Star.
London, England, 1828-06-06 00:00:00

STATE OF IRELAND.

Mr. BROWNLOW said, he had a Petition to present
which made him greatly regret that the House was so
thin, and particularly that no Minister was in the House
at half-past five o'clock, though he had given notice of
the presentation of the Petition, which greatly con-
cerned the people of Ireland. The Petition WAi drawn
up by a number of the most respectable men in Ireland,
who were impressed strith'n deep sense of the sufferings
of their country. The Petitioners had carefully ab-
stained from any mention of the Catholic Question, or
'Church property. The Petition stated, that there was
evidence before the House that one fourth of the houses
of Dublin were in a state of insolvency ; and though
food was never cheaper, the Mendieant Asylums of
Dublin were never so crowded, owing to the want of
'employment, and Dublin was now exhibiting the
strongest symptoms of rapid decay. All over the
count: ysuch a state of suffering prevailed as was not
to be found in any other country in Europe or in the
'world. The facts of this statement were proved before
various Committees of that House—before whom it was
proved that not one•third of the people of Ireland were
permanently employed. These facts were now becom-
ing known to the English and Scotch manufacturers and
agriculturists, from the influx of labouring and pauper
emigrants from Ireland. The Petition stated a number
of remedies for these evils. The Petition complained
of absentees. Non-residence be considered the prime curse
of Ireland, •and not only a mistortune to the country,
but a sin in those by whom it was practised. The Peti-
tion prayed for protection of the fisheries, by the erec-
tion of piers and other means. They stated also, that
there were four millions rtf acres of bogs in Ireland,
which were capable of improvement. The Petition
would have prayed for a Bill for the relief of the butter
trade, by the repeal of the odious laws by which it was:
at present oppressed, but for a promise that had been
made by the President of the Board of Trade, and
which be hoped would still be carried into effect, of
bringing in a Bill for that purpose. He should this
night move for leave to bring in a Drainage Bill for
Ireland, which he hoped might have the effect of faci-
litating the improvement of bogs, and by that means
produce some employment of the people.
Mr. GRATTAN said, the state of Ireland was so
frightful, that it must be attended to. Harmony and
peace were necessary to induce landlords to reside, but
if Ministers were determined that Ireland should not
have peace, they should endeavour to provide employ-
ment for the people. The Csmmittee on the State of
Ireland, in 1825, reported that three millions of people
wet e without employment, and it had been proved that
in one year 65,000 persons had perished of famine and
the fever it produced. He had himself endeavoured to
have a power given to the parishes in Ireland to relieve
their poor when suffering under famine and fever, but
instead of receiving support he was loaded with abuse.
One means of employment he thought might be found
in resorting to the appointment of Commissioners, as
had been done in Scotland, where, by a grant of 20,0001,
a ye4r, a thousand miles of road had been made, and
fifteen hundred bridges built, and by that means much
waste land had been brought into cultiv :titan. He
would also recommend to the attention of Government
the plan lately adopted in Holland for providing for
the poor in Colonies. •
Mr. DAWSON said, 'there was . great exaggeration
in the statement of distress in Ireland. He thought
there wasno country in Europe making greater progress
in the acquisition of wealth than Ireland. Its trade was
increasing, and its agriculture was increasing in a sur-
prising degree. The Petition prayed for a general En-
closure Bill, and a general Draining Bill.; He would at
once tell them that both were impossible. The bogs
were private property,and Parliament could not interfere
with them. Numbers of individuals in Ireland had at-
tempted making good land of bogs, of whom he was
one, and were obliged to give it up, the land not being
worth the expense. The imports of Ireland had increased
a million. from 1800 to 1829. The exports of Ireland
in 1500 were but 3,509,0001. in 1820 the exporis were
increased to 10,307,0001. This increase showed a rapid
state of improvement. It was said England and Scot-
land suffered from the influx of Irish labourers, but the
persons who employed them here had no reason to com-
plain, as they obtained labour cheaper than they other-
wise could have done. He found by a return..from
Liverpool, that during the last three years, 25,000 Irish
came annually to England by.. that port; and. 30,000
returned annually ; andbe had no doubt the same was
the case at ti'alasgow and Bristol,, from which he was
certain that the number of Irish. labourers. in England
was -decreasing : and they should not, be considered
i.ither as beggars or intruders. • He knewby experience,