The New York herald., 1850-12-27

CONDITION OF THE HIGHLANDS.


From the North British Mail
The alarming situation Of the Highland people In
th their fifth year of famine was foresesn by all who
turned their aten ton closely to the state OF affairs In
ls47 1t clearly perceived that when the relief
fund was exhausted the miserable population, taught
depend upon that extraneous Of subsistence
must be in great deal position than ever The
Relief Board itself felt with heavy consciousness
which raddened all its benevolent labors that It
conducting the wretchea Hghlsnders to the brink Of
an abyss, Every pound spent brought them step
nearer the dreaded catastrophe. This rendered the
routine OF the Relief Board of the most painful
and sgonzing oper to which men could possibly
be- called 1t like watching the ssnd glass Of life
ttood the position and clearly where would end,
proposed the adoption Of bold ures-the abolition
of mortgage and the legal responsibility OF property
TO provide the population with employment and bread
bic. The abyss, however, is apprssshed Tbs day
and the evil 80 long dreaded have come. aud the uto-
pists have right to demand BY what means the OPP
ties OF the crisis
public subscription is impossible, and grant from
ths Uran.r,y shs hTpssna eovs
the poverty Of the Highlands. 1t Is useless to say
that property In the Highlands is mortgsged and its
poor and scarcely able to pay the interest Of
their debts Belong to whom may the soil is there,
and hunger will eat Its way down through Parchmsnts
tfy its cravings the solid produce Of mother EARTH
The people must be fed that is the first burden upon
oesbe with the prior claim Of the peopls-thst H. IL
the propretors cannot both satisfy the rights OF the
poor and the rights Of the money iendsr.-tne latter
have their remedyi they call up their loans. IL
the law Of entail prevents the propisters from meet
ing this demand the law OF entail must be abolished
II the law of titles be smother obstacle too must be
superseded by an Incumbered Estates Commission
for Scotland FOR Ireland Such is our mode OF get
ting 10 the bottom of this Highland abyss 1t is the
misfortune of Scotland to be deemed great deal bet
than she s "No fear Of Scotland IL was said In
lsao "she viii manage her own business, and sxri-
herself successfully from the difficulties OF the
potato disease 1t is Ireland that have reason TO
be alarmed Tor" Ireland accordingly got immense
grants Of money, and An Encumtersd Estates Com
mission which cuts every Gordisn knst between the
people and the soil while Scotland Il left TO struggle
victim OF her own good name. when will the govern
ment be made TO feel that the Highlands are an Ito-
land In every Of the term Precisely the Same
social condition exists in the in the other and
precisely the same remedy is necessary. real In
stead iham ownership OF the soil Is the great wants
OF both countries and the goysrnmentis nov impe-
ratvely called upsn to extend the same means OF ar
rying at this result TO Scotland which II has arssdy
Afforded to Ireland What We demand for the High
snds Is that the proprietors OF ths roi In and
responsibility be also its propr.tor. In fact and this
PLAIN and honest end accom- pshed all further DIM
cuties with regard to the msintsnsn OF the people
~i vsnisb. Delivered from the letters OF entails,
fully possessed of their estates aud endowed with
ample power OF administering them, will thsu be-
enabled TO demand for the Highland landlords an
sstance from the govern ment Of which they could not
ct present avail themselves though IL we're offered
We could then call upon the government to Offer
loans for all knds OF agricultural improvement In the
Highlands. ON the principles of the Drainage Ao.
Property being In natural condition. capital would
also ho~ into the Highlands through private chan-
being thus supplied at the same time every estate
would at once become centre OF Industry order aud
substsnce to the population which is now falling
pidy into anarchy and famine.
The present state Of the lsu Of property IL at onoe
rigorous and indulgent to the Highland landlords It
hrt deprives them OF their rights, and II to COM
p.nse them for the loss IL then relieves them OF their
dutes IL depiyes them by the Law OF entail OF the
power OF administering their properties; aud by so-
dsoni poor law 1t permis thsm 10 evsds theif obia
tioD 10 provide employment for the population. A
systs has thus been introduced which IL the wCrst
possible In half civilized sa. Of soeiety-a system
which privss the unframed Highlabdtrs at of
ehiei 70 govern and sn emploJcr 70 m.t,ssn thsm.
The Highlands need system Of rigid Tais. IN which
all compelled by Law o. perform their duties viii bs
empowered TO insist upon their rights We voGli lay
The burden Of providing Tor the poor upon the pfO-
pretoT, hut 20 enable them TO bear 70 wouldstriss
on THEIR ttsrs and svs them ull porer TO administer
thar gFthtes