The Sun.
London, England, 1869-09-15 00:00:00

TIIE IRISH LAND QUESTION.

In the pursuit of his inquiries on the Irish land
question, the special commissioner of the Times han
arrived at Athlone, where he finds the wages of the
agricultural labourer to be much the same as he han
found them in other places ; that is, averaging from
six. to ten shillings per week, and the class, as a rule,
not unprosperous. The rate of rent is extremely
variable, the smaller farms being often let at a
very high figure. The commissioner walked
over several hundreds of acres of cold, thin, and
hungry land, inhabited by a race of poor occupiers
who paid 20s. per Irish acre for what would be dear
at 12s. The country beyond the flats of the Shannon
is fairly divided between tillage and pasture, but the
agriculture as a rule is of an inferior kind, the breeds
of cattle and sheep are sometimes coarse, the crops
occasionally backward and thin, farmsteads are not
often seen, and whole estates are covered
with mud cabins. The land aye ein of
the country in general is in all essential
features the same as that which has been
noticed by the commissioner in other places. The
lino between the owner and occupier of the soil
coincides tolerably well with that which marks the
great religious divisions of Ireland, but there is a fair
number of Roman Catholics landlords. Absentee
proprietors are not numerous, but the residents as
class are not progressive, and some arc said
to Le much ern barrazsed. It is with con-
fidence asserted that the landlords do not often
abuse their position, but nothing like admiration can
bee::eited for a system which consists of a dominant
proprietary, marked off from the people, a tenantry
which has seldom a hold on the soil, though it has
enormously increased its value, and which is exposed
to have the fruits of its industry appropriated by
superiors who have the power and a temptation to
do so.

Discontent and disaffection abroad in the district,
repeated complaints of rack rents, and a kind
of dull cry of wrong and oppression reached
the commissioner's ears. In several places
too, he had to listen to wild and passionate words of
disloyalty—no thanks to Gladstone for what had been
done. A good time was coming for Ireland—the
country would yet be under America. Agrarianism
prevails, as seen by the late murder of Mr. Turleton,
in its very worse form.

SCOTCH ninmrsa IN =LAND.

The experiment made by Mr. Allan Pollock,
on his estates, in Galway, to introduce the Scottisl•
system of agriculture into Ireland is described at
length by the Times Commissioner. The lands when
they came into Mr. Pollock's hands were for the
most part hold by a peasantry of small farmers and
cottiers. They had been much exhausted after the
famine, and their resources had never been deve-
loped. Ilaving bought out these petty holders,
converting some of them into farm-labourers and
induced others to emigrate to the West, Mr. Pol-
lock applied himself to bringing the estates under
thorough cultivation—a task in which he has admi-
rably succeeded. The question naturally arises,
whether the attempt thus made is remunerative ? The
commissioner thinks not. Another interesting in estion
is, how far the ordinary Irish farmer, with the means
he possesses—his scanty capital but shrewd sense
and resolute industry—can compete with such a
gigantic rival, the answer to which may be found in
the statement of one of Mr. Pollock's own agents,
who, admitting how well the Irish took to improve-
ment, and how much they would do under landlords
in whom they could place confidence, said, "Give
them equal capitals and fair play, and they would run
us hard."

THE FENIAN PEISONT El.

The International. Democratic A sme'ation, who nre
the organisers of the demonstration which is to take
place in Trafalgar-square on Monday next in support
of the movement for the release of the Fenian
prisoners, held a preliminary meeting on Clerkenwell-
green last night. There were about 600 persons
present, and it was unanimously agreed to regard all
professions of conciliation towards Ireland as a sham
while Irish patriots are kept in British dungeons.

EARL SPENCZR AND TUE DUBLIN conroßATioN.

The purgatory of receiving addresses has been a
severe one for the Irish Viceroy. His path in the
south of Ireland has been paved with the good
wishes of the corporations into whose domains he has
wandered ; but, though it may be, and doubtless is,
very pleasant to know that one's footsteps are blessed,
it is by no means so pleasant to be stopped
at every stage to hear oneself eulogised.
The last of these addresses for the season has just
been presented. The Dublin Corporation must needs
express their gladness at the return of the Earl to
the capital. In doing so, they refer incidentally to
tha settlement of the Land question and the release
of the Fenian prisoners, and hope that the
Government, of whom his lordship is a represen-
tative, will take these subjects under consideration;
as they will if properly dealt with " tend largely to
restore tranquillity, peace, prosperity, :aid true
loyalty to our beloved count ry, before which a bpi ht
future now seems to be dawning." The bait so well
thrown to catch the expression of the Viceroy's
opinions was; however, user's ; for his excellency
contented himself with the remark that a pronouncia-
tion of his views on the subjects named Cu such an
occasion; to the representatives of a corporation would
be unbecoming.
THE WEDNESDI-IIY LIBERALS TN FETF.

The Liberals of Wednezbury had a field day on
Monday. Seven hundred working men " warranted
bond fide,'' and all Liberals, had dinner at
ono of the principal inns, and were after-
wards addressed by Colonel Roden, M.P., Mr. Dixon,
M.P., and by the membor whose return they had met
to celebrate—Mr. Brogden. The colonel eulogised all
the members of the Government : Mr. Dixon gaN e a
speech in favour of a better general system of compul-
sory education supported from the rates. Mr. Brogden
related the now becoming tedious history of the
Irish Church Bill. Ho spoke approvingly of the
conon.ical tendencies of the Government; gave his
adhesion to the Permissive Bill ; regretted the
rejection of the University Tests Bill; thought
that in the matter of the Irish land question
there should be some arrangement by which
the tenant could not be arbitrarily turned from his
land; that the rent should be subject to changes
considered necessary by law; and, -finally, speaking
on the subject of trades unions, advocated the esta-
blishment of courts of conciliation and arbitration.