The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-22 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEB-RUARY 22, 1850

cuoubt this body was a most respectable and a most
loyal bo 13 —more loyal now than it had been in Mi.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY explainO, and
ti.e subjrct dropped.

Mr. DIVETT asked the Noble Lord to state posi-
tively that the Bill would come on then.
Lord J. RUSSELL saw no reason why it should not.
The order of the day was then read and postponed.
EMIGRANT SHIPS.
In answer to a question from Mr. GRATTAN,
Mr. HAWES said, with regard to the ill-treatment ( f
certain female emigrants on board the ship Sobraou,
certain of the officers belonging to that vessel who had
been guilty of the misconduct in question had been
degraded.
Lord ASHLEY wished to ask the Under-Secretary
of State for the Colonies whether the Government had
instituted any inquiry into the alleged flogging of cer-
tain 'emales en board the emigrant ship Romulus?
Mr. HAWES said the ship arrived in March last, and
the passengers made no complaint whatever of any ill-
treatment. It eventually turned cut, however, that four
females bad been brutally treated, though cot actually
flote'ee-1, in the pre ence of the matron, by the surgeon.
PARTY PROCESSIONS (IRELAND) BILL.
On the motion of Sir W. SOMERVILLE, this Bill
was read a third time and passed.
PARLIAMENTARY VOTERS (IRELAND) BILL.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE mcved that this Bill be read
a second time.
Mr. NAPIER said he felt it his duty to
ask the attention c f the House while he made
a few remarks upon some important clauses of
this Bill. The objections which he had against the Bill
were not objections of detail. He thought the principle
of the Bill was one which would be entirely destructive
of the principle of the const tution of the country. The
ground put forward in thissßill was, that,owing to certain
fatal events which had taken place in Ireland, the consti-
tuency had di ibbled away, and that unless some additions
were made, in some parts of Ireland there would be
no constituency at all. It was under circumstances
of greet depression that this Bill sought to decrease
the qualification and increase the number of voters.
This has been based entirely upon an erroneous suppo-
sition respecting the franchise, respecting the county
and the borough franchise. In the county the franchise
was simply based upon the property which he occupied.
In the borough franchise it was different. The occu-
pant of a house in a borough did nct depend upon the
property which he held, but upon his occupation. In a
borough a man was a substantial man because he de-
pended upon his business rather than upon the property
which he held. 'ln the county districts this si as totally
different. There the votes depended entirely upon the
interest of the tenant in the property which he held of
his landlord. This made a material difference in the
positions of the two parties, much to the disadvantage
of the county constituent. The Hon. Gentleman then
said that ho would advert to the several clauses of the
Bill, and show how injuriously this would act.—
(Hear, hear.) In the first place, the carly clauses would
reduce the power of the constituency far below the
usual average. But ho would go through the clauses.
The Honourable Gentleman then read the first clause,

which simply explained the nature of the Bill. The
second clause of the Bill, which gave votes fir each
holding under a joint occupancy, would give rise to the
evils which Lad arisen from subdivision in Ireland. Their
object ought to -have been to promote the good of the
country by encouraging a substantial yeomanry with good
leaser, who would endeavour to improve the land and in-
crease its value. But this clause would bring into ex-
istence a horde of voters who would be agents in the
hands cf political parties, and perhaps the means of put-
ting the country into such a state as to render all hope
cf its permanent improvement useless. The third clause
would increase the evil, for it gave a vote to every 51. holding
With regard to the borough franchise, he did not intend
to offer any opposition to that, but with respect to the
basis of this franchise, it appeared to be founded upon a
principle that requires great caution and great circum-
spection. It was of deep importance to sever the work.
ing of the poor-law in Ireland from anything religious
or political, and yet the basis of this anchise was
to depend upon the poor law, and not the
real valuation of property. -- (Hear, Lear.) If
they wanted to base in Ireland a substantial class of
occupiers holding under genuine leases, and bout upon
the improvement of the country, why at this time intr,-
duce such a Bill, when, to use the language of the Lord-
Lieutenant of Irelae.d, that country had been too long
trained to a system of agitation to be suddenly weaned from
its pursuit, and that what Ireland stood most in need of
was internal tranquillity. In place of having 501. and
201. frcelrolckrs, they would have Si. freehollerf. It was
nothing better than a system of 40s. freeholders which was
got rid of at the time of the Emancipation Bill. They
would sublet and subdivide the land, and raise up a
horde of persons who, whatever other qualities they
might possess, would be exceedingly useful to design-
ing men in carrying out their purposes.—(Hear, Hear.)
The Learned Gentleman then asked a return, showing
the number of qualifications of persons rated in Ireland.
If the Home wishei to see a substantial class of voters
in the country, he would ask whether this Bill was likely
to effect that object. He hoped tho Bill would be well
and thoroughly considered.
Mr. HUME began by saying that the question of
representations had excited so much attention
throughout Europe, that her Majesty's Government
had tardily come forward to extend the suffrage to the
colonies. His principal object in getting up was, to say
that this Bill would not satisfy Ireland. Erery man at
the Cape of Good Hope who paid to the vote-tax would
have a right to vote, and were Irishmen of less value
than Cape of Good Hope colonists ? They ought to
make trexation and representation coincident, which was
done in the Cape of Good Hope Bill.—(Hear, hear.)
Irishmen required moral elevation, and nothing, in his
opinion, would tend more to that moral elevation
than the giving to every man a :take in the
country, and a voice in the direction of public affairs,
—Wear, hear.) So far from thinking that this Bill
went too far, he was quite of a different opinion.
Hitherto they had treated Irishmen as if they were cattle.
They had treated Irishmen worse than Hottentots, and
he trusted. therefore, that the Government, which had
seemingly taken a step in the right direction, would perse-
vere in that effort and ultimately accomplish that enlarge.
ment of the franchise, which would give to every man a
stake in the country, for that was the only means, in his
opinion, for rectifying the evil state of public feeling in
that country.

Mx. BEY.NOLDS was glad in the extreme that his ex-
ceftcnt and Hon, Friend, the Member for Montrose had
broached this subject, for on the contemplated evil of the
Lord Lieutenant from Ireland fully believed that there
was no other means of providing for a remedy for the
further observations, Y would suffer. After some
evils which the country

Sir J. WALSH rose, and was
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

ANALYSIS OF LAST NIGHT'S DIVISION.

English
Scotch ...
Irish . .

FOR.
208
30
35

AGAINST.
206
9
37

273
252
21 Scotch.

--
OXFORD, WORCESTEN, and WOL-
VERHAMPTON RAILWAY.—(THIS DAY.)
A half-yearly general meeting of the proprietors of
this company was held this afternoon at the London
Tavern; Francis Rufford, Efq,, in the chair.
On the motion that the seal of the company be affixed
to the register of shareholders,
11r. Sergeant GASELER wished to know if the Chair-
tram had any objection to read the list of defaulters who
h sd neglected to pay up their calls.
The CHAIRMAN said he was not in a condition to
gi roi the names of the parties.—(Cries of " Why not?"
and loud marks of disapprobation.)
Dlr. Sergeant GASELEE—Then I shall move, as an
tune ndment, that as the Chairman has neglected orre-
fuse d t,.) give us a list of the defaulters, the seal be not
afra:ed to tbo register.—(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN said he certainly would not put the
antendment.—(Oh, oh.) The sealing was simply a mat-
ter of form, upon which no amendment could be put,
and therefore he should direct the sealing to proceed.
Mr. Sergeant GASELEE--If you do so, you will act
ill egally—(Cheers)—snd as you refute to take the vote
of tt.o meeting I will take upon myself to put the amend-
mi tat.
'rho amendment was then put and nearly every hand
in tie room was held up in favour of it.
!The SECRETARY then proceeded to seal the register
amidst considerable noise and uproar.

bl r. Sergeant GASELEE—The secretary is the servant
of die company, and is paid by the proprietors; and I
cat/ion him at his peril to seal the document.—(Cheers.)
A. SHAREHOLDER—It is an insult' to the common
sense) cf the meeting to allow the secretary to proceed
after the unanimous expression of the proprietors.
'Jae CHAIRMAN, afier a brief consultation with his
col:tcagues, said he wished it t. be understood that the
seat isg K as simply a matter of form, and he never knew
an instance in which any objection bad been made to it;
but as it was the opinion of the majority that a list of
the defaulter; should be read, the direct )rs saw no
real on why they should withhold the list.—(Cheers.)
The discussion having thus happily terminated, the
cog .ster was sealed, and the list of defaulters read by
the secretary. The total number of defaulters was 111,
held 2,884 shares, and the amount of arrears due
fret a them was 85,357/. 10s.
3.11 reply to Mr. Sergeant GASELEE,
e SOLICITOR to the Company said that every excl.-
ties.. had been made to obtain payment of the arrears,
and all defaulters whom they found to be solvent had
bee: a proceeded against, and in many cases the directors
hid succeeded in recovering the calls, but they did not
thir kit advisable to go to law with persons who did not
app ear to be in solvent circumstances.

2. SHAREHOLDEICwisi;ed-to know whether Mr. Pe/-
ban t Villiers, the M.P. for Wolverhampton, whose
Lau e was included in the list, bad been sued for arrears
of c ills on ten shares.
'.I he SOLICITOR replied that no proceedings had been
take .n against him.--(Cheers.)
A tr. COHEN said he was a bolder of 100 share', and
his orother of 175, which they had purchased at 90/. per
but they had not paid up
cent ~ the last calls, owing to
the conditions by which they were to receive a guaran-
teed interest of 4/. ler cent. not having been fulfilled;
and .also because a great number of proprietors who had
not, said up any calls whatever bad not been proceeded
wait :st by the company.
PLACKET said that, as a number of solvent and
infhss ntial men appeared to have not paid their culls, he
should move that a list be printed and circulated among
the To-roprietors, stating the number of shares held by
each, the calls due, &c.
the motion was 1. econeletl by Mr. Sergemt GASELEE,
anc I unanimously carried.
' Che CHAIRMAN then briefly stated what had been
do 3e during the last half-301r, as detailed in the report
wh Mt is given below, and said, with reference to the
Le ads' deputation, that the directors had no wish what—

ever to continue in office, and were ri ady to retire if the
proprietors could get better parties to fill their place.
This deputation, with which they had had an interview
this morning, had agreed that four of the directors
should retire, and it was his intention to propose at tee
conclusion of the proceedings, that the meting should
adjourn for a few days, in order that parties might be
selected to fill up the vacancies.
After a desultory discussion, deprecatory of the di-
rectors, it was agreed that the following report, which
was circulated in the route, should be taken as read.—
" Since the last general meeting. some of the directors,
who thought it was still possible to make an arrange-
ment with the Great Western Company, hurl been in
communication with the directors of if at board, to whom
they submitted several proposals, in the hope of arriving
et an understanding by which they should be
enabled to complete and open for traffic some por-
tion of the line. No advance wbaeever could be
ma-"e towards the attainment of that object,
and the negctittions had for some time entirely
ceased. Thu Commissioners cf Railways had, under the
powers vested iu them by a clause in this company's Act
of incorporation, formally required the Great Western
Company to.proceed with the works, and to complete the
line. This step has been taken at the instance of
influential landowners, and of the public, in-
terea ted in its formation, without any inter-
ference on the [art of the directors, who had advisedly
abstained from either prcmoting or opposing
the measures cf the Commissioners. A requisition from
some of the shareholders, promoted by a committee
formed at Leeds, had lately been submitted to the beard,
calling upon them to summon a special general 'meeting
for the purpose of considering and discussing a motion of
want of confidence in the present directors; but the re-
quisition not being authorised by proprietors representing
the number of shares in the company required by the
provisions of the Companies' Clauses' Act, the directors
were not justified in convening the special meeting.
They had since met a deputation from the Leeds com-
mittee, and had fully discussd with them certain propo-
sals made by them to complete and open that portion of
the line situated between Wolverhampton and the Junc-
tion with the Birmingham and Bristol Railway at
Abbot's Wood. The objects of the Leeds commit-
tee were those which the directors had in view.
The difficulty was, and had been, how to obtain the
means of accomplishing those objects and those the
committee had failed to point out. The directors had
endeavoured to procure the requisite assistance from the
Shrewsbury and Chester, the Shrewsbury and Birming-
ham, and the South Staffordshire Railway Companies;
and they had introduced a Bill into Parliament to
confer the necessary powers, but no definite arrange-
ment bad 3et been concluded with those companies.
A Bill had also been introduced to authorise the trans-
fer to the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway
Company of the purchase of the Stratford Canal and
works, according to agreement, under the terms c f
which it was necessary to prosecute the Bill in the pre-
sent session. Mr. Brunel, in his report of the state c f
the works generally, said that since August last no pro-
gress had been attempted to be made with any of the
permanent works on any part of the line, except
in the completion of some unfinished roads mar More-
ton, and respecting which legal proceedings bad been
commenced against the company. The temporary
works required for the proper repairs and preservation
of the property of the company had been confined
to the smallest amount consistent with the actual exist-
ence of the several parts, and had been limited mostly
to the Mickelton tunnel, and the indispensable repair
of water-courses under or iu immediate connexion with,
the line: and the want of repairs of which, if neglected,
might lend to immediate and serious injuries.
During this period the works had unavoidably sustained
some little injury, such as a few slight slips in the
earthwork, some damage from frost to brickwork and
masonry, and the decay and damage to the temporary
fencing of the line, where the permanent fences are
not yet erected ; but none of these are of an im-
portant character at present, and a small outlay',
promptly applied from time to time, might preserve the
works from serious deterioration; tut, without some
such provision the consequences could not fail to
become serious to the works themselves, and
might involve the company in liabilities, by
their enacts on adjoining properties, roads, Sseil
Considerable progress had been made in measuring up
and adjusting the accounts of the different works so
fur as they had been executed, and there was every pros-
pect of effecting settlements wita the several contractors
on equitable terms. An arrangement had been made fur
the Soeta Staffordshire line to run into their station at
Dutiley,which would diminish theexpenses ofconstruction
to that company and to them, and be mutually beneficial
by the facilities it would afford fur the exchange or conti-
nuation of traffic. The attention of the directors had been
given to the reduction of the general expenditure during
the present depressed state of the company's affairs."
From the statement of receipts for the last half-year
ending 31st December, it appeared that the receipts
from various sources amounted to 1,582,995/. 3s. id.,
and the expenditure to 1,551,a29/., leaving a balance in
the hands of the bankers of 31,465/. 17s. 4d. The re-
ceipts upon the Stourbridge Extension Canal from 30th
June to 31st December, 1849, amounted to 1,813/. ss. 3d.,
and the expenditure to 1,038!. 6s. aid., leaving a balance,
being profits for the half-year, of 7741. ]Bs. Bad. Upon
the Stratford and Moreton Railway, the income was
1,751/. 18e. 4d., and the expenditure 1,742!. 10s. 3d.,
leaving a balance, being profits, of 9!. Bs, Id.
The report was received.
Mr. METCALFE proposed a resolution to the effect than
the line should be given up to the Great Western Corn.
pany for completion, but withdrowat after a short discus•
lion until a later period of the proceedings.
Mr. Sergeant GASELEE next moved a resolution re-
quiring the immediate resignation of all the directors,
which gave rise to considerable discussion, but no dee
sion was arrived at when our report left.

NEWRY, WARRENPOINT, and ROS-
TREVOII RAILWAY.—(THIS DAY.)
The eighth ordinary general meeting of this company
was held this day at the company's offices, in Moorgate-
street; Lord Newry in the chair.
The Noble CHAIRMAN, moved the adoption of the
report, which gave a balance of 4771.35. 11d., commented
with some severity on the conduct of those of the share-
holders who had repudiated the arrangement which had
been entered into with Mr. Dargan for the conveyance
of goods between Newry and Warrenpoint, and alluded
to the terms of this repudiation, in which the directors'
conduct was described as "low cunning, trickery, and
fraud." After such terms, his Lordship said, the di-
rectors could not consent to retain their places at the
board, end in the name of himself and the other directors
he begged leave to tender his resignation.
Mr. CoCHRANE, while he avowed himself as the author
of the terms which had been applied to the directors,
justified himself on the ground that not only were the
terms cf the agreement injurious to the company, but
that all information on the subject had bean sedulously
kept from the shareholders.

After some explanation from Mr. LEACH, who paid a
high compliment to Lord Newry's exertions in getting
the agreement signed by Mr. Dargan,
Mr. LEA deplored the misunderstanding which had
arieen, and proposed that the directors should be re
quested t) retain their seats, as possessing the confidence
of the company.
Mr. SHAND proposed that the meeting should adjourn
for a week, in order that the shareholders at Liverpool
might have time to deliberate on the best course to be
taken, which after some discussion was adopted.

the pressure of unexampled calamity. The Noble
Marquis opposite on that occasion said, that since
the period of all authenticated history he did not
remember any calamity so great having fallen on any
civilised country as that which had fallen on lrelatl.
Under such Oval circumstances le would be the last to
blame any measures which might be calculated to afford
Fie would, therefore, not allude to either the
public works or other measures of temporary relief, but
would at once proceed to what he considered the most
fatal, one under which every interest was still groaning
and suffering, the extension cf the poor-laws. If that
law had Leen passed for a country supposed to be in
a sound social condition, or comparatively so, it
might in itself have done no harm, and caused
no abuse, and besides, it was passed without any
view or contemplation of out-doer relief, and, indeed,
stringent provisions were introduced against such a
system being acted on. All parties agreed that a sys-
tem of outdoor relief would be unmanageable and dan-
gerous, and that its evils would be aggravated a hundred-
fold if applied to Ireland. Under that view the !atv was
passed, with the general concurrence of all 7arties. But
then, in the summer of 1847, when the country was still
smarting under the effects of that great calamity, which
had shaken, and almost annihilated its inter e,tt, so that
it could not be relieved by the extension of any poor-
law whatever, but called fur more comprehensive mea-
sures and more active and energetic legislation, they in-
flicted on it an extension of that law and the dangers of
outdoor relief.—(Hear. hear.) Did they calculate when
passing that measure, for what end they were bringing
on the country an increase of the permanent difficulties
and dangers under which it was already labouring with-
out any adequate relief being afforded 'from the tem-
porary distress of the moment?" With a people idle and
demoralised by the public works—with a tenantry desti-
tute of capital and deprived of sustenance, and with land-
lords whose tenants were unable to pay their rents, how
did they expect the one to sustain themselves, or the
other to pay rates for the support of the rest, as proposed
by that measure?—(Hear.) The consequence of that
experiment on a country much less fitted to bear it
than England, was, that it had been an utter and total
failure, as well in hose districts which were still strug-
gling against distress, as in the completely crushed and
ruined districts of the far West. The only ground for
the most sanguine to hope that the ruin was not yet ir-
remediable lay in the fact as given in the returns laid
before Parliament two days ago, that there had been a
small decrease in the number of persons receiving out-
door relief. In those returns he found that in this year
there were 98,000 persons less receiving out-door re-
lief than in the preceding year. That might be so; but
then there were 30,700 more on the in-door relief list.
The strineent application of the in-door relief test, tw
doubt, diminished the out-door list to a very great ex-
tent, but still not to the whole,extent. He found that
the debts due to contractors and other private persons,
alone amounted in 1848, to 288,000/., and in 1849, this
debt had increased to 513 0001. In 1848 the unions in
debt were EG, and in 1849 they rose to 105. This was
the state of the unions that were said to be well off.
Now, he would refer to the state of other unions that
were said to be well off. The expenses of Ballena, for
instance, amounted to 52,700/. The rate collected was
10,000/., and the Treasury advances were 36,000/.
(Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord then referred to the
state of various unions in Ireland, which he showed
were in a most impoverished state. How, then, he
asked were they to go on? Could they expect that im-
provement would go on in a land where such things
occurred? Certainly not. He admitted that districts
were bound to support their own poor, but parishes
ought not to be called upon to support the poor of ether
districts by a rate-in-aid, or by other means. The state
of parishes in Ireland was this, solvent, struggling, and
insolvent. Were they, by carrying on the present sys-
tem, to lower the two former classes of parishes to the
level of the latter? Ono way of meeting this difficulty
was by raising a new loan of money by the authority r f
Parliament. Ile also suggested that they should pro-
vide labour for those wiliu.g to work, to promote emigra-
tion in respect to these who could not or were unwilling
to work. By the recent Acts of Parliament, which took
away protection from corn, the great means of existence
to the labouring classes in Ireland had been destroyed.
Cheapness and plenty had been the cry for this altera-
tion in the law, but when he saw the result of this alte-
ration in Ireland, he looked upon the cry to be most fal-
lacious. The Noble Lord concluded by expressing a
hope that they would, by large and comprehensive mea-
sures, meet the distress which prevailed in Ireland, and
which, if allowed to continue, would reduce it to the
lowest depths of misery. The Noble Lord then moved
the adoption of his resolutions.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE would state shortly
the grounds upon which he would oppose the modon of
the Noble Lord. In the outset he would aduait that out-
door relief was only justified on the ground of in-
evitable necessity. The Noble Lord suggested that they
ought to adopt comprehensive measures to meet the
existing distress in Ireland ; but as the Noble Lord had
nut stated what those measures were, he could hardly be
expected to observe upon them. The Noble Earl had
referred to a speech of his, delivered some time since, but
the Noble Earl would do him the favour to recollect
that he only admitted that two of the measures alluded
to would be beneficial to Ireland, namely, advances to
promote improvements in Ireland, and the other, to sell
encumbered estates. Measures on these subjects had
been adopted, end they had operated advantageously in
Ireland. Although he admitted that out-door relief
had led to abuse, still he would rather have had this
abuse than that the lives of thousands of the poor should
have been sacrificed by the adoption of a different system.
It was impossible in such a scattered population that an
abuse of out-door relief should not have occurred; but the
establishment of local inspectors had done much to pre-
vent the recurrence of this abuse. But if this abuse
did exist, as he was free to admit it did—it was to be
attributed to the want of care on the part of the guar-
dians as to the mode in which relief was administered.
He was happy to be able to say, that not only had out-
door, but even in-door, relief diminished materially of
late. In proof cf this, he would mention that in the
week ending the 7th of February, 1850, the number of
persons relieved in Ireland was 124,000, whereas in the
week ending the 7th of February, 1849, the number of
persons relieved was 546,407.—(E1ear, hear.) So that
the reduction was equal to three-fourths. The same fact
applied in respect to the expenses for maintaining the
poor. In the week ending the 7th of February, 1849,
the expenses of the poor all over Ireland was 14,080.;
in the corresponding week in this year the expenses bad
fallen to 2,673/., a reduction of the expense amounting
to full four-fifths.—(Bear.) And ho was happy to say,
that this reduction in the expenses for the maintenance
of the poor had been going on progressively since
October last. Even in the province of Connaught,
which had been in such a state as apparently to defy all
legislative means to remedy it, ameliorating symptoms
a ere manifesting themselves. He held in his hand a re-
turn from eighteen unions in that province, from which it
appeared that the monthly expenditure of these unions
had been reduced from 33,000/ to 17,0004; that out-
door relief had decreased from 91,0001. to 11,000/.; that
the numbers in the workhouses had also greatly de-
creased; and that the total amount of pauperism in all
Connaught had decreased from 136,000 persons 046,000.
—(Elear, hear.) Adverting to the opposition whites ex-
isted in Ireland to the erection of buildings for this pur-
pose, he was glad to say that the necessity fir a whole-
some administration of the poor-law, which was now
perceived by all classes, had in a great measure annihi-
lated the general antipathy which prevailed with regard
to it. Notwithstanding their desire to promote, the
gradual extinction of out-door relict', the Commissioners
would, in very many instances, have to give relief on the
sudden. For that purpose they would have to give a
sealed order, but he trusted that they would only be
induced to do so under the most rigorous circumstances,
and with the exercise of a sound discretion.—(Hear.)
He did not wish to concur in any resolution binding
the conduct of these parties in that respect, and
he had no desire to offer any direct opposition to
this resolution. But, if he did so, it must
not bo understood that Parliament considered
that the system of permanent out-door relief in Ireland
was desirable. Ile hoped that no efforts would be
spared to carry into e fleet the original spirit of the
poor-law, which, he felt convinced, would operate to the
advantage of all classes. As to other measures for the
relief of Irish distress which it might be in the contem-
plation of the Government to introduce, their Lordships
would not expect him on that occasion to enter into any
explanation with regard to them, as in due time they
would be laid before them. The Noble Lord concluded
by moving the previous question.
Lord MONTEAGLE said he thought the House had
great reason to complain that information and public
documents had been withheld, or, at least, bad not been
furnished on this subject, which wore essential to the
proper understanding of the question. The halite), of
drawing conclusions from their present state of know-
ledge, was singularly seen in the • instances of the unions
of Kilrush and 'tariff. It would appear from the returns
relating to these unfortunate unions, that they were more
prosperous now than they had ever Learn because no out-
door relief had been given from the House. The fact
was well known, however, that the funds of those
unions were so exhausted, that having not one single
farthing to support even a moderate system of out-door
relief, and her Majesty's Government being unable
or unwilling to make an advance, in one week 11,000
persona were struck off the out-door relief list. In
many districts of Ireland, whilst the valuation had de-
creased, the rate had increased. Thus, in the Newcastle
union, whilst the valuation bad decreased 25 per cent.,
the rate had increased in the enormous proportion of
1,100 per cent. This exhaustion of lands in L eland was
continually going on, and the facts he had adverted to
had a direct connexion with the question under consider-
ation; for the House would find that this increase in the
rates was connected immediately with the question of
out-door relief. To provide a remedy fur this state of
things, he did not concur in the opinion of some Noble
Lords, who thought it advisable, and that it would be
sufficient to meet the exigency of the times, to abandon
the out-door relief systtm as soon as expediency and
humanity would permit. Neither did he thiele it would
be advisable to proceed by Bill, because the Bill would
require much discussion, and if passed into law, would
require much time to bring into full working order.
Under these circumstances, he was decidedly of opinion
that the subject should to considered in the mean-
time in the shape cf a resolution, and that
the Poor-law Commissioners should be allow ed
to give power to the boards of guardians, under
sealed orders, for one or two years, to give relief,
In the neighbourhood of Cattletown there were 30,000
acres thrown out of cultivetion. Oee of the arguments
in favour of the poor-law was, that it would prevent
the influx of paupers into this country. Wel], what had
Leen donee since ? The Commissioners issued a sealed
order, that relief might be given to the wives avd chil-
dren of men who had quitted tl.e country in search of
work. Tele was an injustice to both countries. It sti-
mulated the immigration of Irish labourers upon the
overcharged labour market of this country, and impose(
ah!'additienal charge upon the country they left. He
thought the system would never work well until they