The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-31 00:00:00

vernment, intrusted with the destinies of the country, does
not take steps to keep the remnant of the Irish people in
their own land, then not only does it deserve to forfeit the

confidence of the nation, but it fails in the great end of al

government, the preservation and welfare of the people.

Mr J. F. MAGUIRE, M.P., seconded the resolution. He
recommended that this movement should be followed up

by the people of Ireland and by their representatives in

Parliament. He was satisfied, who had himself maintained

,he fight for twelve years in Parliament, that before two

years have passed they would find the Government, if not
yielding to the proposa' male to them, coming forward and
proposing this measure of justice, which alone would satisfy
the people. He cordially agreed with those who had pre-
ceded him that the Established Church in a Roman Catholic

country is an anomaly—a blot upon their boaited civil and
religious freedom, and the cause of heart-burninge, strife,
_ _

and disunion. As to the education question, nothing could
be more disheartening or absurd than to see in the House
of Commons, session after session, as he had seen for the
last 12 years, one Minister of the Crown proposing a vote
for a denominational system of education in England, and

another coming forward to propose a vote for a mixed system
in Ireland. Upon the education questiOn the Government
was shaky, and all that was required was a strong pressure
of public opinion, in order to have justice done. But the
land question was one of life and death to the Irish people.
It was a question of salvation or of ruin, They wanted a
law that would prevent any hindrance being offered to the
agricultural or manufacturing interests of the people. This
country is dependent for support upon the products of the
land. If agriculture prospers, the people prosper; if it is

depressed, the people are depressed ; and if it fail, they
perish. Ireland is not one half cultivated ; he might go
further and say it is not one quarter cultivated. It was said

that the cause-was want of capital by the fanners. He yen•

tured to complain that it was not want of capital, but want
of security. They wanted leases, but how were they to gel
them ? He did not believe the Government would compe
landlords to give leases, but they could manage it by taking
away the power of distress from landlords who would not
give 30 years' leases to the tenants. But that was not all.
They wanted compensation to stimulate the industrious
tenant. (Applause.)
Dr KEAN'T, Roman Catholic Bishop of Cloyne, proposed
the next resolution--" That the enactment of a law securing
compensation to improving tenants would promote more
amicable relations between landlord and tenant, and would
lead the latter to respect the law which he now (with too
much reason) regards as yartial and oppressive. That no
class would derive more advantage from such an enactment
than the proprietors of the soil, who, more than all others,
are interested in social stability and order, in the improve-
ment of agriculture, and in the growth of national wealth
and prosperity." He said—All writers admit that the soil
of Ireland is richer than that of several countries, whose
inhabitants are, however, better fed, better housed, and
better clothed than the Irish. For this strange anomaly
there must be a cause. The area of Ireland is set down at
twenty million acres in round numbers, of which, making
allowance for water, towns, and cities, about four million
acres aro waste, and about fourteen million acres are under
cultivation. Of the wastes there are extensive districts,
which, though now producing only coarse mountain grass
and wild heather, may be easily reclaimed--and of the cul-
tivated land there aro few acres on which the annual value
of the crops may not be raised. Suppose the annual value
of the crops raised in Ireland, exclusive of live stock, to be
any figure you please, from 40 millions to 80 millions ster-
ling. Now, no one in the slightest way acquainted with the
agriculture of the country will refuse to admit that, com-
pared with other countries, it is in a very imperfect state,
and that were the productiveness of the soil to bo raised to
its highest attainable development, the annual value of the
crops may be doubled, according to some; or according to
others, increased by a third, a fourth, or at least a fifth,
Here is at once, on the lowest calculation, at a loss to the
country of eight millions a year. (Hear.) It has been truly
said that protection will convert the rock into a garden, and
that without protection the garden will become a waste,
Now, if the improving tenant bo encouraged to attack the
wastes under the full conviction that he is to reap the fruits
of his own industry, skill, and capital, what may be the
additional value that may be raised from districts at pre-
sent comparatively barren ? Would it not be rather over
than under £1 an acre i (Rear, hear,) Behold, then, a
second class of four millions a year, making with the eight
already mentioned a total of twelve millions, of which the
country is annually deprived. And it should be remem-
bered that this large sum is not likeNso much gold taken
out of an Australian or Californian mine, which when once
emptied cannot be replenished, but is the reward of patient
industry and judicious skill, which in increasing propor-
tions annually reproduces itself. (Rear, hear.) Here is
the question of questions, the great vital question on which,
in whatever way the insult of a Protestant establishment
may affect the honour, or mixed education endanger the
faith of the Irish people, their temporal welfare is truly
said to depend. Why not, then, open the rich mine of
wealth so near the surface ? (Cheers.) Why not unlock
a treasure so accessible? Why is not the golden stream
allowed to spread its waters throughout the country, and
scatter the abundance of its riches among the remotest
homesteads? (Loud cheers.) Hence I say to the landlords
of Ireland, " Commence without delay—reclaim the wastes
—increase the productiveness of the badly cultivated dis-
tricts—secure the nation an addition of twelve millions to
its yearly income, and the people will bless your efforts and
admire your success," (Loud cheers.) But the landlords
cannot do it. Neither will their insufficient numbers nor
their social position fit them for so arduous a task. It is in
the tenants, who, found everywhere and inured to labour,
aro prepared with willing minds and strong arms to com-
mence immediately, it only a fair share of tire fruits of
their labour be guaranteed to them. (Cheers.) In want of
security is to be found the secret of the tenant's unwilling.
ness to improve, and of the imperfect cultivation and con-
sequent impoverishment of the country. Let compensation
be once secured for improvements which add to the letting
value of the land, and which, without the tenant's labour,
would not exist, and in an incredibly short time the work
of national regeneration will begin to be felt. Whatever
engineering skill may be required for the flat districts of
the broad Shannon and its tributaries, it is certain that the
bountiful band of the Creator has already placed within reach
of the tenantry easy means of execution in the undulating
surface of the soil. From the mountains of Antrim to the
cliffs of Donegal, through the beautiful glens of Connemara,
Clare, Kerry, Cork, and Waterford, till you come by the
classic vales of Wicklow to the gates of Dublin, everywhere
hill, slope, valley, mountain, stream, and widening river,
offer to all drainage waters an easy discharge and outflow to
the ocean. There is not a county, nor a barony, nor a parish,
nor a ploug,hland, in which remunerative employment may
not be fount in abundance for the thousand of young men
and young women who, as fine speeimens of the human
race as ever s'eppecl on board an emigrant ves=el, full of lire,
of Et eagth, end of health, of strong faith, end of spotless
virtue, arc oblig, d, at the risk of everything they he'd dear
in this world and in the next, to seek- for work and for a
home among strangers. (Hear, hoar ) Better would it be
r the country and for the government to make them use-
ful, happy, and cont sited on the land of their birth than to
see them departing, their hearts overflowing with burning
;nd:gaaticii, tbe'r minds full of b:tter enmity, their lit
uttering d:flaut words of future vengeance against the
people who, having invaded, conquered and oppr eared, still
continue to misgovern and to neglect their beloved Ireland.
(" Hear," and cheers) Clear and unanswerable as is the
case, it has its difficulties. The first difficulty comes from
England, the secon I from the landlords, and the third from
yourselves. You are told by England to make your land
contracts between owners and tenants as she does herself.
Now, between the two countries there are enormous dif-
ferences, which, on a practical question of this nature, can-
not be lest sight of. England has trade, while in Ireland
the land question is one of life and death. In England the
landlord builds the dwelling-houses and offices, and
hands over the firma in ready working order, whereas in
Ireland the tenant gets only the raw material, In England