The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-21 00:00:00

improve, but they could not do justice to their tenantry.
Pressed by urgent claims, they could make no allow-
ance for improvements or misfortunes. The interest
on the mortgages should be liquidated—the judg-
nr:nt creditors satisfi2d. A foreclosure bill or a petition
under the Sheriffs' Act, followed by the appointment
of a receiver, would complete their ruin. They were
therefore obliged, iu turn, to press their tenants.
Their " poverty, not their will," compelled, and

mutual antagonism sprang up between the classes
who ought to be united and work cordially together.
The landlords found their own lives endangered,
their agents and bailiffs threatened and some-

times murdered, and the occupants of their
farms conspiring together to defeat their just claims.

The people looked on them as tyrants who ought to
be defrauded whenever it was possible so to do, and
were ready to risk life or liberty to obtain the wild
justice of revenge. Labour was a drug in the
market; but, although it could be obtained at a
fourth of the charge paid in England, it was not re-
sorted to. There were uncultivated fields and idle
men. It would have been useful to all parties if

there had been a better understanding ; if the men
had received wages, fairly and honestly earned, and
the produce of the lands had been quadrupled.
But, as we have stated, great changes have since
occurred, and however fearful the visitation, it has
been productive of highly beneficial results. The
failure of the esculent which constituted the chief
support of the people, occasioned the loss of many
hundred thousand lives, and sufferings, the mere detail
of which makes the blood run cold. But the fearful
cause of all these evils was detected. It was dis-
covered that the people of Ireland should no longer
be dependent on the potato, that something more
substantial and more certain was required. It
was also decided that the property of a nation
was responsible for the support of its po-
verty, and that the first claim on the
produce of land was the maintenance of the inhabi-
tants of. the district. A proper and efficient poor-
law was the first fruit of the Irish famine; and with
that law in operation it will be utterly impossible
that the people should again be decimated by famine
and pestilence thereby engendered.
The enormous pecuniary losses occasioned by the
famine completed the ruin of the embarrassed pro-
priLtors. Their cups were filled to overflowing, and
they could no longer retain the positions which
they held with great difficulty even in the most
prosperous times. The Encumbered Estates Court
was constituted, and although there were many cases
of individual hardship, there can be no doubt
that the country at large profited greatly
under its operation. Nominal landowners who had
not the means of improvement were got rid of, and
new blood infused into the landed proprietary. We
now witness the auspicious results. Tie value of
labour has greatly increased. Every man able and
willing to exert himself has at least a reasonable
prospect of obtaining a fair day's wages for a
fair day's work, and although the labourer can
earn fully double as much in the olden time, there
is a far greater demand for his services. The country
has improved, is improving, and will improve still
more. It has a transatlantic packet station, and the
electric telegraph to Newfoundland will still further
direct public attention to its almost miraculous
natural capabilities. The awful ordeal to which it
was exposed has been the great agent of ameliora-
tion. From the nettle danger it has plucked the
flower safety. Henceforward Irishmen may succeed
as well in their own country as they have invariably
done in other lands. All they have now to get rid
of is the odium theologicum, to abstain from polemic
disputes, and regard others with charity, although
they may chance to differ from themselves on reli-
gious topics. Let Ireland act on the principle of
universal toleration, and she will, indeed, become
" Great, glorious, and free ;
First flower of the earth, first gem of the sea."

The appointment of Sir HENRI' RANYLINSON to
a seat in the new Indian Council creates a vacancy
for the borough of Reigate, which, under a recent
act, will shortly be filled up. Several candidates are
already in the field, or at least spoken of.
We believe, however, that we are justified
in saying that Mr. W. A. WILKINSON, formerly
M.P. for Lambeth, has withdrawn, in order to I
avoid the splitting of the Liberal interest, and that
the contest now virtually lies between the Hon. J
W. Memos! and Mr. EDWIN JAMES, the eminent
and truly liberal Queen's counsel.
The claims of Mr. MoNsoN may be readily
disposed of. His relation might once have re-
turned his footman for Gatton, and he seems
to think that, in connection with Lord SOMERS,
he may also nominate the member or mem-
bers for Reigate. He may, however, find that he
his grievously mistaken on the present occasion.
He has a very dangerous opponent, a man of
intellect and genius, and, still better, of true
1 liberality one who has won a position at
\the very head of the English bar—not by the
favour of any lordling, but by the qualifications
which he has exhibited on many trying occasions.
Mr. JAMES has clearly explained his political opi-
nions, and his very satisfactory speech will be found
In another part of our impression. He is fur a large
extension of the suffrage, even to .£5 householders,
but conscientiously believes that without "the Ballot,"
that extension would be a "curse rather than a bless-
ing." The great Parliamentary experience of Mr. Jam Es,
w ho has long been facile princeps at the Parliamentary
bar, in favour of that great principle, is peculiarly
valuable. He has had to attack and defend—has
been enabled to trace corruption to its very source—
and been enabled to analyse every corrupt influence.

The well-merited praise which he bestowed on the
Attorney-General as a legal reformer proves that
the honourable and learned gentleman
fully ap-
preciates the exertions of Sir FITZROY KELLY
in the good cause. In office or out of office
he has been indefatigable ; and we cannot
feel surprised that a Cabinet which numbers
amongst its members Mr. DIsRAELI, Lord STANLEY,
and Sir FITZROY KELLY, should receive the
support of the country, and the really Liberal
and independent members. We hope that Mr.
JAMES may be the member for Reigate, and then
the electors will have a representative of whom they
may well be proud, and the gratification of learning
that, for once, " the right man is in the right place."

ADMIRAL SIR G. B. PECHELL.—The gallant mem-
ber for Brighton, who has been suffering from severe illness
GT some time, has been enabled to leave town for Castle
Goring. The gallant admiral has been a prisoner in Lou-
dots since the breaking up of Parliament, having been con-
fined to his room, and consequently linable to tear the
fatigue of the journey; and now that be has reached the
s.outh coast, we trust that he will be speedily rt stored to his
usu.?) good health and spirits.- Brighton Observer.
THE METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL.—The aggre-
, gate number of patients relieved during the week ending
Aug.
,7• was—medical, 6:25 ; surgical, 404 ; total, 1,0:29.

AN INCONSTANT SWAIN.—Ten days ago a young
man, whose vocation is a deck hand on board of a steamer,
entered into a matrimonial engagement will a young
woman, a domestic servant in town, and they were regularly
proclaimed in the church in order to martage. The young
woman had quitted her service and gone to lodgings for a
week or so, to enable her to make the necessary preliminary
arrangements for such an interesting event. The bridegroom
took a fancy into his head that he would shif, his lodgings
to the same house, but the bride stoutly opposed this from
Prudential motives; and as he th were both inexorable, a
ht'le quartel sprang up,
which, however, was expected
to end, if not in smoke, at least in kisses, as fond lovers'
quarrels usually do. Not so, however, for in the early part
of last week the bridegroom, after providing himself with the
usual certificates of the proclamation of the banns, suddenly
disappeared, leaving his bride disconsolate. But what
seemed a lit•le singular was the coincidence of a simul-
taneous disappearance of a widow who keeps a shop in
one of our fourth-c'ass streets, and wlio had only buried
her husband some few months ago. In a day or
1 two after this little coincidence the widow returned
to her domte;le accompanied by the steamboat man,
and was found ie have exchanged her mourning
weeds for a bridal dress ..-.4. a butterfly pattern; and as
1 the pair have been since living together to all appear-
i anee as man and wife, the report is ciirrea, that the widow
13jAte to appear bsfoie a pr;s29 in some
Le '
11dt-rthirugriiintgittoa good
town, and there pa.sonate the real bride, ..-.2" 1
by means of the certificate of proclamation, give her hand
1 to the la'thless fickle swain for better or for worse. If this
rumour be correct, and we have no reason to doubt it, the
new couple i
may find ere long that t is no joke to get mar-
ried
forthe and fraudulent pretences
etesncherff esiasa very loving
pair foundurider
here some two
yews ago.
deserted bride, who is said to be a
woman em nenty I fitted to make a man happy, she has the
i As
tof talsleleir sorrow before
being linked to such a fickle congr.atulations of her friendspaatrhtuaverineisGoinaavrrooww I.By eusicicatpieqd.