The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-06 00:00:00

LAW.

Sir W. SOMERVILLE said that be rose, pursuant
to notice, to propose the appointment of a Select Com-
mittee, with a view to an inquiry into the operation of the
Irish poor-law. His Hon. and Gallant Friend the
Member for Portarlington (Colonel Dunne) had, in the
course of the preceding session, proposed a motion simi-
lar to that which he (Sir W. Somerville) now had the
honour of moving. That motion, however, did not meet
with the approbation of the House, and the Government
were very much blamed by many Irish Members for op-
posing it. He (Sir W. Somerville) thought then, and
was of the same opinion now, that an inquiry into a
law which had not at that time been fairly tried, and
which inquiry must have been founded upon in-
sufficient information, could not have led to any
satisfactory result, and would probably have obliged
the Government to ask for the appointment of a
fresh Committee during the present session, to obtain
fresh information on the subject.—(Hear, hear.) But
the case was different now. A year had elapsed, and
although in the working and in the operation of a law
of such vast importance a year was not a long period,
yet so eventful had been the past year that the ordinary
experience of many years might be said to be crowded
into it. He was prepared now to redeem the pledge
given by the Government on more than one occasion
during List session, to propose a Committee to inquire
into this most important and delicate subject. He had
heard with much surprise from Irish Members, that
they were disappointed in the course which the Govern•
ment intended to pursue on this question. It was said
that the Government should at once have proposed their
measures, and have stated what alterations they in-
tended to make in the Irish poor-law.—(Cheers from
Irish Members.) If the Government had pursued that
course they would have been justly chargeable, and
would have most certainly incurred the most eloquent and
indignant denunciations from the Irish Members, for hav-
ing forfeited the pledges which, as ho had stated, they
had on more than one occasion given during the course
of last session. But independently of this consideration,
he was of opinion that au inquiry into the operation of
the poor-law in Ireland would now be exceedingly pro-
per and desirable. There was not a single individual
either in Ireland or in the United Empire who was not
interested in the well-working of this law.—( Hear,
beer.) And such being the case, and the social con-
dition of many portions of the province of Ireland being
so much disturbed, was it not fair that an opportunity
should be afforded to gentlemen connected with those
distriets to come forward and produce any evidence
which would throw a light on the particular views which
they held with respect to the New Poor-law? If upon
inquiry it should prove that those views were not well
founded, their rejection would be more readily acqui-
esced in after the inquiry by a Select Committee than
if the House at once proceeded to legislation.—
(Hear, hear.) It was possible that the Government had
superior means of information on this subject, but that
was no reason why gentlemen connected with Ire-
land should not be: afforded an opportunity of stating
their views, and of being certain that those views should
undergo the most patient consideration.—(Rear, hear.)