The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-01 00:00:00

PUNISIIMENT OF DEATH.

Colonel TYNTE presented a petition from Bridg
water, praying the House to abolish the punishment
of death for capital offences.

CIIAP,TIST LAND COAPANY.

Mr. F. O'CONNOR presented several petitions in
favour of the Bill for the legalization of the Chartist
Land Company.

'IRISH EVICTIONS.

Mr. P. SCROPE said that he wished to make to
the House a statement of facts, which he had received
from Mr. Tuite, who had just returned from a visit
to the spot, from which, on a former occasion, he
(Mr. P. Scrope) had stated that upwards of 140
persons were evicted in the most cruel and summary
manner by Mr. Walsh, aided by the military force.
The statement which he had originally made
was not perfectly accurate in all its details
with respect to Mr. Walsh, but the main
facts were as he had stated them. The
whole of the village now presented a scene of
the utmost desolation ; upwards of eighty cottagers
were driven from their peaceful homes, their cottages
were pulled down, and even the temporary erections
which they had made to shield them from the incle-
mency of the weather had also been destroyed, not a
vestige of them remaining. These evictions took
place under the direction of Mr. Walsh, and he had
heard, upon the best authority, that that gentleman
was at the time in arrears of his poor-rates, and that
he was now being sued by the authorities for two
years' arrears of his rates. This was a state of things
which should not be allowed to exist.—(Hear, hear,)
If one person was able to depopulate a whole village;
and to drive six hundred or seven hundred persons
from their homes, then three or four such persons
joining together would be able to clear a whole
province. Another circumstance which made the
case even still worse was, that these fearful
evictions were carried on by the assistance of the
police and military, acting under the direction of the
Government. Such conduct was unworthy of a
civilised country, and they would expect to hear of
such things only in Algiers or among the Kafirs.
Mr. AIONSELL said that he was surprised that,
with the knowledge of the Hon. Member on this
fearful state of things, he should have voted as he
did last night against the motion for a Select Com-
mittee to inquire into the operation of the poor-law
in Ireland.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir G. GREY thought that it would be unwise,

without any general notice, to enter into any dis
cussion on the debate of last night. He believed that
no right-minded person could approve of such scenes
as had been described by the Hon Member. He
was not in a position to give any opinion as to the
accuracy of the statement made by the Hon. Member
with respect to the evictions he had alluded to. He
would simply state, in answer to the lion. Member,
that the Government did not lend the aid of the
police or the military to these evictions ; they were
only employed for the purpose of keeping order, and
putting down any breach of the peace that might
arise.

Mr. TATTON EGEItTON deprecated the grow-
ing custom of bringing forward in a desultory man-
ner debates without proper notice having been given
upon the subject.

Mr. S. O'I3.RIEN stated that the division of last
night showed that there were sixty-one Irish Mem-
bers who voted in favour of the Committee and only
eight against it, three of whom were officials con-
nected with the Government. It was a most absurd
thing to call Irish Members over to this country, and
then treat all their propositions with such perfect
disregard. The people of Ireland were starving, and
it was now complained by the Hon. Member who
had just addressed the House that the subject of
Irish grievances had been brought before the attention
of the House.—(llear, hear.) What would the
people of Ireland think of such a state of things,
when they found that the House would not listen to
the statements of their Members with respect to their
grievances ?—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. F. O'CONNOR said that he had long' been of
opinion that it was necessary to make some alteration
in the existing laws of landlord and tenant in Ireland.
Mr. STAFFORD regretted the delay to public
business which was caused by desultory debates of
this nature. The Hon. Member, who had renewed
the charges to-day which he had before repeated, and
then contradicted, seemed to have studied to some
advantage the precedents in the country to which he
had alluded, and he trusted that this system of Parlia-
mentary murder adopted by the Hon. Member would
have its due weight with the public, who would, no
doubt, know full well what er,dence to attach to
charges brought unexpectedly against absent gen-
tlemen.—(Hear, hear.)
After a few words from Mr. Wakley, Mr. C.
Anstey, Mr. Sharman Crawford, Mr. O'Flaherty,
Mr. Poulett Scrope, and Colonel Dunne, the subject
dropped.
NOTTINGHAM ELECTION.

The SPEAKER, informed the House that he bad
received a communication from the agents of the
parties complaining of the election for Nottingham,
that they did not intend to proceed with their petition