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

,berefore obliged, in turn, to press their tenants.

Their " poverty, not their will," compelled, and
mutual antagonism sprung 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-
prietors. 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. Tne 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
lower safety. Henceforward Irishmen may succeed
sa well in their own country as they have invariably
done in other lands. All they have now to get rid
of is the odium theologieum, to abstain from polemic
disputes, and regard others with charity, although
they may chance to direr 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 lower of the earth, first gem of the sea."

The appointment of Sir lIIIIIRT RANT LIN SON to 1
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. WlLanisopr, formerly
M.P. for Lambeth, has withdrawn, in order to
avoid the splitting of the Liberal interest, and that
the contest now virtually lies between the Hon. J
W. MArrsox and Mr. EDWIN JAMES, the eminent
and truly liberal Queen's counsel.
The claims of Mr. MoNsox 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
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 for 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.JANins,
who has long been facile princeps at the Parliamentary
bar, in favour of that great principle, is peculiarly
valuable. Ile 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:'

ADNIIRAL SIR G. B. PEcuELL.—The gallant mem-
ber for Brighton, who has been suffering from severe illness
for some time, has been enabled to leave town for Castle
Goring. The gallant admiral has been a prisoner in Lon-
don since the breaking up of Parliament,
having been con-
fined to his room, and consequently unable to hear the
fatigue of the journey; and now that he has reached the
south coast, we trust that he will be speedily restored to his
usual good health and spirits.—Brighton Observer.
THE METRoPOLITAX FREE IloserrAL.—The aggre-
gate number of patients relieved during the week ending
Aug. 14 was—medical, 625 ; surgical, 404 ; total, 1,029.
AN INCONSTANT SWAIN.--Ten days ago a young
man, whose vocation is a dock hand on board of a steamer,
entered into a matrimonial engagement with a young
woman, a domestic servant in town, and they were regularly
proclaimed in the church in order to marriage. 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 shift his lodgings
to the same house, but the bride stoutly opposed this from
Prudential motives ; and as they were both inexorable, a
little quarrel sprang up, which, however, was expected
to end, if not in smoke, at least in kisses, as fond lovers'
qaarrels usually do. Not so, however for in the early part
of last week the bridegroom after
providing himself with the
usual certificates of the ,1
' fthe banns, suddenly proc
.amationo
disappeared, leaving •
his bride disconsolate. But what
seemed a little singular was 11coincidence.•le of a simul-
taneous disappearance of a
one of our feurth-c'ass streets, widow
who
keeps a shop
in
her husband some few monairlid wlso had only buried
two after this little coincidence s the widow
a day or
teturned
to her domicile accompanied by the wsterboar
and was found to have exchanged herm mourningn"ll'
weeds fen; a bridal drecs of a butterfly pattern ; and ti
the pair have been since living together to all appear-
ance es roan and wife, the report is current that the widow
had thought it a good j•ike to appear before a priest in some
neiOlbouring town, and there personate the real bride, and
by means of the certificate of proclamation, give her hand
to the faithless fickle swain for better or for worse. If this
have no reason to doubt it, the
rumour be correct, and we
that it is joke to get
ere long
new couple may find d 1 nt pretences, as a very loving
riEd under false and frau u e
the Sheriff here some two
pair found to their sorrow before
bride,who is said to be a
the deserted
years ago. As for ,
a man happy, she has the
woman eminently fitted to make .
at having so narrowly escaped
congratulations of her friends , 047 j 3 t a it, ti 1 .
being linked to such a, fickle putoer...... uca..s j