The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-08 00:00:00

his readint36B to cou►ider the principle of it in Cotn-
rcit,tee. _ _

Mr. MOORE opposed the clause, because it wes.
part of the bit by bit legislation which lay so deeply at
the root cf all the evile of Ireland.

Mr. J. O'CONNELL thought the policy of the Legis-
lature ought to be to compel the landlords to grant
leases, and thus secure the proper cultivation of the
land. It would be a lasting disgrace upon the House
that so many years had elapsed without any sff,cti,,,
measure being passed to secure the tenure of laud in
Ireland. Fifteen years and upwards it had promised
Ireland happiness and prosperity, and yet after the lapse
of that long time the country was still in a state to
misery and prostration. Perhaps this would be the last
measure upon which he should ever address the House;
and as it was not too late to afford Ireland redress for
her wrongs, he would make a last appeal to the House to
retrace its steps and do tardy justice to his suffering
country.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. ROEBUCK wanted to know what they were
talking about.—(Laughter.) If a man were in arrear
of his rent, what possible objection could there be to
giving his landlord the means of either making him pay
or of getting rid of him? That appeared to him to be
the object of this clause, and he was at a loss to under-
stand what reasonable objection could be taken to it.
He did not dispute the right of the tenant to protection.
but that was a matter beside the question, since this
Bill sought not to take from the tenant er to add to
the power of the landlord, but to render the existing
law clear and intelligible, and he should certainly sup-
port it.
Mr. E. B. ROCHE was glad to bear the Hon. and
Learned Member admit that tee farmers of Ireland had
a just claim of tenant right. He and others very pros
perly urged the speedy settlement of this tenant right
question, but that question could not be fairly discussed
without going into the whole state of Ireland, and per-
haps that fact would account for the discursive nature
of the debate.—(Hear, hear.) The recent cen-
sus disclosed a startling state of things in
Ireland. Her population had terribly fallen off, and the
diminution be and his friends attributed not so much to
the famine as to the forced emigration which the legisla-
tion a
people to H.
This Bill would still further increwe the
difficulties of Ireland, and he hoped it would not be per-
severed in.
Mr. M. O'FERRALL objected to the clause as well
as the 25 others which the Bill contained, and he could,
therefore, neither support the amendment nor the Bill.
The law of landlord and tenant was so diffizult of being
understood in Ireland, even by lawyers, let alone laymen,
that it was utterly impossible to remove the existing
evils by a puny Bill of this description. It would only
have the effect of disturbing the tenure of land in Ire-
land, and endangering the right of property, and he
hoped it would be withdrawn until the Government
had some plan which could satisfactorily deal with this
important question. _ _

Sir W. SOMERVILLE said many of the clauses
which his Right Hon. Friend objected to were already
in force as law, and they were only introduced into this
Bill for the purpose of consolidation. Now, what pos-
sible objection could there be to such a proceeding as
that? The only question, then, for the Committee
was, whether or no the amendment of the Honour-
able and Learned Member fur Dundalk would im-
prove the existing law. His notion was that it
would not. The clause as it stood now was a tenant's
clause, and uo far from the amendment reducing the
power of the landlord, it would directly increase it. At
present the six months' notice was a means of oppression
in the hands of the landlord, who was in the habit of
holding it in terrorem over the head of his tenant, and
instead of Irishmen objecting to this clause, they ought
to be rejoiced to support it.
Mr, ROEBUCK would be glad to know how the evil
of a landlord continually threatening his tenant with
a notice to quit by increasing the term of the notice
from six to twelve months could be remedied.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD accepted the speech of the
Right Hon. the Secretary for Ireland as a confirmation
of what he had often stated to the House, namely, that the
landlords of Ireland exercised a tyrannical influence
over their tenants, and he objected to this clause, be-
cause it would increase that unjust influence. Me re-
gretted that Government had so long neglected to settle
the landlord and tenant question, and he gave notice
that at the earliest opportunity be should call the atten-
tion of the House to the subject.
The Committee then divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment ... „.„ 24

Against it ...
Majority against it —3l
The amendment was accordingly lost. During our
absence from the gallery a motion was made that the
Chairman should report progress.
Mr. O'FLAHERTY urged the Committee to proceed
with the Bill at once until it had been , finally dis-
posed of.
Mr. KEOGH also concurred in thinking that there
was yet time to dispose of the clause before adjourning,
and ultimately the motion for reporting progress was
withdrawn.
The Committee then divided on the question that the
clause do stand part of the Bill, when there appeared—
For the clause ... 56
Against it 20
Majority ... .. —36
The clause was accordingly ordered to be added to the
Bill.
The remaining clauses were then agreed to, and the
House resumed.
The House adjourned at Half-past Three till a Quarter
past Five o'clock.

... 55

The House resumed at a Quarter-past Fire o'clock.
PETIT lONS.

Mr. JOHN ELLIS presented a petition from the
West Riding of Yorkshire, in favour of the Bill for the
more speedy arrest of absconding dabtors.
A considerable number of petitions were presented
against 'he attorneys' certificate duty.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY presented a petition from
the Wist London Union, in favour of union rating and
union settlement; also a petition iu fsvour of the County
Cour:s ExtPn4)n
Sir J. GRAHAM presented a petition from Ripon
against the Regiskrtition of Assurances 13i11.
'IRE GLASS PALACE.

Mr. STAFFORD presented a pc tion from Mr. Paxton,
the architect of the Glass Palace, praying that the build-
ing in Hyde-park may be maintained. The Hon. Mem-
ber also gave notice that he should, to-morrow, m.)s
that tbis petition be printed with the notes, for the pur-
pose of the subject leing brought under the consideration
of the Houses.