The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-19 00:00:00

BETTING AT MANCHESTER-TUESDAY.

THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STASES.-7 to 1 agst Morpeth
(t)-7 to 1 agst Butirtiss (t)-8 to 1 agst Gudfrey (t)-10
to 1 agst Outcast.
CHESTER CuP.-1S to 1 agst Clumsy (taken freelv)-
18 to 1 agst Sweetmeat (t)-20 to 1 agst Miss Burns (t)-
22 to 1 agst Best Bower-25 to 1 agst The Baron-30 to 1
agst Fitzallen-40 to 1 agst Magnet (t)-40 to 1 agst
Arthur (0-1,000 to 15 agst Sir Diggory Diddle (t).
THE DERBY.---5 to 1 agst Sting (t;-15 to 1 ‘gst Bro-
cardo-22 to 1 agst lago-25 to 1 agst Tibthorpe 40 to 1
agst Malcolm-40 to 1 agst Fancy Boy-1,000 to 20 agst
Sharston (t).

CITY OF LONDON PENSION
SOCIETY.

The anniversary festival of this Institution was held
last evening at the London Tavero, Bishopsg ,te-street,
the most noble the Marquis of Breadalhane, K.T. in the
chair.

At six o'clock about 170 gentlemen sat down to an
excellent dinner, which was .placed upon .the table in
that admirable style fir which Messrs. Bathe and
Breache are so eel, brated.

The gallery was filled by ladies, and the champagne,
which circulated briskly -at the dinner-table, was not
Confined to the body of the room, for the fair auditors
in the galiery had likewise an oppirtunity of judging
of the excellency of the chainpagne- furnished at the
London Tavern. The band of .the . Fusileer guards
was in attendance, and performed several popular
airs during the course of the evening. The vocal
arrangements were under the direction of Mr. J. Bru-
ton, who wa assisted by Messrs. Geroge. Turner; Sporle,
and Farquharson Smith. The veteran Toole bAciated
as toast-master.

The cloth having been withdrawn. the usual loyal
toasts were drank w;th ali the honours. In proposir.g
the toast of The Navy and Army,"

The Noble CHAIRMAN took .occasion to allude to the
bloody wartare in which cur trtaTs were new engaged
in India, and in the course of which they had, as usual,
covered themselves with glory. He further said, that it
must be a source of great satisfaction to know that the
war in which we were at present engaged - in that coun-
try was one of a purely defensive nature:—[This allu-
s.on to the gallaut deeds o- our tro. pa on the banks of
the Sudej was recsived with enthusiastic- applause.]—
The toast having been drank with all the honours,
The CHAIRMAN rose to propose the toast of the even-
ing, " Prosperity to the City of London Pen on
S.,ciety, and may it flourish for ever."—(Loud cheers.)
The Chat ity which they were there met to support was
characterised by that which was the peculiar character-
istic of charity properly so called—it was universal.—
(Cheers.) It aas only limited by the extent of its
means of doing goOd. All who were in. distress were
eligible to receive its benefits without distinction of sect
or country. It was, however, more especially appro-
priated to the relief of distressed artizans, manufac-
turers, and tradesmen, who had preserved a good char-
acter through life, by alloviing them in their old age,
pensions, the amount of which was settled by the
board of directors ; awl also bysillowing pensions to the
deserving widows of such persons. None were admitted
to the benefits of the -society who were under the age of
60, unless they were labouring under a total incapacity
of earning a livelihood. The funds tf the society were
devoted to the relief of persons who had become dis-
tressed, not from their ' own imprudence, but
from causes over which they could have had
no control ; and the strictest inquiry was in-
stituted into the merits of each particular case. The
pensions were conferred only on: persons who had been
reduced to distress by the decay of their natural
powers, or by the vicissitudes of trade. At the present
time, when such :great changes were going on in trade,
such a society was particularly deserving of support ;
for however much those changes might benefit the com-
munity at large, yet it was not possible to introduce
any changes in trade without this being accom-
panied by cases of individual distress which
could not but open a wide field for the exertions
of this society.—(Cheers.) The class of' individuals to
which he alluded had given their best exertions to bene-
fit society, and it was the duty of society to relieve them
in their distress;and that relief would be afforded as far
as their funds would admit by this society. Unfor-
tunately the society had been subject to great fluctuations.
At one r eriod they had had as many as 500 pensioners
on their books. At present they had 52 on their list.
Of these 22 were above eighty years of age, 15 were
upwards of seventy, and 15 were upwards of sixty.
Relief was afforded. to all, as far as the funds would go,
without distinction of religion .or country. Wherever
they found distress there they held out the
relieving hand, and this charity was what all charities
ought to be, tiniVersal.—(Cheers.)
The toast was then drank with three time three, after
which Mro Bruton sang en admirable original comic
song, a hich being encored, he; after the manner of comic
vocalists, sung another song equally good with the first. •
On the health of the Secretary, Mr. H. F. Richard-
son, being drank, that gentleman gave a detailed history
of the society from its first forination in 1818 up to the
present time, and read a list of the subscriptions, which
amounted in the whole to upwards of 9001., and various
other toasts were drunk and responded to, and the com-
pany separated at about half-past eleven o'clock.

ROYAL REGIMENT of ARTILLERY

The exertions of the recruiting parties .to raise men for this
gallant corps are now attended with considerable success, and
numbers of .fine young men are • weekly joining at head-
quarters at Woolwich, from various parts of the country, to
acquire a knowledge of the duties of artillerymen.
The following circular memorandum has just been issued
for the information of the officers, non-commissioned officers,
and men of the regiment, and those intending to enlist in
that branch of her Majesty's service:—
" Deputy Adjutant-General's Office, Woolwich, March 13.
" The Master-Getieral and Honourable Board of Ordnance, by letter
dated the 11th of March, 1546, S 361, have directed her Majesty's
warrant, dated 19th of Dedember, 1845, to be extended to the Royal
Artillery, by which rewards for the 'greater encouragement of meri-
torious set., ice, and for good conduct of non-commissioned officers
and soldiers, are provided for ; it is desirable that these benefits be as
extensively circulated as circumstances will permit.
"Of the advantages conferred, an annuity in addition to pay for a
certain number of sergeants ; the service, combined with good conduct,
entitling soldiers to good-conduct pay is considerably reduced ; thus, on
completing five years' rervice, with two years' exemption from the de-
faulters' book, one penny per dit fn's added to the pay of the soldier, and
for every subsequent five years' service, extending to thirty years, a
similar increase takes place, the maximum rate being 6d, a-day ; and
the good•conduct pay enjoyed by the soldier is carried with bins to
the pension list, se that in proportion of length of service and good
conduct he may realise a pension from Is. to Is. 6d. a-day.
" The particular attention of officers, non-commissioned officers,
and men on the recruiting service, is called to this subject, that they
may explain to the peasantry the improved condition of the soldier
while serving, and the certain provision made for hlm when no longer
fit for her Majesty's service.
" H. D. ROSS, Deputy Adjutant-General."

In addition to the advantages to the non-commissioned
officers and men of the Royal Artillery alluded to in the
above circular memorandum, it has been decided that one
sergeant and eight men are to be added to each company of
the present nine battalions, and that the tenth battalion will
be raised according to the increased strength of the present
companies. The number of companies of the Royal Artil-
lery at home and on foreign stations amour.t to seventy-two,
which will give promotion to seventy-two non-commissioned
officers, and the same number of men will be promoted from
the ranks, in addition to those required to farm the tenth
battalion.

THE A ssiz ES. —Con siderable inconvenience has been
felt, and in many instances grievous injury inflicted upon
suiters and witnesses, by reason of the short time allowed by
the judges for the transaction of public business in the dif-
ferent assize towns—between the closing of the Courts in cne
bailiwick and the opening of them in another. It is abso-
lutely and legally necessary, when once the days
are named, and the precepts sealed, that the commission for
the county, city, or town, should be opened on the very day
stated, without any reference to the quantity of business—
crown or civil—nndisposed of at the previous place of sit-
ting. This is an evil of such magnitude, that it is to be
hoped means will be taken to prevent its recurrence here-
after.—Dublin Evening Mail.—[The same evil has for
years past prevailed in England. It is to be hoped that the
executive will provide a speedy remedy for it in both coun-
ities.—ED. Burl

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 18.
The &MUER& took the Chair at Twelve o'clock.
SUNDERLAND GAS BILL.

Mr. WAWN moved that the Committee on the Sunder-
land Gas Bill have leave to proceed with two selected Mem-
bers, and to appoint another Chairman.
After considerable discussion amongst several llon. Mem-
bers the motion was withdrawn.
SUNDERLAND DOCKS BILL.
Mr. BELL moved that the Committee on the Sunderland
Docks (re-committed) Bill have leave to proceed on Thurs-
day, at three o'clock, with two selected Members only.
The motion was agreed to.
SECOND READINGS.

The following Bills were read a second time, and ordered
to be committed, viz. :—Nottingham, Mansfield, and Mid-
land Junction Railway; Southampton Port and Harbour ;
Sumersetshire Midland Railway; Newcastle and Darlington
Junction Railway (Pontop and South Shields Railway Pur-
chase).
Captain PECHELL presented a petition praying the House
to appoint a select Committee to inquire into the justness of
the claims of the British Legion during the Spanish war.
POOR LAIN S (IRELAND).
On the order of the day being read,
Mr. POULETT SCROPE said, perhaps he might be al-
lowed to express a few observations on the Irish poor-laws,
as he had had some experience on the subject. In 1827 the
first provision for the destitute poor of Ireland was first car-
ried into law. The machinery of the poor-law in Ireland
was nearly similar to what it was in England_ They had a
regular set of officers—wardens similar to our relieving offi-
cers, and workhouses were attachod to each union. The sub-
stantial difference between the English and the Irish poor-
law consisted in the giving of in-door relief to
the paupers in England, which was not done in Ireland.
He uoped th.:t the House would cL me to the opinion that the
first r,aource of the people of Ireland, after the failure of the
potato crop, was their crop of oats; and if that crop had
been properly managed, it would have been sufficient to pro-
vide against any emergency. He hoped the encouragement
afforded by Government to the importation of American
corn would be beneficial to Ireland, a.id that enough corn
would be speedily collected to meet the present necessity.
He had seen with great a!arin the ecormous extent of
exports of oats and other kinds of corn which had taken
place from Ireland since the failure of the potato
crop. He found on a reference to the returns, which
would be in the recollection of the House,

that up to the sth of February last the imports
of corn into England from Ireland amounted to 258,000 qrs.
of wheat, 701,000 cwt. of flour, and 82,000 qrs. of barley,
making, on a rough calculation, something worth nearly a
mil ion of money. Nearly 1,000,000 qrs. of cats bad been
exported from Ireland since the failure of the potato crop last
harvest, and that system of exportation was going on still.
We were now in the middle of March, and during toe last six
weeks since the production of the returns, the expor.s bad no
doubt been going on in the same ratio. He hoped, however,
that some means had been taken to store up the corn ex-
ported, so that the people of Ireland might still be enabled to
obtain the food they had been most used to. At
the time of the failure of the potato crop, as if it
had been especially ordained by Providence, there was
a most bountiful harvest of oats. Government had under-
taken to be responsible that the people in Ireland should not
starve, but they wouli have dune better to have left that
responsibility to the local authorities in Ireland. The
House had heard from the Right Hon. Baronet at the head

of the Government that he —placed great reliance on the
voluntary subscriptions and assistance of the landowners.
That was a very brittle and frail dependence. He (Mr. P.
Sct op, ) knew that in many districts the landlords certainly
did provide for their teatimes; but there was a vast number of
districts where the landlords were receiving their full rent,
and would not return one farthing towards the support of their
tenantry. In the northern parts of Europe the first claim to
the produce of the soil was admitted to be with the people
who were engaged in producing it. He could not for a mo-
ment rely on the voluntary principle trusted to by the Right

Hon. Baronet, for even during the present state-, of distress
in Ireland, accounts reached them every day, that the evic-
tion of tenantry was still going •u. Their cabins and
houses were levelled, and they themselves turned out to

swell the increasing mass of destitution and misery in the
towns of Ireland. He had just seen a statement of a most
harrowing descripion of what had taken place in Roscom-
mon. It stated the people were continually being turned
out from from their houses. He had himself read, no later
than yesterday, that 447 wretched beings had been ex-
pelled from their homes In one case a man was lying ill
from a fever, and his entreaty, that the walls
of his hut should be allowed to stand, in order that he might
have some shelter, was refused. In another case, a poor
woman, with her child in her arms, was not • allowed time to
escape from the hut, but as she was running out the beam
fell, and, as he (Mr. P. Scope) understood, killed her child in
her arms. It was to prevent these cases, and to introduce
the principle of compelling the landlords to take some means
of providing for their tenants that he stirred in the matter;
for while there were hundreds of these cases in progress it
was necessary to act. He would refer them to what took
place iu Mullingar, where nineteen families were evicted from
their tenures, and in Mallow forty persons hal been expelled,
and prayers had been offered up in their chapel for patience
to enable them to bear their inflictions.
Sir J. GRA.HAM asked where the Hon. Member obtained
his inforuiation ?

Mr. I'. SCROPE said (as we understood) from the public
journals. He could, had he wished, have referred to num-
bers of blue books to prove the misery that existed, but he
did not think such a course necessary. The system had ex-
isted for years, and it was now time to give the people some
refuge and guarantee against starvation. Otherwise they
had no chalice but to increase the number of harrow-
ing cases that had been already brought forward.
That would be the case if boards of guardians were compelled
to maintain their poor, but it was well known that in Ireland
such was not the case. In the report of the Poor law Cum-
missioners fer 1845 there was a case of a man who had ap-
plied to the guardians of Carrick-on-Shannon, but %HS
refused every relief, and the consequence was that the
individual died on the highway, and remained a sp.e,acle
during the whole of the following r'ay (Sunda3 ). The Corn-
tnissioners had very properly reprimanded the guardians on
that ace unt, but they had not provided any adequate remedy
for the evil, and what he (Mr. Scrop,e) wished to ate was a
compulsory power ex rcieed to oblige the guardians to give
relief. He vas aware that the workhouse was op, ned, but all
the workhouses in Ireland were totally inadequate to the
reception of the nuruereus applicants who would present
themselves for relief. All the workhouses toeether in Ireland
would not accommodate more than 97,000 persons, and le
thought, therefore, that relief should be applied in the shape
of employment. To further such assistance they might bring
in a Bid- for recovering the waste lands, not the bog land,
but the large quantity of waste Linds which every
part of Ireland presented for cultivation. The
Members for Ireland migut talk of confiscation arising
from the poor-rate. But what was it? Why, in Ireland
the poor-rate was only 6d. in the pound, while in England it
was 2s.—(No, no.) No; why he had known in some in-
stances the poor-rate to amount to 10s.. 125., and even 19s.
in one else. Such being the case, he thought the local
authorities ought to be called upon to assess an equal
rate upon all the inhabitants, and thus raise a fund
for providing that employment which, in this emergency,
was so absolutely necessary. The Right Hon. Baronet (Sir
J. Graham) had the other day talked as if some mystery
should be observed in this matter; but he believed that the
institution of a sound poor-law would save the necessity for
any such ui.eandid proceeding, and would prevent all those
outrages by which the country was at present disgraced. He
did not ask for a permanent measure, but he did wish that
the burden should in the first place be thrown on the local
authorities, and then, according to circumstances, to provide
for the future. He believed that, even under the present
pressure of famine and want, the rate required would not
be more than elevenpence in the pound.
Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD, in seconding the motion,
said he did not rise for the purpose of offering the least
obstruction to the measures that had been introduced by her
Majesty's• Ministers, but he felt it necessary on that occasion
to offer a few observations, as tieing connected with the sub-
ject. The Government had taken upon themselves the re-
sponsibility of providing for the wants and distresses of the
destitute people of Ireland, for which undertaking he gave
them every credit.—(Hear, hear.) They had substantial
proof, however, that the measures introduced by
the Government were not sufficient to meet the
exigencies of the people of that country.—(Hear, hear.)
If they were sufficient, why was it that they had so many
reports laid on the table of that House, all showing that
disease and famine were extending themselves?—(Hear.)
Such, he took for granted, was a proof that the measures pro-
posed were insufficient. For a number of years past the
measures recommended by Committees and Commissions, in
reference to Ireland, had not been adopted by that House;
and his (Mr. Crawford's) opinion was, had they been attended
to and adopted, there would not exist the misery and distress
• that at present prevailed in that country. Therefore, he felt
it was their duty to force on the Government the con-
sideration of those measures that had been suggested,
with a view to remedying those evils.—(Hear, hear.)
The Right Honourable Gentleman at the head of her Ma-
jesty's Government, in introducing his measure, stated that
it would be impossible for him to proceed without the aid of
local support; in fact, that he depended much on voluntary
help. Now, he (Mr. Crawford) did not mean to cast the
slightest imputation on the landlords or gentry of Ireland,
as he was aware that arnong,t them there were many kind-
hearted and benevolent gentlemen, but he should. at the same
time, say that he had not a doubt that many of them would
not come forward to do their duty by the people ; and, there-
fore, it was the Government were called on to make a provi-
sion for such necessity. But he should also observe, if the
landlords were expected to do their duty, they should get
every facility for doing it.—(Hear, hear.) The measures
recommended to that House should be adopted, such as
giving relaxation of entail to tenants for life, as a compensa-
tion for the improvements made by them.—(Hear, hear.)
For nearly two years the report of the Landlord and Tenant
Commission had bean lying in abeyance, and nothing had
been done ; and though 'Government had introduced Bills
for the amelioration of Ireland, yet he wanted to see a
power given for the general improvement of the country.-....
(Hear.) The Bill at present before the House only pro.
Tided for one description of disease (fever); it made no provi-
sion for the various other diseases mentioned in the reports.
There could be no doubt that the ejectments referred to
had also taken place ; and he therefore suggested that the
Government should take up the waste lands, which would
afford scope for the exercise of labour and yield ample re-
muneration to the labouting classes. It was necessary that
the Government should assume a bold front, and take upon
themselves the power of making such important alterations
with regsrd to the titles of land as the nature of the case re-
quired.—(Hear.) As to relieving the poor of Ireland by the
application of the present system of poor-laws, it was
impossible; and unless the guardians were permitted to ad-
minister out-door relief under the authority of the Commis-
sioners, in such cases as the circumstances required, the diffi-
culties could never be remedied. He should conclude by
seconding the motion of the Hon. Gentleman who preceded
him.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir J. GRAHAM said that he felt he was labouring under
very many and great disadvantages in replying to the ob-
servations of Hon. Members on the subject of Ireland, in
consequence of the absence of his colleagues who were more
immediately connected with that country, but at the same
time he was anxious to state frankly to the House the opit
aions which he entertained with reference to the important
question which had, he thought, been rather unnecessarily
brought under discussion by the instruction which the Hon.
Member (Mr. P. Scrope) had put upon the paper. He at
the same time believed also that it was barely within the
ruler of the House that such an instruction should be allowed
upon this question. This measure was exceedingly limited
in its nature, for although important, it was precise in its ob-
jects. It was for the temporary relief of cases of fever
arising from the present unhappy circumstances of Ireland,
and the construction which they must necessarily put on the
resolution of the Hon. Member would raise the question of
relief tits not only the afflicted, !ant i° the able-bodied poor of
Ireland who were out of the union workhouses. His instruc-
tion was to relieve all the destitute poor out of the union
houses who might be in danger of perishing from want.
Mr. POULETT SCROPE said that if the precise words
of his instructions did not sufficiently convey his meaning, he
had, he thought, sufficiently explained his wishes in the re-
marks he had afterwards made. What he wished was, that
the Government relief would be given in the shape of work,

and not in the form of a bounty. He would be quite willing
to alter the words of his instruction.
Sir J. GRAHAM said that this uncertainty wss one of the ,
disadvantages of a departureafrotn the rules of the House.
The proper course for the lion. Member would have been to
have moved for leave to bring in a Bill to meet his wishes.
The Honourable • Member, indeed, expressed his willing'
nest to alter the framing of his instruction but that
Nt Quid not amend the- matter, for they were not that day
met to caesider the propriety of adding to or amending the
poor. law in Ireland, neither were they met to consider an-
other subject of great social importance, he meant the rela-
tions between landlords and tenants; for if they discussed •
these questions they would be anticipating the motion 0f
which the Noble Lord the Member fur London had giv.en
notice fie- after Easter, namely, the general condition
of the people of Ireland ; and it would be otherwise
imprudent to prematurely discuss these questions, inasmuch I
as they lay at the root of all their difficulties respecting
Ireland. The time, he thought, was unfit for considering
these important subjects, but he could not refrain from com-
menting upon one or two of the observations made by the
last two speakers. The Hon. Member who had introduced
this motion complained that the measure under considera-
tion had not been introduced sufficiently early, when they
could have had time to give it their full consideration.
Hecould only explain the reason why the Bill was not earlier
introduced by referring Hon. Members to the circurnstences
which 'had led to the resignation of her Majesty's GoTsru. •
ment, and its reconstruction in a short time lifter, and it
was not until the Government, as it at present existed, 11 s,
constituted, it was not until the middle of the month 0,
December that they could even consider what Bills :should -
be introduced, and surely Hon. Members would allow that
it was a matter of absolute necessity that the Imperial Psi;
liament should not be summoned until the objects Whic
would be brought under their notice had been carefully Or
sidered and determined upon. He trusted that this
nation would be satisfactory to the House and to the flort.
Member. The lion. Member laboured under a misaPPln
hension when he thought that there existed at present r;
law for the relief the poor in Ireland. There exit ted
the law introduced by the Noble Lord opposite four Prtef
visions to that effect—first that perseas in a state '
destituti-rn and afflicted with disease should be taken inst: '
the workhouses, next that they might be removed to tot
fever hospitals; but as these, in some instances, were
some twenty or thirty miles distance, and as some of lei,
diseases might be of an epidemic character, lie consid re:
.„
that provision as a very imperfect one. The third prochli;
was one which enabled the guardians to erect fever hospitals„ .
their vicinities, and the fourth provision wasosie which enabled
them, in the absence of any temporary erection, to hire buiTt
inns for the purpose of admitting fever patients. He ran
say-that, generally speaking, there was no reason to con3P;
of any unwillingness on the part of the guardians to give eves
assistance to those who were afflicted with fever, but with..,
the last few weeks Government had received inforniationfr°ll
the Executive Government in Ireland reporting that fever Ni".
very
_greatly increased in consequence, he supposed, of tit('
scarcity of 'food, and the unwholesome quality of it.
prehension bad- been entertained that the existing fait
would be found too limited in its working, and therefore ,
was, that Government had thought proper to introduce tat
present Bill. Tate Honourable Member complained t"
he
he had not taken the trouble of sufficiently explaining
provisions of the Bill, and the sources from which the fuel
necessary for its being carried into effect were to be suplott
He bad, he believed, explained on a former occasion d
the expenses would be borne, partly by the public, °lto
partly by the ratepayers. Power was also given.ss
the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, on the representar,
of the Central Medical Board in Dublin, to rerlufe;
guardians to erect hospitals or to hire buildings for fev..d
patients, where they would receive medical attendance.
such medical appliances as their unhappy condition reetturiit
The Hon. Gentleman also complained that Goverinne f
should have foreseen the evil and prohibited exportatiold:a
wheat from Ireland, with a view to meet the apprelleu
famine. ste
Mr. P. SCROPE explained that he intended only 0.00
that Government should have reserve stores of provW
where the danger of famine was must inconvenient. • left
Sir J. GRAHAM said the Hon. Member's explanatil tee
matters as they were. If Government had prohibit
exportation of corn from Ireland he apprehended that the
ditiou of the country would not be in any way imPrcopn.
It was not to be denied that either proposition of the tee
Gentleman would have raised the price of provisions on%
poor man. A more dangerous propositioncould not have rbA-af
proposed, and it would t ave inflicted an evil only second to ttio
which would have been caused by checking the exoortscrel
of cora from Ireland.—(Hear.) 'With regard to the gelid)•
eviction of tenants in Ireland, it was to be desired t.ind,beri
landlords in these extremities would exercise more '44
usual forbearance to their tenants. The sum of °llea
already voted by the Government amounted to eery aed
halt' a million of money, and it should be Word
without delay in the best possible manner, to "'Aida
the wished-for relief. He was by no means inclined to %le
with the Right Hon. Gentlemen on the questivn of the
provement of waste lands in Ireland, and he would be ,opse
willing 'to listen to any suggestion he might "rot
to offer. But he came now to the mo ,t imP°taes
question which could be well consiter ,tl.
under a pressure, of a temporarrcalamity, it was exPe
aftbe
hastily, and without deliberation; tisslter the principle oat
existing poor-law. The Hon. Gentleman had observed ea
the Government had taken a very serious responsibility
eTipg
themselves by not throwing the burden of tnsessisi
the calamity on local boards, but rather e"°-(alt
to meet it out of the public funds. Ile atter
James) Graham) felt the responsibility—but
having given the measure the most anxious constder
wita
he felt that it would not have been consistent es
of e
i
his sense of duty,' to recommend the adoption
other course than that which bad beeu adopte,:eliecl
was their bounden duty not to legislate for kspece
with reference to English teeling, and still less with rete";ali
to English law; but they were bound to legielateorall
reference to Irish feeling and to Mali law, and it W 55
necessary for him to state that the principle of assn
work, as compensation for relief, which lia,r
established in England since the reign of Queen Eat 0 ;
had never been introduced' in Ireland. In Enghtn ore
absol t • e ant of food lad far many years been felt;
.4 a
hall been a want of wsrk experience's, but that °'"siatl
eslaotity easily redressed. In Ireland very different I',ol
prevailed ; alms giving prevailed more than jnpet
other country in the world. The Roman u°,,t pets
re;igion is sere .p eva!ent, and the peculiar "'spit
of that religion attach the utmost importance t?.iii,,bd
givnig, and int. educe into tie social system a state of tt-00
d: cidedly io favour of the poor. Now, circumstances °0 Ca:
s inn oueht n t to be overlooked ; besides, the itorulloate°
tholic religion possessed an unmarried clergy, who
muss of their time to the assistance of the poor -Th„ee'
hear.) The maj,•rity of Irish ,andl rds invariablYse rbr
liti.p,ur on their estates for those who needed it, and as'.act,os
rity to those who were unable to wlls. so that, in
their property poverty did not exist. It was true Chao ors
neglected those who lived on their estates, and ''u°, to
suffering all the ills of poverty, on whom, perhaiTte
ought to be levied in order to raise a sufficient fun s a abti
port those indigent persons. But the imposition of sIO:'10
would have a similar effect to that of the old poor-lat_`.lost tln
country, and, therefore, in policy and equity, he was sIP,,oarS5
introduction of such a tax into Ireland, because a tet4ls
evil should not be met by remedies, the permanent .ellieer
which would be dangerous. Its imposition would ve
to
sistent with the welfare of that country, especially e
owners of property, would be dangerous in the extroe°3,,,ol°, I
great body of the people, and a torrent of pauperis woall
be caused, which both the owners and renters of lan
e'
find it impossible to support.—(Hear.) He rePeabt tb
the evil was of a temporary nature, and that it oug tiQb
fore to be met with temporary remedies.—(llear4det7s
the peculiar aircunistances of Ireland were countasc;ej
they would find that she contributed herresaPiti
of taxation, and therefore when famine and distress Peeer.,
he thought they ought to be alleviat -d out of the dbut
taxation of ihe kingdom, not in the nature of' a dolsoent
an amount of money given out of the taxation of the one:,
1, -a
to which Ireland contributed her fair share, in order 1
of
the evils which her inhabitants were threatened ee'pls;
failure of the potato crop. He hoped then that the!, JAI
Ireland would perceive that the Government and tb toe
lature were exceedingly anxious to aid them in the„sSeres
need, and that they had shown sympathy for their s'iferlll.s
by devising early measures for the alleviation of their itdecti,
As a question of policy, he was opposed to the intrergtefa
of a land-fix to meet• a pressing but temporary °eat° t+
because he thought it would be dangerous in the.....(1119;
to impose new burdens on an impoverished count* s." op
hear.) He had ventured to trouble the House ael,ll;edlSop
length than he intended, because he thought it, ijaersti
that the views which he entertained after much ueof
should be fully explained.—(Bear.) u
Mr. S. O'BRIEN asked what alterations the aso,:p S.• as
proposed to introduce in the Bill when in Cornmit';aitotjat
Sir J. GRAHAM said he should propose the sc WO'
of the words "poor" for "destitute," and " epidenn'' f,9a
of " fever." Ores bi
Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN said nothing could be
.tosee it
than the spirit in which this subject had been dis‘ajoetaS
the Right Hon. Baronet.—(Hear.) lie hoped to , .410
.0
with the same feeling; but in the remarks which eleoes
feel it his duty to address to the House, if an34l":afail';
fall from him contrary to that, he trusted they of °Jet it
consider that it was put forward with any intention d tVielo
ing the Right Hon. Baronet. They were all aa'rc_c of lets
was desirable to take measures to prevent thte iscaielt
which would result from the failure of "'lie., ie.
crop, in order to meet future con!' t pay
but, in his opinion, the Bill which the Governnts°., 01.10,
• a f
troduced with the intention of accomplishinis, , eer
was inadequate to the emergency. He found, °veil r ofr
to the Irish Poor-law Act, that the guardians of ee'tseasoes
law union are empowered to provide relief for ~!,),aopcee
fected with contagious or other diseases in tue ypiesee.o
under their control during their illness and con eres'i'ast
to afford them such food as they might deem and tss
with the consent of the Poor-law Commissioner% by, SS
the expense should be paid out of the rates Pas
inhabitants of each union. Under this law th,e.rai tbi°oos
fever hospitals connected with unions, in all of Het)w°l
had been carried.out, whenever necessity arose. or7l
therefore that the Right Hon. Baronet should i,!of aro to.
forward some case in which the guardians of orlwt this So'
these unions had neglected or refused to carry Ott be be tips
vision ; he had not, however, done so, but the 11',..'wg•ealym40;
troduced showed that he considered that the ponr-,' e th? °`
had neglected their duty. The Bill would introuule_.„ipra era
ciple of imperative taxation, which was much C9_lrTo 0%001
in Ireland, and apparently without achieving ari3frit,a tore to
If also gave power to the Executive to state` who nut
officers, certainly at the expense of thei..ot u ai
supersede the officers now employed in the slue'
Irel°°ientv.
It appeared to him, however, that the peopler"...us rnfos
not want fever hospitals, but food at the pae6n„acl soloa
He could notsbelp saying that the commercitra• Infest
GovernmenfaTtparried, would improve the trail
._ere"oeclellpe,
because thesPenerts would most likely be ten:,rest,ceiP.
12,000,0001. tas-35,000,0001, by which, of court! /so oas
bers would onn that employment which ved!_eory 7,01!
them. One }loathed and seventy returns from asr a)e
time been livin~t Biotin
cou
nntioes
dsibeeoneWeelpthotaattotele7
andp heootrhtaitin a very se
eyes bast
whole of their supply of provisions would
d wool
He believed that the protectionists of Irelanetabe'orr,
had no objection to the opening of the ports in sneeling,.: 0,!
for the admission of corn; at least such was the 'the due's
valent amongst all classes in Ireland. It eliding, to bar
Government, when such a crisis was dependintotad:
assembled Parliament, and then such measures "so !',l'asis
been adopted as would have rendered unnscessarinse,
to the public purse. As regarded railway oil) fonds ail
manifest that it would be impossible that ana'nocaion
that source would come into circulation in co
„op,
.00••-ig
any railway Bills to be considered this se:jaerstieetelit
the Government taken these projects into co.nibt hoe,
November last—(Hear,hear)—their benefit In The 9 bs.l
felt at the period when it would most be wanted' WOO' oefi
Hon. Gentleman had said that Bills for pubflioci the ejoe thtie
been forwarded in order that Ireland might leers
fe
of the employment they would occasion. , for
Drainage Bill, the Bill for County
100,000/. was to be advanced ; the übnc
_wvir,heriesietr
which 50,0001, was to be advanced; and the fraglyieS/
Bill, for which 50,000/. was to be advanecV,r. s. re;
certainly be better than grants, and had r,isert°s;
been speaking to an Irish Parliament ne_.."l, cony sus
W01:150 p
commended similar measures to them, `,tonal 'MP
that the principle of indiserhuinate
of the moss demoralising end clibuln. g•