The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-07 00:00:00

THE IRISH LAND DILL.
DEPUTATION TO MR. GLADSTONE.
SATURDAY.
For some time past the supporters of Tenant
Right in Ireland have been forming a deputation to lay
their case befose Mr. Gladstone. The deputation
arrived in London from Ireland yesterday. Lord
Bellew is its chairman ; and it comprises re•
presentative men from every county in Ireland. The
deputation as a preliminary sought the support of Irish
liberal members. Nineteen of these met at the West-
minster Palace Hotel last night, and considered the
prayer of the memorial. In the end they adopted the
following resolution

That this meeting do agree on a definition of tenant
right, and that Mr. Gladstone be requested to embody
that definition in his bill, and extend it to the rest of
Ireland. Definition :—The right of continuous occupancy
subject to the payment of the rent to which the tenant is
liable, and such charge of rent as shall be afterwards set-
tled from time to time by fair valuation as hereafter pro-
vided, with a right to sell his interest to any solvent
tenant to whom the landlord cannot make reasonable
objection.

The Irish members, having thus adopted the memorial,
this day accompanied the deputation. Lord Bellew. as
has been said, was at its head. He was supported by tha
following members of Parliament :—Mr. Bryan (member
for • Kilkenny county), Mr. J. T. Power (Wexford
county), Mr O'Reilly (Longford county), Mr.
G. H. Moore (Mayo), Mr Heron (the newly-
returned member for Tipperary), Captain White
(Tipperary), Sir John Gray (Kilkenny County), Sir Patrick
O'Brien (King's County), Mr. D'Arcy (Wexford County),
Mr. McCarthy Downing (Cork County), Mr. E. J. Synan
(Limerick County), Mr. W. H. Gregory (Galway County),
Mr. Jonathan Pim (Dublin City), Mr. Matthew O'Reilly
Dense (Louth County), Mr. J. F. Maguire (Cork City),
and Mr. Win. Johnston (Belfast).
Lord BELLEW first addressed Mr. Gladstone, and asket
the right hon. gentleman so to amend the Government
land measure for Ireland_ that the tenant-right of Ulster
might be extended to all Ireland. He defined that right
to be continuous occupancy at arent tobe fixed, if necessary,
by arbitration. His lordship also claimed for the tenant
as his right, a power to sell his interest in his occupancy
to any solvent purchaser against whom the landlord could
have no reasonable objection.
Three members of the deputation not members of Par-
liament next addressed the Premier. Mr. Smethwick, Mr.
O'Donnell, and Mr. M`Quade each declared definitely
that the bill was opposed to the wishes of the Irish people.
The tenants wanted more security than the measure gave
them. It did not go far enough. They required tenant
right as Lord Bellew had defined it.

In reply to the representations made to him, the
Premier thanked the deputation. He was glad to receive
suggestion as to the details of the bill. At the same time,
he must point out that the Government had carefully con-
sidered the measure which they had laid before Parlia-
ment; they had endeavoured to do the fullest justice to
the Irish nation ; and the principle of the bill could not be
departed from. Not only the people of Ireland, but those of
England, must be consulted on such a question. Themeasure
was a national one, in which all were interested ; and he
warned the Irish people against factiously opposing it.
The inhabitants of other countries (said he) had hitherto
sympathised with Ireland ; they thought her aggrieved ;
they partook of her wish to have her wrongs
redressed. But if an attempt were now made
to oppose a just settlement of this question,
the opinion might change. He would of course, as was
his duty, give his very careful consideration to the repre-
sentations made to him ; he could go no further, however;
more than that it was impossible to say on this occasion.

The Irish Land Bill comes on for second reading this (Mon-
day) evening. It is stated that Mr. Disraeli will open the
debate, but will not oppose the second reading. Mr.
Bryan has given notice that on the second reading of the
Irish Land Bill he will move that it be read a second time
that day six months.