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

IRISH LANDLORD

The Dublin Evening Packet contains !tfie-f 4067'
remarks on Mr. Sim son's pamphlet, ieetitlect, , -
Defence of the Landlords of Ireland, with RinntSitt
the Relation between Landlord and Tenant:"—
Mr. Simpson, we need scarcely remind oar rielidems'
- 0- ---
an Englishman of vast experience in matters relating
the improvement and value of land in his own country.
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 fulls 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,
necessity, to make himself thoroughly acquainted. H.
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. His
testimony must be regarded as invaluable, as it is un-
questionably unimpeachable ; and what is his evidence ?
In this work Mr. Simpson, adverting to the charges
against Irish landlords, under the several heads of in-
equitable tenures, excessive rents harshly exacted, die.
regard of the comfort and improvement of tenants, tke.,
thus expresses himself :
" These are grave charges, important both as regards
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 1„ difficult to conceive that harshness and cruelty, of
dispof,ide.; should prevail in an educated crass be-
longing
to sn enlightened age and a Christian coun-
try. I have b,„gres raised my humble voice in this
cause. Eleven years leis:l-course with Ireland in my
professional engagements has rendered me intimately
acquainted with the relative pesitio): 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 me oppor-
tunities of arriving at the true value of land us tkat
country, and furnished me with tests respecting it tot
of usual occurence; and my conviction is that, even under
the disadvantages of imperfect cultivation and ande-
velopedcapacity, land in Ireland is, as compared with land
in England, and of itself, generally speaking, rather under
than over rented. I, of course, except eases of inter
mediate tenure, the odium and evils of which system Os
charged upon the head landlord ; whereas the exiefing
wretchedness and distress arise essentially from sublet-
tin the consequent minute subdivision of land. It
is, however, but justice to say, that I have observed
some middlemen who, by proper and humane conduct do
their under-tenants, have not deserved _the rePriab
which this system has given rise to
On the score of excessive renting, the alleged maatrenl,
grievance of the Irish tenantry, Mr. Simpson completelie
exonerate the landlords. "I have," he says, "tip
quently surveyed, valued, and sold, deep-stapled larie
which was not let higher than from 255. to 355.
plantation acre (equivalent to from 15s. sd. to 21s. Vdt
the statute acre), and thin, but under proper culti-
vation, grateful surfaces, as low as 12s. lid. and I.os.
the plantation acre, or 7s. 4d., 6s. 9d., and 6s. 2d., the
statute acre." And these, he tells us, are the average
rents paid to landlords in fee by the occupying tenant*
in most of the counties in which he had valued estates:
We know not, of course, nor indeed, is it of much con-
sequence, what the defamers of the Irish landlords L
either island will say to this, but the fact is one which
certainly ought to make them hide their Leads for tery
shame. Thus has the charge of excessive rents been
satisfactorily disposed of.
The introduction of middlemen, and the minute sub-
division of farms, or what is generally known as the CM..
acre system, the writer pronounces to be, to a certain
extent, an evil ; but very justly attributes it to the ne-
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 been
detected, and the practice itself is, consequently, der
dining at a rapid rate. Yet he affirms, and we agreo
with him, that the retailing of land in small portions
would, if properly exercised, be often an advantage to
the rural poor and cottier tenants, who at present occupy
the anomalous position of half-labourer, half-tenant.

CHEAP FOOD THE CAUSE OF
HIGH WAGES.
(From the Struggle.)
It is pleasing to be able to report from time to time
the success of our mill workpeople in asking for as
advance of wages. And we do trust the period is
gone by when masters shall doggedly attempt to tura
a deaf ear to the seasonable demands of the labourer,
or when the workpeopic Alan be so badly advised as
hastily to throw themselves ou: of employment Walk
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
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 eyes 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 reference 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 see at
once what it is that is driving our shuttles and com-
manding fresh mills into existence. The second
point we wish them not to forget is the other dap•
trap fallacy, that masters " would drop their wages"
if food was cheap, and that it was for this purpose
some of them were advocates of free trade. We ta-
way s maintained, that whatever might be the dispo-
sition of a few, masters in general had no power to
do any such thing ; and we always foretold that gust
in proportion as food got cheap, would the mess to-
quire the power of standing up for themselves, Ind
obtaining the full market value for their labour. Sow
should it be otherwise f Cheap food has a twofold
operation in favour of restoring the balance of Mimi
—by lessening the supply and increasing the demand.
We have often felt indignant to hear some of the
leading agitators, whose first principle in politics vaas
" the supremacy of the people," represent this min%
people as being absolutely in the hands of their eni.
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 a profit by
it, they will not refuse it, although an advanced price
is demanded, and especially when they know that if
they will not give the price somebody else will. Thus
is sure to be the case, except when combinations
exist; and we are glad to hope that these are al/
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 lal-
bourer is sure to gain by it.

A CIIURCH-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 hatred
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 tow
cat along with her into the sacred edifice, in order, ns
she says, to amuse the poor creature and keep it fir wa
crying. Ou Sunday last, while the congregation werris
offering their responses in the liturgic part of the ser,,
vice, the cat put her bead out of the lady's pocket, and
uttered a cry as audible as any of the congregation
assembled except the clerk himself.— Whitehaven Herald.
MANUFACTURERS AT PERTH.—We understand that
a manufacturing establishment here has taken promise
to commence the manufacture of the goods called union
—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 thies
place, and we hope it will be successful and lead to ate
extension of such establishments. The prices of hand-
loom weaving have advanced a fraction during the last
month, and the prospect of the winter trade here is
favourable for the workman.—Perth Courier.
We find, that through the instrumentality of ova
townsman, Mr. John Armitage Buttrey, that the Pot-
master-General has been pleased to grant to the populotaa
village of Ilorsforth and immediate neighbourhood, so
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 APPEARANCE.—On the evening of Friday
last many of the lieges in this town were thrown into a
state of consternation and alarm from the appearance of
the sky, which, to the south of the burgh, reflected, in is
deep blood-red colour, some would-be and unknown con-
flagration. Various were the surmises as to this omi-
nous and unwonted sight, until, at last, anxiety rose to
such a pitch that hundreds sallied forth to discover the.
cause. Old and young, grave and gay, hurried alobn4
with intense excitement, each striving to outech
neighbour, and some deeming the eventful night
with the fate of thousands." However, on arriving at m.
certain point on the Highland-road, the fears of the
mot-
ley crowd were at once allayed, on perceiving that tbo
°aft wthhiisn ss'eaastolnu,shbeust l'onirtt
e.
oca cmu er
sr
e
proceeded
iis
comfirirjoomn sentoruageth
TS,
occasion in question the appearance of the flasingularly vivid and striking.—lnverness Courier.
fIameLEEDS FAlR.—This fair commenced yesterd)ty:
Tho show both of cattle and horses was similar to thiessi
of former years, and can scarcely in any respect be eon.
sidered good or extensive. The scene of the pteasnrit
fair presents no lack of exhibitions of various kind 4
amongst the most prominent of which is the celebrate i.
menagerie of Mr.Wombwell.—Leeds Aiercuryaroef twhiosrkdairy
According to the Kilkenny Moderator, the agri-
cultural labourers in that neighbourhood
.tleG, 0
irDe
Doncaster
ellr I .rl:.c, e
sd,enbyiesbetthtaintgliaegaloinststhetahveillyrisl
for 21d. a day and spare diet.
htloierl‘
g-a-Ballagh. Ile was not, he states, in P3sig7
land at the time, nor had he a bet on or against thes
horse.
Thn Rev. John Congreve, Chaplain of St. Georefs,
church, preached his farewell sermon to that congregat
tion on Sunday evening se'nnight. The Rev. Gentleman
removes to England. The loss of' his services will Is
much felt in this town, as his attention to the poor tso
sick of the district, and to the national schools, was:ti,
wearied and indefatigable:—/ste of Man paper. t
Dr. Kidd, of Hammersmith, states that commix
house sparrows taken callow from the nest, and brought
up under canaries in fine voice, have been known to eve
pass their masters in brilliancy of execution.