The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-07-20 00:00:00

IRISH TITHE BILL.

Lord Jot's; R ussEi.i.;ttecitii;co;rse which ministers pro-
posed to take in reference to this measure; how far they were
disposed to adopt the suggestion of Sir Robert Peel, and in
what respects they felt bound to deviate from it. Instead of
£640,000 out of the million, £740,000 had been expended,
because £lOO,OOO had been granted to the ecclesiastical com-
missioners under a special statute. This would leave £260,000
vet unapplied; and this sum, together with so much of the
£740,000 as could be recovered from landlords, it was pro-
posed to devote to the payment of arrears of tithe composi-
tions due from occupying tenants in the years 1836 and 1837.
In addition to the £260,000, it was his opinion that the sum
to be recovered from landlords (whom he did not intend to
relieve from liability, but the tenants only) would amount to
£300,000. Thus, the sum of £560,000 might be applied to
the payment of arrears of 1836 and 1837. " Though we
yield," added his lordship emphatically) to the general wish
of the house upon this question, we still think that the propo-
sition is not favourable to the permanent interests of the
Church of Ireland. We feat that the payment of arrears due
from persons who have refused obedience to the law will offer
a species of premium upon tithe resistance, which is ill cal-
culated to promote the stability of the Protestant Church in
Ireland." His lordship said he objected to make it optional
with titheowners to accept or refuse this arrangement, which
it was intended to effect, not by a new set of paid commission-
ers, but through the agency of persons already in office. The
noble lord concluded by moving, as was understood, that the
house resolve itself into committee upon the 3d and 4th Will.
IV. (the Million Act,) and another act.
Mr. HUME put it to the noble lord and the house, whether
the house of commons had ever entered upon a vote of a mil-
lion of public money without previous notice given ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said, that if the hon. member persisted
in ohjecting.to the 'notion upon that ground, he might, per-
haps be strictly justified; but be thought that the notice
which he (Lord J. Russell) bad given of the intention of go-
vernment on this subject had for all useful purposes been
sufficient.—(Hear.)

•
Mr. Hust said it ought not to be to him, but the Chan-
cellOr of the Exchequer, who should stand forward to protect
the public purse; but when he saw that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, instead of interfering, actually connived at the
contemplated act of robbery, he was bound to stand forward.
Sir It. PEEL said that at this late period of the session he
was not disposed to throw any impediment in the way of this
measure on a point of form. At the same time, whilst he
should consent to the motion of the noble lord for going into
committee, he begged it to be understood that he did not
pledge himself to the contemplated arrangement upon the
first statement of the noble lord.

After a short discussion, the house resolved itself into com-
mittee; the resolutions were proposed, and the house then
resumed.

Lord J. RUSSELL said that the house being in possession
of these new clauses, he should propoSethat'they now go,into
committee upon the remaining clauses of the tithe bill.
Sir G. SiNct„ttut gave notice that, when the report was
brought up, he should take the, opportunity of making some
observations' on the conduct of the Irish government.
Several clauses were then agreecrtn.
On the reading of clause 9, v,hich relates to the revision
of tithe compositions.on application to the lord-lieittenant in
council,

Mr. LEFROY proposed the omission of that clause, and all
the following clauses to clause 19. He objected to the whole
of those clauses, on account of the manner in which they
proposed to revise the composition of tithe, and especially on
account of the mode of appeal.
The committee, after a short discussion, divided on this
amendment, when the numbers were—for the amendment,
88; against it, 103; majority, 15.
The remaining clauses and preamble were then agreed to,
and the house resumed to report on Thursday.
Lord J. RUSSELL intimated that,. having considered the
point, he was willing to postpone the resolutions, which were
now fixed for consideration to.inorrow, till Thursday.