The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-29 00:00:00

THE IRISH LAND BILL.

The Daily News says that the House of Lords has prac-
tically done its work upon the Irish Land Bill. It is of
such a sort that it will require to be undone by the House
of Commons. The Marquis of Salisbury was very angry
with the Earl of Fingall for telling him the truth on this
matter, in what he was pleased to consider a disorderly
way. The fact is that the Bill, in the form which the
Peers have given to it, cannot be accepted by the
Government and the House of Commons; and
if it were accepted by• them, would not be ac-
cepted by the Irish people. Conservative peers
represent the measure as a doubtful experiment, responsi-
bility for which they lay with profuse eloquence and
emphasis on the shoulders of its authors. If this be so,
they should allow the experiment to be tried under con-
ditions which will at least allow it a chance of 'success.
To predict a failure, and then to set to work to produce
it, may be clever party tactics, but is not honest or
safe statesmanship. The peers are, we hope, beginning
to have an inkling of this truth. Lord Grey argued on
Tuesday night against that part of the measure
which is known as Mr. Bright's, Lord Carnarvon
shook his head over it, and Lord Malmesbury babbled
and blustered about it as foolishly as is his wont, but in
assenting to the 40th clause of the bill the Lords assented
to the principle of the scheme for facilitating the acqui-
sition of the land by the tenants. They will do well to be
as wise when the Commons' inevitable reasons for dis-
senting from the greater part of their Lordships' amend-
ments come up for their consideration a week or twe
hence.

The Post says that the Lords have distinguished them-
selves by remodelling the Irish Land Bill with a boldness
which may have been agreeable to an assembly whose
proceedings are generally deficient in the characteristics
that interest a spectator ; but their policy will not in the
long run be vindicated. 'Unfortunately, though not for the
bill, it has been far more damaged than improved. The
Commons cannot accept it in the shape in which they will
receive it from the Lords. That is simply impossible.
The Lords must abandon their amendments, or the bill
must become a dead letter but only for a time. If, through
the perversity of the Lords, it cannot be carried this session,
it will be presented to them next session, not with stronger
provisions in favour of the tenant, for we
believe that in that direction it has done all that is
necessary ; but we need hardly point out how
undesirable it is that the Lords should find
themselves constrained to pass next session a measure
which they have so mutilated in this that the
Commons must reject their amendments. No one who
wishes well to the House of Lords can help regretting
that they have taken up a position it is impossible for
them to hold ; but neither can it be denied that they have
done so with their eyes open. If they are not sensible
that the country is determined to support the Irish Land
Bill in its integrity as sent up from the Commons, we may
regret their inability or their unwillingness to look facts
in the face ; but the facts are there for all that, and nothing
can efface them.