The Sun.
London, England, 1835-07-07 00:00:00

EDUCATION.

Mr. CALLAGHAN presented a petition from the mecha-
nics of Cork, praying for the adoption of a better system of
education in Ireland.

Mr. WYSE thought that Government should give a por•
tion of its funds for the furtherance of so excellent a purpose,

The SPEAKER made some observations which were not
audible in the gallery. From what followed we understood
that he objected to the petition, on the ground that it was an
application for public money.
Mr. CALLAGHAN had some difficulty in knowing whether
he ought to present the petition ; for though it did not pray
for a grant of money, it prayed for the establishment of a s) s-
tern of education, with lectures, and these must be paid out of
some fund or other.—(A laugh.) As, however, it did not ask
for money, he was told he was regular in presenting it.
The same HON. MEMBER presented a petition from the
parish of Carrigaleen, in Cork, complaining of actions for
tithes instituted by the rector, who was a non-resident. They
complained that the expenses they were about to enter into
were very tyrannous, and prayed that the House would take
the matter into consideration.
STATE OF THE POOR IN IRELAND.

Mr, S. CRAWFORD was charged to present two peti-
tions upon a subject which did not demand less attention than
any other subject before the House. One of the petitions was
from Borrisloon, and complained of the starving state of the
peasantry. He trusted the House would permit him to read
a short extract from the petition. It stated that the popula-
lation of the parish amounted to 11,671 souls ; of these 7,841
depended upon agricultural employment, and only ens-half of
these were employed at Bd. a-day. There wore in the pa-
rish 3,931, without ordinary clothing, and 9,338 persons slept
upon straw or rushes, and of these 5,731 slept on the ground
without any species f bed. The petitioners prayed that there
might be some legislation to remedy this state of things, and
they offered to prove the truth of the statements contained in
the petition at the bar of the House. The other petition was
from Oughavale, in the county of Mayo, and the statements of
this petition referred to the evils of absenteeism, and prayed
for the introduction of Poor Laws. He trusted the House
would see the importance of taking this subject into early
consideration.—( Hear.) It was proposed that the surplus
revenue of the Irish Church should be appropriated to pur-
poses of education; he thought they should rather, in the first
place, provide for the existence of the poor. The measures
relative to education would be soon brought to an end, if the
population were cut off by starvation. It would therefore be
a matter of consideration whether some portion of these
funds should not be applied to the support of the
people. He would not claim relief for these unfortunate
persons from the charity of the people of this country ; he did
not pray relief out of the general funds, but he asked -some
provision, by which the poor of Ireland would be entitled
to be supported out of the produce of their own industry. He
would move that these petitions be printed and circulated
with the votes ; and he would move on Wednesday next that
there be laid before the House a copy of such communications
as the Government may have received from Ireland, upon the
condition of the peasantry in the distressed districts.

Mr. DOMINICK BIiOWNE thought the Hon. Gentle-
man would do a great deal more harm than good, if be pressed
his motion at the present moment. He was aware that the
matter was at present in the hands of the Irish Government,
and there he thought it would be most judicious to leave it.
Mr. SINCLAIR believed that so far from the Hon. Mem-
ber for Dundalk doing more harm than good, he would only
be doing his duty by pressing his motion.
Mr. D. BROWNE explained. He understood the Irish
Government were at present making inquiries, and he was sa-
tisfied they would do what was right.
Mr. O'BRIEN hoped some legislative provision for the
poor of Ireland would be shortly brought forward.
THE IRISH BALLOT.

Mr. GROTE presented a petition from several hundred
electors and inhabitans of Aylesbury, praying that they might
be protected in the exercise of the elective franchise by the
introduction of vote by Ballot.