The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-06 00:00:00

THE IRISH " CONFERENCE."

The remnant of the " Tenant League" assem-
bled in conference on Tuesday at their rooms in
Beresford-place. The attendance was tolerably
numerous, and comprised the average sprinkling of
Roman Catholic priests, and the following mem-
bers of Parliament Tristram Kennedy (who
acted as chairman), Mr. Serjeant Shee, Mr. G. H.
Moore, Mr. Lucas, Mr. Potter, Mr. Duffy, Colonel
Greville, Mr. George Bowyer, Mr. Swift, Mr.
Fox, Mr. M'Mahon, Mr. Magan, Mr. P. O'Brien
—just 13 out of the once potential brass band of 60
performers. Mr. Sharman Crawford was also pre-
sent, and the Presbyterians of Ulster were repre-
sented by Dr. M'Knight, the editor of the Banner,
and the Rev. Mr. Rogers. The proceedings
occupy no less than 17 columns of the Freeman's
Journal, so that any attempt at aliridgment would
1 • utterly futile. It must, therefore, suffice to
remark that the " deliberations" closed in a regu-
lar " row" between north and south, which is thus
reported :
Mr. Lucas and Mr. M‘Knight were the leading bell

gerents. The former, in the course of a lengthened
discourse, commented upon the conduct of Sir John
Fitzgerald, in reference to his ♦otes in support of Minis-
ters, and contrasted the hon. baronet's acts in the
House of Commons with the pledges and professions of
the members who were returned to Parliament by the
ii,fluence of the Tenant League and the tenant farmers.
After some slight sparring, Mr. Bowyer moved an
amendment to the first resolution, to the effect that,
instead of the word " Cabinet," the word " Govern-
ment " be inserted.
(The original resolutions passed by the conference in
September, 1852, were as follows :—" Resolved-1.
That no Tenant-right Bill which does not fully embody
the principles of Sharman Crawford's Bill can be satis-
factory to the country. 2. That it is the unanimous
opinion of this conference that it is essential to the pro-

per management of this cause that the members of Par-
liament who have been returned upon tenant-right prin-
ciples should hold themselves aloof from and indepen-
dent of any and every Government that would not make
Sharman Crawford's Bill a Cabinet measure.")

Colonel GREVILLE, M.P., thought that such an alter-
ation would be fatal to the tenant-right question.
Serjeant SHEE, M.P., remarked that if they unani-
mously agreed to change the word "Cabinet " to the
word " Government " they would be regarded as plainly
intimating to all opposed to them that they were not in
earnest. (Hear.)
Dr. M'KNIGRT seconded the amendment. At the con-

ference of September, 1852, he and his friends from the
nerdh were almost solitary in their opposition to the re-
solutions then proposed, and they now had the pleasure
to hear the same policy recommended by the hon. gen-
tleman (Mr. Bowyer), who represented the borough of
Dundalk. (Hear.) A party like theirs ought to be in-
dep3ndent of the Government ; but he objected to the
system of dragooning men into sitting on a particular
side of the House of Commons. (Hear.)
Mr. J. M. CANTWELL said that if they made the
alteration suggested by Mr. Bowyer they would imitate
the wisdom of Ulster, but they would likewise become
the disgrace of mankind. (Hear, and cheers.)
Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD said, he had spoken so often
upon the subject in the House of Commons that some
persons were in the habit of calling his tenant bill "Shar-
man Crawford's craze." Now, however, the question had
fallen into the hands of a British lawyer of distinction (Ser-
jea,nt Shee), and it had ceased to be termed "the craze"
of may man. (Hear.) With regard to the question be-
fore the conference, he was of opinion that they ought
not to alter any resolution to which they had formerly
pledged themselves. (Hear, and cheers.) He thought
it highly expedient that when men bound themselves by
pledges, those pledges ought to be clearly defined, and
that it shouid not be placed in the power of any person
to say that a man had broken his pledge when he devi-
ated from its liberal interpretation. (Hear, hear.) The
learned gentleman concluded by observing that the
point which he admired most in the Government bill
was, that it gave compensation for improvements, unli-
mited as to time or amount. (Cheers.)
After some further discussion,
Mr. POTTER, M.P., expressed a hope that, after what
had fallen from Mr. Crawford, it would be better for
Mr. Bowyer to withdraw his amendment, which was
calculated to disturb the harmony of the proceedings.
Mr. BOWYER said that, after the appeal made to him
by Mr. Potter, he could not hesitate to withdraw the
amendment.

Mr. LUCAS objected to the withdrawal of the amend-
ment, because, by putting it from the chair, the mean-
ing of the words " Cabinet " and " Government" would
no longer remain in a state of doubt or uncertainty.
The CHAIRMAN had some hesitation in putting to the
vote an amendment which would warrant a departure
from the original resolutions of the conference, and he
did so now only because it appeared to be the greatest
desire of the meeting.
The amendment was then put, and almost unanimosly
adopted.
The Rev. Mr. ROGERS then moved another amendment
to the original resolutions, which was as follows :
" Resolved—That this conference reaffirm their adherence
to the principles of Mr. Sharman Crawford's Bill, and
resolve to use every legitimate effort, in and out of Par-
liament, to have grafted on the Tenant Improvement
Compensation Bill, which, on the recommendation of the
Government, passed the house last session, all the es-
sential principles of that measure."
After a long and stormy discussion,
The Rev. Mr. O'SHEA said, it was only a claptrap
amendment, intended for a purpose in the north.
Dr. M'KNIGIIT repelled the imputation of motives
which had been made, and threatened to retaliate by ex-
posing the conduct of some of the supporters of the
tenant-right cause ; among others, a certain gentleman
who went to the Chief Secretary of Ireland to induce him
to withdraw any legislation on the subject this session.
Mr. DUFFY then rose to reply to the statement of Dr.
M'Knight, and read passages from a report and articles
in the Banner of Ulster, which he said contained the
grossest imputations upon members of Parliament then
in the room, charging the Irish Independent party with
endeavouring to thwart the carrying of the bills last year.
Mr. Duffy proceeded to deny the truth of certain state-
ments in reference to the conduct of Mr. Lucas and
others of the party upon the discussion of the bills of
last session. In one of the latest numbers of the Banner
of Ulster Dr. Mginight khad said that "certain chosen
leaders of the party had carried their zeal so far as
secretly to urge upon the Government the policy of
abandoning the measure." (Confusion.) Mr. Duffy, in
strong terms, characterised those statements as gross
calumnies.

Dr. M'KNIGHT, amid loud cries of " Spoke, "
Chair," "Divide," and other manifestations of unwil-

lingness to hear him, claimed the opportunity of replying
to the observations of Mr. Duffy, and, through the in-
tervention of Serjeant Shee having at length obtained a
hearing, proceeded to say that he had come there firmly
determined, unless provoked, not even to make allusion
that might be the means of raising dissensions, but he
had
forward
ii o long t
involving
his veracity.
verae
ty.
Not matm et
reerlsybrought
Nation, but elsewhere, his motives had been impugned
by Mr. Duffy, and he was charged with having been
corrupted by Government gold. His colleague's name
had been treated in a similar way. An attack had
been made on him of no light character, now in the
eighth year of his tenant-right agitation, after he had
sacrificed his labour, time, and money in the cause. If
the conference thought fit (continued the speaker) to
not ready to prove. He would do more. He would
therea'poi appoint
wasa ntoitmae mteattmerveoeftfigaactteietli,heatmraetpteerrl
report that
thaaltudbeedwtaos,
give histories that be never intended the public to hear,
and he would enlighten the eyes of the country.
The Rev. Mr. O'SHEA—Do so ; we want honest men.
Dr. I‘I‘KNIGHT—Pass a resolution calling upon me to
say who it was who went to a leading member of the
Government to ask him not to have any tenant-right
agitation. Pass a resolution, and I will name him.
The Rev. Mr. Rogers then attempted, amid great
uproar, to speak, but it was decided that he was not in
order.
The meeting called on Dr. M'Knight to name the
person to whom he alluded, but he declined doing so,
unless in compliance with a resolution.
The two amendments having been put from the chair
and lost, and the original resolution having been carried
dissentients,LUCAS, seconded by Mr. SWIFT,
n
Dr. M‘Knight was
UT—Veryes this—that
tawetdewltlho. e
ng iTtvhheeet
tenant-right
nam e name.
circumstance
m
with
ootnhley foureti
motion
e f yi
r .
aie a subject of serious legislative con-
sideration, a member of the independent party went to
ntmhi
eoe
en Cts
hi eaaftv Sil
nee
least
sr
tee
ht yer g
wef oares
fI
ttrhhe
elea nbdi
bill
he
etfh ec Govern-em
partyai ptahr
te
Houseofrepresentingt
Go-
vernment,ai)d
the agnede
tacting oune
et
dh ea inn
us tmr ub ce tri oenf s
aorfg
uthe
eCn
taeb iannedt
considerations, the tendency and effect of which were
to induce Sir John Young to postpone all attempts at
nc
jags.
Mr. i
IT mayha t peeerwso anekwa Dr.s Mr.
,LKuh mlegislation for the last session, and let the thing drop in
the mean
Lu tciAmse
t who told
him that ; but before the answer is given, I pronounce,
from beginning to end, the whole matter an unmitigated
lie. (Cheers.) . _

Dr: M‘Knight—And, on the other hand, I pronounce
that, in the lobby of the House of Commons, Mr. Lucas
did admit to me that he had had such an interview with
Sir John Young, and the facts which I have stated, and
did also excuse himself by a variety of reasons which in-
duced him to think that that was the most expedient
course even for tenant right. (Tumult.)
Mr. LUCAS—After the experience I have had of the
first statement —(" Oh, oh," from Dr. M‘linight.) Lis-
ten to me, if you dare. After the experience I have
had of the first statement from that quarter, I need say
little more than that when that statement comes from
such a quarter as you, the meeting will know how to
treat i*.

M`KNIMIT.---Tt. is for Mr. LIMs to deny it, n, rd
let the denial go. It is a fact.
. .

Mr. Lucas—Listen to me, if you dare. I called for
Dr. M%night's authority for the original statement,
because it was one which, from its nature, could not