The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-09 00:00:00

IRI

H LANDLORDS.

---- _
The Dublin Evening Packet cont'ziies the fo
remarks on Mr. Sinapson's pamphlet, endlitied 411 •
Defence of the Landlords of Ireland, with _neniarlit kn.
the Relation between Landlord and Tenant:"—'
Mr. Simpson, we need scarcely remind our raiseers, gii
an Englishman of vast experience in matters rellenAt lia
the improvement and value of land in his own countrfs
He is, moreover, a gentleman of most comprehensive
views, and possesses an understanding naturally strong,
and a stock of practical knowledge and sterling sense
which falls to the lot of very few persons in his own or
any other rank of life. With the social condition of Ire-
land, he has made it his business, almost as a matter t f
necessity, to make himself thoroughly acquainted. Hi
feels for her wants, and has contributed as much ,
perhaps, as any man in his time, to improve her resources;
by encouraging the investment of British capital in
every department of Irish industry. Such a witness as
this we, therefore, hold to be beyond the reach of suspi-
cion on the score either of interest or partiality. ills
testimony mast be regarded as invaluable, as it is un-
questionably unimpeachable ; and ;'hat is his evidence ?
In this work Mr. Simpson, adverting :9 the charges
again;; Irish landlords, under the several ~pads of in-
equitable tenzes, excessive rents harshly exsei:4i, dis-
regard of the comf:gt and improvement of terin% be.,
thus expresses himself :
" These are grave charges, important both as regarda
the class against which they are brought, and from the
obscurity in which they veil the true source of existing
evils, the origin of which must be sought before proper
remedies can be applied. Viewed in the abstract,
it is difficult to conceive that harshness acid cruelty of
disposition should prevail in an educated via-se be-
longing to an enlightened age and a Christia., coun-
try. I have before raised my humble voice iii this
cause. Eleven years' intercourse with Ireland iiirmy
professional engagements has rendered me intirnsittly
acquainted with the relative position of landlord end
tenant; extensive engagements in the valuation of
estates (for public sale and mortgage) in twenty of the
thirty-two counties of Ireland, have afforded tne oppor-
tunities of arriving at the true value of land ik that
country, and furnished me with tests respecting it, Itet
Of usual occurence; and my conviction is that, even under
the disadvantages of imperfect cultivation and trade-
veloped capacity, land in Ireland is, as compared wits land
in England, and of itself, generally speaking, rather+ under
than over rented. I, of course, except eases Of iliCett.
mediate tenure, the odium and evils of which sysfeirare
charged upon the head landlord ; whereas the eiiaiing
wretchedness and distress arise essentially from subfa-
ling, and the consequent minute subdivision el land It
is, however, but justice to say, that I have observed
some middlemen who, by proper and humane coadegt to
their under-tenants, have not deserved the rcipluali
which this system has given rise to."
On the score of excessive renting, the alleged tnefetZT-
grievance of the Irish tenantry, Mr. Simpson completkly
exonerate the landlords. "I have," he says, "Re-
quently surveyed, valued, and sold, deep-stapled Sind
which was not let higher than from t2ss. Co 345. the
plantation acre (equivalent to from 15s. 6d. to al& ect
the statute acre), and thin, but under proper o:titi-
vation, grateful surfaces, as low as 12s. ild. tun) Ws:
• th„-: plantation acre, or 7s. 4d., 6s. 9d., and 6a. 26., the
statute fte;e." And these, he tells us, are the average
rents paid to i dlords in fee by the occupying tenant,
in most of the couni,!?.s in which be had valued estates.
We know not, of course,
for indeed, is it of much eArk-
sequence, what the defamers of the Irish landlords 1.1
either island will say to this, but On fact is one which
certainly ought to make them hide their heads for very
I shame. Thus has the charge of excessive MO been
satisfactorily disposed of.
The introduction of middlemen, and the minute glib-
division of farms, or what is generally known as the 0:m-
-acre system, the writer pronounces to be, to a certain
extent, an evil ; but very justly attributes it to the no.
cessities arising out of a long war, and the consequent
rise in the value of agricultural produce. The injurious
effects, however, of that system, he remarks, have beset
detected, and the practice itself is, consequently, de-
clining at a rapid rate. Yet he affirms, and we agree
with l‘im, that the retailing of land in small portions
would, if pr,;;lerlY,
exercised, be often an advantage to
the rural poor atla C.
9ttier tenants, who at present occupy
alf-labourer, half-tenant.
the anomalous position on 3

CHEAP FOOD THE PAUSE OF
HIGH WAGES.
(From the Straggle.)
It is pleasing to lee able to report from time to MILO
the success of our mill workpeople in asking for an
advance of wages. And we do trust the period is
gone by when masters shall doggedly attempt to turn
a deaf ear to the reasonable demands of the labourer,
or when the workpeople shall be so badly advised as
hastily to throw themselves out of erpployment if all
they ask is not conceded. Everywhere a better spirit
towards the workmen is being evinced, and we hail
this as a happy change ; for who are so deserving of
being well fed and well used as those whose wht ke
powers are devoted to the enrichment of the nation?
We cannot avoid embracing the present opportunity
of reminding the operatives of two things ; first, the
fallacy of the monopolists' cry, that cheap bread would
produce low wages. They see before their ayes a
most decisive confutation of this erroneous proposi-
tion ; and if they will consult other years of cheap-
ness, such as 1835 and 1836, they will find that we
have always a good trade when food is low. It will
be seen by a refereace to our exports, that the re-
vival of the cotton trade could not have arisen from
the extra quantity sent abroad. But when We re-
member the amount of saving in the food of the whole
people betwixt the price of 1835 and 1840, we ale at
once what it is that is driving our shuttles anti com-
manding fresh mills into existence. The eecbnd
point we wish them not to forget is the other elan
trap fallacy, that masters " would drop their wages
if food was cheap, and that it was for this Ourpoge
some of them were advocates of free trade. Itre
al-
ways maintained, that whatever might he the dispo-
sition of a few, masters in general had no power to
do any such thing • and we always foretold that Put
in proportion as food got cheap, would the men 'ac-
quire the power of standing up for themselves, end
obtaining the full market value for their labour. ilow
should it be otherwise ? Cheap food has a twofold
operation in favour of restoring the balance of taboo
—by lessening the supply and increasing the deviandi.
We have often felt indignant to bear some of ale
leading agitators, whose first principle in politide
" the supremacy of the people, represent this BUl*
people as being absolutely in the hands of their out-
ployers. The truth is, labour is like any other
marketable article, regulated by supply and demand''
So long as the buyers of labour can realise sprat by
it, they will not refuse it, although an advanced pride
is demanded, and especially when they know that if
they will not give the price somebody else will. Thb+
is sure to be the case, except when combinationg
exist ; and we are glad to hope that these are all
breaking up, both among the masters for depressing'
the price of labour, and the men for raising it to more
than it is worth. Let us have free trade among our-
selves as well as with other countries, and the la-
bourer is sure to gain by it.

A CIIURCII-GOING CAT.—An eccentric old lady,
who has attended the Moresby Church as long as any
person in the parish, and who has an inveterate hatrect
to soap and water, from a persuasion that by degrees it.
would remove the skin of her youth, and introduce that
of wrinkled old age, is in the habit of taking her tom
cat along with her into the sacred edifice, in order, as
she says, to amuse the poor creature and keep it r
crying. Ou Sunday last, while the congregation were
offering their responses in the liturgic part of the ser-
vice, the cat put her head out-of the lady's pocket, and
uttered a cry as audible as any of the congregation
assembled except the clerk himself.— Whitehaven Herald.
I MANUFACTURERS AT PERTH.—We understand OM
a manufacturing establishment here has taken premises
to commence the manufacture of the goods called 111:1101.9
—that is, dresses of cotton and woollen combined, by
means of power-looms. This is the first attempt at the
introduction of steam-power to manufactures in this
place, and we hope it will be successful and lead to an
extension of such establishments. The prices of band-
loom weaving have advanced a fraction during the list
month, and the prospect of the winter trade here 13
favourable for the workman.—Perth Courier.
We find, that through the instrumentality of o?,
townsman, Mr. John Armitage Buttrey, that the Fait.
master-General has been pleased to grant to the populous
village of Horsforth and immediate neighbourhood, s
free delivery of letters. The charge hitherto has been
lid. a letter, which since the penny postage came into
operation has been found a grievance.—Leeds Mercury.
OMINOUS AFFEARANCE.—On the evening of Friday
last many of the lieges in this town were throw!) into a
state of consternation and alarm from the appearance
cd
the sky, which, to the south of the burgh, reflected, it, a
deep blood-red colour, some would-be and unknown coy.
flagration. Various were the surmises as to this onat-
nous and unwonted sight, until, at last, anxiety rose Ai)
such a pitch that hundreds sallied forth to discover the
caune. Old and young, grave and gay, hurried along
with intense excitement, each striving to outpdt
neighbour, and some deeming the eventful oigrat
with the fate of thousands." However, en arriving at •
certain point on the Highland-road, the'fears of the!
ley crowd were at once allayed, on perceiving
flames proceeded from a tract of vvhins, Dishes Tho
occurrence is common enough at this season, btd op
occasion in question the appearance of the tames %Mt
singularly vivid and striking.—lnverness Courier.
LEEDS FAIR.— This fair commenced yesterdriy.
The show both of cattle and horses was Similar to thesis
of former years, and can scarcely in any respect be
sidered good or extensive. The scene of the pleas n-
fair presents no lack of exhibitions of various kindi,
amongst the most prominent of which is the celebrated
menagerie of Islr.Wombwell.—Leeds Mercury of this day,.
According to the Kilkenny Moderator, the nil.
cultural labourers in that neighbourhood are working
fur 24d. a day and spare diet.
Mr. Gregory, M.P., denies that he lost heavily as
the late Doncaster races, by betting against the Irish
horse Foig-a-Ballagh. lie was not, he states, in Deg?
land at the time, nor had he a bet on or against the
horse.
The Rev. ;John Congreve, Chaplain of St. George%
church, preached his farewell sermon to that congrega.
tion on Sunday evening se'nnight. The Rev. Gentleman.
removes to England. The loss of his services will be
much felt in this town, as his attention to the poor a-nt
sick of the district, and to the national schools, was nae
wearied and indefatigable.—lsle of Man paper.
Dr. Kidd, of Hammersmith, states that common
house sparrows taken callow from the nest, and brought
up under canaries in fine voice, have been known to sure
pass their masters in brilliancy of execution.