The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-27 00:00:00

THE SUN,

land. The Hon. Gentleman had also complained as to
the inadequacy of the rate, but it did not follow that, be-
cause it was inadequate, 0 should reject it, without
suggesting how the deficiency should be supplied. It
was said there was no rate in aid in England. and why
have one in Ireland? But the principle of the rate in
aid was in existence in England, and he could assure the
Hon. Gentleman that the people of England would rather
have the rate in aid in full operation than be running to
the Imperial Treasury at every emergency for a grant.
It was true there had been few cases in which the prin-
ciple was carried out in England, but the cir-
cumstances of the country did not require it. As to
the objection against the, principle of the rate in aid,
certainly, if Hon. Gentlemen preferred the income-tax,
Government might be prevailed upon to extend it to
Ireland—(Laughter)—but still its machinery could not
be set a•going in time to meet the exigencies of the pre-
sent case. Besides, on the present occasion the entire
arguments used had been against charging Ireland with
any portion of this rate in aid whatever. Give us a
Committee, said the Hon. Gentleman, and we would
show you that Ireland is paying her full proportion of
taxation; but did he take into account the extraneous
aid which had been given to her by this country ?
He wanted a Committee to ascertain the fiscal duties
paid by that country, but such Committee
could form no estimate of the proportion Ireland
bore of taxes, unless they at the same time took into
consideration the aid he had referred to which she ob-
tained from this country. The Honourable Baronet who
had last sat down had complained that the House was
about to be called upon to vote away 100,0001. on the
security of this measure, which had not as yet received
the consent of the House, and which might not receive
such consent. But the Honourable Baronet must have
misunderstood what the Noble Lord at the head of
the Government said when he made his statement to
the House in regard to the matter. What his Noble
Friend did state was, that as soon as the Bill passed
through a second reading he would move in a Com
mittee of the whole House that the sum of 100,0001. be
advanced to meet the prevailing distress, on the security
of the Bill, and that a clause be inserted in the Bill, au-
thorising such advance, but that the advance should not
be made until the measure passed through that and the
other House of Parliament.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped
that explanation would satisfy the Honourable Baronet
that there was no wish on the part of the Government to
take any advantage, but that, so soon as the measure
should pass, that the sum he had alluded to should be
given to meet the present demands. The Honourable
Baronet had also complained that no measures had ac-
companied the present one, as promised by the Go-
vernment. Now, at the time when the Committee
on the Irish poor law was appointed, it was
stated on the part of the Government, that those
measures would not be propounded, at least none but
what were absolutely necessary to meet present circum-
stances —until the Committee had given the fullest con-
sideration to the subject, and indicated' what measures
would be most expedient. He needed not again inform
the House that the Committees appointed by that and
the other House, were taking evidence on the subject,
and giving the fullest considerations to the propositions
submitted to them, and he would venture to affirm, that
had these measures been brought forward, they would
have been met by the objection, " Why so much haste;
wait, at all events, until the Committees you have ap•
pointed to consider the subject report upon it." But the
Hon. Member for Kerry (Mr. Herbert) had said that
the Government were sheltering themselves behind
the want of unanimity among themselves, from bringing
forward these measures. So far from that, however,
he could assure the Hon. Gentleman that there was no
such want of unanimity in the Government as to what
ought to be the system for the management of the poor
of Ireland. The Hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. P.
Scrope) had also complained that Government relied on
the poor-law for giving relief, and neglected the means
of affording employment for the relief of that distress.
But while it was true that Government had relied on the
poor-law for relieving the distress of Ireland, they had
at the same time not been backward in stimulating em-
ployment for the purpose of aiding in doing so. They
had given upwards of two millions and a half of money
to be distributed among proprietors of land for the im-
provement of their estates, and for the formation of rail-
ways and other improvements, in order that employment
might be given to the poor. That had been expended
within the last two years, and had been attended with
much benefit.

Mr. bTAFFORD said he could not think the Govern-
ment would take advantage of the speech of the Member
for Cork, for it was anything but a defence of the plan
of the Ministry. He would ask the Government whether
they would carry out the plan suggested by the Right
Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth. The Right
Hon. Secretary for the Home Department might laugh
at such an interrogatory—but considering the sensation
which that plan had excited in Ireland, they should not
allow the session to pass on, the Government remaining
silent upon that suggestion. He had not yet ascertained
why the precise sum estimated to arise from a 6d..rate
should have been fixed upon. It was, however, one thing to
fix a rate, and another to collect it. In September last there
was 800,0001. poor-rate uncollected in Irelund. He
knew by their present course of legislation they could
ruin the province of Munster, and reduce it to the same
state as that of Connaught, which he believed would
soon be the case. They talked of this rate being limited
to that amount, but he had heard no Member of the Go-
vernment state any reason why it should be limited to
that amount.

Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL said he feared the Govern-
ment had overlooked the objections made to this tax.
The first was the injustice of imposing this tax upon
parties already too heavily burdened. The other,
which vras made out of doors, that one part of Ireland
should be called upon to contribute to the distress of
another, when the Imperial Treasury had not been
called upon to contribute its aid. He preferred
voting for this stage of the Bill, rather than have
the people of Connaught suffer as they were at present,
and he would add to those the condition of the people of
Munster. He thought that the best plan for the Govern-
ment to carry out this rate in aid, would be to allow the
tenant who was obliged to pay this extra rate, to deduct
from his landlord in the rent, and to allow the landlord
again to deduct from the incumbrances on his property.
He thought that the amendment of the Hon. Member for
Dublin (Mr. Reynolds) to place part of this tax ,on the
Imperial funds and another part on those public officials
who had over 3001. per annum, was wurthy of con-
sideration.

Mr. NAPIER moved the adjournment to the debate
to Wednesday next.
After mutual explanations between Mr. Stafford and
Sir George Grey, the motion for the adjournment of
the debate was agreed to.
The consideration of the postponed resolution on the
Supply was then agreed to.

The House then resolved itself into a Committee for
Supply.
Colonel ANSON said that in asking the House to
vote the excess for the Ordnance, he trusted that he
would give general satisfaction, so as to remove any
doubts or objections from the minds of every Hon. Gen-
tleman; for before the year 1836, the Ordnance accounts
were not made up, and, consequently, no balance-sheet
was laid before Parliament, but the account was con-
stantly running on. He hoped that the present plan
would be beneficial to the public service, as the accounts
were now made up. He proposed, as a vote of excess of
the Ordnance, 97,9541. 15s.

Mr. HUME said that he knew that the Government
were most anxious to pass that vote, and he should say
that he had given notice of one instance of excess in con-
sequence of the tax and loose manner in which the
accounts were formerly made up. He did not wish that any
of these votes should be taken, because it was generally
understood that twelve o'clock was to be the latest hour
at which the votes on supply were to be taken. He hoped
that Government would fix a time for the navy esti-
mates, and then he would be prepared to develop his
opinions on those accounts and on other matters relevant
to that subject to the House.
The vote was then agreed to.
The Prisoners' ,Removal (Ireland) Bill was read a
second time.

The Idemnity Bill was committed.
The Passengers Bill was read a second time.
Lord PAL AiERSTON proposed that the order for
the correspondence between the Two Sicilies and her
Majesty's Government be discharged, and that an ad-
dress to her Majesty to the same effect be substituted.
Agreed to.
The House then adjourned at Half-past Twelve o'clock.

TIM WEATHER.—Dr. Forster's statement to the
Royal Astronomical Society will, we suspect, go
for nothing. Dr. Forster says that, according to
observations extending over the time since 1767,
whenever the new moon fell on a Saturday, the
following twenty days were wet and windy. What
is there in a Saturday to influence the weather? It
is simply a day so named, causing in the minds of men,
in consequence of the peculiarities which custom has al-
lotted to it, certain associations, as the last business day
of the week, the day preceding Sunday, the market-
day, &c.; but it is neither a solstice, nor an equinox,
nor a division of any particular season, so that it
can have no influence over the moon, neither can the
moon have any over it, or in conjunction with it. Well,
there was a new moon on Saturday, and, lo! ever since
then the weather has been dry and calm, and, if we
may judge by the barometer, is likely to continue
so. Throughout the past week the wind has been
very inconstant. It has visited in succession every
point of the compass, and the atmosphere has
been correspondingly unsettled, the northerly and
easterly winds bringing cold airs, the west fresh and
pleasant breezes, and the south fog and rain. On several
of the nights and mornings last week dense fogs hung
over the town and river, and in some cases there was not
a little danger to the vessels plying to and fro, as will be
seen by a paragraph in another column. Yesterday the
wind was from due north, and the air cold and bracing)
The day was, however, somewhat gloomy.--Liverpool
Albion of yesterday.
The purchase-money paid by the Central German
Government for the American steam-ship United States,
now a member of their navy, was 265,000 dollars, or,
in sterling, 53,0001. The ship cost originally 270,000
dollars; and ran her proprietor considerably into debt
during her short career. The United States is now be-
ing fitted out as a war steamer by one of the first ship-
builders of the Hudson River.

Amongst the acts of the late United States Congress
is one authorising a coinage of 20 and of 1 dollar gold
pieces.
PROPOSED INTRODUCTION OF HOBHOUSE'S ACT
INTO PADDINGTON PARISH.—The poll closed on Satur-
turday. The number of votes polled is 3,203, by which
there appeared—For Mr. Hobhouse's Act,1,999; for Mr.
Bourne's Act, 1,204; majority for the former, 795.
The season has commenced earlier than usual in the
Isle of Man. The markets have been glutted with cod
fish, quantities having been sent to England by the
steamers, and there hating been large catalogs of
other fish.