The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-13 00:00:00

nofotthembeersetlyattfernotmionthanedrmanokst,
soefrli
or Ireland,
consideration,nd,ia deservi
abwnehndoe
jmfiutsi
ttt
hehhaa sta r
wba
eeoetuenlrdt
or
fab net shme
conferredi
stot eg dg,ebs
tui toonfnrs o
imt
theot f
fhceeor
country
moderate respectability, and intelligence of the gentlemen by
s soNdoetehpinlyg
icnatnerebsetemd oinreaN;iayluleagbliselatthiavne
that their
the adoption.partie
measures that may be introduced for the regulation of
the employment of Irish labour, and its due direction
into the most beneficial channels in the manner least
oppressive and burdensome to existing interests, should
fully inquire into the nature of the existing laws, and
the manner in which they can be carried into execu-
tion, that those persons should point out the practical
inconveniences that may be found to attend their
working, and to render them less advantageous to all
parties than they might be made by the adoption of
some slight modifications or alterations. Even if the
conclusions arrived at should not be fully warranted
by the premises, and that the Executive should not be
disposed to approve thereof to the fullest extent, the
discussion that must take place, the facts on which the
opinions are founded, and the several details that will
inevitably be elicited, must tend to the propagation of
sound principles and their eventual triumph. The
Treasury minute regulating advances under the
Drainage Acts, to which we have already adverted,
has obtained the almost unanimous approbation of the
Irish landowners, but, excellent as it is admitted to be,
there are some additional points in which it might be
ameliorated. It enables persons desirous of improving
their estates to do so in the most desirable manner.
They are permitted to select the particular works, to
carry on operations without being burdened with the
cost of unnecessary and expensive superintendence ;
a fair time is afforded to them for the repayment of
the advances that may be given. The period within
which the entire amount must be liquidated appears
to have been most judiciously chosen, so as to pre-
serve the just rights both of the tenant for life and
the remainder-man. The interest to be charged is
very moderate, and little, if any burden, will be felt by
the borrower, for the increased value of the lands con-
sequent upon the outlay will be amply sufficient to
pay the full amount of the instalments both for
principal and interest, so that there will be no dimi-
nution of the annual revenue of the proprietors,
while the lands are permanently improved. But in
`lreland it is essentially necessary that every en-
couragement should be given to those persons who
are anxious honourably to fulfil the duties incidental
to their position ; and, on the other hand, that no
loophole should be given by which the negligent
landlord should be permitted to evade or escape from
his just responsibilities. It would, indeed, be too hard
to cast the entire burden on the kind-hearted and
benevolent of not merely finding occupation for the
destitute poor belonging to their own estates, but
also of bearing a portion of the expenses occasioned by
the apathy and disregard of duty of their neighbours.
The Kilkenny memorial points out that those per-
-sons who avail themselves of the provisions of the
million Drainage Act would still be liable for their
full proportion of the baronial assessments under the
Labour-rate Act. Although they may provide work for
their own people, and give employment to a larger
number of persons than would fairly be required in
proportion to the quantity and quality of their lands,
they would have to pay as large a rate for unpro-
ductive and useless works as the parties for
the support of whose tenantry and dependents
these works were solely required, whereas, if they
proceeded under Mr. LADOUCIIERE'S letter, and obtained
presentments for useful works sufficient to give full
occupation to the unemployed labourer in the elec-
toral division, they would be wholly (and most pro-
perly) exempted from any portion thereof. It would,
therefore, be more desirable to proceed in the latter
manner, but that the terms offered are much less
favourable to the borrower, both as to the rate of in-
terest and the period for the repayment of the prin-
cipal, than those offered by the Drainage Acts; there
would also be a heavy additional expenditure in the
payment of the staff, &c., which would deter the
proprietor from availing himself of these advantages.
It is, therefore, suggested, " that in any enactment
which may hereafter have reference to this subject,
as long a period for repayment of the money, and as
low a rate of interest as allowed under any
other Act, should be granted to the bor-
rowers ; and also that such an Act should have
a retrospective view in justice to those landlords who
may have already availed themselves of the provisions
of Mr. LABOUCHERE'S letter." These propositions
are not only just in themselves, but are based on
sound policy. Every encouragement should be given
to those who have come forward in the first instance
and set a good example to their neighbours ; other-
wise, all would hang back and bide their time,
until they saw whether any better conditions could
be obtained, and the most beneficial measures would
be retarded and delayed.
The next suggestion offered—" That in any future
enactment any proprietor who may be willing to
take the full amount of his proportion of the assess-
ment for productive works should not be liable to
any part of the remaining sum to be levied on the
electoral division"—is of the highest importance. We
have long been convinced that it is the only means by
which all the landowners can be induced to act
fairly and to improve their properties, and bring their
lands into the
than
highest degree of cultivation. It is
now more
four months since we asserted the
since obtained many influential
principle,advocates.
and a
hasenonce the proprietor of the soil is
convincedht
the poor of his estate must be
th
Nvt
i
sup-
ported, either in idleness or in useful industry, and
that he himself must pay for that support, that he
cannotmore
cast
innocent an yp portion of the expense on other andarties, there is little doubt that he
will adopt that course which is at the same time
most beneficial for himself and for the public in
general.
T
suggestion is to the effect " that some
outlet should beafforded to the surplus population by
h
The other
offering every facility for emigration." This is
doubtless a most important topic, and one worthy of
serious consideration. We are not, however, dis-
posed to place so much faith in emigration as a
remedy for the ills of Ireland as has been given
to it by many intelligent persons. We
do not concur in the opinion that the social ills of
Ireland are produced by an excess of population ; on
the contrary, we think there is an ample field for the
useful occupation of every able-bodied man in the
country, in the full development of its resources, in
the reclaiming and bringing into cultivation the
3,755,000 acres of waste land which, according to the
report of Mr. RICHARD GRIFFITHS, the eminent
civil engineer, published in 1845, might be drained
and cultivated with advantage, and in the
bringing into better condition the 14,000,000
acres already in tillage, but not half cul-
tivated, and which the most competent per-
sons are of opinion might be made to quadruple
their produce by judicious improvements. 'The same
amount ofmoney that would be required to expatriate
'an industrious family, and settle them with some de-
gree of comfort in another land, would reclaim a
sufficient quantity of waste land to support them
with equal comfort in their native country. Some
allowance should he made for the feelings of the
parties themselves, and none should be compelled
to emigrate, to be driven into banishment, without
their full and free consent. If adopted at all, it should
be merely as an 'l' auxi tary remedy to the great and
paramount ones—the reclamation and improvement of
waste land—and not by any means as a main relief
for the ills of Ireland. We shall, however, gladly
hail the
full iscussion of which the subject is so
worthy, and which must tend to elicit and eventu-
ally establish the truth.

An insurrectionary movement took place in the
canton of Fribourg, on the 6th. The inhabitants of
the districts of Bulle, Morat, and Romont, assembled
for the purpose of marching on the capital in two
columns. Finding, however, that the Government was
prepared to resist the attack, they retreated.

Intelligence has been received of the death of Lord
BERNARD HOWARD, at Cairo, on the 21st ult., from
congestion of the brain. His Lordship was the third
son of the Duke of NORFOLK.

Advices from Constantinople of the 24th of De-
cember announce a partial change in the Turkish
Ministry :

" The old Seraskier Hosref ro,eha has fallen, and has