The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1849-02-27 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

IRELAND.  ..----.---.  The accounts from this country, alike from private and public sources, are such as to afford little hope or prospect of improvement. What with the wretchedness that prevails, and the empiricism of legislation practised for its mitigation, one is mournfully reminded of the description given by the Roman historian of his country verging to its downfall, when it could bear, he said, neither the diseases that consumed it nor the remedy to relieve them. Popery, idleness, and wretchedness are amongst the festering diseases of the country, and our enlightened statesmen speak of an endowed priesthood, an amended poor-law, and an enlarged elective franchise, as the certain specifics. The first is abandoned for the present, the temper of this country wont stand it : the last is still kept in reserve. But the fate of the Irish Government has already been cast upon the great measure of amended Poor-law. Our readers have already become acquainted no doubt with its provisions, which, according to the most approved pattern of Whig legislation, are so moulded, as to bring about what ought most carefully to have been guarded against ; he involving the peaceful and industrious north in the ruin and misery of the west and south, and to omit, what must be the main aim of any measure really beneficial, the producing a spirit of industry and 'forethought in the population. How long can this course be continued in Ireland without implicating more deeply the resources and energies of this sorely burdened country ? No axioms are clearer than these-Ist, that England can not, ought not, to maintain Ireland in idleness ; 2nd, that the soil of the country and the labour of the population are the only materials out of which capital is to be produced, and any country rendered respectable and selfsupporting. Therefore, until reproductive employment is set on foot, and a spirit of self-reliance infused into the minds of the people, there is no hope of any lasting or progressive improvement. We look in vain for any symptom of either, from the measures of trio se at present in office. And as long as this state of things is suffered to continue, we can regard Ireland in no other light than as the " old man of the sea " on the shoulders of the unfortunate Sinbad, paralyzing the industry, eating up the  resources, and disturbing the peace of this country, unhappy in its connexion with, and proximity to her. Whereas, had a different course been pursued, or were it even now resolutely and honestly to be undertaken, Ireland, in no very long time, herself peaceful and comparatively prosperous, might become a source of strength and rejoicing, instead of being the vulnerable heel of her friendly and more peaceful neighbour. We may call the attention of our readers to the admirable address of the late Mr. Canning's private secretary, delivered in this town on Saturday, and reported elsewhere.  There are twenty-four prisoners in Clonmel gaol, for trial at the March assizes, all charged with murder. Fourteen new cases of cholera took place in the Derry workhouse last week.  " Twelve  The Limerick Examiner heads a paragraph, inquests !—Twelve deaths by starvation in Clare." Farmers are generally engaged sowing potatoes in the counties of Limerick and Clare, to the great surprise of the country gentlemen, who did not conceive that such a quantity was reserved for seed. The cultivation of potatoes is also going on very fast among the farmers in parts of Kerry. .