The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-18 00:00:00

THE IRISH LAND BILL.

The adjourned debate on this bill was resumed by
Lord LURGAN, who approved of the measure, and ex-
pressed his thanks to the Government for having brought
it forward. He avowed beiug a staunch supporter of
tenant right, and said he thought the legalising the Ulster
custom was a very wise and beneficial proceeding. Having
Passed in review the attempts at legislation since the in-
troduction of Mr. Sherman Crawford's bill, he expressed
a hope that the bill of the Government would be passed
Pill/1g the present session. He expressed himself in
favour of payment for goodwill as well as improvements,
and he could not agree with the noble duke opposite
(Abercorn) that the tenants and labourers would be placed
14 a worse position than they were at present by the
Passing of the bill.
Lord DUNSANY differed from the noble lord who had
just sat down, as he looked upon the present measure as
an intolerable invasion of the rights of property. He
hoped that very many of the objectionable provisions of
the bill would be removed in committee, and then pro-
ceeded to vindicate the Irish landlords from the charge of
'laving acted feloniously towards their tenants, and pointed
out that during the last 90 years the rents in Ireland had
doubled, although he had to admit that in England during
that time they had increased three-fold. The charge
against the landlords was absurd, because if the tenants
had been hardly treated, it was most unlikely that they
would have made those improvements for which the bill
proposed to give them compensation. He did not believe
that the alteration would end where the present bill left
it, but what the Government ha•i given to the hungry
men, of Ireland they would be called upon to give to the
hungry men of England, and that, too, in a manner that
Would not admit of refusal.
Lord GRANVILLE thought it a wise step to establish the
*Ulster custom where it existed, but he was of opinion
that it would have been much better had they extended it
throughout the country. He thought much of the misery
that existed in Ireland was entirely owing to the proceed-
ings of the speculators in the Encumbered Estates Court,
silo Purchased property to make a profit, and they did
that by increasing the rent, and that to a point which it
was impossible for the tenant to pay. He was highly
gratified at ^the insertion of a clause in the bill to give
compensation to the tenant for disturbance. He hoped
the
Government would adhere to that provision, as the
value of the measure entirely depended upon the manner
h,
which that clause was passed. The bill as it now stood
"old put an end to capricious and arbitrary evictions,
and would tend more than anything he was aware of to
Prove to the Irish people that the English Parliament was
11°t indifferent to their prosperity.
The Earl of LEITRIM strongly opposed the bill. He
believed it had been brought forward to maintain the
present Government in their security, and for that object
only He denied that there had been any agitation for it
1.4 Ireland ; the outcry had been got up solely in England,
ln order that the spoliation begun by the abolition of the
Irish Church might be continued. The action of the
Government
z had been altogether oppressive in Ireland.
was an undeniable fact that all the taxes raised in Ire-
-11u were spent in England, and the only persons in the
, of the Crown resident there were policemen. It
47.48 a paltry excuse for the introduction of such an objec-
;10114131e bill as that now under discussion to say that it
had become necessary because employment was not given
by
the Irish landlords. In his opinion the bill, instead
toft.
e beingone for the improvement of Ireland, was one for
nothingl extermination of small tenants. He hoped that
would be assented to by their lordships which
°aid prevent the ordinary contracts being entered into
between landlord and tenant, as the withdrawal of such a
Power would create the greatest discord and disaffection.
, the Earl of LITCHFIELD said he was desirous that the
oillshould be passed with as little delay as possible, and
with but few alterations in its general principle ; at the
:iaroe time he felt that some amendment was required
order to prevent future discontent and litigation. He
oniected to the clause which legalised the Ulster tenant
llght. It was sufficient to ascertain clearly what Ulster
light really was, but so far as he understood it was the
Principle of paying a man for the goodwill on giving up
Possession. This he regarded as objectionable, and alto-
gether inconsistent with the principles on which compen-
sation was
given for loss of occupation under the third
clause. Compensation for loss of occupation in its opera-
tion ought to be confined to cases where a substantial ex-
penditure had been made by the tenant in effecting im-
provements.

The Earl of CLANCARTY said he felt greatly disappointed
at the bill, and it was his firm belief that it would alto-
gether fail to restore peace in Ireland, whilstit would de-
prive the landlord of the management of his property,
and create unheard-of litigation. He thought the Go-
vernment altogether wrong in branding the Irish land-
lords as oppressive, when it was a well-known fact that
rents were lower than in any part of the kingdom. One
of the great objects of the bill was to prevent capricious
evictions, and in that provision he concurred.
Lord POWERSCOURT supported the bill, as, in his opi-
nion, it would do no harm to the just landlord, whilst it
'Would restrict and restrain the oppression of those who
did not belong to that class.
The Earl of PORTARLINGTON thought the present state of
Ireland justified any Government in attempting to grapple
with the land question. He fully admitted that the pre-
sent attempt was not made in a party spirit, and the best
,e__euree therefore to pursue was to read the bill a second
"zele, and then do all that was possible in committee to
remedy some of the defects which the bill, as it now
stood
,contained.
The., Marquis of LANSDOWNE, as an Irish landlord
and
- a member of the Government, heartily supported the
it
reading of the bill on its merits, and also because
4 Provided compensation for tenants on being disturbed
in their holdings. Thelobject of legislation was:to relieve
811411 tenants, and this the measure did most effectually,
Without injuring the interests of the landlord. The
clause which enacted that in the absence of proof the
Ptresura._
ption should be that improvements were made by
the tenants was both fair and just. The rights which the
„ill conferred he trusted would induce the tenant to arrive
u 4 true sense of his duty. Hitherto he had been
aliting in self-reliance, but he thought for the future he
ould avoid committing his conscience to any other keep-
ing than his own.
„The Earl of CARNARVON stated that he should support
Te bill for the sake of the Irish people, who had been
actiatracted by agitation ; but on any other ground it
PPeared to him the measure was altogether a retrograde
t11..e. lie contended that it involved to a certain extent
e transfer of proprietary rights without giving the land-
eculpensation. He doubted much what would be
felt- beam" of multiplying small holdings as proposed by
~ he thought they had too many already. He
ria. re measure would increase litigation, which could
ob,:e "lit produce anything but good results. The whole
et' et of the bill was the pacification and satisfaction
he Ireland. He hoped it would be so, but he must say
thentertained doubts on the point. He should vote for
Paerileecud reading, as it expressed the wish of the English
araeut to do all in its power for the good of Ireland,
ants
would obey
after the bill passed the people in that country
h' ebeY the law of the empire.
steTs LORD CHANCELLOR defended the bill from the
he
turea that had been passed upon it. He denied that
interfered with the rights of property, and con-
-opp ed that it was founded altogether in precisely the
thee:4e direction. It had been asked, what do you give
biurndlord for what was taken from him by the present
ere, ;bad to that he answered that he was given in-
wa,--elsu Prosperity. The noble earl had asked whether it
and t'eught that the tenants wanted increased rent?
sec replied in the affirmative, if he was given increased
eapri tY* He firmly believed that the bill would check
la,4cuel°llB evictions, and although there were many good
,rl
°rele in Ireland there were some that could not pro-
-3r be
pro-
And termed as belonging to that class,
of one was impossible to deny that the serving
to Drunjust notice to quit was quite sufficient
The euucethe utmost alarm and a state of great insecurity.
noble lord then proceeded to answer the objections
'ige
the must the bill, which involved freedom of contract
the t: Presumption that improvements were made by
was rillaisilts. Ile said they were engaged in doing what
"t and just, and as concession* had been made,

and as the principle of the bill had been admitted, he
hoped that they would go- into committee, with the desire
to save Ireland from the difficulties and miseries into
which she had been plunged. But if it was attempted
to change the measure from a tenants' to a landlords' bill,
the whole endeavour of the Government would be
defeated, and he should tremble at the result the disap-
pointment would cause.

The Duke of RUTLAND having said he should support
the second reading,
The LORD CHANCELLOR put the question from the wool-
sack, when the bill was read a second time without a
division, and the committee fixed for Thursday next.
Their lordships adjourned at a quarter past twelve.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY.
The Speaker took the chair at ten minutes past
twelve.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY.

Mr. LAMBERT asked the First Commissioner of Works
whether he considered that a considerable number of the
pictures in the Turner Room of the National Gallery was
creditable either to the national taste or to the national
talent; and whether it was not desirable that they should
be removed, to give place to other works of art.
Mr. AYRTON said that if he replied to the question he
should really be making himself the arbitrar of the
national taste and national talent, which would be a very
unusual thing in this country, where everybody thought
and acted as he pleased. It seemed to him that his hon.
friend would best attain his object if he submitted to the
consideration of the House a resolution expressing some
opinion, either that the pictures might be removed or
retained.

MILITARY PUNISHMENTS.

Mr. RUSSELL GURNEY asked the Judge Advocate
General whether his attention had been directed to the
recommendations of the Commissioners on Courts Martial
and military punishments so far as they related to the
provisions contained in the Mutiny Act and Articles of
War, and whether it was the intention of the Government
to introduce a measure, during the present session, to
carry those recommendations into effect.
The JUDGE ADVOCATE GENRRAL replied that the matter
was receiving the attention of the Government, but
owing to the present state of public business, a measure
to carry the recommendations into effect would not be
introduced this session.

THE S UN, LONDON, SATURDAY MORNING, TUN E 18, 187 u.

public purse should be applied for the benefit of any par-
ticular class.
After some further discussion, the debate was ad-
journod.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
THE SPANISH THRONE.

Petitions have been presented to the Cortes in favour
of the Duke of Montpensier and of Marshal Espartero.
The Cortes will shortly close its sittings, as the number of
Deputies attending them grows less and less. The Regent,
it is thought, will not leave Madrid until the Cortes have
risen. The Carlists, it is said, are preparing for a move-
ment. .

ANTICIPATED RESIGNATION OF THE
BELGIAN MINISTRY.

It is stated by a Belgian paper of last evening that at a
Cabinet Council held yesterday the members of the Cabi-
net resolved to resign immediately. This decision has of
course been arrived at in consequence of the unfavourable
turn which the late elections have taken, by which the
Liberal party have been put, for the first time during
some twenty years, in a minority in the Chamber.

to Sweden, in ballast, struck to the westward of St. Ives
Bay yesterday, and went down. Five men were landed
at St. Ives in a boat. The master was found floating in
an exhausted state by a mackerel boat. Four men are
still missing.
The schooner Eclipse, of Bristol, Joshua Baldwin
master, bound from Padstow to Malpas, port of Truro,
with a cargo of oak timber, was towed into Penzance har-
bour yesterday. About midnight, on Thursday, during a
heavy squall from the westward, the ship
.being on the
starboard tack, heading north-east, longships bearing
about four miles distant, she carried away mast and all
gear, with mainsail.