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

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 26, 1847.

'tricta in Deland for the answer to the question. I
One geettd defecate( the, set was, 'bat under it the
Curate era imp halted te the efenettnelgns of robes,'
'thong* It atm - Mut, Irpland aboueded in Ands,
which wink ta ,thatet in ihis Mont*: His wide
.frieud's • .of the law Was quite ieson-iateut with ire
proposed weed; ifit were mend, why was It *the set aside ?
As eo the statadMet that the &Uwe of the set was attribu-
table teethe landed proprietary, he maintained that there was
'no part of the United Kingdom in which its machinery
would not have been at'ended with the mink disadvantages.
Having explained the course pursued at presentment ominous
in Ireland, the noble lord took ooca'iou to refute what, he
maid, was a very grave misrepresentation of kis conduct as
chairman of a special sessions in the south of Ireland. He
had been accused of sending a vast main of presentments to
the Board of Works, rather than jiver the responsibility
of considering and selecting from them ; hut the fact was
that that step had been taken against him opinion, and
enirely at the instigation of the officer of the Board of
Works, who had been consulted upon the subject.
He rejoiced at the intended measure of emigration,
although he felt it was attended with much difficulty.
He feared that the intention of the government to assist only
on the other sid would limit the emigration to the better
deem. It was desirable that emigration should extend to a
clam who, there was every reason to suppose, would prosper
in Canada, hut who also would advantage Ireland by emi-
grating, and unless great care was tak. n as to the clam of
persons to whom assistance should be given in the colony,
the great advantage of this element of improving the condi-
tion of Ireland would be lost.
The MARQUIS of CLAN RICARDE would not at that
time of night enter into any defence of the unfortunate
Lsbour Rate Act. But the noble lord (Monteagle) had
misunderstood hie noble friend (Earl Oret) in supposing him
to nay that bill was good in itself. What his noble friend had
said mu that good would have been effected by the measure
if the circumstances had remained the Palaces when It passed,
and ifithad been carried out in the spirit intended. It mustalso
be conedered that that bill was only brought forward mone of
many measures for Ireland, and not as in itself a remedy for
all the evil, of that country. And that the act might have been
carried out beneficially is proved by the fact that it was so
carried out in some parts of Ireland. The Million Act had
failed because it did not apply to tenant& for life ; but then
there were tenants who did not hold by that tenure,
and to whom it would apply. But he would like to ask
those noble lords who condemned themes of the government
what were the measures which they would have substituted ?
(Hear, hear.) No one had as yet suggested one word as to
what would have been a more effectual remedy under the
circumstances.
The paper, were then ordered, and their lordships ad.
ourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY, JAN. 23.
The Speaker took the chair at a raw minutes before four
o'clock.
--....

FIRST WEADINO.I.—The Cheltenham Waterworka, the wolree.
haraptoo Baths, the Shropshire Union Railway, and the Norfolk, &c,
Railway
PUBLIC BUSINESS.

PETITIONS.—The folloViOg—pet—iiiOr7e;rerepreternted :—Prom Pet.
worth, for an alteration in the law of settlement; flour brewery at
Bury St. Edmund's, for the abolition of the penaltk. for ruing woo-
Imre In breweries and dleitill,ies; three pedtlorm from Lone hire
In favour of a ten hour.' bill ; from an officer In the Bengal Artillery
for the cortiederatirm of his donne ageing the Krot India Company ;
from Brldport, praying the government to take speedy Stain for re-
lieving) the diatom in Ireland.
vtan ItEADINGS.— tee of Sugar in Breweries and Dietillerice
Bill, the Irish Indemnity Bill.
NOTICE., OF MOTION, —lnd Colton.—Mr. Belorrr to-morrow
(this dry), to more fora committee on the program of the cultivation
of cotton in India.

NaTra;;;l Gullery.—Mr. Mont toanerrow (this day), to move an
odderes to the crown for a copy of the minutes of the Waters of the
National Gallery for the last two
Criscore.—Mr. Wee his motion on the subject of Cracow
to Thureday week, the th of Februst7.
Poor Lem ametissiowers.—Mr. Immo Thanday next, to
more for • select committee to inquire Lido the cower to which the
poor-law commiraioners and their suaistants draw op their reports •
also into their treatment of boards of guardians; sad as to what cos:
Did the late Secretary of State for the Flom Department had over
them ; and oleo into the effeets produced by the poor-law to lowering
wages and thereasing crime.
The tate Se' erettery of State Jr the Home fkpertawM. Yr.
Feaa.tee gave notice that on Thirmlry nest be should make certain
charges against the late Secretary of State for the Home Department,
affecting his character as a minister of the crown, and as a member
o(the Houma( ClentOolla
British Trade aria ekins.—Dr. Bowan.* to-morrow (this day), to
more for a return of the onlinanoes which regulate the British trade
with Chilli. . .

The e.4apthel Seredrom.--hir C. NollYß to-morrow (thin dal ), to
ask the Secretary of the Admiralty whether It is the intention of the
government to emplor any portion of the Channel squadron in carry-
ing eorn for the we of Ireland.
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT AT HONG KONG.
Dr. BO WRING inquired of the Under Secretary of the
Colonic whether any answer had been received to the com-
munications made from the Colonial Office u to the inflic-
tion of corporal punishments by the police courts at Hong
Kong. Whether any steps have been taken to prevent the
infliction of corporal punishment, whether by flogging, baa-
tinadoing, or cutting off the tails of the Chinese, when they
have been unable to pay pecuniary floes. Whether an ordi-
nance circulated in the Chinese newspaners (No. 10, of
1844), has been brought to the notice of her Majesty's govern-
ment, and obtained their sanction; such r,rdinance appearing
to authorise whatever barbarous and brutal punishments may
be Inflicted under the Chinese Code, or according to Chinese
urges.
Mr. HAWES said that the head of the Colonial
Department had written to the governor at Hong Kong,
oho stated, in reply, that the eimumstances were, that a
Chinese had been found guilty of felony ; he was arrested
and a rescue was attempted, which was attended with eon-
riderable violence. They were all, however, finally cap
tured and taken to the police-office, where they were fined
five dollars, nr, in default of payment, sentenced to be sub.
ieeted to twenty strokes of a rattan. They were also c:b-
Jected to the lose of their tails. (Laughter.) These were
the simple facts of the case. As to thequestion whether the
government had sanctioned the ordinance providing such a
mode of punishment, he would say that it was extremely
difficult to find any other sufficient punishment. Imprison-
ment was entirely out of the question. The ordinance was,
therefore, sanctioned in the year 1844, not without a great
deal of consideration. He was bound to admit that it was
quite impossible that they should permit the criminal law of
China to he incorporated with the British law. An inquiry
was being held into the whole criminal code of Hong Kong,
and he would assure the hnn. gentleman that it would re-
ceive the particular attention of the government.

CONDUCT OF THE ARMY ON THE SITTLEJ.
Dr. BOWRING saidthat he arishedto make a statement as
to the report which existed as to the conduct of the army on
the banks of the Sutlej. Great public attention had been
given to statements which, if true, would reflect great diu
honour on the army lately engaged on the Sutlej. The bon.
member for Bridport, in putting a question some time ago
to the President of the Board of Control, stated that it was
reported that certain men had been in the habit of hanging
and murdering the Sikh prisoners who fell into their hands.
The hon. gentleman the President of the Board of Control
repudiated such a charge, and said that instant inquiries should
been made into the matter. On the first day of session the
hon. member for Bridport again put the question to the
Secretary of the Board of Control, and it was found that
there was no ground whatever for these statements. The
report originally appeared in a local newspaper, and was
circulated by a body who called themselves the Peace
Society. He held in his hand the fac-simile of a letter which
he had received from that society, which purported to be a
letter from a soldier in Indic to his father, and on which the
statement was founded. It stated that this man was • pri-
vate in the 80th Regiment, and he himself said in it that he
was not only a spectator but an actor in these horrors. He
did not at all do bt that this man's statement was false, for
nothing en horrible as was represented could take place in
modern times.

Mr. F. MAL LE said that he was glad to be in the house
while the statement was made, and thot he was also glad to
state that he entirely exonerated the gentlemen to whom the
hon. gentleman alluded from being the wilful circulators
of the false representation in question. They had, no
doubt, acted on their belief in the truth of the letter. He
Sent a copy of the statement to Lord Gough, who imme-
diately held a court of inquiry into the matter, and the sol-
dier stated that he never wrote such a letter to hie father.
He then made one statement to his father, and another in
direct contradiction of it to the court of inquiry. Its bad since
forwarded the letter to Lord Gough, who would institute
further iaguiriee.
EXEMPTION FROM SERVING ON COMMITTEES.
The SPEAKER then read a list of members who
claimed exemption from serving on committees, on account
of age.
STATE OF IRELAND.

Lord J. RUSSELL then said he had never had so much
need of the indulgence of the house as on the present occa-
sion; but be felt, at the same time, that he bad so little
need to oak for such indulgence ; for he felt sure that the
house, from the temper it had already displayed, and from
the sense which was entertained of the magnitude of the
calamity, as well as from the danger which there
would be of interposing any party feeling in the
consideration of these subjects—for these reasons he
felt sure that he need not ask for the indulgence
of the house, but that it would be voluntarily bestowed.
(Hear, hear.) In considering the question of the state of
Ireland he would first proceed to lay down what was the
order in which he wished to treat it first, be would refer to
the state of that part of the kingdom where the calamity
had occurred; secondly, he would make • general statement
of what had occurred during the parliamentary recess—what
bad been done in pursuance of the acts of pirliament of last
serio—how far those measures had succeeded; and
then 'he would proceed to state what the govern-
ment proposed to do for the present emergency. After
baring made that statement ho should proceed to the state-
ment of other measures for the improvement of the general
state of Ireland. and to lay the foundation for permanent
improvement. (Hear, hear.) He would also mention some
other subjects which had not yet been so fully considered as
to have measures founded upon them matured ; and be would
state generally the view which the government took. In
conclusion he should move for leave to bring in two bills, one
to render valid certain acts done under the autho-
rity of the Lord-lieutenant of Ireland, and secondly
for the improvement of private estates in Ireland
in pursuance of a treasury minute of 2nd September last. In
proceeding to consider the state of the country, he would
take the language of the report of the Irish poor. law cam-
mission, and ask the hewn to infer from it how great the 11
calamity was likely te be when • total failure of the potato
crop took place. In the lbw repeat of the commission—a
essahrion formed claw el cateiderable authority
who were Mammy awl I argositted with their country,
the esemikefeweee mk: _ . .

The ratwale~
imp pordedok arid ad rdsopt whom
dr raft rk ddardeddlrdorre damn wadi-
err irilsardshost tram la Trio dierls ct the
dm it be
MM. airerli=l* dram so driveled la re
Ur mil palsy an Mgt NM re adolandid

' would be better to give food than to be paying away money.,
which would be considered as a useless expenditure. The
poor peeple are disabled from executing task-work. Their
bodily strength is gone. and fist y have not power to exert
themselves; the works will consequently he left incomplete."
The opinion of the goveroment, previously to the receipt of
this; letter was, that the system had become so vast, and the
, destitution and want of food had so greatly increased, that it
was desirable to attempt some temporary scheme by which
same of the evils which now met them snibt be
mitigated, and with PO vast an expen liture of money
more effectual relief might be afforded. The govern-
ment had thought it desirable to form in electoral
districts relief committees which should he empowered to
receive subscriptions, to levy rates, and to receive donations
from the goverment ; and by these means they should pur-
chase food, estaolish soup kitchens in different districts, and
so far as they were able, distribute rations of food to the
famishing iuhabit tots by sub-committees. Moreover, they
should not require, in other cases, the indispensable teat of
work, hut that the labouring men should be allowed to w trle
either on their own plot of ground or on the farmer's ground,
and thus tend to produce food for the next harvest (bear),
and perhaps earn from the farmer some small wages to ea-
able them to support their families. The government had
communicated this echeme to the Lard Lieutenant, who had
consulted the various officers of the Board of Works and the
commimariat department, and he was glad to find they were
prepared to consistsr it favnurably, and they (the govern-
ment) should endeavour, first, by means of preparatory mea- '
sures to be taken in Ireland, and next by a bill to be pro-
to parliament, to carry this arrangement into effect.
here wax a person in this country who was long conversant
with the public works of Ireland, and who had won the
esteem of the gentlemen of different parties in that country.
by whom the operations would be superintended—he meant
Sir John Burg tine. (Hear, hear.) He was now Inspector
General of Fortifications in England, hut. having obtained
leave of absence for three months, he was prepared, instead
of devoting them to relaxation, to devote them to the service
of the country. (Hear, hear.) He would be in communi-
cation with the Lord Lieutenant, and would have the Co-
operation of Col. Jones, the officers of the Board of Works,
those of the Commissariat Department. the head of the poor-
law commission, and the head of the constabulary, all of
whom were conversant with the state of affairs in Ireland.
But, in pr posing this measure, with a view, if possible, of
affording a more efficient mode of relieving those who were
now in want of food, and, at the same time of snaking use of
a great number of persons for the ordinary purposes of agri-
culture, they must take cere, and the Lard Lieutenant was
prepared to take care, that, in substituting thin system for
the public works, it should be made as easy of transition as
poserihle—(hear, hear)—that no rude dismissal of great
numbers should take plate at once. (Hear, hear.)
The Lord Lieutenant stated (and it was a general
complaint) that, with regard to many of the roads,
it would cause great inconvenience if they were abandoned
He would, therefore, make suggestions as to the mode by
which that difficulty could he obviated, and the roads made
complete. (Hear. hear.) With regard to the money which
had been expended, and which was now being expended, a
clause had been made that the whole of the burden should
not be put upon Ireland. There was no doubt that the mis
fortune, be the remote cause of it what it might, heavily
premed on the present proprietors of Ireland. He thought it
right, therefore, that the whole burden should not fall on the
Irish proprietors. They should, therefore, propose, at •
future day, that arrangements should be made by parliament
by which in each succeeding year, when the instalments
became due, upon one half being paid, the other half
should be remitted, taking etre that the whole debt was
kept up till that half was paid. (Hear, hear.) This pro-
vided that one half of the whole charge should be upon the
government With regard to the firemen] part of the qua.
tion—with regard to the sums hitherto issued—they were
issued out of the balance in the Exchequer—sat of the Cen-
solidated Fund—and neither had there been, nor was there
to be, any contemplated issue of Ezehequer-bills to meetthnt
demand. (Hear.) But, however, it mute at the same time
be considered that when he made this propoaitinn to parliament
it was placing a considerable bur len on the finances of this
country—(hear, hear)—and, in placing this burden on the
finances of the country, he felt himself disabled from making
a proposal which he otherwi-e would have gladly made, but
which he thought would be hardly fair to the people of this
country to propose, because, when it was said, • Let the
burden be bone by the consolidated fund or the imperial
treasury and exchequer," he must always recollect that these
sums were not to be granted by government or parliament
without the most serums consideration—(hear, hear)--that
they were sums derived from the payments made by the
people of this country : what they paid on their soap, their
sugar, their tea and coffee: that it was this which formed
the surplus by which they were enabled to come to the as-
sistance of Ireland. (Loud cheers.) And while he thought
there was every disposition to do everything that was liberal
in that respect, they must consider, in justice to the people of
this country, that they bad their own difficulties and their
own privations, and that it was by their hard labour they
earned its due reward. (Continued cheering.) With re-
spect to another part of the subject, namely, the advances made
under the authority of the bud-lieutenant and the letter of
his right hon. frond, those advances having been made
to persons who wished to carry certain improvements
into efftct ou their estates, they thought it fair that the
terms proposed in the Treasury minute of the Bth of Decem-
ber should be altered, and that the re-payments, instead of
being made in 10 years should be made in 22 years. As that
was a beneficial employment of money, it would be paid
up in the same manner as any advances made under the act
of last session (as we understood.) He had now stated what
be thought they could do for present alleviation. There
was another proposition of a somewhat doubtful character,
but which upon the whole they thought they were right in
recommending to Parliament—nantely, to advance a sum
not exceeding 50,0001. to be repaid before the 31st of De-
cember, 1847, to enable proprietors to purchase seed. (Hear,
hear.) He did not think government should make the ad-
vance to the tenants because there was danger in introducing '
government as a lender of money to a great number of small
cottier tenants. I Hear.) In stating these measures he
wished at the same time to declare that he could not and
did not expect to be able, by any measures which govern.
ment might propose or parliament adopt, to ward off or to
prevent he effects of the awful visitation under which Ire-
land suffered. (Hear, hear.) It was not in the power of
man to do away with the effects of such a calamity. (Hmr,
hear.) Nor did be think that any one would impose on
them so impossible a ta-k, or ask them to make so pre-
sumptuous an attempt, were it not that he hail read in one
of the newspapers an address, signed by the Marquis of
Sligo and Mr. Moore, both most respectable persons, both
well entitled to deference on the part of their poorer country-
men. (Hear, hear.) They wrote to their fellow-country-
men—having, as was said, travelled through 27 counties, in
order to make their proposition popular,—earnestly entreat-
ing them to met at Cutlebar, on Monday next, " to demand
from parliament such steps as may insure an immediate, a
constant, and cheap supply of food for the people of the
c ninny during the famine which surrounded them, and the
famine which impended." He owned he was astonished at
such language. (Loud cheers). He was astonished tint at
a time of famine, men—educated men, who ought to lead
their countrymen—(hear, hear)—should tell them they were
to " demand from parliament such steps as may insure an
immediate, consent, and cheap supply of food." (Cheers.)
That was • task which it was impossible for them
to perform-At was • task which they ought to tell their
countrymen the visitation under which they suffered made
it impossible for man to perform—(hear)—that it was a ta-k
beyond all human power, and that all they (government)
could do, was itt some mode to alleviate the condition of the
people—somewhat to lighten the dreadful calamity which
&Mined them—to sane a part, hut not to imagine they
could tarn and convert a famine into plenty. (Loud
cheers.) But what surprised him more was, that it so hap-
pened that at that Castlehar, where the people of the sur-
rounding country were requested to meet, there was a union
workhouse which was capable of accommodating 600 per-
sona, but which at present contained only 130, the doors
being closed against any others, the guardians saying it
was impossible for them to levy the rates. (Hear, hear )
Amongst those who had not paid the rates—who had not
given that money by which the famine might, to • certain
degree, be averted, were some who, it could not but be sup-
pled, were fully able ta pay that wltich waa due from them.
(Hear, hear.) But there was a most unhappy tendency,
which he hail more than once remarked, to recommend to
others to do some vague and impossible duty—to call peon
government or parliament to do something, the practica-
bility of which had not been considered—to weer sonic
benefit that might be visionary or impossible, while
the certain practical duty of paying rates for the
sustenance of the starving men, women, and children in
the neighbourhood was totally neglected. (Loud cheering.)
While government did all that it could do, they most be as-
sisted by those who bad local duties to perform. By many-
-very many—resident proprietors in Ireland those duties
were performed. (Hear, hear.) They gave their time and
money for the benefit of their destitute countrymen. (Hear,
bear.) He would now proceed to another part of the sub-
ject. and he trusted the house would give him its attention
while he asked it to follow his propositions for those other
measures which he thought would be beneficial, not only
now, but permanently beneficial for Ireland. (Hear, hear.)
Let him observe, in the first instance, though they might
unhappily be diverted from the oMervance of general prin-
ciples with regard to those matters, that they should observe
those general principles as far as p stable, and that those ge-
neral principles prescribed this much with regard to the in-
terference of government—that this interference might bs
given in three ways, which, as far as possible, ought to be
kept separate and distinct. A government, with the sup-
port of parliament, might give assistance to individual pro-
prietors for the purpose of improving their private properties;
secondly, it might assist in public works by loans and grants
for works of evident public utility ; and, thirdly, it might
enact that relief should be given bylaw to the destitute. (Hear,
hear.) Now, those these modes ought to be kept distinct;
that was to say, where money was granted to individuals for
the improvement of their property, security should be taken
that it was not to be spent extravagantly in Paris or Naples—.
(bear, bear)—but for the purpose for which it was given.
Beyond that government should interfere as little as
possible in the private use of the money—( hear, hem)—for
instance, the borrower should be interfered with as little
es possible in compelling him to employ tenant classes of
labourers, or to conduct his works in a certain manner which
government might lay down as the best. (Hear, hear.)
Such was the principle of the first measure which he was
going to propose. It was a measure founded on various acts
passed at different times, as the drainage act of last seasion,
and the treasury minute of the Ist of December. By those
acts and this minute it was proposed that where the improve-
ment of an estate by drainage or the reelanntian of waste I
lands, would produce a certain improvement valued so that
three
-and
the
interest
tbreso f Lu°Thr
repayment
advances
in twenty-two years. They proposed to take the terms pro-

panel in the Drainage Act, and to extend those terms to
various improvements. The technical difficulties contained
in that act wookl be done away with, so es to enable the
proprietors of Ireland to borrow money for the improvement
of their estate., at three-anal-a-half per cent., to be paid ia
twenty-two years, or in a shorter time, at the option of the
borrower. According to thin plan, a great deal of employ-
ment would be given to those who would otherwise be deeti-
lute, and great advantage would he given to the peoprietors.
They proposed also with regard to public work., to consoli-
late end emend the Drainage Acts. According to those acts,
if the majority of the proprietors of a district so derided,
they might contract loans for drainage, and in that caw the
drainage was und.rtaken by the Board of Work., and earned
on under their superintendence; but that wee drainage of a
general nature, not like that which Leak place in private
eget... They proposed, therefore, to coneolidate and emend
the Drainage Acts. They proposed, likewise, on the same
princi plc, to undertake the reclamation of waste lands. (Hear.)
It had long been atoted in various reports of commissioners
and commutes of the house, and in the work. of eminent
writers, that in many cases the reclamation of waste lands
would produce profitable ernp:nytuent, and cultivated land
of great value. It way said by Sir It. Kane, in his interest-
ing work " On the Industrial Resources of Ireland," that
the estimate of 4,600,000 acre* of waste land, which might
he reclaimed and formed into cultivated land with a profit,
was not exaggerated. Now they proposed to devote
1,000,0001. to this purpose ; and if the proprietors did not
themselves improve them by the measures which he had be-
fore spoken of, and upon getting loans, thy proposed to
purchase them, if, in that case, the proprietors refused
do sell, they proposed to compel them to do so. (Hear.) The
government would take and improve the waste lands which
were below a certain value, namely, thew land+ which did
not let at more than 2e. 6,1. an acre annually. It wee pro.
jetted that land of this nature was only to he reclaimed
as far as general operations were concerned : that
roads should be made, and a general drainage
effected, but that none of the cultivation of the
land alleluia be under the direction of a public depart.
anent. (Hear, hear.) They proposed that the reclaimed
lneds should be divided into lob, which should not be below
or above a certain amount. He did not mean at present to
fix the amount, but probably it would not be heathen 2.5. or
more than 50 acne 'flee proposed either to sell or let the land
to the tens its for a number of years, with a determination
that it should likewise be sold at the end of the term. They
would either let or sell the land as they thought meat erpe-
dient in the particuler ease. He expected that a great num-
ber of persons who hail heretofore been driven to de perste=
and crime in consequence of the competition for land. would
, thus he able to earn a competent hying. He thought they
would thus raise a mill class of proprietors who might be
very industrious and independent, and form a valuable clam
of society in Ireland. (Hear, hear.) He did not be.
lieve that small holdings were an evil in Ireland, because in
the county of Armagh, and in the whole of Ulster. where the
holdings were small the people were comfortable as com-
pared with the province of Munster. He therefore thought
that, by the adoption of this plan, great advantage would be
obtained. He did not propose to bring immediately before
parliament all the measures which they had in contempla-
tion for Ireland, but he was atating the measures which he
t tought calculated to promote the improvement of Ireland
by public works, and enabling the proprietors to obtain the
means of improving their estate*. He now came to the third
elate of measures, which were simply peer relief fur tee des-
titute. At first, when prior-laws were about being ihtto.
ducal into Ireland, they thought it better not to confine
relief to any particular class of men, but to confine the relief
to workhouses. But that was not out the experience of the pre-
sent state of things; for it was their opinion formed on a
general view of the state of Ireland that the jewels., ought
to be extended more than it was. ( He should therefore
propose to bring in a bill for the more effectual relief of the
deititute poor of Ireland. (Hear, hear.) They proposed
that the guardians of the poor should be entitled to give
relief, in or out of the workhouse, at their discretion, to the
infirm, and all who were permanently disabled by infirmity.
(Hear, hear.) This would enable them to make use of the
workhouse in its proper function, as a test of destitution.-
(hew, hear)—and in the second place it would enable the
to relieve that unfortunate class of persons at their own
homes, which would be more satisfactory to the feelings of
the people. (IL ar. ) They propceed, where the workhouse
was full, that the poor-law commissioners should have
power to direct the guardians in each case to relieve the able.
bodied out of the workhouse. (Hear, hear.) Ile was ef
opinion that this power should be most etutionsly used—
(hoar, hear)—and that this workhouse should be put as a
test to the able-b 'lied ; but at the mane time they had sees
there were eases where the poor-house was insufhciant, and
did not afford sufficient accommodation. (Hear, bear.)
In cases of urgent necamitv, they proposed that food
only Annie be given. (Hear, hear.) In each eases
the relieving ofscers, who would he appointed, would have
power to give in or out-door relief, until the next
meeting of the board of euareians, when pro.
vision would be made for such caws. (Hear, hear.)
Such, therefore. was the nature of the meaner. which he
proposed immediately to introduce. There were, as he had
stated, other measures which had been, and were, under the
cenedenition of the government. With respect to the fine
clam of measures to which he had fileided, for enabling pro.
rectors to make a better use of their own property, to in-
crease their capital, and to improve their estate., the govern-
ment had under their consideration proposals to facilitate the
sale of encumbered property. There were two modes by
, which the might be done. One mode was fitunded on the
general principle of the Copyhold Act, by which, as every
one knee, private bills were pawed every year, under
which individuals Were enabled to sell certain portions of
their estates in order to pay off incurnbranees. (Hear.)
That principle might be carried into effect by a general
bill giving power to cominimioners to examine each eau, and
by another bill by which, instead of one private one,
many private bills might be sanctioned by parliament. An-
other mode am/Reece to accomplish the same object was by
application to the Come of Chancery. lie could not at that
moment pay which mode the government would finally pre-
fer, bat they had both under consideration. The
government would likewise propose a hill by which
those tenures in Ireland which were long leasehold tenures
renewable for ever might be csnverte,t into freehold.
Ho must say that, generally speaking, there was nothing in
the present unfortunate state of Ireland more injuri-
ous than the mode in which property was held, by
various tenure., and under various condition, in that
counter. Very often, the proprietor in chief had only
a small rent-charge on a very large estate ; another head
landlord having a great part of the property, there was
a lessee under him, and a middleman under the hisses ; se
that it was almost impossible to say upon whom the dieing
of the property rested. (Hear, hear.) It was a matter most
worthy of the attention of parliament, to (*wider how those
tenures might he simplified, and how they should, if posse
hlt, connect the proprietor with the tenants and the la-
bourers, in the manner in which he waeconnected with them
in England and in Scotland. (Hear, he ir.) It WWI to the
want of that connexion that he attributed the fact that, in
many teats in which frightful instances of destitution in
bind had reached the ears of the public, when inquiry had
been made who were the persons who ought to be made res-
ponsible for that destitution, or to be called upon for ite
relief, it was found impossible to fix open the partial
with whom the obligation rested. (Rear, hear.) It
was not so in England—i • wee not so in Scot-
land, where, in the most distressed diatriets,
the present moment, they found preprieton who,
though their endues were very much encumbered with
debt., hat yet such sympathy with their tenants
that they were ready at once to make themselves responsible
for large advances of money by which they might relieve
them from the calamity which was then impending. (Hear,
hear.) Under the head of public works came the subject of
fisheries, to which the government had paid attention, bet
upon which he had not at present any definite statement to
make to the house. In the ciente of the last autumn there
were many enquiries made for the purpose of obtaining de-
pots for salt and for canine, it having been found that when
there WWI a vast amount of salt, and where a much greater
amount of fish might have been caught, the people utter'
neglected this resource, and threw the fish on the land.
treated that the government would introduce a measure ou
that subject. There VIM another subject upon which he um
also unprepared to make any statement to the house, bat
upon which he knew large expectations were entertained in
Ireland, namely, the very important subject of emigration,
(Hear.) lie confessed he thought that although parliamene
might assist emigration, the extravagant expecte, ions that were
entertained *loon that head could not possibly be reale&
(Hear, hear.) It was stated by_ Sir Robert Kane, and Magee
meet truly, that if pauper families were removed they could}
never be removed in such numbers ae to produce a sensible
effect on the population. (Hear, hear.) He did no • believe
that private or public means could, according to the ordinary
amount of emigration, produce ouch en effect as to enable.
the remaining population to earn a greater amount of wages,
There was this also to be considered, that if, by some extra-
ordinary effort, you were very much to increase the ordinary
amount of emigration ; if you were to attempt to go very far
beyond the average emigration of a year -to convey, for
instance, at once, a million of persons acme. the ocean—the
question would not simply be whether or not these persona
should be in Ireland to compete with other labourers,
but you must also consider what funds, what means
there were in the countries to whirls you removed
I them from which their sulmistence could he ob►
tained. (Hear. hear.) They might be sure that if by
means of large additions to the public burdens they were to
' convey hundreds of thousands of persons to the United
States of America, the United States would justly complain
that we had cut our paupers nn their shores to he main-
tained by them, when such maintenance rested at a primary
obligation upon ourtelva. (Hear, hear.) In like manner,
he felt convinced that if they attempted to introduce hun-
dreds of thousands of persons into our colonies, the mai-
grants would find the markets glutted; the labourne. instead
of obtaining as they now did a fair amount of subsistence,
would all be competing with one another• and beggars would.
be wen throughout the towns of Nova Scotia and Canada. is
considering that subject when he held the seal of the cola-
ni.l department, although he confessed he was then disposed
to go further than he did, and the. the obstacle WWI rather
the stet, of the finances than any iedepottition to
deal with the outlive yet he did think that the best mode
by which emigration could be promoted was by takingeharge
of the emigrant, not at his present place of abode, nor at his
port of embarkation, but at the port where he should disem-•
bark in Canada, conveying him then to some field where
there would be a market for him. Accordingly, htt proposed
a grant, which had since been continued in different mune,
sometimes more and aometimeslas, by meane of which many'
very poor families had been conveyed from Quebec ter
Montreal, from Montreal to Kingston, or some of the interior
parts of West Canada, where they had been placed in a po-
sition to earn wages, and had been comfortably settled. The
amount of emigration which had been thus going on in
the past year was very large. In the year 11146•
there went to our North American colonies 31,000
persona. to the United State, 38,000, making a
total of about 90,000. In the first three quarters of 1846,