The Sun.
London, England, 1838-08-30 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

We have seen with great satisfaction Mr. O'Connell's
declaration, that, although opposed to the Irish Poor-law,
and more than doubtful of its beneficial operation, he feels
it to be his duty,. and that of every sensible and honest
man, to make every exertion to render it as popular, use-
ful, and efficient as possible. Connected with this subject
we find some very important suggestions in the Report of 1
the Irish Railway Commissioners, to which we have already
repeatedly directed the attention of our readers. In the
third part of the Report, under the head of " Circum-
stances peculiar to the present condition of the population
of Ireland," the Commissioners observe—
" The measure now before Parliament for the relief of the
Irish poor is also relied on as a means of enabling the pea-
santry to buffet and overcome the difficulties of their present
and impending position. It is not for us to canvass the
merits or probable effects of that Bill. But we ma)
observe, that an effective Poor-law must greatly assist the
object we aro considering ; and it is therefore most desir.
able that its provisions should be carried into effect
promptly and fully. It should be recollected, how-
ever, that the laa►ded interest will be taxed heavily, for the
support of the poor under that Act, and it would, therefore,
be a most auspicious introduction of so great a change in the
social state of the.country, if the pressure of that measure
were lightened lity the commencement of some works of great
magnitude which should last for a considerable time, and af-
ford employment to largo numbers of the people in various
parts of Ireland.., And if such undertakings were of a nature
evidently calculated to open new avenues to industry, and thus
hold out a reasoia:ble prospect of constant occupation, even
after the period of their completion, the anxiety which, both
on grounds of humanity and policy, must attend the adoption
of so great a changp, would be allayed, and the most for-
midable of its immediate incenvenienees be efictually ob

The suegesticin of this passag,e is eminently worthy o'
the attention otAbe Government. It is evident, from the
facts that we late already kid before the public, upon the
excellent authority of the Report from which we quote,
that the works necessary far completing the system of rail-
ways recommended by the Commissioners would serve the
double purpose of affording present employment to vast num-
b rs, and throwing open fields of profitable occupation now
inn ccsdble and almost unknown. " The immediate of
says the Report, " would be to affordextensive relief to a mos'
indigent portion of the population, and that in a manner the
most acceptable to their feelings, and the most conducive to
their moral improvement." It is admirably remarked by
Mr. Stanley, in a letter to Mr. Nicholls, " That in all the
liews of Ireland that have been placed before the empire,
there is a remarkable concurrence in attributing the poverty
which exists to the want of continuous employment for the
pop ilation." And the Report most truly is:rids, that "to
the want of coo/in/roes employment, and of adequate re-
muneration when employed, may be treed the cause not
only of the poverty of the Irish people, but in a great mea-
sure, also, of that heedless improvidence, and of those ha-
bits of lassitude and indolence which it may possib'y require
years of a better system to eradicate wholly from their
character. In the great importance of the principle aeon-
/lir:city we concur fully with the able document before us.
What is most wanting in Ireland is the formation of habits.
We have teen fle excellent effects of a continuous system
of vigerous and impartial Government in the striking progress
that has been made, in the space of three years, tow, rd
the fez matioa of habits of tranquillity and ores. r, in piece
of habits of turbulence and iryuborilination. here cam be
no doubt liut that rzstilis equally striking and equally de-
sirable would flow fro:n a fov years cootiniimei enipley-
nomt OF the 1:17-e5 people S-,111! such cal oF
d istry as the weeks re co inn:ceded by the Commissioners
seem emineetly calculetel to open. I 1 chits of ludo tr,
would unquestionably be found the best asietants and
promote:3 of habits of morality and peace. Thus the ex-
pediency of a large and judicious system of public works in
„Leyland is manifestly only a branch of the great and stater-
policy which ha; been developed in that co.intry
with eu icess so remarkable under the present patriotic
Administration. In this point of v'e An we repeat fan
hope that the Government will glee their earrmevt attention
to the enlightened suegeotiens of the Re;ort before us.
After an admirably drawn picture of the Irish peasantry,
to tati.ielt we shall hereafter reeuest the pablle attention,
the Coinmissioneri nto.st truly say, "tam it to r,ffo: d the
eepear, of present employment to Suc'e a people, and at the
saine tine lay the toundalious if their fut.ute prosperity
aed imcrovement, is surely an object iverthy of a wise nod
great nateett, and will not he epte:eeel from any narrow and
-inert-sill:toil views of economy." We sincerely trust it
will sot ; and the passage goes cn to give the cogent rea-
sons fur embarking in the great undertaking of thus im-
prov'ng the condition of the Irish people t—
in The interests. of these eanatries are so inseparably inter.
woven, that nothing which concerns one part of the I.3ritc.l
KirtOom can b.! alien from till lest. Bat it is the direct in.
terest of great Britain that Ireland should he raised, and that
as speedily as possible, from its present condition. Mr. Stan-
ley has shows:, by a very moderate calculation, that if the Irish
petsantry were placed, in point of comfort, on a par with those
of Great Britain, the result to the public reretme could bss au
rnnual incre:se of six millions in the article of excise. This
consideration alone ought to silence any objections, on the
ground of expense, against affording such public aid as may be
quired for these works ; for it gives assurance of enormous
profit upon the great contemplated outlay."
Io the appendix we find the calculations of Mr. Stanley
referred to is this passage. We extract the following :
The popul4tion of England and Wales in 1831, the pciiod
of the last census, having been 13.899,675, and there havincr
been, in 1835, 79,181 dealers in tea, which is now consumed
by ail classes in the United Kingdom capable of purchasing
it—lreland, to be on a parity with England in this respect,
should have had, in 1835, 47,000 dealers in tea, instead of
12,203 ; her population in 1831 having been 7,734,365.
" The population of Scotland having been in 1831 only
2,365,930 a little more than one- sixth of the copulation of
England, while the dealers in tea licensed therer in 1e35
amounted to 13,396—a little more than one-sixth of the num-
ber in England and Wales, it follows that Scotland in this re-
epeet maintains a parity of condition with Englarei ; and that
the trade in tea is a fair test of the circumstances of the popu-
lation of the United Kingdom.
" Ireland's disparity of condition, as compared with Scot-
land, is such that her excise is 6,000 0001. under the amount
she would be capable of paying if her population were in equal
circumstances with the Scottish population."
We will close the present article with one more extract
frone the Report, earnestly soliciting the reader's best atten-
tion to it. The appeal which it contains to the obvious
interests of the people of Great Britain cannot be too
widely circulated or too anxiously weighed. These are the
views of Ireland which it is pleasing and generous to enter-
tain and to propagate. How different from those which the
Tories and their reckless organs delight in spreading
through the empire, fomenting discord between two coun-
tries which nature has joined in the closest ties of physical
and moral relationship, libelling and defaming one, and im-
poverishing and depressing both :
On prudential considerations alone, then, we should not
hesitate to recommend an immediate and liberal attention to
the claims of Ireland for assistance, which cannot be con-
ferred in any shape more likely to prove beneficial than by en-
couraging public works of extensive and permanent utility.
It is a waste of the public available resources to suffer so large
a portion of the empi?•o to lie fallow, or leave it to struggle, by
slow advances and with defective means, towards its own im-
provement, when the judicious aid of the State might quickly
;make it a source of common strength and advantage.
The policy of rendering such assistance is unquestionable.
It is acknowledged to ba necessary towards a colony, and must
be coosidered more so in the case of the United Kingdom,
comprehended within its domestic boundaries, where neither
the land nor the population can continue to be useless without
being hurtful at the same time, and nearly in the same degree.
leooking, therefore, at the proposition as a mere esti-
mate of profit and loss, the balance is clearly in fa-
vour of a prompt and liberal encouragement, on the part
of the Legislature, to whatsoever tends manifestly to call
into action tile, great powers and capabilities of this fine
country. In even 7 instance where such encouragement has
been afforded, even in the construction of a common road,
the returns to the State in improved revenue have more than
repaid the public outlay ; and, viewed in this light, public as-
sistance, well directed and appLed with judgment and eco-
nomy, is in effect a beneficial expenditure of capital, similar
in kind to that which a provident lanalerd makes for the im-
provement of his estate. The only measuae of both should
be the assurance of an adequate remuneration.
" It were easy to show from the actual state of Ireland that
the moral results which may reasonably be expected to flow
from an improvement of its social condition should suffice,
evert on the low ground of concomitant financial advantages,
to fix the attention of the Legislature upon this subject. We
need but rifer to the burdensome and costly establishments
of soldiery and police which are necessarily maintained for the
preservation of
peace and order, and which, in a really whole-
some state of society, might be greatly reduced.
Bet," the Commtostoners forcibly and eloquently con.
elude, " there are other considerations, equally importing
the general welfare, and
being whiciAf. it is more pleasing to dwell
a g-reat and
nerosity eed lae
upoe, as more worthy o
tion_considerations of justice, of ge,nli ofgh t
anelib , rsl
a
ilci,sua:ie non of
rationc ur es:sr:eta:
concern for the improveme,ntcoantsildecriavti
men. In attending to suer)
faithless or blind to her own hestta:en3dfodreEarnegstlainnteirnestthse;
parnod,
were there no commercial advan.
jects which we submit for adoption',
ineolrieafnfyroimwotmheisheeo,Tvyacctouial.l
.enefit to the public treasury, or of
tri'outions which the unsettled state tins
certainty
irnenldreelrainnod anullity extracts from it, yet the cer
country pros; Brous, and diffusing. thefloklei:(s)liND„ of peace and
industry. with their attendant fruits o
culture amongst its people, ought, as We biaer3aVienoanddouubmotraiti
emuld, be cons,ereel an ample recoolPensc'--411°1.1ill'i
Chronicle. g
The extraordinary etaf.einent PF lime First k-
Lord it L.
.Admiralty in rt ply to the obstrvafio.:l of the Du
Nell;ngton on the 1-Ith instant., with ret.e;','"ce to
maul defence,, compels us to lay before the pubic g o'&en
of the real strengthen of our marine as compared with that.
of Foreiaa States. It would appear from the official ae-
r.ounts of the navies of Russia, France, and Egypt, the only-
ouggrvs.si've Powers in Europe, that a Reece of at least tit)