The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-09-04
SYMPTOMS IN IRELAND.

The London Times has sent Especial COM
missioner" to investigate the land question In
Ireland, and his conclusions are summed up
as follows:
Notwithstanding decided progress, society IN
Ireland still exhibits not few perpleXing anu
alarming symptoms. Irish agriculture, as
rule, is far behind that of England or Scotlano;
indeed. except in some fortunate spots, IL IS
ism. though diminished, still prevails to an ex'
tent detrimental to the country. Though en-
barrassed owners are more uncommon taan
thew were. though mddlemen tenures have
been broken up, it cannot be said that landed
property rests generally on secure OASIS. Inc
landed estates acts have done much good, yet
complaints are made that in some districts
they have introduced new class OF pTIoprle-
tors grssping, mischievous and ilhberal. Inc
old dissensions Of religion and race keep the
owners and occupers Of the soil asunder; time
and change have done something, not mucn,
in bridging over the chasm between tnem.
While the cotter peasantry have almost van,
ished, and the position OF the aerlcuituILssi
laborer has been improved IN remarKaDle
manner, the relations between the ianuolus
and the better class OF tenants have nos Oeen
in proportion improved.
It IS said that ive-sixths OF the land OF ne
land is still held by precarious tenures.yeariy
teuances in q real sense at wlll-ano that
growing disnc nation exists 10 conceoe even
short lessehOld interests. Complaints are
made, and that not only by tradlng agltaeors,
ia still excessive; that it doe. not allow the
Irish farmer fair and reasonable margin OF
profit. Ii ls said too, that the great mass OF
improvements which are added TO the soil are
the product OF the industry OF the tenant. and
not Of the outlay OF the proprietor; that land
lords have too often the power, and IN some
instances shave shown the will, to appropriate
these improvements to their own benefit. Dy
direct or indirect means, and that 1usCice,
accordingly, is not seldom done, and agrlcultu-
raj proaress is seriously impeded.
It would appear, too, tnat there are rev
signs of an increasing growth OF the k'no'y
sentiments that should knit the londed classes
together; indeed, according to some reports
there has been tendency in an opposite dl-
raction. More than all, those foul confedera-
cies of blood, so long the curse OF IRISH socle,
ty. have never been completely dissolved, ana
of late, unhapplly, have given proofs OF con-
tinulng and even renewed vitality. Though
agrarlan oufrages are few with what they were
thirty years ago. several agrarian crimes Vi
the very worst type have been perpetraaGeu a
during the last eighteen months: the spirit that
fosters this wicked conspiracy, and that as
sures for 1t impunty and sympathy, survives
in a prea tpart OF the nation; nor has IL ceaseu
with the cessation CT the cause that formerly
made it so fierce aud intense-the extromo
want of half.starvlng peasantry.
Nor must We forget that at this momen the
government will not entrust the immense ma
iorlty of the occpplers of land IN Ireland with
firearms: that uii1il the other day the hdbeds
corpus act was suspended throughout :he
whole island; that minister Of the crown not
long ago admitted that il FeriaDism had en-
ioyed momentary triumph. it would have on, !.
ioyed the support as it had the good Will, OF
an unknown number of the agricultural classes.