The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-11 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY. APRIL 11. 1849.

Sir ROBERT PEEL'S great and comprehensive pro-
ject for the regeneration of Ireland, has been re-
ceived with the utmost entivasiasm by persons of all
shades and varieties of political opinion in that cons-
try. The substitution of a solvent and unembar-
rassed proprietary in the place of the present no-
minal owners is recognised on every side as the only
mode by which the permanent prosperity of the
nation can be attained, by which its able-
bodied population can obtain fair employment,
and the national capabilities of the soil may
be filly developed. It is in fact the master-key, by
which alone the field of industry in Ireland may be
opened. We have long since pointed out the fatal
consequences of the enormous encumbrances—the sad
results of their own or of their progenitors' extrava-
gance and imprudence—by which the proprietors of
real estate in Ireland are but too frequently burdened,
and also of the strict entails and settlements by which
the greater portion of the land is tied up. In the
great majority of instances the apparent pos-
sessor is not really the owner, nor can
he deal with the lands in that capa-
city. In place of being worthy of censure, his
condition is truly pitiable. Without power or in-
fluence, without any prospect of ever retrieving his
position in society, he struggles even against hope
and is but too happy if he can (after keeping down
the interest of the mortgages, and satisfying the
family charges and the public burdens) obtain a
scanty annuity for his own purposes. With a large
and showy rentroll, entitling him to take up a posi-
tion among the magnates of the land, he has
really but a small income at his own disposal.
Under such circumstances, it is by no means sur-
prising that he should endeavour to maintain an esta-
blishment more suitable to his apparent than to his
real condition, and that he should increase his embar-
rassments in the vain attempt. His own necessities
render him utterly powerless for any good purpose ;
he cannot expend any money in improvements, how-
ever beneficial they might prove, or ample the return
that might reasonably be anticipated. His present
wants are all that he is enabled to look to, and though
perhaps naturally a kind-hearted and benevolent
man, he is compelled to screw up his rental to the
utmost pitch, that he may be enabled to meet his
• own pressing liabilities. Whatever may be his in-
clination, he cannot afford to encourage the improv-
ing tenant, if such encouragement should involve any
pecuniary sacrifice. He therefore lets to the highest
bidders, to those who will be contented with the
scantiest diet, without scrutinising too narrowly their
characters or the real prospects of payment. If lands
should fall out of lease he raises the rents, without
making any allowance for unexhausted improvements,
if such things should be possible under sucha system.
a
Ile cannot in fact afford to be just, perhaps
usale to
after
all his ineffectual struggles he may be b
satisfy the claimants on his estate, which is usable
conse-
quently confided to the tender mercies of the Court
of Chancery. There his embarrassments are increased
by the accumulation of enormous costs, and his un-
fortun.tte tenants are ground down to the utmost,
while no aid can be afforded under any circumstances.
Even the trifling expenditure which took place
On the lands while the impoverished inheri-
tor rt-sided on the family mansion is withdrawn;
the entire produce is absorbed in making up the
sums that must be paid into Court when the Receiver
is called upon to pass his annual account.
t r„
Such 13 the system which Sir ROMERT PEEL be-
. liemes to be destructive to the future prospects of the
country, and which must be abolished, if we desire
to
;11Wrsister kingdom elevated is the scale of
curial-lo witness a permanent amelioration of
these convictions, he desires to in-
::4441401.1441t0 invest their money where there
~
scf-aastny,l4,4liucements. He is well aware that

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