The Sun.
London, England, 1837-06-13 00:00:00

DUBLIN.-FRIDAY

" In faith and hope the world will disagree,
But all mankind's concern is charity."—POPS.
The gloomy anticipations created by the packet of this
morning—and for which the state of his Majesty's health,
as announced in your Journal of Thursday last, had in
some degree prepared us—are not calculated to remove the
calm and suspense that pervade men's minds for some
weeks past. The preparations for a development of pub-
lic opinion, partially exhibited by the recent county meet
ings of Waterford and Galway, will remain in embryo till
it shall have pleased the Almighty Disposer of Events, and
the Ruler of Kings, to intimate to his faithful subjects in
Ireland what limits he shall prescribe to the mortal career
of their beloved Monarch—William the Reformer. Nor
can the crude calumnies, and repeated denunciations of
Lord Lyndhurst against the people of this country, on Fri-
day evening, provoke such indignation as might intercept
their orisons this day for the welfare and happiness of him
whose reign has been the true epoch of practical emanci-
pation to so many millions of Irishmen. In this state of
public feeling and sentiment, it may not be amiss to direct
the attention of your numerous readers in this country and
elsewhere, to that topic of common and universal interest,
on which there is least difference of party or political opi-
nion—l mean charity towards Ireland.
It is vain to dissemble, or entertain a hope that any
great measure of practical benefit to this country, except
the Poor-law Bill, can pass the Legislature during the pre-
sent Session. It would be equally vain and mischievous to
disguise the fact, that the provisions of that Bill, though
perhaps the very best that, under present circumstances,
could be framed, are not generally acceptable. The subject
is so surrounded with difficulties that the most zealous ad-
vocates of a Poor-law regard it only as an experiment. But
is it too late to render that experiment as well adapted to
the exigencies of the times and the condition of the coun-
try as possible ? Is it not yet susceptible of amendment,
before it becomes the law of the land ? And may not
every well-intended suggestion that is offered claim the at-
tention of the Legislature ? Some delay may yet take place
before the measure receives the Royal assent, and the in-
terim cannot be better employed than in collecting the
wishes of those numerous and different classes of society
who are to be affected by its provisions.
With this view I send you the speculations on the sub-
ject of some intelligent persons in this city, which I have col-
lected within the last few days. It appears that the Represen-
tatives in Parliament (of a very considerable portion ?) of
the people of Dublin, accompanied by Mr. Fox, had an
interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer the other
day, respecting the Dublin Charities. Many persons here
are at a loss to conjecture the precise object of that inter-
view, or the nature of the Charities alluded to ; but they
hope it may be for the purpose of alleviating, as much as
possible, the assessment about to be imposed under the
Poor-law enactment. There are, no doubt, considerable
funds for charitable purposes connected with this city, that
have never been rendered executory of the intentions of
their granters. A favourable opportunity now presents
itself of having these funds inquired after and made benefi-
cial to the community at large. The Commissioners, or
other officers to be appointed under the Poor-law Bill,
should be empowered to make inquiry, and consoli-
date their amount, as far as the terms of the ori-
ginal grant will permit, with the assessment to be levied
under that Bill. Mr. Dalton, so favourably known for
his antiquatian researches and statistical knowledge of this
country, published a " Digest" some time ago, of the
various funds for charitable uses in Dublin. He showed
that nearly 20,0001. a-year, exclusive of all casual and
fluctuating funds derived from Parliamentary or other such
grants, were available to charitable purposes in this city
alone. Of that sum between 4,0001. and 5,0001. was specifi-
cally allocated for the support of the poor ; the remainder
was for education ; not, however, including the College
funds, supposed to be about 14,000/. a-year. The proper
and due appropriation of this sum amongst the poor of the
city would afford much relief, if we may judge from the
benefits conferred by the " Mendicity Institution," whose
funds no not exceed 10,000/. It is hoped that Messrs.
West and Hamilton may have suggested something on the
subject. But Mr. Dalton's researches have not been con-
fined to Dublin ; he extends them over the thirty-two
counties of this kingdom. He has, however, confined his
proofs or demonstration to Dublin, giving an account of the
object, the sum granted, the name of the granter, with the
date of the instrument by which granted, and ether obser-
vations. As to the other grants of Ireland, including the
County of Dublin, lie offers only a conjecture founded on
a hasty perusal of his manuscripts on the subject. If, how-
ever, he be correct, and from his attention to, and accuracy
in such matters, not less than from the fact of his state-
ments not being contradicted, as I can learn, though pub-
lished at the time in The Sun and in several Irish news-
papers, his assertions are eminently entitled to considera-
tion at this moment. He says that upwards of 80,0001.
a-year are available throughout Ireland for purposes simi-
lar to those proved to exist in Dublin, that is, for subsist-
ing and educating the poor. Commissioners of Inquiry
into such matters were instituted many years ago under a
Tory Government, but at the suggestion of Lord Brougham,
as we recollect, in England. Whether their labours have
compensated the expense of the appointment, I know not ;
but it is suggested that if a similar power were now given
the Poor-law officers for Ireland, it might, without any
additional costs, be productive of good. It would show
at least that Government are not disposed to lay new bur-
dens on the people of this country, without at the same
time examining into the means at present available to alle-
viate distress, and purging them of whatever abuses and
corruption length of time and an ascendant party may have
brought upon them. I have only to add, that the move-
ment of Messrs. West and Hamilton, if rightly under-
stood, is looked upon, by all parties with whom I have
conversed with on the subject, satisfactorily, it not being
supposed that they can contemplate any sectarian or exelu-
' sive object by it.