The Express.
London, England, 1849-02-16 00:00:00

IiIOM yarics AT LOND974 BRIDO7I.

SW D. —Maniac SI oda put 7; Attsmon, II tem put P.
10.10000•1• —7losolog, OW. prt I. Aftesseek 119 W. PA 7.

LONDON, FRIDAY, FEB. 16.

THERE is no longer any room for doubt that the
principle of a maximum rate in each locality in
Ireland will form a leading feature in the legislative
emendations of the poor law. As we were the first
(on this Bide of the channel) to advocate the necessity
and policy of such a principle, we gladly take the
earliest opportunity of announcing its adoption on the
part of those who have a voice potential in the matter.
When first enunciated by us as an indispensable
preliminary to the re-investment of capital,
and the resumption of labour in the regions
which now lie unimproved and not half cultivated,
the organs of the government were loud in their de-
nunciations of the change. First the landlords were
abused en masse as swindling defaulters and inhuman
foes to every description of relief. Then the priests
were held up to execration as insatiable cormorants of
English grants and aids. Then the peasantry were
exhibited, like vermin in a microscope, all their fail-
ings and blemishes being magnified beyond every
proportion of either truth or nature to gratify the
morbid appetite for striking objects of horror and dis-
gust. Finally, the whole Irish nation were held up
to scorn and hatred; and the failure of the clumsy
and inadequate act of 1847 was explained in the
flippant phrase7That " the Irish are an impossible
People."
But, after all, the force of truth and reason has
prevailed over even the conceit and blindness of the
doctrinaires of the Treasury. Government have de-
cided upon proposing to limit the direct rating upon the
property of each electoral division in Leland
during one year to the sum of ss. in the pound.
When this amount shall be insufficient to provide
for the wants of the poor in the division, the
union must be called upon to contribute to a
certain extent by a union rating, of two shillings
in the pound. Any excess of expenditure en the
union beyond this is to be borne by a rate on all the
rateable property throughout Ireland, and this national
rate is not to exceed the sum of sixpence in the pound
in any one year. In case these rates should all prove
insufficient, there is no farther provision in the
scheme, and we presume anything beyond this must
be left till the difficulty shall arise.
It is not necessary for the ss. to be paid before ap-
plication is made to the union rate. The rate lad
must amount to 64., but when it is collected as far as
it can be, then, although the whole sum to which the
ss. rate should amount has not been collected, the
commissioners are t 3 be empowered to order the levy
of a rate upon the union at large. An electoral divi-
sion may not have paid morethan two or three shillings
in the pound on its whole property, and yet, under
this arrangement, a union rate may be ordered.
The amount levied by the national rate u to be at
the disposal of the Irish Poor Law CoMmikeionetl4
and they are to be empowered to make the neeemetY
grants from it to the impoverished miens. The
commissioners are also to be allowed to make grants
purposes of emigration in certain came i and rata,

11

'resift emigration, may be levied for a pnird
to be fined. my for five years to coma, sot to sassed
is ate era year two shillings and salmon the '
These emigration funds are osly to be
eztieaded in sedating. emigrants to some Brit
when nuud and . managed by the_
of any 'operate union.. to. say part el
at71;o71:1 to which the parties emigrating to
go. We understand also that the eniedinioners will
set be allowed to snot a larger
_stun to or be say
emigrant that wouM have paean have maintained
bin as a pauper for one year.
_With regard to arrears
d rata sad be laud left anoultivated, it b IRTosed
that the guardians shell have power to remit arrears
is any ease where land has been lying waste or en-
'salivated for a period of twelve soothe, is order
that taints may not be deterred from l
'salvation by tbe burden of wean e1=1174%
may be laid upon them.
'k last is by far the most eldeetneable pert of
the sasses, and it is mai.* that if the esetern
half at Inland be called epos to contribute to a
seamed rake in aid for the west, sway guanstos
aught to be given that the fell amount at both the
antacid &Allow:no, and d the maims-rat% sheuil
first be cellested. To allow the beanie amber&
of Mayo and Clare to evade mamma el their IWti-
as burdens, now that the Mel animmt of 60111.
b to be limited and Use. would be =par-
doable folly and to permit them le throw soya-
den of that tly evaded burden ages r
thriftier ad beserlis neighbours if Lister ad Ill-
atm would he the Might of inks**. We have king
entertained the essvietica that a pewee to sell as ade-
quate puska d !behold nab is die/barge of poo.r
rates, whoa tog have reunited Ise a /Main time in
arrear will be fund indispensable to the sound and
equitable working of the law. At present, there is
ems law for the petulant and another for the peer. The
peer man's core and cattle are sold if he fails to
his rates ; nay, the very. bed on which his
sleep, end the il'Oa Fat 111 which their frugal meal is
Bed, is taken wtthoat scruple in discharge of this
debt Its to the support of the destitute. The noble
defaulter laughs at the law, and sets its
powers at defiance. He is not primarily liable except
fer the rates assessed on holdings under 4!. yearly
talne,and of thesehe is taking care to lessen the num-
ber every day. In the course of the last three years
there has been &diminution in this deuxiption of tene-
ments to the number of 171,000, sad a proportionate
benne of those of larger size and higher value. For
these the tenants in irateession are solely liable, their
only remedy against the landlord for his share being
by deducting the amount from the next pay-
ment of rent. Many proprietors, however, have
taken large Tantities of land into their
own bands, chiefly with the view of turning
it into pasture. Sooner than abate the rent they
have hitherto been accustomed to remise, they peke
to allow the soil to lie idle and recover its prodestive
strength. They pat no stock upon it, but suffer it to
run into grass. By-and-by it will repay them by its
recruited futility ; but, meanwhile, it practically
serapes the poor-rates, for the law does not enable the
guardians to "ell it, and there is nothing upon it to
Nan in execution of a process of law. This Is a cry-
ing evil, and mad be rectified without delay.

meeting of the subscribers to the Bt. Ann's
/ads* Meek held yesterday, and of which we give
$ imbue, appears to have been as neatly
as assembly we were ever present at. On
osoaaliu the doses of the room have been care-
lay gulled, lei nen bat subscribers admitted. On
Ibis semi* then were (es a gentleman present was
alb to ascertain) a large number of persons intro-
dosed to overawe sad drown the voice of the subseri-
bsre. It is net Masa to essemst for this. The
rase appears to bars been taken op es ems of a
emend sets. by the eseusitise and their silken, sad
tabus tees treated aseerdingly. Mr. Bitewersi, the
well-paid printer to the committee, is brought Simard
to act as their advocate, and la histories tones trios
to create a diversion by putting the wasting upon a
wrong scent. He mimed. in trailing a red-herring
serum their path, and they go off in a moment into a
series of personal squabbles, very far away, indeed,
from the real matters for consideration. Now, this is
exactly the trap which we have been striving ow-
timely to guard the subscribers against falling into.
la all oar observations on the society, the matter has
been treated none of pub& importance, and it was
our earnest object to clench this consideration so lest-
My as possible on Wednesday, by repeating all the
Aeries of mismanagement which we have felt it
necessary to make against this society. Looking
at the gravity of those charges the commit-
tee have dons wisely in avoiding the ;eel Urns. Not
one word do they dare to say as to the scandalous
aimpprepriation of their fonds—not one word u to
thesseiterof bought-in children upon their books—not
Me wend ea to the general system of mismanagement
wide boo bees alleged against them. The Rev. Dr.
Psonsesoon told them that "the investigation
tismanded was one from which no man of conscious
Mirky would shrink.* Yet they do shrink
Sim it; they evade it by every possible means—they
Ms it at every hazard—at a escrilice of character
es regards themselves, and to the great and manifest
Way of the institution they are associated to
=Mat
Anus ether attempts to divert the meeting from
the Wild woo as moan endeavour to fix epos
mot one who, it meow "writes foe the Daily
Nam" a personal feeling, arising oat of tome
jesktryisg by the society, who refused the admis-
leer ri a child on the ground that it we a
wish tee aid. We regret that any one " who writes
kr the Dap Nom" should ever have been slily
anegh to try to get a child elected. But to have
d as so and to have failed is clearly an insufficient
semen ,for taking the trouble we have taken to ex-
pose this institution ; especially as there en floor 90
embeppy individuals in this predicament at every re-
igning election. However, to dispose of the natter.
dm Daily New disclaims the charge. The ridiculous
obiwashie of the Imputation, indeed, seems to have
bees felt by the meal,* As Alderman WILSON
mid, it is rolt to find a precedent for such an in-
sinuation, bawd ea a foudation so palpably deficient.
But, in their extremity, people of this sort will catch
at any straw.
But we will not follow the example of the meeting
and be betrayed into personal squabbles whilst per-
forming a duty to the p üblio and the cause of charity.
Farewell to the integrity of charitable institutions if
• case so se that of the fit. Ann's Society is to be
Who will confide in them ? who can
sebscribe to them with any satisfaction ? It is *sr
that they mast sink in public credit, and that their
sebeeripfSaa lists must decline together with their

ROLL/ CID.
THE OPENING OF THE CHAMBERS.
TIES HAGUE, FEB. 14.—His Marty. mom-
palled by the Primes, quitted the dace at one
deist& A salute of artillay announced the depar-
tan of his Majesty. The streets were denaely
, and his Majedy was everyw
here re-
, the most liveiy manifestations of respect
Mid lam Oa his arrival at the palace of the States.
OMMeal, him Majesty was received and introduced to
Ilan Assembly by the committee appointed for that
by the two united chambers. His Majesty
LliZsasemiled the throne, pronounced the following
daemons
Osatlead_ men, members of the Mot sod woad chambers of
die liWee.usaw--I:lonformably with that whisk is pre-
seribed- is, Om rolotal law, the emboss of the two
ehmaten of the flestierGeneral, which have edited up to
this day, is at tbie mement aosomplished. The two atm-
atm dam Wadessiss of the modified feadamastal law,
have aided me abbess mod esaeleatioas ewe sad they 11
deserve our shame. rehab fee die amieteara' whisk they
have always readmed tie up to the sew era soma
*which we this da eater. Gealismala. ffiYer Ile
muds *aware to y see resembled around me mow
@Matisse ef the nation whieb has proved by the meat
ellestiems harem estimatioa of the value of its tali
dolts, and Its Area resolve to eery then out with
and ia • tree spirit of order. Ton, gentlemen, wilk,
pesenaded, sale the same spirit; animated by medusa mei.
esempt teem way prejwliu I yen will net in awes with
SIP Sir t e welfare of oar conntry. I retake to be able
weasels to yes that • good understaadiag is sun muds.
Wald witk the other powets, noteetbstandisig the maw
tar and eon wbith have d-nlat a psi
oset alorope. The apilom of the dually of Liettsorg with
Woo corm cis Coof.d r.tiott hate given tire to seem
whieb by adhering to t'.• iteatlos I hypo to gm, I
Tisoipalti sad paitlis ceder have uevertMleselella
naintaised la the doay. The easy km wepetsta *Otis
=dadaist of tide molt Is a
oat I mutat retrain trots =know the lush
a fees ?modeled there and sieswhae. hem the miens
mob whisk took place last year rendered it to
..„(,...st the stay, oat augmentation, ma well asistslasMi•
station whisk wee submnasatly sradumily introduced, proved