The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-12-21 00:00:00

IRISH TENANT RIGHT.

The adjourned debate on the second reading of the
Tenants' Compensation (Ireland) Bill, was resumed by
Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD, who reproached the govern-
ment, and especially the Attorney-General for Ireland,
with dealing unfairly with the bill of Mr. Serjeant Shee,
which, although Mr. Napier had, he said, consented to its
second reading, was now stigmatised as destructive of the
rights of property and embodying a communistic prin-
ciple.—Mr. NAPIER vindicated his own consistency, and
reiterated the explanations he had given, of the theory
and principles of his new agricultural code, in which his
object had been to reconcile the rights of property with
the rights of industry. He proceeded to explain and
defend the details and machinery of his bill, which, he
observed, avoided all interference with the Ulster tenant
right, or any other custom or private agreement between
landlord and tenant, securing to the latter all the rights
which even Mr. S. Crawford claimed for him, consistent
with the rights of property. He then entered upon a cri-
ticism of Mr. Shee's bill, which, he contended, involved
the principle of compulsory valuation, and specified a
variety of objections to its leading principles and pro-
visions.—Mr. LUCAS combated the doctrine that in only
a few instances had the Irish landlords obtained rent
upon improvements. He showed that since 1730 the
rental of Ireland had increased £6,000,000, and every-
body admitted that the landlords had not made improve-
ments ; so that these were all tenants' improvements,
which had increased the rate of production beyond that
of English husbandry. He proceeded to show that there
had been great improvements of late years in every de-
partment of agriculture in Ireland, proving the existence
there of an active, industrious, and improving tenantry.
If, he said, this class had secured to them the power of
calling what was really their property their own ; if the
Irish tenantry were encouraged in their progress, they
would become a magnificent machinery for the amelioration
of Ireland.—Lord NAAS considered that, although the
principles of the two bills were antagonistical and irre-
concilable, their details might, nevertheless, be discussed
before the select committee with advantage. He accused
Mr. Lucas of dealing unjustly with the landlords of Ire-
land, contending that, as a body, they did not deserve
such wholesome condemnation, and that the agricultural
improvements he had dilated upon might be attributed to
the encouragement given by landlords.—After come re-
marks by Lord MoNcK and Mr. WHITESIDE, the bill of
Mr. Napier was read a second time, and ordered to be
referred to a select committee.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16.
Mr. H. A. BRUCE took his seat for Merthyr Tydvil, in
the room of Sir J. Guest, deceased.
Mr. CHARLES TURNER presented a petition from Liver-
pool against the Budget.
DERBY ELECTION COMMITTEE. _ _ _

Mr. GOULBURN brought up the report of the select
committee upon the alleged bribery at Derby, which was
in nearly the following terms :
" The select committee appointed to take into conside-
ration the petition of certain inhabitant householders of
the borough of Derby of the 2nd of November last have
to report to your hon. house :—That your committee have
examined witnesses, and have heard counsel in support of
the petition, as well as on behalf of the Right Hon. Wm.
Beresford, Secretary-at-War, and a member of this house.
Your committee have to report, with reference to the
specific allegations contained in the petition before them,
that the evidence has satisfied them that a plan for an
organized system of bribery existed in the borough of
Derby at the last election. That the Right Hon. Wm.
Beresford wrote a letter to one John Frail, of Shrewsbury,
in the following terms :
" A good and safe man, with judgment and quickness,
is wanted immediately at Derby. I suppose that you
cannot leave your own place ; if not, send some one whom
you can trust in your place. Let him go to Derby on
receiving this, and find the County Tavern, in the centre
of the town. Send his card to Cox, Brothers, and Co.,
Leadworks, as coming from Chester. That will be enough.
" ' Yours,
" Monday. " W. B.'
That in consequence of such letter ono Thomas Morgan,
jun., was sent to Derby by the said John Frail, and,
acting on the instructions therein contained, was subse-
quently detected and apprehended in Derby, while engaged
in carrying out the plan of the organised system of bribery
proved before your committee to have existed. Your
committee do riot think there is sufficient evidence to
satisfy their minds that the arrangement, scheme, and
object referred to in the petition were known to and con-
curred in by the Right Hon. W. Beresford ; but your
committee are of opinion that the equivocal expressions
of that letter ought at least to.have suggested to him an
idea of the improper use to which that letter might have
been, and in fact was, appliel. And they think it exhibited