The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-02-24
The Irish Land Question.

So far as we on this side of the water may
be supposed competent to judge OF a MEAS
ure fundamentally affecting that intricate
portion of British poity known as the Irish
land question. Mr.. Gladstone's reform bill
seems admire ably adapted to practical So
luton of the problem. Security of tenure,
facilitation of transfer, rebate for improve
meuls, limitation Of the heretofore harsh
rights of eviction, and. above all, the ad-
miuistration of the land law by arbitration,
are the main features Of the new bill. which
is to have its second reading on the 9Th of
next month. To estimate the difficulties in
the English Premier's way, it must be re-
membered that the English title is that OF
conquest, and that the Irish, while submit
ting to, have never acquiesced in that claim.
From generation to generation the landlord
has held by club law, and the tenant writhed
under the Consciousness of being but ten
ant where he believed himself rightly
possessor. With this fundamental variance
of views. it is not surprising that landlords
in Ireland clung TO the irritant right OF
eviction, and tenants to the cOunter-irrltant
of SHOT from behind the hedge. ''Put me
oft of my land, not your land" the Irish
man would argue, land | will treat you to
a dose from my blunderbuss as / would any
other robber." "Give me the constabuia-
ry." the Engfishman would say, land the
moment the rent fails out trot my tenants" !"
To meet this state of affairs, Mr.. Gladstone
has had need of all the ability Of his admin
istration and that ability, 10 Judge from the
abstract Of the bill telegraphed US, has come
nearer solution of the Irish land question
than any heretofore presented by an English
Ministry. Equity, rather than strict law.
is the animating principle of this bill a3d,
L 4. l,F. !,
ence" is Mr.. Gladstone's panacea. The
conquest title is recognized as a title; but
then the tenant right is to be much more
assured and stable tenant right. Facilities
for converting a tenaut right irto landlord
right are literally furnished and then. TO
offset this, other facilities are granted for the
improvement and security of audlCrds' prop
erty Eviction is still allowed, but when
resorted to is to operate, ipSO ,tdcto. release
of all claim upon tenants and. though the
"cess, or county tax, remains, landlord and
tenant are to pay it half and half. With
! these as the main features of the new bill,
there are some lesser provisions OF a quiet
ing nature, most noticeable among them the
! confirmation of Ulster customs" Ulster,
| as the reader knows, is the northermost pro-
vince Of Ireland. and contains those counties
| which hold the Scotch-Irsh population.
| At the time that the Stuarts first began 30
reign, this particular portion of Ireland was
so turbulent that wholesale system of CON-
! tscation and resettlement, known as "the
| Ulster plantation" was resorted to. Most
of the Irish were rooted ont of the province
and their possessions portioped among Scotch
! and English benefciaries, who, by the terms
of their grants, were to have no Irish ten
an is, that right being reserved to such few
/ Of the original IrisR chiefs as it was supposed
would only receive as tenants those Of their
countrymen who acquiesced in the English
domination. Out OF these conditions grew q
system Of tenantage known as Ulster GUS
I TOMS" SO dear TO the North Of Ireland peo.
Pile that Mr.. G adstone has not seen fit to
! break down the old rules there in anything
like the same proportion as in the other
provinces. Perhaps this is of the less i'm
| portance, as in the Provinces Of Connaught
Leinster, and Munster the great Irish land
| grievances have had their seat, ard to them
more particularly. therefore, the provisions
Of the reform bill are framed to apply.-N
| Y. HOrId