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

LAND TENURE IN IRELAND.

The Marquis of CLANRIOARDE, 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 ho 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 momeat than
the present. No landlord had a greater State obligation
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. Ho would show in larger countiel
of Ireland the evictions were smaller than those in the
lesser counties, he would contrast Cork and Armagh. lie
reprobated on this account that which was stated by an
eminent man, that every man should have GO 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
large holding preferred the position of proprietor to
tenant, he could obtain it by the purchase of land. Be
oven the smaller ono cculd do so also. He could not con-
ceive why they should want to place mmi getting if per
cent. for their money into the est.itea of men who did not
by carrying out improvements raise the amount of
the rout 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 iu the north of Ireland, nor were the
towns more wretched than those in Ireland. He did not
see by what right they should be forced to buy up these
holdings. According to this theory nobody could be a
proprietor without being an occupier. The 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. He 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 ou the question.

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

Tho bill was thou introduced and read a first Ulna.
HABEAS CORPUS ACT SUSPENSION (IRELAND)

BILL.

The Earl of MALMESBUItY moved the second reading
of this bill.

Earl RUSSELL commenced by regretting the 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. He 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 tho further suspension of the or-
dinary law, they were bound to probe the causes of
discontent and disaffection which prevailed in Ireland.
He 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 ho
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 bo necessary, or that they intended to uphold a
policy of resistance.
Tho Earl of lIARDWICKE expressed his astonishment
r at the position assumed by Earl Russell, who had so long
held the helm of State without using the power it gave
him to carry into effect the niews 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 be justified
by the immediate effort to remedy the evils which had
made such a measure necessary. ills 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 iu 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 he claimed for the Execu-
tive their right to decide the time and the occasions for
initiating their own measures. Under these circumstances
ho declined to enter upon a discussion on the tenure of
land or the Irish Church, on a bill to which there wore no
Obj c:iotts raised.
The Marquis of WEST :JEITH declared that, so long
as there w,s a single Protestant left in Irelaa't, there
would be no peaceful abolition of the Est tbrahed Church.
The Earl of ELLE`:BOROUGH sail it would be a
mistaken policy to attempt to conciliate the Roman
Catholic by the oppression of the Protestant, or to set up
one Church for the spoliation of another. The property
of the Irish Church was guaranteed by Parliament; but
ho admitted it was desirable to establish also a necessary
guarantee to the sister Church. The Protestants, however,
were the bulwarks of the country.
The bill wss then read a second time, and
Their lordships adjourned.

FOREIGN OFFICE, FED. 22.
The Quoon has bean graciously pleased b appoin
Robert Henry E.ildyard, Esq., now a Third Secretary, to
boa Semi,/ 140cg0t0,17 iii IWK aj 3sty. § Diplomatic