a great amount of waste land,
capable of being employed for labour and agricultural par-
+. He believed the amount was mutat rated, nor did he
hold out that a measure founded on that statement would
he likely to have a large and decisive effect. (Hear, hear.)
But, still considering that many persons were conviceed by
personal observation that there were woo', lands capable of
cultivation, it was thought advisable that a measure should
he introduced. enabling the worriment to purchase reclaim-
able wants lands, and by which it was proposed to improve, ea
as to establieh a source for labour, and an example to the
country, as had been done with et portion of the crown lands.
This was a measure which must be undertaken with meat
precaut:ons. (Hear, hear.) Among others, it wohld he
necessary to prevent the land so reclaimed from causing a
re-formation of the cattier system. (Hem, hear.) ft was
for parliament, hereafter, to judge how that evil we,
to be duly guerded against. It was supposed it might
he done by dividing the land, not into smell, but large
farms, and letting it to individuals on such terms, and in
such sub-divisions, as would insure employment to ouch a
class of persons as it would suit the policy of government and
of society t) encourage. Such a bill was in preearation, and
it was the wish of the government to induce parliament to
consider how far it wan applicable and would conduce to the
object of providing an additional market for labour, and a
seurce of industry and employment, while the land would he
cultivated on scieutific principle.. At the same time it was
hi. (Lord Lanedowne's) wish that all these objects should be
attained by the individual enterprise to which he had ad-
verted, and if so, it woulel not require any great assistance to
enable means to he found to supply the labour of the country,
and provide for a superabundant population, by placing
them in such a situation that if the potato crop did
not recover, they might look to other means of
subeietenoe, end who must abandon their present
position as tenants and ,attics, and twenine day-labourer.
Another topic which had been much &seemed at various
times, which was a nuestion of much difficulty, though d greet
importance, was emigration. It had been repeatedly con-
sidered by the government. He wished Inc could state. that
there was any plan which they thought could be safely
adopted. But, at the name time. a disposition existed in .11
parts of the kingdom, and in Ireland especially, to seek
employment on the other side of the Atlantic, and in the
colonlcs. Alter much consideration it was thought im-
practicable, without interfering with the current of emi-
gration which now 'aided, to attempt to give to it any
stimulus in this country and in Ireland. Still a great at-
traction might be afforded, iii the shape of security that, when
they had crossed the Atlantic, emigrate should he placed
in a situation at once to nbeain a livelihood. A small sum
which the government bad used for that purpose had been
attended with great and beneficial effects. It was proposed
to increase this auto, and to such an extent that when emi-
(neon took plane in the mimed mare, after providing for
hie passage, every emigrant on his arrival should have the
means of piscine himself in such a situation as would
enable him to find work for himself and his family, Bet
Mom who were authorities on the subject maintained that
it was not expedient to do more. Another subject
which had occupied the attention of government
was that of fisheries. In the last fire months the
government had established, iu Mayo and other northern
cotton( s, three curing stations, by which means poor fisher-
men had the it fish cured cheaply and in the best manner.
This would lee. extended to all the west and southern ooast,
so that there would be no meet where the fisherman could
not have his fish cured or &sten means of carrying it to the
best market.. It was also proposed to grant mall loans, at
theft and a-half per cent., for the purchaeo of ma.
chincry, boat,, and tackle, on the security of the
boata, thus promoting those fisheries in Ireland, of
wh ch the fishermen and proprietors had not availed
themselves. He was sanguine enough to think that,
in some counties, this would be a stimulus to industry.
Theme measures, for the purpose of 'rowing employment
the government proposed immediately to introduce. The
noble marquis then proceeded to say, that as it was pronable
that in many parts of Ireland relief from the workhouses
would be unequal ta meet the existing poverty and dentitu.
tines, and as there were persons to whom it was essential that
oat-door sells f should be granted, eoz., the aged, the sick,
and the infirm; it was proposed that the guardians
should have nutherity to administoe relief to such per-
sons. The advances for this putpoe would be supplied
bye rate for one-half of the money, the other half to be
advanced by tee government, and the repayment to
be postponed until after the summer instead of the
spring enema. Another measure would be, the •eiving a
power of selling land, in order to died:lmes mortgages
sod other incur:thrum.' which weighed so heavily on pro-
perty in Ireland, and checked every effort of the proprietors
to relieve the wants of their neighbours. All them measures
it would be for parliament to comide-; but, whatever might
be their effort, the) could only be considered auxiliary to
the efforts of the prop I,tors. t .s-, hear.) They could
not, for the relief and restoration of the country, make
themselves principals bee only n, although, it was
to be hoped, powerful ones. (The noble marquis concluded
by an eloquent and feeling expreation of hie hopes that Ire-
land, by her own exeltions and the aid of this country,
would pass through her pres-nt severe trials, and be brought
into a condition of prosperity.)
Lord STANLEY assured their lordships that it was not his
intention to interpose for more than a few minut ea between the
noble marquis and my noble lord who was desirous of addreet
ing their lordships. tor he adhered to the opinion he had ei-
peeved that any attempt to discuss the details of the great
measure' now submitted to the house would be premature.
He thought the coutse pursued by the government
in submitting these immures to the house was teeth as
would enable their lordships, and especially those who
were conversant with Ireland, to offer in no un-
friendly spirit such obs; rvations an occurred to them.
Every one must admit that the extent of the calamity de.
scribed by the noble martini", end the magnitude of the doe,
lleworeatl"ndthli't:.ll.°lroceeY toi7edi:to:
not only tuotitied, hut rendered necimary all einkin, nail,
aortae --(hear)—so that theiyi.mihecg.achisr,:e
efafftecuit.ewLic:rith.e
upon society in Ireland, with the one e 5.0..., uoliooi_.
g;:etteroautseathnde
ounpinionsparalle:lhadcat,,le:reue- -fint
of
and of applyine. ee Luca affilzted thao,olo-
-
... might be a remedy ga

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