The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-27 00:00:00

opportunity to the agriculturAl Peers and Mel:Thers
of the House of Commons to take a practical part
in a great public measure.
The seat of the direction to be in London, and not
in Dublin. There is gooi access from London to
Cork, Dublin, and Belfast, while London is the great
money market, the residence of the greatest capi-
talists, and most practical men, and the metropolis of
those who would be stockholders in the Corporation.
It would be the interest of the holders of stock to
choose persons as directors best able to advance the
interest of the Corporation, while a timely check
would be kept on the proceedings of the directors by
the half-yearly meetings, to which reports of the
operations would be made. Bad dividends, the index
of bad working and inefficient management, would
lead to changes in the direction ; while ambitious
orators are always to be found in a body of stock-
holders ready to blazon forth any error in manage-
ment.

The Governor and Court of Directors would
choose efficient assistance in carrying out their opera-
tions; experienced surveyors, valuers, agriculturists,
and engineers ; and as they would be able and willing
to undertake the improvement of large estates, the
management would be economical.
The profits of the Corporation would be derived
from the improved value of estates, consequent on
clearance of title, effective condition, good tenantry,
and good registry, to which would be added the
differences between the rate at which they could get
money from Government and on debenture, and the
selling price of property, or the result of reproductive

improvements.
Such a Corporation must have the power of dis-
charging all the duties incident to a landowner, sub-
scription to railways, canals, drainage works, churches,
chapels, and schools. A monstrous doctrine has been set
up by the lawyers of the present day in reference to
joint-stock companies, as, for instance, that railway
companies have no power to subscribe to schools and
hospitals, or to discharge any of the social duties.
This is not a constitutional doctrine, for it does
not apply to the Corporation of London or any of
the old corporations, and if not checked will have the
effect of creating in this country the evil, which
it is now necessary to root up in Ireland—the exist-
ence of a large class enjoying all the emoluments
of property, and exempted from the discharge of
its duties. It is therefore necessary, regardless of
the possibility of violation of conscience by
contributing to parish-churches, mass-houses, or
meetings, that the Land Corporation should be unre-
stricted by the Legislature, not that there is any fear
of mercantile men committing an excess in the dis
charge of its social obligations. Had the Irish
Corporation or the Drapers' Company been so
restricted, many of the most valuable institutions of
the north of Ireland would have been destitute of
support.
It is not essential for such a plan as this that the
Land Corporation should claim a monopoly ; but it
should be fully understood that the Legislature would,
it it so thought fit, give its sanction to other under.
takings of a similar description, or profit by the
working of this to extend the operations of such a
system in Ireland.
The great reason for proposing such a plan is, that
it most effectually provides for all the exigencies of
the case, overcomes all the difficulties, and is least
fraught with evil. It is not proposed solely
with the view of giving the profits to a cor-
poration, or of offering a bonus to the Lon-
don capitalists, but because by no other means
can the same efficiency of working be obtained,
while it ceases to be giving away a profit when it
creates a gain and prevents loss. The main feature
of the proposed Irish Land Corporation is its essential
character of responsibility, the great desideratum in
any measure for applying capital in Ireland.
As matters now stand, there is no more security
for the proper application of money in Ireland than
there is in Hindostan, while there is much more
jobbing. We have had too fatal experience of this in
the miscalled loans to Ireland, where money has been
either perverted to private purposes or thrown away
in waste. If anything has been made known more
sickening than the misery of Ireland, it is its social
corruption—from the peer to the beggar jobbery and
intrigue are preferred to industry and independence.
It does not therefore follow that the necessity of
a particular operation for the benefit of Ireland
being acknowledged, a grant of English money
should be the measure adopted. Whether
for railways, drainage, or whatever purposes, the
stumbling-block is the want of security for the proper
application of the money, the want of security fur
the regular payment of the interest, and the want of
security for the return of the principal.
As to the manner Government lays out money in
Ireland, we want no example quoted to urge us to
caution. Such expenditure is in waste, as being
under no real responsibility, and it is subject to all
the influences of local jobbery.
Sir Robert Peel's plan is promising in its results, ;‘f
the results were but realisable by the volition of
the Legislature, or the assertion of honest purpose on
the part of the Administration ; but it is almost
impracticable, because it must be attempted to
be carried out by the irresponsible agents
of the Government. Such agents are ir-
responsible morally and pecuniarily ; the utmost
punishment for the waste of a hundred thousand
pounds of the national money would be the cashiering
of a subaltern of engineers. Yet, daily as are our
complaints of the waste and mismanagement of the
Government departments, how rarely do we hear of
the miserable retribution, which is all we are allowed
to expect, now that the impeachment of a Minister is
a bugbear that old women only believe in.
The responsibility of such a body as the Irish Land
Corporation would be both pecuniary and moral. To
the Government they would afford full pecuniary se-
curity for all moneys advanced, and likewise the moral
security that they would be properly applied, and the
intentions of the Legislature be adequately fulfilled.
This responsibility is secured by a large paid-up
capital, by the inducements of self-interest, and by
the certainty of efficient assistance. It would be in
every way provided for by the control of the stock
holders, the weekly publication of accounts, and the
yearly returns to Parliament. These would be the in-
ducements to proper administration necessary to secu re a
renewal of the Charter on the expiration of each
term ; there would be in the hands of the Legislature
the means of punishing neglect, or of obtaining fur-
ther security against it. How is this to he done by Sir
Robert Peel's plan, and who are to do it ? The Woods
and Forests—they are under ban. The Irish Board
an o n ? Commissioners,
These
n
of Works. Can it be the Railway Department
rebo di o
bodies
accustomed
h
of the Board of Trade, the Ordnance, the Corps of
Royal Engineers, the Surveyor-General of the
Eccle-
siasticalceustomed
to spend the public money—some of them of oldN y'
t he
CommissionSh
standing, some of late institution—but there is no de •
partment that we know of to which the Government
can refer for efficient assistance.
In fine, every argument that Sir Robert Peel can
bring forward for his scheme is in favour of an Irish
Land Corporation, every objection to Sir Robert
Peel's scheme is provided for by the constitution of
an Irish Land Corporation.
Jobbing, the great evil of Ireland, can scarcely
affect an establishment the members of which have
every reason for resisting jobbing, and little opportu-
nity of being led into
it.
The managers of the Cor-
poration will be amenable to their own interests, to
the judgment of their constituents, the inspection of
Parliament, the scrutiny of the press, and the influ-
ence of public opinion, a cumulative jurisdiction
beyond any which the Government can invoke.
This plan of a corporation is practicable too in
in every point of view ; the capital can be got, efficient
managers obtained, the operations be carried out, and
buyers are ready to come into the market. The very
process of purchase creates new buyers, for it forces
the mortgagee and the incumbrancer to seek a new
investment, and by the diminution of the old classes
of investment, establishes the eligibility of the new
investment. The English and Scotch farmers will
have every inducement to settle on properties
in good condition and where they have landlords
on whom they can rely.
How much preferable too is a measure of this kind
to a rate in aid, which releases from responsibility
those who have ill-managed their property, gives them
a premium to continue their evil courses, and dimi-
nishes the means of the improving landlord, by taking
from him and from under his control funds which
would have been laid out on his own property, and
brought a return to him and his labourers. How
preferable, too, a measure the benefits of which must
be lasting and the results the greater by the goodness
of the example, whereas all other measures of the
Government tend to encourage mendicancy and im-
providence even where they do not directly levy
black mail on the well deserving, on behalf of those
who will turn the largess to an ill use.
In an institution of this kind the agricultural and
commercial Members of both Houses of the Legis-
lature can take part, and while it can excite no
opposition but the personal jealousy of rival projec-
tors, it has the better chance for adoption. Above
all things, it satisfies a cardinal want of Ireland,
reproduction. It is neither a palliation nor a corrective,
it is neither alms nor a loan, it is not limited in the
time or sphere of its application, but will permanently
advance the resources of Ireland, and contribute to
the welfare of the empire.
HUMPHREY BROWN.
Tewkesbury, April 22, 1849.

The Dean of Westminster is resolved to apply a
good portion of his revenue to the restoration of West-
minster Abbey. Its character would be restored the
best if he abolished the prices of admission.—Puppet
Show.

ABERDEEN RAILWAY.—The works on this im
portant undertaking are again in full operation. Abou
the middle of the month there were 1,575 labourers em
piled upon it.