The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-01 00:00:00

could come again to Parliament for a second rate, until
the rate for the previous instalment was in the course of
being raised ?
The CH AN7IELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
had not made any statement to that effect.
Mr. AGLIONBY regretted when so great sums were I
voted away for Ireland, that Members should not under-
stand how these sums were applied. The Government
had no idea what was doing in Ireland. Statements
were coming out accidentally in the Committee in which
he acted, and the schism it would seem which had oc- '
curred in that country between the officers and the
employed were quite appalling. He assured the Go
vernment that it woo 'd he ahs ilately necessary for them
to obtain more immediate and accurate information than
could be obtained by the ordieary printed r-ports. He
thought the must serious evils and abuses prevail-d, and
thought that it weal,' be incuinnent on the Governinent
to adopt some such meaiures as he had recommended.
Mr. LATIOU...-HERE said thet the abuse spoken of
by the Hoe. Member was the necessary concom.tant of
the extraordinary measures which were adopted for the
amelioration of the miseries whi,:h had afflicted Ireland.
At nee ti ne the Goverement ernpl.4%-ed 750,000 persons
upon pub'ic w rks —a gigantic undertaking, such as no
Geeeeernent had hitherto attempted. These great mea-
sures had been carried Out with ,ut d:sord r, aroi the
Peorle vere kept at. peace and hi constant employment.
Fre I),lir,v9tl that it was no matter of surprise that some
nbeses li-J1 prevailed, for the oiierations carried on
of onby
the Gotr,7rnrm.,q were, he believed, aletogettih,evred
out
ihat ti'me
ordinary pale of letei-dntive actg. H f
ei
Geeernrnent could undertake to employ or to teed a
portlon of the population
eane people, nor even such. al
trouble and evil arsine.
wished also
at they had waded without nitre t.d. H
e
from the measures which they a- opi -f
to correct the practice which existed of making
sweeping
ohservations; against the Irish gentry, for he knew very
rawly iestaeces in which g:•e,•.t, personal trouble was un-
dereene, and great pecuniary sacrifices sustained for the
allesittien of the miseries of the starving peasantry,
In 1846 there were 100.6001. subeeribed by private ie.
dividaals, and from September, 1846, to May, 1847, they
ammented t 200.0001., so that there was not, therefore,
any want of public spirit on the part of individuals.
Af'er a few words frmn Mr. AGLIONBY,
Mr. ROEBUCK said, that when he had heard the
iendlerds er Ireland spoken of as a class, he had heard
tl,em described as not informed as to their duties; but let
that mater be as it vas, he conceived that the Govern-
ment were depirting from their legitimate function.; in
their interference on the present question.
Sir J. GRAHAM differed somewhat from the Hon.
tines Learned Member for Bath in his general statement
of the effe'rs of Ireland, and he fully sympathised with
the Government in the feat ful emergency in which they
were called on to act. Still he thought it was time that
they revelved Ceeir position, as he looked on the state-
ment of the Right Hon. Gentieroan (the Chancellor or
the Exehequer) as anything but cheering. There should
espeeially be no misunderstanding about the 600,0001.
now spent monthly in Ireland in various works. Stets
should he taken to get it paid back, and rates in nil
Cases where practicahle under the present law should be
levied tesear 's lignidating these advances.—(Hear.)
Me ROEBUCK wished to know whether the Go-
vernment were determined to enforce the payment of
the rates ? In several cases gentlemen in Ireland lied,
it epeeared. euccesscelly opposed the collection of the
rate air etey imnosed.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that the rates would be
eurnseed as far as possible. With regard to the ge-
perel sitticet, it ought to be recollected by! the Right
n. Baronet the Member for Dorchester that
the time at which the Government was called
to act was one of great e•nerizeney.—(Hear, hear.)
s' of Ireland was one of 5,000,000 of p.opl, not
clepridin.r, on regular wages, but on the food which they
themselves cultivated ; when that food filed, the state
of secatte did not aff .rd a r merly—society was dis-
oreani,eri. Trey had not to do with granite, but with
a loner, friable sandstone. The proprietors had no hold
on the atfectiens of the people, the landlords were not
roso,eted by the ecclesiastics, the lower classes were
excited by speeches which appealed to their imagina
tions ; they were not affiteted by measures which were
directee hrt their benefit ; anti however much the House
miebt admire the patience and constancy with which
they bore the calamity with which Providence had
afflicted them, they could not disguise the feet-4
that that ey'l fled been con iderably heightened
by their own want of energy and f resieht. It was urged
against the Gevern meet that they ought not to interfere
in a calamity like this ; it was urged that the Govern-
ment were travelling out of their way by introducing
measures to all via.'e the sufferings which were daily ex-
perienced ; but when they found that these works
were sueeessrul alleviating that distress—when they
foiled that much misery and melt wretchedness had
been combated, he thougbt that the Government had
so far proved their wisdom in bringing, forward such
ma inures. The abuses attending the system adopted be
Guy ,rnment for the alleviation of this distress, had at
het the effect of inducing a better state of things, awl
he trusted that the calamity which had already visited
that country, would, in conjunction with the poor-laws,
lay the foundation for a state of great and happier ex-
istence. He was still of opinion, that it was right for
them to adopt such measures as might meet the calamity,
and afterwards elevate the people in the scale of nations.
He hoped the Hems,. would grant its consent to thus,
sums; he did not ask the House to grant that consent
in the exneetetion that no abuse would be exhibited in
the expenditure of them, but he could assure them that
the fullest attention of the servants of the Government
would he r_rive-i to the proper distribution.
Sir D. NORREYS expressed himself satisfied with the
sta,emeet, of the Noble Lord, but still he could not help
fueling that thee landlords of Ireland had been unjustly
treat 4 by many Hon. 31 tub--:rs in that House, and

ra•tc,..,.ri.)' by true II m. and Learned Member for bid].

The truth wag. the great body of the landed gentry
of Ireland 'lad done their best to mitigate the sufferings
of th:.y peorle, but they were beset on all sides by diffi-
ulties. an,i nerhans their efforts had not been so siv-
cessful as they might otherwise have been. He enter-
tlini.d no doubt, whltever that in all they did Govern-
ment wls actuated by the best feelings and intentions
t,,watdi Ireland ; but their ignorance of the real state
of things in that unfortunate country had led them into
many error.a.

Mr. ROEBUCK said that the speech of the Hon.
Ger,tl•gmsn who had just sat down was a complete con-
firmation of what he had been saving throughout the
whale Fe,-;slin in reference to Ireland, and the mode that
vrs< alopted in reference to relieving, the distress of that
coon try.

The resolution was then agreed to, and ordered to be
reported to the House to-morrow.

The other orders of the day were then ctsposed
and the House actiourne3.

SURRE ir THEATRE.

A new ballad opera, the libretto-w-ri-t—ten- by Mr. E.
Peeled!, and the music composed by Mr. J. H. Tully,
the cend ictor of the music at this theatre, was produced
here 1 tst evening with comply-te success. It is entitled
the Forest Maiden and the Moorish Page, and the scene
is laid in Eeglard. :n the reign of Mary Tudor, better
known by the name of " Bloody Queen Mary." Mary,
Oars. H. Vining,) the cruel and blood-thirsty bigot, is
married to Philip of Spain, (Mr. Leffler), the licentious
bigot. Among the Maids of Honour of the Queen, is
Alice Conley, ( %His Itainf ,rth), the daughter of S'r
Edward Copley, (Nir. Mc Nlahon), a proscribed noble
prescribed because he is a heretic, and has slaved to
think for himself. As his mother, however, has been a
good Catholic, Mary takes Alice into her service, and
she attracts the attention of the licentious Philip, who
mikee love to her. His suit is, however, indignanly
relected, and undeterred by the penalties to which alt
relapsed heretics are subject, she meets her father in
Winisar l'Arls, and is by him affianced to Francis
Huntley (Mr. ISr. Harrison), the secretary of Philip. Her
proceedings are watched by Leon (Miss R. Isaacs), the
Msorish page of Philip, who is the spy of the Queen,
and who picks up a letter, which Alice has let fall,
and gives a to the Queen. This letter is from her father,
and Mary immediately orders her to be arrested as a
Istpead heretic, giving, at the same time, the letter to
Philip. Philip, thinking the accusation of heresy may
fins and his views, orders Alice in strict custody to the
Tower, appointiug his secretary. Huntley, governor of the
fortress. He goes to the Tower seeking an interview
with Alice, and finds that Huntley, acting strictly upon
hie order,, refuses him admission to her cell, as by the
warrant of her commitment no one is to be
allowed access to her, but by the especial
orders of the Queen herself. In the meanwhile Leon
who has discovered that Mica has rejected the suit of
Philip, determines to save her, and meeting with the
Q teen in the tower, tells her that Alice is innocent, and
that if she will release Alice the really guilty shall be
delivered into her hands. The Queen consents, and
gives Leon larr royal signet. Alice is released,
and then Leon declares that instead of Leon
Leonora de Castro, the former mistress of Philip.
who has followed him from Spain, stands
before her—that through jealousy she has denounced
Alice—and as she makes the avowal dies, having swal
lowed p,ison. Philip is exposed, Sir Edward Copley
pardoned. and Alice and Francis made happy. As far
as music is cone:ailed, this, perhaps, is one of the
most unevenly composed operas that ever was presented
to the puhtie. Until the finale of the first act all is noisy
doom may
summer fly" is
common place. Tae beauty of the finale, however, a
quertette_e-yes yes, whatever be " end-
ing with a „
beautiful
eaeee.t gna :Sow the golden
and produced an outbreak of well-
deserved spa eaue4lYl
at the falling of the drop scene. Mr.
Tully is a better e
music. In this quartette aof
nd chamber than of operatic
madrigal he depended
more upon the vocal than itepes,old the instrumental music
for preducing his effects,
w noise he he
was really great,
and if he would esche
ezuld be a great com-
pproact. was admirable
poser. The music of the see.
neamte. The scene
throu hour. It was dramatic and a
opens with an old English revel under ith
his iatitation of the old style of English mush:3l%re; anti
beauti`u!. It was an imitation, certainly., but aa:
heard, that it had all the meirlit:att
lion of'
nip music was peeormed principally by
And the sostenuto was very beau
1411,1.-
d iterumente,
chi A sen.:4 by Miss Rebecca Isaacs " The Moerieh
Meiden " ie x beeutiful bit of melody, exquisitely. given,
and it was deservedly encored. It is followed by a
benefit...ll ballad, •'A little c,,t beside toe sea," de.liciuusly
gives by Miss Itainforth ; and a duet, a very beautiful
compositicomposition,•'Hope hovers o'er us, Which is,
perhapz, the gem of the opera, and which was
given by Miss Rainforth and Miss Isaacs in a
style, which secured a loud call for its repetition, and
which very narrowly escaped a double „core. The
fin ile to this act is a very fine composition, and wa-:
given with great spirit and effect. In the third act we
have a very effective chorus, a ballad from Mr. Har-
rison, which he gave according to his wont, with little
feeling, but witis great power, and which was voci-
ferously applauded by the galleries ; and an exquisite
song. by Miss Isaacs, "Every joy of my childhood is
gone," an exquisite, composition, given with great pathos

Ol'i~ (':

and ta;te, and wh!ch ought to have lee* encored,
but was not. In this act there is a very
graceful melody, "That flower so sweet," which was
well sung by Mr. Leffler, and a very sweet ballad " The
beautiful morn," which was given with great taste by
Miss Rainforth. The triumph of the evening, however,
remained with Miss Isaacs. Miss Rainforth, Mr. Harri-
son, and Mr. Leffler, sustained their former positions.
Miss R,beec z Isaacs took to,iiint's stride in her profes-
sional career. Hitherto she has made much of little
parts. In this opera she has been cast for a part more
worthy of her genius, and she has known how to avail
herself of the opportunity. Miss Isaacs is the
most promising singer at present on the stage. We
give her two years to be at the head of her profession.
At the conclusion Miss Rainforth and Miss Isaacs were
called for, and led on by Harrison, and then there were
loud calla for the Maestro Tully, who came on and
bow d his thanks. The house was crowded to the
ceiling.

CITY OF LONDON GENERAL

PENSION SOCIETY.

The anniversary festival of this institution was held
last evening, at the London Tavern. His Royal High-
ness the Duke of Cambridge in the chair. Amongst
those present were Viscount Lake, Sir George Larpent,
Sir T. Wilson, Luke James Hansard, Esq., George
Cruikshank, Esq., J. T. Bedford, Esq., &c.
The usual loyal and constitutional toasts having been
un tnimously responded to,
The CHAIRMAN proposed " Prosperity to the fund,
and may it flourish for ever." In doing so, he
said that the society was commenced in 1818, under the
auspices of his late Noble Relative the Duke of Kent. In
1828 the funds were so great that the institution was en-
abled to ply 11.11 s. a month to the male and 11. 2s.
to the female pensioners. The subscriptions at that
period amounted to 9,276/. 10s.; but in 1828, the funds
began to diminish; and in 1833, the managers were
obliged to reduce the pensions of the men to 45., and
the females to 3s. He did not say that the subscrip-
tions, which had brought about this reduction, had been
withdrawn, because he believed that they had been given
to other institutions which had been formed for a similar
object, the initiative having been given by the institution
whose anniversary they had met to celebrate. However
from 1836, the funds began to improve, owing to the
exertions which were made by the friends of the insti-
tution, and they were now enabled to pay the males
1/. i's., and the females 18s.—(Cheers)--and their great
ambition was to restore the pensions to their former '
state.—(Cheers.) Another argument in favour of that
institution was this—that each male candidate should
introduce, at the time of his admission, three new
subscribers, and each female candidate two sub-
scribers, who should continue to contribute
to the funds during the whole period they
received aid from them. The half of the
receipts were devoted to present emergencies, and the
other half was invested for future contingencies. His
object in taking the chair was to promote the object
which the managers had in view, and he trusted that
they would induce their friends and others to join the
Institution.—(Cheers).
The toast was drunk in a bumper.
Sir GEORGE LARPENT then proposed the health of his
Roy Highness, which was warmly responded to.
The CHAIRMAN felt the utmost in terest in the prosperity
of theto promotelnstitution,i
andts should feel happy to do all in
power
prosperity. It was seven years
ago since he presided over one of the anniversaries
arid he trusted that the effect of his taking the chair on
that occasion would be the means of restoring the pen-
sions to their former amount.

Mr. RICHARDSON. the Secretary, said in 1818, when
the society was honoured with the presidency of his
late Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, that benevolence
had not taken so wide a range as it had at the present
moment ; nevertheless, the society gained rapidly in
public esteem, and the payments at one period amounted
to 10,0001. a year ; in fact, their coffers were so full that
they came to a resolution to elect 100 pensioners twice a
year, and the excitement at the elections was not unlike
that which prevailed at a contested election ; but since
that period, Lambeth, Southwark, and other large locali-
ties, had established similar societies, awl those who
had supported the parent society were profligate enough
to furget that they had rendered themselves responsible
for the pension of nearly 700 individuals, and that the
directors, by their withdrawal, were unable to pay them
their stipends. His Royal Highness had said that there
had been a transfer of charity, and that it had been
diverted into other channels, but there should have
been no transfer of charity whilst the pensioners
who had been elected lived.—(Cheers.) In 1828 their
means were so crippled, that they were obliged to re-
duce the payments to 3s. for the men, and 2s. to the
women. _,They could better imagine the feelings of those
who had been lod fo believe that their pensions would
be p-rrnanent, than he could describe them when they
found that their small means of subsistence had been
thus reduced. Many thought that they ought to s-11
out, and abolish the in-titution altogether ; but still a
great number were of opinion that they ought to pro-
ceed.—(Loud cheers.) And as a great step in that
direction, they had solicited his Royal Highness to
take Cie chair. One important feature in this
society was this, that the votes given to unsuccessful can-
didates were kept as a ledger account, and registered in
their favour at any future election.—(Hear, hear.) His
Royal Highness might return to his palace with the sa-
tisfaction of knowing that the institution was in a fair
way of being restored to the state it wan in in 1818.
The subscriptions in the course of the evening
amounted to upwards of 1,0001. ; amongst them were the
following donors :—The Duke of Cambridge, 201. ; Mrs.
Brandford, 2001. ; L. J. Hansard, Esq , 20/. ; F. Cobb,
Esq., of Margate, 501 ; the Duke of Buccleuch, 20/. ;
Lord Ashburton, 101. ; S. J. Lloyd, Diq., 10/ 10s. • T. A.
Law, Esq., 21/. ; N. J. Prescott, 101 10s. ; Sir d. Lar-
! pent, 101 10s.
_ _ _ _ _

The object of the institution is to give permanent re-
lief without distinction of religion, sect, or country, to
decayed artisans, mechanics, manufacturers, and trades-
men of good character by allowing them pensions, not
to exceed 31;. per month to the men ; and also to poor
deserving widows, not to exceed at any time 22i. per
month, such pensions to he payable monthly. None to
be admitted candidates under sixty years of age, cases
of total incapacity only excepted, and the female pen-
sioners to be elected never to exceed half the number of
males.
Mr. Toole was the toastmaster.

RE-APPEARANCE of the POTATO

DISEASE.
(From the Dublin Evening Post.)
The reader will peruse with deep regret a statement
from the Carlow 'Sentinel regarding the failure amongst
the potatoes (for we would hope even against hope, that
it will not prove general) in the Queen's County and in
Carlow. We shall say nothing ourselves on thii distress-
ing subject—having all along exerted what influence we
might be supposed to possess to warn the farmer against
the potato—except to subscribe unconditionally to the
opinion of our Carlow contemporary, that it would be
absurd and mischievous to inspire hopes which may not
be realised. Nay, it would be treacherous to the land-
lords and farmers of Ireland.

Just as the preceding rf ferenee was about to be sent
to the printer, we received the following communication
from the firm of Messrs. Iliggins and Co., seedmen, of
College green:—

TO THE EDITOR OF THE " DUBLIN EVENING POST."
Sir,—We hesitate not to communicate to you the
result of an experiment made by us on the potato plant,
which, we regret to say, leaves but slender hope of se-
curing the growing crops free from disease.
Being of the opinion that there was very considerable
risk in cultivating potatoes this season, we planted a few
sets in a green-house, which soon vegetated, and
flourished beautifully until about a week ago, when the
fatal disease suddenly, but certainly, appeared. On the
same day our attention was attracted to a small plot of
ground, in which was growing, up to that time, very
luxuriantly, a variety called early martin, the seed of
which had been saved with the utmost care, having been
what is termed greened. On examination they proved to
be decidedly affected, and in a manner similar to those
grown in the greenhouse.
We have decided on making the above facts as public
as possib:e ; as we have learned this day, that already
seine hundreds of acres in the county of Carlow have
been ascertained to be irretrievably attacked.
The disease assumes various types ; in Tipperary the
leaves speedily black and curl. In Carlow, the stalks
are found to be affected just below the ground.
We delay not now to make any suggestions as to how
the calam,ty may be mitigated ; but purpose at once to
make them the subject matter of another communica-
tion.—We remain. Sir, your obedient servants,
JOSEPH HIGGINS AND SONS.
29, College-green, 29th May, 1847.
The fallowing is the statement referred to :
CARLOW, MAY 29.—A gentleman who has visited
various parts of the barony of Slievemarigne, Queen's
County, and several fields adjoining this town, called at
our office on Thursday, and produced unquestionable
proof of the appearance of disease in the potato. The
stalk looked healthy, and presented no external appear-
ance of disease, but on a close examination of the root
near the tuber, the disease was visible—evidently pro-
gressing upwards, and in a state of transition from a
sickly state of decomposition ; and what is more extra- '
ordinary, the seed in some cases was sound, and the
stalk green and healthy. To conceal this information,
and to continue to inspire hopes of success, would not
only be absurd but mischievous. We, therefore, call on
those who planted potatoes to judge for themselves, to
go through their fields, to examine the stalk carefully
near the tuber, and if they find the slightest appearance
of disease, let them forthwith prepare the ground for a
crop of white beet, or turnips, while the season for plant-
ing such crops continues.. The potato crop last year
looked healthy and luxuriant until it came into blossom
in July ; then it was that the disease manifested itself
generally ; but we entertain no doubt whatever that it
was progressing steadily from a muca earlier period,
although its effects were not visible. The ground at
thstlate period was useless ; but if upon examination at
this early stage of its growth the potato is found tainted,
not fail
we warn those who may still cling to the fond hope of
'oitpttfheseetyailodntgiiisaa.t:toto
crop, in direct opposition to the evidence
their tenses to prepare the land for such a crop as
generalwil dius hnt:ampiti,ctpolieerepay the labour bestowed in
otfnifsooyde,aranddid
intotisrefloyrotunntattiee
experi.
iment, iteunlivation was very generally tried
prove a failure, those who
toted ; and if the ex_ nirlind green
trope being substi-
hazard it have ampley timeent
Since the foregoing towas
sitnwritte supply the deficiency.
most healthy fields in appearanceninwtehvisited one of the
!ow. The gentleman to whom it belongs
envicinity of Car-
with great care, and planted them in 4soZtivated it
tact can no longer be concealed, that although andthe the
tato is formed the crop is gone. If the farmer, on exa.
urination of the stalk at the tuber, find the colour brown
instead of a purple tint, he may rely on the fact that
disease has set in and will go on. Let every man, hoe_
ever,l
ex
amine his own crop, and
judge
for himself.—