The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-12 00:00:00

COMPENSATION TO IRISH TENANTS.

Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD moved the following
resolution, of which he had given notice :—That it ap-
pears to this House, feels the reports of various Com-
mittees and Commissions, that the system generally
adopted in times pest its. the letting and management of
landed property in lre!and, has been one of the main
eau-ea of the presi nt distressed state of that coun-
try, and the eisordered state of its secial relations ;
and that no measures can be effectual in producing
a demand for labour, or improving the coneition of
the people, which shall not include such an amendment
of the laKs of landlord and tenant as shall give to the
improving tenant in occupation a sufficient permanency
of tenure, or else estebli*h the tenant's right to claim
by law full comp, n-ation for all benefits created by the
expenditure of his labour and capital on the pre-
mises in his occupation. The questien, be said, had
often keen asked, what were the causes of the
evils which affitteed Ireland, and who sere respote-ible
for theme that as yet no solution of the matter had been
arrived at, nor did it seem to he understood. He hail
therefore been induced to draw the attention of the
House to show how far these evils had resulted
from the relation that hod existed between land-
lord and tenant, and to what extent the pro-
prietors of Ireland were responsible for them. If
ever there was a time when inquiry was needed the
present was the moment, when they were voting such
large sums of money for the relief of the people of Ire•
hind, and when, he regretted to sey, Irish Members were
opposing a poor-law, and throwing off a responsi-
bility to which they were justly subject. It was
with pain that he had seen a resolution, signed
by the name of a leadieg Irish Peer, declaring itself
opposed to the moderate proposition of the Noble
Lord for the relief of the people of that country, and in
which the measure empowering relieving officers to
grant out door relief under certain circumstances was
reprobate d. With such circumstances before them, it was
t ion hewhhaidc h
to prevailed.
submit
was Thea s follows first
portion
right that they should inquire into how far the landed
proprietors of Ireland were responsible for the state of
things
,Tohfathiteape
repsolaursi
to this House that from the reports of various Commit-
tees and Commissioners, that the system generally
adopted in times past, in the letting and management
of landed property in Ireland, has been one of the
main causes of the present state of the country."
As he had made this assertion it was his duty to bring
before the House some portion of the evidence on which
he based that assertion, but be would confine his obser-
vations within very narrow limits. The Land
Commission, in their report, referred to thirteen
reports of former committees, after instancing
penal laws, the forty-shilling free-
the large possessions in the hands of a few individuals,
the following
That whatever difference of opinion
observationsthey concluded with
and maintained on other points,
the testimony 0. a whthoaelsyd frpreaarentrcrh::lrewt;oaartncdhdell witnesses concurred in this, that
which Ireland laboured were to be
employment, felt by a large
proportion of the agricultural labourersof that country.
ritig to the multiplied
The Committee of 1830, on reter
nceived it was the duty of
ttrnaacegelreot tehveilawannnt‘korf proper
evils of Ireland, said they co
diminish this mass of
suffering, and they suggested that by promoting the
individuals, as well as of the Legislature, to consider
what means ought to be taken to
better management of estates,
n'
ht be elf cued.
arrangements between landlords
a
-"ti 11115 country. He
and regulating the
d tenants, on a
national principle, that go"
So much for the general condition of the
would to ,w miler to the importete. evidence of
lie. Getle
I.'ote and : .11r. likteltworth, in t;e ycex 182
former witness traced a considerahie portion of the evils
• a
affecting land to the want of encouragement
given to
the
tenants in building, repuiring , or draining ; anti
letter gentleman gave evidence that the landlords of
Ire-
land were wanting in the kiudeess and generosity
which so eminently possessed the Englieh prorri'4"'•
I.bee.3 were strontr proefa that the tsvhis Ireignd had
been prodtteed by the rnis;mecio.:.t. of tee Irish landlords..
rift) tikai, wt..° ititroduetti mai oc.e the iau
lords, fur they were not introduced by the tenants on the