The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-04 00:00:00

could the House check corruption by enlarging the
number of voters out of the land in connexion with
actual occupation and residence? Under the operation
of this Bill, even with the retention of clause 2, there
would be a very scanty constituency afforded to the
people of Ireland. The joint tenancy had been
long enjoyed by the people of England, and
who had heard of its being abused in England?
Ho was aware how much these clauses were likely to
operate to the disadvantage of the several tenants in Ire-
land, and how likely they were to work to the disad-
vantage of the joint occupants of land in that country.
Clause 102 appeared to him useless and pernicious, and
calculated only to do injury to the Irish tenantry, with-
out being of the slightest service to the English
contributor.

Mr. ROEBUCK said that there were few subjects
connected with Ireland with regard to which any
sufficient information was possessed by English:Mem-
bers, and he, for one, felt himse:f in considerable
difficulty as to what he should do. All, then, that he
could do was to appeal to the Noble Lord at the head of
the Government to state what the effect of this clause
was intended to be.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he had received
several suggestions from Irish Members that these
claims would be very injurious in Ireland, but since the
Bill had come under discussion he had seen so little
agreement among Irish Members that he had resolved to
abide by his original determination.
Mr. STAFFORD congratulated the Noble Lord on
the determination be had expressed of not taking any
advice from that side of the House.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL considered that the
evils pointed out by the Hon. Gentleman would not be
remedied by the omission of the clause, but, on the con-
trary, would be rather increased.

Mr. HERBERT observed that the case put by the
Learned Attorney-General was where the landlord
took no interest in his tenant, whereas the case put by
his Hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham was, that
of the landlord who did take an interest in his tenant,
and was anxious for political influence. The clause if
carried would open the door to jobbing, and result in
dagger to the social condition of Ireland, and he should
certainly oppose it.
Mr. HUME said they were not dilcussing the pro-
priety of giving landlords votes, but of extending the
franchise to the tenant, and as the small farmer was en-
titled to it as a matter of right, be should support the
clause. Let the electors have vote by ballot and they
might set at nought the (influence of landlords on the
one hand and the priests on the other. He hoped the
' Government would persevere with the clause.
Mr. SCULLEY thought this was a national, and not
a mere borough, question. He contended the Bill,
during its progress, had been opposed factiously.
Viscount CASTLEREAGH opposed the clause.
They were, by this Bill, altering the whole constituency
of Ireland, having no data to go upon.
After some observations from Mr. ROEBUCK,
Sir F. THESIGER congratulated the House on the
consideration the point had given to the measure.—
(Cheers and laughter.) He thought the Noble Lord
at the head of the Government had given up
this clause ; but finding that some of the Irish
Members would support him, he had stooped
down and picked up the clause that he had
but shortly before thrown away ;—(Laughter,)
He would seriously ask the Noble Lord whether or not
great mischief would result from the adoption of this
clause ? (Hear, hear.)
Colonel RAWDON believed that the claulse would
greatly increrse the constituency of Ireland, and he
would therefore support it. He felt that the Bill
would be good for nothing without it and he had sufficient
confidence in the people of Ireland to feel assured that
they would not abuse the benefit it gave them.
Mr. C. ANSTEY objected to the clause, and was
(LEFT SPEAKING.)