The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-24 00:00:00

THE BRAZILIAN DIFFICULTY.

Mr. BRIGHT, in the absence of the noble lord at the
head of the Government, would beg to ask the Secretary
for the Home Department whether the decision of the Bing
of the Belgians, with regard to the difference with Brazil,
had been forwarded to the Government of this country ;
and, if so, whether there is any objection to lay it upon the
table of the house.
Sir G. GREY—Perhaps my hon. friend will be good
enough to put his question upon the notice paper for
Thursday.
LANDLORD AND TENANT (IRELAND).
Mr. MAGUIRE proposed a resolution to the effect—That
inasmuch as the measures of 1860, intended as a final settle-
ment of the claims of the Irish tenant, had proved to be
wholly inoperative, and inasmuch as the present condition
of Ireland required the special attention of Parliament, with
a view to the adoption of wise and salutary laws, which
might stimulate industry and protect the enjoyment of its
fruits, an address be presented to her Majesty, praying her
to issue a royal commission to inquire into and report upon
the state of the agricultural classes in Ireland, and to sug-
gest such improvements in the relations between landlord
and tenant as might seem necessary and expedient. The
hon. member observed that the agrarian disturbances and
distressed condition of Ireland were sometimes attributed to
the religion of the majority of the people, and at others to
the existence of a religious establishment, which was the
Church of the minority ; but in his opinion the seat of the
evil was rather to be traced to the present state of the law
of landlord and tenant, and the object he had in view was

to do for the Irish tenantry that which had already been
done in this country, and provide security for the enjoy-
ment by the tenant of the improvements he might have
effected, and the adoption of an equitable law to induce him
to put forth his energies, his industry, and care in the cul-
tivation of the soil.

The motion was seconded by Mr. BAGWELL and sup
ported by Mr. BRADY.

Sir E. GROGAN denied that the existing state of Ireland
had anything to do with the law of landlord and tenant,
which, in fact, were identical with the law of England,
where it worked well. Ireland had just passed through a
succession of three bad harvests, and he believed that the
real cause of what was permanent in the evils she suffered
was to be found amongst the people and their teachers, and
the existence of illegal associations with objects adverse to
the interests of the landlords.

Mr. ROEBUCK said that the mention of tenant right in
that house would always be viewed with distrust byEnglish
members. He suggested, as the best means of meeting the
difficulty, that the landlord and tenant should be free to
make what contract they pleased, but in case they omitted
to do so then the law would step in and regulate what the
outgoing tenant should receive and what the incoming
tenant should pay.

Sir G. COLTHURST argued that the law of 1860, re-
ferred to in the motion, went far enough, and that it could
not have been carried farther without affecting the rights of
property. The great evil connected with the land of Ireland
was the small size of the holdings, the occupiers of which
invariably suffered distress on the recurrence of an adverse
season, It was of this class of people that the great body
of the emigrants from Ireland chiefly consisted.

Sir R. PEEL admitted the importance of the question,
but contended that not a single argument had been adduced
to justify the house in accepting the motion of the hon.
member for Dungarven and disturbing the existing relations
between landlord and tenant. There was no doubt that dis-
tress prevailed in Ireland, and that the land tenure there was
not what it was desirable that it should be, but he protested
against the Irish people being told that it had produced
their ruin. The proper way of dealing with a people who
were suffering from the dispensations of Providence was
to endeavour to awaken the spirit of hope in their breasts,
by showing them that returning prosperity would re-
place them in that position which their energy, industry,
and perseverance entitled them to occupy. He regret-
ted that the bill of 1860 had proved inoperative, and he
could only say with regard to the future that he should
not be indisposed at the proper time to consider whether
further legislation in the same direction might not be
attempted.

The debate was continued by The O'Donoghue, Mr.
O'Reilly, Mr. Cardwell, Mr. Scully, Mr. Hennessy, and
Mr. Blake.

Lord PAL NIERSTON said the British Government had
done all it could to promote the security of property in
Ireland, and he had no hesitation in saying that it was quite
as secure, and that life was even more secure, in that coun-
try than in England—because in Ireland there were not
those social crimes which, he regretted to say, too often
disgraced the character of the people in England. The
evils of Ireland in past days were to be traced in a great
measure to the system of middlemen, to a redundant popu-
lation, and to the minute division of holdings. He was
happy to say that the two former of these evils had
greatly diminished, and there was reason to believe that
the prosperity of the country would be restored upon the
return of productive harvest. In his opinion the best course
to be adopted as between landlord and tenant was to give
them full liberty to settle their own affairs without legis-
lative interference—and speaking as a landlord, he would
ask what right had any tenant to come to him and say that
it was his intention to effect certain improvements, whether
it was advantageous and whether he wished it or not. He
regretted that the act of 1860 had not been carried further.
Its intention was to enable the tenant to make improve•
ments on his holding—but what improvements could a
tenant with 10 or 15 acres be expected to make ? Why, the
only improvement in his power was to dig up the stones
and render the land more available for the plough.
After a few words from Col. GREVILLE in support of the
motion,

Mr. MAGUIRE replied, and
The house divided. The numbers *ere—
For the motion
Against it l2B
Majority against.. 79
MALT DUTIES.

Sir F. KELLY moved for a select committee to con..
eider the effect of the malt duties upon the cultivation and
price of barley, and upon the manufacture and price of malt
and liquors; also upon the application of malt to the food of
cattle and sheep.
Col. BARTTELOT seconded the motion, and urged that
much more barley would be grown in the country if the
malt tax were reduced.
Mr. COBBE TT supported the motion.

The CHANCELLOR a the EXCHEQUER acceded
to the motion, but denied that the tax on malt was exces-
sive.

The motion, which was amended at the instance of the
right hon. gentleman, was agreed to after some conversa-
tion.

WESTMINSTER NEW PALACE.
On the motion of Mr. TITE, a select committee was ap-
Pointed to inquire into the approaches of the New Palace of
Westminster.
QUEEN'S COLLEGE, CORK.
Mr. HENNESSY moved for a copy of all depositions
and communications relating to the burning of the Queen's
College. Cork.
Sir R. PEEL opposed the motion.
The house divided, when the motion was negatived by
34 to 14.
The London Diocese, the Land Drainage, the Provisional
Orders, and the Enclosure (No. 2) Bills were read a third
time and passed.
The other orders were disposed of, and the house ad-
journed.

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