The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-25 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS—LAST EVENING.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at
five o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

Isle of Night and Cowes and Newport Railway, Leeds
New Gas, Lewes Water, London and North Western and
Kennington Extension Railway Bills were read a second
time.
LAND TENURE IN IRELAND.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE, in moving this bill
said_ that it appeared that a recommendation had
been made that a new committee on this question should
be appointed, but he thought that any amendment as to
the land tenure in Ireland should be carried out at once,
and there could not be a more favourable moment than
the present. No landlord had a greater Stateobligation
than now. Wanton, useless, and absurd afflictions now
prevail over the whole agricultural districts in Ireland.
He could state that one landlord in Ireland had spent on
his estate more than £140,000 out of his own private
purse without going to any land society for assistance. With
regard to tenant right he wished to call attention to the pre-
sent position they were in. He would show in larger counties
of Ireland the evictions were smaller than those in the
lessor counties, be would contrast Cork and Armagh. He
reprobated on this account that which was stated by an
eminent man, that every man should have 60 years' lease
of his holding. They had evidence that this was not
even desired by the tenant himself, and it was per-
fectly absurd in detail. if the tenant of a
largo holding preferred the position of proprietor to
tenant, he could obtain it by the purchase of land. But
even the smaller ono could do so also. Ile coal I not con-
ceive why they should want to place men getting 15 per
cent. for their money into the estates of man who did not
by carrying out improvements raise the amount of
the rent as the smaller holders did. in a report
which he would quote it was stated that the writer
did not meet with a more satisfactory state of things in any
part of England than in the north of Ireland, nor were the
towns more wretched than those in Ireland. He did not
see by what right they should bo forced to buy up these
holdings. According to this theory nobody could be a
proprietor without being an occupier. Tho best farmer
was generally the largest proprietor. He had heard that
with regard to a large section of the rural population
they believed that the land in Ireland had been sold to the
Fenians. Ho concluded by stating that the question of
landlords and tenants ought •to be equally adjusted in
Ireland, and gave notice of the bill he intended to bring
in on the question.

Lord ST. LEONA.RDS said it was a very difficult
question to argue upon. Ile thought that by act of Par-
liament the present legislation could meet any difficulty
that might occur.

The bill was then introduced and read a first time.
HABEAS CORPUS tf CT SUSPENSION (IRELAND)

BILL.
The E-irl of MALMESBURY moved the second reading
of this bill.

Earl RUSSELL commenced by regretting tho absence
of Lord Derby, and observed that the obligation under
which the Government found themselves to propose such
a measure was a matter to be greatly deplored ; but their
lordships could not refuse their assent to it, unless they
felt that it was unnecessary, or that Ministers had abused
their powers. lle at once admitted that neither of
these reasons was applicable in the present instance,
and he was aware that the Lord Lieutenant had
acted with moderation and the judges with impartiality
in administering the law. Whilst, however, there
was a necessity for the further suspension of the or-
dinary law, they were bound to probe the causes of
discontent and disaffection which prevailed in Ireland.
Ile thought, therefore, her Majesty's Government should
have explained their views upon the subject, and that
legislation should not be postponed ; for to satisfy the
Irish mind at the present moment was necessary to the
peace of the empire. Alluding to the Irish Church Esta-
blishment, the noble earl condemned it as a grievance and
an anomaly unparalleled in any other country, and he
demanded with this difficulty before them that Govern-
ment should at once declare their intentions, and say
whether they meant to propose such remedial measures as
would be necessary, or that they intended to uphold a
policy of resistance.

The Earl of HARDWICKE expressed his astonishment
at the position assumed by Earl Russell, who bad so long
held the helm of State without using the power it gave
him to carry into effect the views he professed now. As
to the Irish Church, a proposal to abolish that would
raisefar more enemies to the Imperial rule in Ireland than
existed at present, and would seriously weaken the power
of the Government in that country. .

Earl GREY was surprised at Ministers passing by the
speech of Earl Russell in silence. The demand for such
a measure as that before the house could only b 3 justified
by the immediate effort to remedy the evils which had
made such a measure necessary. His lordship cordially
agreed with the views of his noble friend, and insisted on
the abolition of the Irish Church, which was an insult and
a degradation in the eyes of the Irish people.
The Duke of RICHMOND said that the Government
had, as they were bound, taken into their consideration
the whole state of Ireland, but ho claimed for the Execu-
tive their right to decide the time and the occasions for
initiating their own measures. Under these circumstances
he declined to enter upon a discussion on the tenure of
land or the Irish Church, on a bill to which there wore no
objections raised.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH declared that, so long
as there w.s a single Protestant loft in Ireland, there
would be no peaceful abolition of the Established Church.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said it would be a
mistaken policy to attempt to conciliate the Roman
Catholic by the oppression of the Protestant, or to sot up
one Church for the spoliation of another. The property
of the Irish Church was guaranteed by Parliament ; but
he admitted it was desirable to establish also a necessary
guarantee to tho sister Church. The Protestants, however,
were the bulwarks of the country.
The bill was then read a second time, and
Their lordships adjourned.

ROUSE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING.
The SPE.4.ILEB, took the chair at four o'clock.
SUNDAY TRADING.
Dlr. 134.1Ng5 presented a Petition kr9DA t 44 trAcioraen

of L3eds in favour of the bill for preventing unnecessary
trading on Sundays.

SCOTCH REFORM BILL.

Mr. M‘LAIZEN gave notice that on the second reading
of the Scotch Reform Bill he should move a resolution to
the effect that no bill to amend the law of representation
of the people of Scotland which did not treat that country
as an integral part of the United Kingdom should be ac-
cepted by the house; and, further, that the number of
members to be added to the number already elected ought
to be fifteen.

THE TußKim NAVY.

Captain MACKINNON asked the Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs if it was true that Conflnodore Sir
William Wiseman, R.N., was appointed some months
ago by the Admiralty to proceed to Constantinople
to assist in the organisation of the Turkish fleet
and if this appointment had been approved by the
Secretary of State to the Turkish Gwernment; and if it
were true that this offi,er was not to proceed to Turkey

in consequence of another British officer of the royal navy
having accepted the appointment without the sanction of
the Government ; and what steps the Government had
taken to recall this officer, to allow Sir William Wiseman
to take up the duties he was appointed to last summer
Lord STANLEY said in May last a communication was
made to this country to allow a British officer of rank to
be appointed to act with some native officers to form a
kind of Turkish Board of Admiralty, and Sir W. Wiseman
was selected for the purpose, with the understanding that
he could not leave this country till- the Cretan war bad
terminated. As that war was still continued the ap-
pointment had not boon carried out. A communication
afterwards had been received that Captain Ilubbar
of the Royal Navy had been appointed to a
seat at the board ; but a communication was
sent to that officer that if he accepted the appointment
without sanction of her Majesty he could not continue an
officer in her Majesty's service. Capt. Hubbard had ac-
cepted the office, and he had consequently resigned his
commission, which had boon accepted. As the office was
a civil one, and Turkey being in amity with this country,
CapUlubbard had not violated any law of this country by
his acceptance of the appointment.
POLLUTION OF RIVERS.

Mr. CANDLISH asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department whether, during the present session, he
intended to introduce a bill to, prevent the pollution of
rivers ; or, if ho did not intend to legislate on the whole
subject, if he would introduce a bill to prevent solids
being deposited in rivers.
Mr. HARDY said a commission was about to issue to
inquire into the state of rivers which had not yet been
ascertained, and that having been done a bill would bo
introduced. It would not therefore be judicious to legis-
late until the whole subject had boen investigated.