The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-04 00:00:00

lumnnut

LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 1846.

The Lords met last evening, and sat for a short time, but
transacted no business of importance.

The SPSAXEZ took the chair at Four o'clock.
The SPEAKS& informed the House that the securities for
the prosecution of the petition against the return for Brid-
port were unexceptionable.
Mr. HAWN'S gave notice of his intention, on Monday next,
to move that all proceedings on the North-Kent Railway
Bill should be stayed, until the report was made of the
Royal Commission appointed to inquire into those lines of
railway the termini of which were proposed to be in the
City.
Several Railway Bills were read a second time, and
ordered to be committed.
Air. HAWES, on the bringing up of the report from the
Committee on the petition for leave to introduce the Cale-
donian Extension Railway Bill, moved, "That the report be
referred back to that Committee, with an instruction to
them to entertain the petition of WILLIAM MAXWELL. ALEX-
ANDER. and others, sworn witnesses upon it.
After some discussion strangers were ordered to withdraw,
but no division took place, in consequence of the opposition to
the motion being withdrawn.
The motion was consequently agreed to.
Mr. PLUMPTRZE gave notice of his intention, after Easter,
to move for leave to bring in a Bill to repeal the Act for the
Endowment of the Roman Catholic College of Maynooth.
Sir R. Pcxr, in answer to a question from Mr. J. Courrr,
said he would state on Monday for what period he should
prop.);:e the House should adjourn for the Easter holidays.
Sir. J. GIiAHAII. moved the resumption of the adjourned
debate mrl the first reading of the Irish Life and Property
Bill.

Mr. O'CONNELL then moved as an amendment—" That
while the House deplores the existence or outrage in Ireland,
and is sincerely anxious for its repression, :t is or opinion that
such outrage will be aggravated, not removed, by the arbi-
¶rary, unjust, and unconstitutional enactments of this Bill,
audtbat it is the duty of Parliament to adopt such measures
as will tend to eradicate the causes which produce these
crimes, instead of resorting to laws which will harass and
oppress the innocent, without restraining the guilty, aid
which, being restrictive of public liberty, cann,:t fail to
augment national discontent.' He was happy to bear the
Right Honourable Baronet at tl e head of the Home
Department, on moving the first reading of the Bill
the other night, actrnit that the murders and
climes that had been perOtrated in Ireland were not of a po-
litical, sectarian, or religious character. In Ireland, if any
coercion Bill was required, it was upon the landlords, and
not the peasantry. His motion was directed to remedies; he
did not deny the murders that had taken place. It was too
true that great crimes had been perpetrated in Ireland, and
if he thought this Bill would remedy the evils, no one would
be wore ready to support it than himself; but believing that

it would have a contrary effect, he should give it his most
determined opposition. The Bill gave the Lord Lieu-
tenant of Ireland arbitrary power and unlimited authority.
If instead of proposing such a Bill as the present, they were
to make an alteration in the law of landlord and tenant in
Ireland, give to the people of that country a greater fran-
chise, and more representatives, and compensation to tenants
for improvements, allow an extension to the Ulster Tenant
Act, and impose an absentee tax, they would then do some
real good for Ireland.
Captain °MILNE seconded the amendment. He believed
that the measure was not calculated to answer the objects it
had in view, but that it would increase the misery of the
people of Ireland.
The House was afterwards addressed by Mr. Sidney Her-
bert, Lord J. Russell, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Seymour, Mr. Butler,
and Mr. R. A. Fitzgerald.
On the motion of Mr. CAREW, the debate was adjourned.
The remaining orders of the day were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned at a Quarter past One o'clock.

The speeches made in both Houses of Parliament on
Thursday, on the motions forvoting thanks to the army of the
Punjaub, will add, in no small degree, to the satisfaction
which the people of the United Kingdom already feel for the
great victories and their important results, obtained in the
short space of seven weeks. The motions were seconded by
two Whig leaders, who to their credit allowed no po-
litical jealousies to interfere on such an occasion,
111
and who, by their generous language and hearty
concurrence in the measures adopted throughout the cam-
paign, showed that they had no sympathy with those jour-
nals which had outraged public feeling in denouncing the
conduct of Sir H. ITAXDINGE, and totally misrepresented
the sentiments which animated the Whigs themselves. All
parties concurred in the views taken both by the Earl of
Ripest and Sir ROBERT PEEL, and rarely, on any oc-
casion, has such unequivocal, such sincere, and
spontaneous commendation been conferred on the gallant
defenders of their country. About the skill and bravery
displayed there could indeed be little ground fur differese,s,
but what pleases us most in the _marks made is, not the
high-sounding phrases which recount the deeds of the
victor, but the deliberate and manly encomiums bestowed
upon him for his justice, his moderation, and his con-
ciliatory conduct, while the boisterous cheering of
his victorious troops was still ringing inbis ears. No insult
was offered to the chiefs who had so unjustly invaded the
British territory, no harsh conditions imposed upon the
QUEEN-MOTNER and her councillors, who forced on the in-
vasion, and the inhabitants of the Punjaub, instead of being
pillaged, and murdered (as we lament to say was the practice
too common among those vast armies that subdued
the Continent), were addressed by the Governor-General in
the most friendly manner, assured of his protection, and
treated more like friends than enemies. The judicious re-
marks made by Mr. HUME are a fair specimen of the general
feeling in this respect which prevailed. "It had been his
lot," he said, " to hear of the grasping character of the Go-
vernors-General, of their desire to extend their territory,
and to act unjustly to those opposed to them. If, how-
ever, he were to give an opinion with respect to the
conduct of Sir HENRY HARDINGE, it would be that he had
shown an excess of moderation, which did him and the
country great honour. The conduct of the Seikhs had
placed their country at the disposal of Sir H. HAnDusGa,
and he confessed that he had looked forward to our taking
possession of it, fearing that otherwise it would be extremely
difficult to obtain that security for peace which was abso-
lately necessary. However, the Governor-General had re-
solved to make the trial, and if the result should be un-
favourable, and it should be found necessary to take
possession of the country hereafter, he would have all the
honour due to his moderation, while the responsibility
would rest on those by whom the terms of peace were
violated." Conduct such as this satisfies the public mind
that Sir HENRY HARDINGE, with all his enthusiasm as a
daring soldier, possesses other qualities besides those of the
warrior, and encourages a hope that the affairs of the
Panjaab will now be peaceably arranged, and
the blessings of trade and commerce follow in the
train of those awful and destructive contests. To such
a result the people of this country anxiously look forward.
e are tired of ware, and conquests, and noisy demonstra-
tions of victory—the commercial measures adopted by the
Government are on that account, as well as others, so highly
prized by nearly the whole community, and we confidently
look forward to the day when, in the language of DAVID
HumE, " national exclusiveness shall be regarded by all as
foolish and wicked, when the natural flood of commerce shall
have its free course, and the nations of the earth shall become
united in one harmonious whole."
It will be seen from what was said by Sir R. PEE. towards
the close of the interesting discussion, that Sir H. Ham-
m:tax and Sir Huns GOUGH are both to be raised to the
peerage, and that her lilaassTY was the first to recommend
such just honours for their great services.

Mr. GERRARD, the proprietor of the estate from which
270 fellow-creatures have been driven within the last few
weeks to starvation and destitution, has at length thought
proper to furnish to the public his version of the causes
which led to so lamentable a result, and although, in our
opinion, nothing could possibly justify an act which must
necessarily be attended with such a fearful amount
of human misery, and that, toy, at a period
when the visitation of PROVIDINCE had so far
afflicted the unhappy people with the combined scourge of
famine and pestilence, he has certainly brought forward a
ease which in some degree mitigates the feelings of disgust
which had been entertained towards him. It appears that
the lands in question were let in the year 1827 to thirty per-
sons, who entered into possession and regularly paid their
rent, for a period of 15 years, through one of their number.
In the interval about forty persons more came on the
lands, having taken portions of it from the original tenants.
Mr. GXRICARD states that he did everything in his power to
prevent the subletting, and that he invariably insisted on
the whole rent being paid by the principal of the original
of the thirty tenants. Now, we cannot conceive but that
Mr. GERRARD could, if a due vigilance was exercised over
the property, have put a step to this system when
it was first introduced. The Irish landlord and
tenant laws eontaiu stringent provisions against
subletting, and it is always in the power of a landlord to
prevent the subdivision of his lands, and the introduction of
new persons without his consent; and we cannot conceive
that the course adopted by Mr. GERAARD, of making one
tenant pay the entire rent, and thus visiting on the well-
disposed and industrious the default of the idle or prodigal,
was sufficient for that purpose; on the contrary,

it led naturally to the very circumstances which
so unfortunately took place. Some of the parties
being either unable or unwilling to contribute their portion
to the entire demand, the rent was unpaid. Many of the
tenants wishing to pay for the portions of land in their own
hands, but refusing (in all probability, not having it in their
power) to make up the amount payable by the defaulters,
this was (we think, unwisely) refused from them, and, con-
sequently, each and every of them was held as a surety for
all his neighbours, responsible fur their good conduct and sol-
vency, a wholesale ejectment was brought, and the
almost necessary consequences of lawlessness and violence
took place—the money which would have gone in the shape
of rent to Mr. GERRARD was applied in litigation against
him. The people, who unfortunately had no means of sus-
tenance save the possession of their little plots, and reckless

of everything beyond the present moment, adopted every
dilatory step which the law permitted to postpone the evil
hour when they should be driven on the wide world, unshel-
tered and unprotected. The innocent and the guilty were
equally dealt with, and consequently every one, in a short
time, became equally involved in the resistance; various pro-
ceedings took place, and eventually Mr. GERRARD was suc-

cessful, and the people were at his mercy. Here, then, was

. .
an opportunity for a kind, a Judicious act on the part of the
landlord. Had he then, in place of persisting in his deter-
mination of clearing his property, said, "I have shown you
the fully of resistance, and that the law is powerful, but I
lee that I myself was wrong in the course which I pursued;
a new settlement of the property must take place ; fox—the

future each man shall be answerable for himself alone ; if he
pay the rent fairly chargeable for his portion of the ground,
he shall be permitted to retain it in his possession, but those
who continue defaulters shall be driven from the lands." Had
such a course been adopted, we have little doubt that peace
would have been restored, and that Mr. Genius]) would have
received his rentswith nearly the same regularity which, from
his own acknowledgment, appears to have existed for the Ant
fifteen years. Unfortunately this was not the case ; the
wretched people were one and all driven from their tene-
ments, and what had been the habitations of no less than
two hundred and seventy human beings were, in a few short
hours, torn down and razed to the earth. It is unnecessary
to dwell further on the melancholy termination : hundreds
of heuseless and destitute individuals wandering through
the country, without a shelter save the canopy of
heaven, must—no matter what might have been
the misconduct of some of their number—excite a general
feeling of compassion and sympathy in their behalf, and
of indignation at the state of the law which permitted such a
frightful desolation. We rejoice to end, from the statement
of Sir JA3IES (initiA3e on Thursday, that the matter is under-
going a full inquiry, and that the true state of facts will
shortly be laid before the country; and further, that, if what
was called the Clearance System should be resorted to in
Ireland, it should be checked, if necessary, by legislative
enactments. We trust that this promise will speedily be ful-
filled, and that it will be no longer in the power of any indi-
vidual again to consign such a number of those dependent
on him for protection and support to destitution, misery, and
crime.

It is with extreme satisfaction that we observe the sub-
ject of burials within towns revived previous to the Easter
recess. A more ineffable pest does not pollute our populous
cities than the presence of churchyards within their boun-
daries. And, by a continuance of this grievance, evils
almost innumerable are showered upon the inhabitants—an
increase of mortality is jeopardised—the symmetry of our
thoroughfares destroyed—the holiest sentiments of our com-
mon nature merged into a feeling not very far removed from'
callousness towards the most tender, the most solemn,
and the most pathetic symbols of our perishable
and immortal attributes. First, that the general health is
very considerably deteriorated, a thousand evidences go to
prove. In our own metropolis, which in some parishes is
the best ventilated the most salubrious, the cleanest, and the
least crowded city in Christendom, in this very capital, for
the improvement and decoration of which all the appliances
of civilised life have been accumulated, and the wealth of
which has no parallel, such abominations have from time to
timt hao,, r-zniuti

us to shudder with astonishment and horror. Dismal '
yards, surrounded on every side by the tenements of a dense
population, and distinguished only by scanty mounds of dust,
are in several localities the receptacles of an inconceivable
number of dead bodies—an inconceivable number in relation
to the area of those burial•grounds. There the gentlest
emotions of humanity have been outraged by spectacles al-
most too hideous even for allusion ; but the eradication of
which grievances can only be effected by repetition upon re-
petition. To say that those horrible pits of corruption have
been over-stocked, would be a poor and feeble figure to em-
ploy—they are choked up to the very throat with the
decayed relics of our fellow-creatures—the coffins are
packed -together side by side, and layer upon layer, to within
literally a few inches from the surface. And yet, notwith-
standing this apparent obstacle to further interment, other
parishioners are dying every successive week, every succes-
swe day— their remains must be disposed of somewhere, they
must be hid in some fashion or other under ground—and
with a view of accomplishing this object, the half-decom-
posed occupants of these vile death-holes have been ex-
humed by night, piecemeal—the very shreds and tatters
of mortality and carried off in wheelbarrows, to
make room for their successors! Knowing these
things as facts well proved, it cannot be matter of amaze-
ment that the foetid odours and noxious gases emitted from
such churchyards, and seeking up from them in an almost
visible malaria, breeds contagious maladies in their imme-
diate neighbourhood. Such nests of animal decomposition
cannot indeed but propagate the most pernicious kinds of
epidemic. In like manner, it is self-evident that the fre-
quent recurrence of such proceedings, and the incessant
presence of death, in its meanest and most degrading
aspect, habituates the mind of the multitude to
that recurrence and that presence ; the sublime becomes
lost in the common-place—the most inscrutable mystery re-
solves itself into an every-day circumstance. The_Roman
senators are said to have placed a human skull upon their
banquetting tables to subdue their merriment, by reminding
them of the grave ; accustomed, however, to its appearance,
their carousals appear to have soon evidenced the same
boisterous and hilarious enjoyment which had been visible
heretofore. In a similar manner our burial-grounds possess
an influence over the more thoughtless multitude most per-
nicious in every possible respect, hardening their minds to
an idle familiarity with the most momentous of all terres-
trial casualties—DEATH. That these places of interment
materially affect the symmetry of our city ways no one can
gainsay, while, at the same time, their junta-position with the
babble and uproar of business is an incongruity most repug-
nant to our better feeling. It is a degradation of the most
solemn and most divine to the level of the most sordid and
the most base. Viewing the matter, therefore, practically,
" Interment in Towns" should be prevented by legislative
interference, seeing that it tends to render the people liable
to infectious diseases, and more impervious to the calls of
religion. Viewing it artistically, the same plan ought to be
adopted. By the removal of such rainful and anomalous
objects from our cities, the architectural character of our
streets would be materially beautified. Viewing the matter
morally and reigiously, churchyards should be altogether
purged out of our towns, as by so doing we should be acting
more in accordance with our principles and creed as Christians,
we should be according more reverence to the memory of our
departed fellow-beings, while we should be removing from
the populace a secret, but certain encitement to indifference.
These are oar reasons for abhorring the presence of church•
yards within the limits of cities; and it is on this account
that we are so earnestly rejoiced at the nature of the
Bill introduced on Thursday evening by Mr. MAC-
KINNON, and founded upon a resolution of last
session, to the effect " that the practice of inter-
ments within the precincts of the metropolis and
large towns is injurious to the health of the population,
and demands the serious attention of Parliament." By the
introduction of such a Bill we feel assured that the Hon.
Member for Lymington will be conferring a lasting benefit,
morally, socially, and bodily upon thousands of his fellow-
countrymen now living, as well as upon after genera-
tions. Nor can we for a moment anticipate any
opposition to such a: project on the part of the clergy :
such a proceeding on their part would be abhorrent to
every sense of reason and of religion. Sir JAMES GRAHAM,
indeed, seemed in our judgment to allay the suspicion very
considerably by hinting at an ecclesiastical movement
in the same course as the one advocated by Mr. MACKINNON,
while he gave a tolerable assurance that the Ministry would
co-operate for the success of the measure by saying, " Ile
had hoped that the Right Rev. Prelate (the Bishop of Loa •
DON) would have introduced a measure on the subject
in the other House, and he had intimated to the Right
Rev. Prelate that, in his opinion, the question was peculiarly
within his province." By the acceptation of this Bill, a
great spiritual and creature blessing will be entailed upon
the English people. It has our most cordial well-wishes.

We have accounts from Madrid to the 26th ult. The
Government, as might have been expected, was not long in
visiting with punishment the strong remarks directed against
NAME; which lately appeared in the Tismpo. The Poli-
tical Chief of Madrid soon afterwards dispatched a com-
munication to the proprietor, ordering the suspension of that
journal during fifteen days. The editor of the E.° del Co-
mercio bad announced that on the 28th his journal would
again appear, as the Government had officially declared that
it did not dread the discussion, examination, or moderate and
decent censure of its acts. The Heralds is loud in its praises
of NARVAI; and asserts that while he is at the head of the
Government the Constitution is safe.
On the 26th the Three per Cents. were quoted at 321 A
cash, and 32% for 30th ApriL Forty-nine millions done.
Five per Cents. 2214 at 35 days.

The French Chamber of Deputies is still engaged in dis
cussing the commercial treaty with Belgium, and we notice
the fact, otherwise of no interest, for the purpose of showing
that the illiberal system of commercial policy is not con-
fined in France to the protectionists, who act from selfish
motives, but is, to a certain extent, encouraged even by the
Government. M. GUIZOT gives Sir ROBERT PEEL only credit
for suiting himself to circumstances, and infers that his new
schemes are not the pure offspring of a liberal feeling. He
acts solely for the good of his country ; but France is not
in a position to follow the,example. The Minister of Finance
is still more illiberal, and holds out the strongest encourage-
ment to those who would isolate the trade of France
and ruin those who carry on her staple trade, that
in wine, and brandy, and oil. The whole of Sir ROBERT
PEEL'S commercial policy he regards as purely selfish. When
the French Government find that England, by her new com-
mercial system, attracts to her shores the shipping of the
world, that her trade and commerce increase beyond all pre-
cedent, and that France remains in her present sluggish
state, or more probably retrogrades, and resembles a country
which is cursed with an embargo in all her ports, perhaps
they will also become selfish like Sir Roitairr Plum, and
break down those barriers of commercial restriction which
deprive the nations of the earth of free communication and
exchange. In the meantime, we give a few extracts from
M. CUNIN GRIEPAINE, the Minister of Commerce, to show how
little hope there is at present for any beneficial change
in France. " The economical reforms," said he " proposed
in the British Parliament cannot fail to have fixed the
general attention. Those who think that we should not
hesitate to imitate the example given us by the English
Parliament advise a premature and dangerous act. England
has never pursued any other line of conduct than that of her
interest, and she was right ; it is in that particular we should
imitate her. From the earliest period it has bean the aim
of England to extend her manufactures, her navy, her com-
merce, and to obtain in all cases an advantage over her
competitors. She did Rot suffer herself to be carried away
by theories ; she consulted facts; she studied her position
and compared it with that of other nations, and acted ac-
cordingly. The prohibitive system was long most rigidly pur-
sued in England ; it may be traced as far back as the year 1823.
In the time of EDWARD HI. all foreign stuffe were for-
bidden to be imported, and woollens forbidden to be ex-
ported. The protection upon iron came next. The present
discussions in the English Parliament prove what we knew
beforehand—namely, that by maintaining certain onerous
duties in the tariff, England expects to make the nations
interested purchase their repeal by obtaining from them
concessions favourable to her own manufactures. I must
here remark, however, that England does not in any way
modify her colonial system—that is to say, she continues to
reserve for herself the manufactures, navigation, and com-
merce which ought to administer to the wants of 100,000,000
of consumers. All that explains itself. The more England
produces, the more she requires to produce; new markets
are perpetually required by her. Slim every day sees
Europe and America disputing some of them with her ;
in order to keep the whole of them, and, if possible,
to procure new ones, she takes up fresh positions in
Africa and America; she extends her Indian possessions; and,
finally, she goes to war with China. After having kept up
the most rigorous protective system for many ages, after
having derived from that system all the advantages possible,
England skilfully, and under pretext of being driven to it by
a scarcity sof corn, enters upon the system of free exchange,
and at the same time calls upon the other Powers to do the
same. In order that her example be good to imitate, we
sheuld be in the condition in which England is. We should
not enter the lists except upon equal terms. BUt what
nation possesses so much capital, such manufactures, such
machinery, such manufacturing resources, or so many ships
as England? What people rules over so many countries as
England, and over such a numerous colonial people ? England
is liberal only where she has nothing to apprehend from pur-
suing a system of liberality."
He held out, however, some ground for hope, and announced
that next session a Bill would be brought in for making
very considerable modifications in the import duties.
The following accounts from Lyons, respecting a disturb-
ance at St. Etienne, appears in the National. It is under-
stood. to refer to a strike which has taken place among the
coal-miners in that quarter:—

" There have been some very serious disturbances at St.
Etienne, the cause and particulars of which have not been
made known in Paris, the only information being the follow-
ing telegraphic dispatch, which was circulated in the Cham-
bers, but was not published in the Ministerial evening jour-
nal The Procureur-General of Lyons to the Keeper of the
Seals: lam setting oat for St. Etienne. A collision has
taken place between the working men and the armed force.
Several of the workmen have been killed. You shall have
my report to-morrow.' "
The Three per Cents. *lased on the Paris Bears. on Wednesday at
94f. ; the Five per Coats., 120 f. lbc. ; the Orleans Railroad
shares, 1,2132 f. 50c. ; Rouen, 1,e32f.:50c.; Havre, 750 f.:; Great Northern,
775 f.. ; Avignon, 935 f.; Vierzen, 687 f. 50c. ; Belleau", 652 f.
59c. ; Troyes and Aloutercau, 424. ; Basle, 237 f. 50C. ; Dieppe, 457 f.