The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-18 00:00:00

Havin; thus clearly established the right of
he State again to take possession of the lands which
t originally granted, we think the vast benefit to
:he public not merely justifies such an act, but

imperatively calls for its adoption. The requisite
funis for the undertaking might be procured in many
different ways. A waste land stock might be created
similar to that which in Belgium was procured for
the construction of railroads, which were planned by

and remained the property of the State, or it might
be offered to associated companies of capitalists, who
by such means would, we doubt not, acquire consi-

derable profit, in addition to the vast benefits they
would confer on the community at large. Either of
these methods, we consider, would be desirable ;
but there are many other ways in which
the object could be attained; for instance,
a judicious system of loans and advances
to be applied under the auspices and with the ap-
probation of the Board of Works. The employment
thus afforded, the outlay might be dispensed gradually,
so that the returns from the earlier works might
assist in those which should be attempted at a later
period. Two or three millions would, in the first

instance, be amply sufficient to mitigate the existing

distress, and tL test the efficacy of the project. Hos,s::
ever large such a sum might appear, its expenditure
would be as nothing in comparison to the distress
thereby relieved, the vast benefits attained. It

would be auxiliary to the occupation that will be pro-

duced by the railroads in progress of construction, the
improvements by thorough drainage, fencing, and

bringing into high cultivation the lands already in
use. It would go far to mitigate, if not entirely to
remove, the existing distress, and surely for such a
purpose, and with the great probability, if not the
certainty, of an adequate return, a sum less than
one-fifth of that which was cheerfully devoted to the
abolition of slavery in the British Colonies might
fairly be risked. The subject is too important to be

compressed within the space applicable to a single
article. We shall, on an early occasion, return

;hereto, and we hope to be enabled to show that the

present distress may be made the means of great and

permanent advantage to our sister kingdom.

The Peninsula seems destined to be embroiled for
evermore, and unless some strenuous or miraculous
regeneration takes place, both in the Spanish and Por-
tuguese Governments, that destiny is in a fair way
of being fulfilled. While the inhabitants of Madrid
are thrown into the utmost excitement by the pros-
pect of beholding the Due DE i'dolsTrENslEß abduct
the Infanta LUISA, the population of Lisbon is cast
into a state of peculiar tribulation by the possi-
bility of being again subjected to a Cabral
Administration. It is difficult, indeed, to de-
termine which of the Peninsular kingdoms is
involved in the greater embarrassment. The
Spaniards, almost with one accord, are indignant at
those machinations of the French Embassy by
which the national integrity of their common country
is placed in such remarkable jeopardy; and the reso-
lute persistence of King LOUIS PHILIPPE and his
ambassador, M. BRESSON, in consummating their en-
deavours, promises to enkindle a flame in the bosoms
of the Spaniards which cannot be very readily ex-
tinguished. The Portuguese, on the other hand,
are plunged into the most agonising uncer-
tainty. Miguelite insurgents, or rather par-
ties of guerrillas, leagued together ostensibly
for the purpose of upholding the cause of Don
MIGUEL, are roving about the northern provinces of
Minho and Tras-os-Montes, creating much anxiety in
the minds of the southern civilians, and harassing the
troops which have been dispatched for their sup-
pression, not merely by the violence of their sallies,
but by the rapidity of their movements among the
mountains. So considerable have been these disturb-
ances, that General Count DAS ANTAS has been com-
pelled to require additional reinforcements to the
forces committed to his direction, and which forces
had been already rendered more formidable both in
numerical strength and in general efficiency.
Not merely, however, have the northern provinces
of Portugal been the scene of these insurrectionary
movements, not only have these guerillas brought
terror amongst the peaceable inhabitants of Moncao,
Nobrega, Pico de Regalados, and Braga, but the
southern provinces appear to have suffered from a
proportionate disorganisation, and the Alemtejo has
been the arena of nearly similar outbreaks. What
may be the ultimate consequence of these continual
cornmotions it is almost impus..ible even to
c)njecture. It is, moreover, so generally believed
that the guerilla insurgents are abetted by the parti-
sans of the late Cabral Government, that the
Spanish Ministry is desirous of reinstating the Cabral
party in power, and that the Queen of PORTUGAL
herself is most solicitous for the return of its ob-
noxious leader; that the people continue in the most
miserable state of uncertainty, a prey to the most
distressing anticipations. Any implement would be

seized with avidity for the purpose of annihilating
projects so calculated to prove detrimental to the

nation generally. The proceedings, therefore, in the
Minho are fraught with the utmost importance to the

excited imaginations of the population of the capital.
By an assurance conveyed in the columns of the

of those demanding it; but if useful occupation be
not provided for them they must be maintained in
idleness. This is a principle which has long been
admitted and acted on in this country. It was the
foundation on which the poor-law of the reign of
ELIZABETH was based. It is one of the institutions
of England which must be extended to Ireland, in
order to place her people on the promised frioting of
entire and perfect equality with ourselves. This,
then, being admitted, and few we trust can be found
with sufficient hardihood to gainsay or deny it, the
first object should be the setting to work of that vast
quantity of labour, so as to obtain a profitable return,
in order by its means to increase and multiply the
natural wealth of the country, the produc-
tive qualities of the soil—to construct useful
works which will repay the cost of their execution,
to reclaim waste lands, and to bring into cultivation
new tracts and districts that have hitherto been
neglected, but which, if duly attended to, would
speedily yield an ample dividend on the amount of
the expenditure incurred, and produce large quanti-
ties of food to meet the increasing wants of the
people. Let it not be said that there is not an ample
field for the judicious occupation of the unemployed
labourer. At this moment there are no less than four
millions of acres of waste lands still untouched,
which in a few short years would pay, at the lowest
calculation, more than ten per cent on the cost of
their reclamation. With such a sphere of action, why
should there be a necessity for seeking for
the means of employment ? Every encourage-
ment should be given to private enterprise.
Every landowner who is able and willing
to commence operations on unproductive parts of his
estate, or who can induce capitalists to co-operate
with him in so doing, should have every assistance
given to him for that purpose. Loans might be fairly
advanced by the State proportioned to and in aid of
his own outlay. There could be no objection thereto
similar to that which is so justly entertained against
the advance of money for the payment of charges and
encumbrances affecting other lands. In every case,
therefore, where the owner of the soil is willing to
undertake the cultivation and improvement of his own
lands, he should be permitted to do so ; at the same
time, furnishing satisfactory evidence that his attempt
is a fair and bona fide one, and that the works pro-
gress, under his superintendence, at a reasonable rate.
If, however, he wants the ability or the will, no
fancied right of property, no unwillingness to inter-
fere with private possessions, should be permitted to
impede and obstruct measures of vast public utility.
We every day are witnesses to the compulsory
sale of property of every description; cultivated lands,
buildings, all are taken away from the proprietors,
who are obliged to accept the price or value at which
they may be assessed by a jury of their countrymen,
because their acquisition is necessary for the com-
pletion of a work of magnitude which may be bene-
ficial to the public, although its profits and returns
might be applicable to individuals. If, then, it is
just in such a case, and for such a .purpose, to deprive
parties of the property, whether willing or unwilling,
how much more equitable is it to take that which the
nominal owners have suffered to lie waste and unpro-
ductive, idle and unimproved; more particularly
when an option in the first instance is afforded to the
proprietor himself to undertake the speculation, and,
in the event of his refusal, the fair value is given him
therefor ?