The Sun.
London, England, 1835-07-09 00:00:00

IRISH POOR LAWS.

Petitions. in favour of the Poor Laws for Ireland were pre-
sented by Messrs. FITZSIMON and FINN..
Sir R. MUSGRAVE moved the second reading of the

Poor Relief (Ireland) Bill. He did not expect that any
Hon. Member would l ise in his place, and deny the existence
of distress in Ireland, for there were too many living proofs
of it, and he felt justified in the course which he.had pursued.
When the cholera or infectious complaint prevailed in
Ireland, scenes of the most appalling distress presented them-
selves. He had himself attended as a member of the
Cholera Committee, and their first task was to provide straw,,.
not merely for those who were suffering, but to prevent
the spreading of the contagion. In several small houses,
three and four were families crowded together, without even
sufficient straw to lie on. Whilst abundance of corn and
provisions were exported from Ireland, thosewho raised them had
not sufficient straw to make his bed. The Hon. Baronet then
read an extract from the Report of 1 a3O, to prove the great evils
that arose from the labourers being turned out of their holdings.
It was impossible for language to convey an idea of the
distress to which the ejected were reduced, and as
might naturally be expected in every riot or disturbance,
such persons were always found most active and most violent.
It was they who formed themselves into bands who formed-
' Committees, and who deliberately resolved upon the assassina-
tion of those who opposed them, and that in several cases the
orders which those committees had given had been carried
into execution. Such was the course pursued with respect to
Mr. Shehan. He was put to death ; and it afterwards ap-
peared that the murderers were ordered to commit the assassi-
nation by a committee. Poor-laws, such us those of England,
could never be successfully applied under such ciremnstarees.
Such a plan as that proposed by his Hon. Friend near him,
founded on the principles of the English system, would never
answer in Ireland. It was true that a great many of the
labouring poor of Ireland were employed on the public works
in that country, arising from Grand Jury presentments; but
after all possible means of employment had been resorted to,
thousands were left in a state of utter destitution. The Hon.
Baronet here entered into the details of his Bill, but in a tone
of voice which prevented us from following him. We under-
stood that the Bill provided for the formation of committees
and sub-committees in the various districts of Ireland to in-
vestigate the condition of the poor ; and that in cases of ex-
treme distress, if a requisition to that effect were signed by
ten of their number, the Magistrates should levy a rate for the .
I relief of the distressed. By another clause it was proposed to
institute certain establishments for the purpose of preventing
menelicity. Whatever might be the fate of the Bill, he trusted
that by permitting its introduction, they had at least sanctioned
the principle that the interference of the Legislature was ne-
cessary for the relief of the poor in Ireland.
Mr. JAMES GRATTAN seconded the motion. There
were several Honourable Members who, although not un-
friendly to the principle of the Bill, were desirous thatit should
be postponed on various grounds ; and among them that his
Noble Friend, in his most admirable Tithe Bill, had done
something to remedy the evils complained of. With reference
to that Bill it was his (Mr. Grattan's) intention to propose that
tithes in Ireland should be liable to an assessment for the
relief of the poor. It might be said by some that the sup-
porters of the present measure were pressing it forward wits
too much haste ; but how could that lie asserted when it was
recollected for bow many years and on how many occasions
the condition of the poor in Ireland had in various shapes
been under the consideration of the Legislature ? In 1825 he
had himself brought in a Bill on the subject. To those who
contended that legislation should be suspended until time
had been allowed for reading the Report of the Commissioners
on the state of the Irish poor, which the Noble Lord, the
chief Secretary for Ireland, had that evening presented, he
would answer, that he held in his hand a Report which had
formerly been made by •one of those Commissioners and
published in this country, and that it contained descriptions
county
heard from ur
haiable.
of the destitute state of the poor in. Ireland, precisely Similar
to those sv theeliieri
Tefr .fleousre
Friend, the N
self he must say, that strongly as lie had been in favour of
theead co justty of
m .Waterford. For
the Reform Bill, strongly as he was in favour of the Tithe
Bill, he was convinced that until some means were adopted
for employing
and providing for the poor of Ireland, that coun-
try would never be in a state of tranquillity. Unless the land-
lords of Ireland could be imbued with the same .spirit towards
the poor of that country, as the landlords of England were
towards the poor of this country, no. beneficial results could
be expected. For ion self, he should WSOrry to see theday
when he should have bread, and-his tenants should bo-desti.
tute cf potatoes. In 1823, in 1824, in 1826—for the last
twelve years—Reports. upon - Reports had-been presented to
that [louse, to such an extent that he was persuaded no Hon.

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