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Northern Star (1837-1852), 30th January 1847, Edition 3 of 3, Page 1

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    • HE J THE MEMBERS OF THE CHARTIST CO OP OPERATIVE LAND COMPANY.
    • Mwnni mvi\mmm>
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      He J The Members Of The Chartist Co Op Operative Land Company.

      HE J THE MEMBERS OF THE CHARTIST CO OP OPERATIVE LAND COMPANY .

      My De My Dear Friends, Peisoji Peison Wh...

      My de My dear Friends , _peisoji _peison who si gns himself a " Well-wisher and a _-kerpeupkeeper of Plymouth , " writes me a veryrespectmd en and encouraging letter , in which he states , " that hat is that is required to convince him , and many of his _s _, of te , of the practicability of the Land Plan , is the t of suit of some clear and simple information , as tothe ibilitipability of occupants of so small a quantity as a _"fowi Your acres to live and pay rent ; and he adds this if this subject is not beneath your consideration , too ( too complicated for dissection , your answer will nowinow , he bailed bv thousands , who are now

      doubtipou upon this point only . " he The subject is neither beneath my consideration is ot is it too complicated for dissection , and the stiouestion being put , I will write you a letter that hereither the Whistler , the Devil , nor Doctor _Faustus , oian , or ever will , answer . I will take three acres _coior consideration , that being the mean ; and what I e ttate three acres will do , two will do , as I ata going > laii > place it before yon in ihe roughest aspect of _basusbandry , stating the lowest price for produce to solbesold , and ibe most extravagant for outgoings . sti ff statement shall be just as simple as my friend , thicrthe most ignorant of the subject , could desire or re hare : —

      _srsrsamoir of _thbss aches . - _*• R < Potatoes 1 o Wheat 1 0 Cropped with ' cabbages , mangel wurttel , turnips , tares , clover , awl flax 0 Si _Ktohen-garden ... _, ... 0 01 Acres ... ... ... 3 0 Produce of acre of potatoes 15 tons . „ „ Wheat 200 stones . For _ErowingBtuff for Cows ... 1 \ roods . For Flax 1 rood . For Kitchen-garden ... ... J a rood .

      _DISPOSiL or _PBOSCCZ . For Cows—from November to March , 2 toes of potatoes , or nearly one and a half stone each , per day . For Family—1 and a half ton of potatoes , or about 9 lbs . per day . For six fatting pigs , from November to March , 8 tons of potatoes , er _nearlyS stone each , per day .

      For sale—31 tons ol potatoes . Do . Milk of two Cows . Do . 100 stone of Wheat . Do . Produce of 1 of an acre oi flax , ponnded , scotched , heckled , and spun by the family , during the winter . For _saIer-4 Bacon pigs in March .

      PRICES OF PRODCOE . £ . s . d . Milk of 2 Cows , at 8 quarts adaj each , 16 quarts , at lid . per quart ... ... 38 10 0 1 Baton Pigs in March ... 20 0 0 100 _* t . of Wheat , at ls . 6 d . per stone ... ... 1 10 0 3 and a half tons of potatoes , _atfid . per stone ... ... li 0 0 Price of i of an acre of flax , spun 12 10 0 Fruit and Vegetables ... 5 0 0

      £ 95 10 0 _aaBaaaHH * _Producs reserved for family ' s consumption : — 2 Bacon Pigs , 3 efft . each ... 6 _cwt . 11 ton of Potatoes . 100 stone of Wheat . Prodnce of 6 Docks . Fruit and Vegetables . 2 IiivesofHoaey . Annual allowance reduced to weekly consumption 21 poundi of Bacon . 11 stone of Flour . 41 stone of Potato's . 20 Duck Eg- ; s . 2 pounds of Honey . Fruit and Vegetables . _AN-M-AI , _KXTESDnTEE . Kent . Rates , and Taxes ... £ 13 10 0 Two Tons of best Hay for Cowb from December to March ... 8 0 0 Clothing Man , Wife , and 3

      Children ... ... ... 15 0 0 Fuel , Soap , and Candles ... S 0 0 Repairing Implements .... 10 0 Six Pigs in May 6 0 0 51 10 O

      £ . s . d . From price of produce ... 95 10 0 Deduct expenditure ... ... 51 10 0 And tkre remains , after consumption , £ _ii per annum , after the best of good living . I will now estimate lowly the value of the allowances for living weekly— a . d . li lb . of bacon , the best at Gd . perlb 7 0

      _] _i stoneoffloural 2 _* . 6 d . ... 3 9 ik stone of potatoes at Gd . per stone ... ... ... 2 3 20 Duck eggs ... ... 1 6 21 b . of honey 1 6 Fruit and vegetables ... 1 0 17 0 This does not include rent , fuel , soap , candles , and clothing .

      EMPLOTMEM OF IIMB . Planting acre of potatoes ... 24 day Digging , do .... ... ... 21 " Dibbling wheat with family ... " Heaping da .... ... ... 4 " Threshing do 13 " Fatting out manure ... ... 2 " Cleaning wheat and taking to market 2 " Preparing ground and sowing flax ... 10 " Engaged on acre , not under wheat or potatoes , but producing flax , and mangel wurtzel , cabbages , tares and turnips , and in kitchen garden 70 "

      Total number of days employed ... 157 *' Total amount received in living , clothing , fuel , candles and hay , and not including rent of house , for 157 days work , £ 75 12 * ., or nearly 10 s . per day , and not allowing for each year ' s improvement in the laud . Kow , I have laid down the meanest and rudest system of cultivation . 1 have allowed eight tons of potatoes , worth * E 32 _, only to produce £ 'li when given _tfyigs . I have allowed £ 8 worth of hay , and £ 8 worth of potatoes , for two cows , besides the produce of nearly an acre , cropped and recropped in spring and summer , for , observe , the flax is sown in Feb *

      and pulled in June , and clover is sown with it and is fit to cut in a month after the flax is drawn . So that you have two tons of hay , two tons of potatoes , and the produce of nearly an acre , to feed two cows , while Cobbett has proved , that a quarter of an acre vvill feed a cow the whole year round . I have taken the milk at the price of butter , so cheap that you cannot fad to get that price in butter or pork . I kave said fifteen tons of potatoes , but it is no crop . Mr . Bahus , of the «• Leeds Mercury" states , I think , Over fifty tons as a fair crop , but he exaggerates , twenty tons is no great crop . I have stated 200 stones of wheat , while , on middling land , and , without care , I have had 240 stones ; you will have 300 stones _aiid more , when you watch every plant and never allow a weed to grow in it . I have allowed

      nothin g for seed , as every man will save his own , and sell some . I have recommended ducks , because f all a foot high will keep them in , and because btas are very bad farmers and ducks are very good ° _**« , they wm follow you out to the field and will S o Ue ii-, the s _*| UgS _^ j worms _^ $ never re qU ; re _" 0 re * Vou v-iH _iv 4 Ve all the small wheat , after yoa " »» your wheat for sale , to finish off YOUR " _I _^ O PI GS , and you will have twenty stones ° - ° tan from thc 100 stone you grind to give those 0 r _*¦**¦*• _tasides milk , if you make butter . You _"itbuyr-is young pigs in May when milk , caba _* , tares , and refuse is plenty , and feed them "•" way . and from the offal of Ihe house till _No-^ ber , when you shut them up . You will give £ 1 _^ eu "i May and get £ 5 each in March , when fat l 0 _« will make much more than £ 12 of your flax

      My De My Dear Friends, Peisoji Peison Wh...

      besides the ' seed , which is the finest thing you could have for your new calved cows . I allow your hires of honey fo weigh 52 pounds each , and your ducks to lay 3 days in the week , SUNDAYS INCLUDED , as my ducks never made any difference , and my cows gave milk , hut my horses DID'NT WORK AND ATE . I allow each man to keep a donkey , which he would find useful , and could easily feed upon what the cows left , and pickings about the door , and be fat ; he would cam two rents if you fed him well . I leave 2 cows , 6 pigs , a donkey , 6 ducks , and a drake , with the family , to supply manure ; and two ton of hay brought to th farm , and an acre of wheat straw , and tbe reasor

      why I give the potatoes to cows and pigs , and lose by ftem is , because , only _*« " the cows and pigs , I could not have them at all . You should consume all you could upon the farm . Of all things you must beta in mind that not a weed will ever be seen in the Land , and that every plant will have tbe OWNER'S watchful eye over it ; and that the usual mode of culture bears no more comparison to what your's will lie , tban an uneducated person does to a good scholar . Now , I have shown you 17 shillings wor th of food at wholesale priceandgood , andforwhich you would pay 22 shillings and more , and not so good , in the retail market , besides going for it ; and I have shown you a profit of £ 44 after THAI LIVING and house rent , for 157 days work .

      And now I will show you how much I am under the mark , even according to the old system . For instance , a farmer rents , say 100 acres , and employs three men , and more in harvest . Well , all the riches he has in the world , and payment of interest for his capital , and losses , and risk , and amusement , and support , and education of family , all comes out of these three workmen's labour—nothing else . If I had not been asked to deal rudely with the subject , I should have shown the facility with which more ,

      much more , than twice as much , may be made of 3 acres . With the means I propose of making manure , together with parings of walks and a trench , here and there burned for ashes , your 3 acres would be like a dung-hill . Now to make all simple , I will deduct £ 14 from the £ 44 profit , and leave it at £ 30 a year after living , and we come to the conclusion that in seven years , a man from 157 days' work a year , would realize £ 210 ; and we presume his rent of 3 acres and a house to be £ 10 a year , and thatthe

      company is bound to sell at 20 years purchase ; and thus I show that , without stint , the occupant can purchase his allotment for ever , and £ 10 over in seven years . Now until he purchases his allotment , he will not expend £ 31 a year on clothes , hay , and fuel nor will he consume what I have allowed ; so that I now repeat what 1 have many times stated , that in four years from the day of taking possession—allowing the first year for thought and shaking down—that the merest fool will pay for 2 , 3 , or 4 acres of ground on tbe company ' s terms , hut not IF DEALING IN

      THE RETAIL MARKET , NOR YET IN 10 i'EARS The poet says — " Fools till they grow sager , Back their opinions with a wager . " However , I now offer to bet John Bright , the Whistler , or any man living , £ 500 , and to stake the CASH , that in the next four years I will do what I have here written , with three acres of this land or of Herringsgate , at the Company ' s rent , and the same with any estate 1 purchase . That is , I will stake , at a week ' s notice , £ 500 , with any man or men , that , in four years from taking possession of three

      acres of the Land Company ' s land , I will support five people , or give to a family precisely the weekly allowance I have stated , and will , from the profits on labour , after such deductions for living , clothing , fuel , soap , candles , and other things , pay in four years the whole purchase money of the said three " acres ; and I will take £ 1000 to £ 500 , that I do it -in three years , and even less . But , to put all beyond dispute , I will try , and all who ate neigh' hours shall bear witness of the fair mode of dealing ;

      and , as I mean to purchase an allotment , I will keep a critical and exact account , and will purchase it out in less than three years , and what I can do in three , others may do in seven . However , it is worth Bright ' s consideration to win £ 500 these bad times , and if that is not enough , I will get a few friends to back me for as many thousands . But how ridiculous to think of fellows talking about the land that know no more about it than the crow that flies over it . Yonr answer to them must always

      be—WELL , WHO MAKES FORTUNES FOR FARMERS , AND PAYS ALL THEIR RENTS , AND ALL THE REST OF IT . I NEVER EXPECTED THE BLOOD-SUCKERS WOULD LIKE THE NATURAL STATE OF MAN . Your faithful friend and bailiff , Feargus O'Connor .

      ' / ^J^Jiiiip (®^Jy'^^4 Ji^^ 'Ij'% / T^^...

      ' / _^ j _^ _jiiiip _(®^ jy _'^^ _4 ji _^^ _'ij' _% t _^^ s _^ r _^ Ur > AND NATIONAL TRADES' JOURNAL .

      ____ & ___ London; Satubdm, Ja-Nqfei So,...

      ____ _& ___ London ; satubdm , _JA-Nqfei so , 1847 . K ,. _g _^ , , __

      Ireland. Naruative Of Malcolm M'Gregor. ...

      IRELAND . NARUATIVE OF MALCOLM M'GREGOR . XO . XI . About dusk we amved at the door of a miserable cottage , standing alone in the midst of steep and inaccessible hills ; a spot that appeared to have been selected for deeds of darkness . My guide unlocked the door , observing , the women have heen sent to the neighbours , aud now , pointing to a heap of flax on a hurdle , over a dark room , you must hide there , behind the flax , and for your life and sowl don't sneeze , or stir , orit would be as much as our lives would be worth , if they found vou out .

      The reader will easily imagine tbat thi 3 injunction , added to the appearance of the place , had considerably allayed my curiosity ; however , there was no retreat , and my guide having lighted a splinter , as he termed it—a piece of thin dried bog wood —he showed a very fragile step ladder , by wbich I mounted to my " cock-loft , " _, and underwent the ceremony of being covered up , all but a small aperture for my mouth , with the bundles of flax . I was not long in my new situation , when , to the horror and consternation of my guide , who was busily engaged in preparing for tht jury , I gave a loud sneeze , at which he bounced , and exclaimed—, r My ~ God , but we ' re gone men , af you don ' t keep quiet . " " The flax , " I replied , " tickles my nose . "

      " Wisha , " he returned , " for God ' s sake stop it , as you cau ' t get out £ now , as they'll be here in a minute ; but af you can t hould , but must sneeze see af you can ' t sneeze like a cat . This way , " say , he , sneezing precisely like a cat , and which , to his great satisfaction , I imitated most critically . In a very few minutes the jury began to arrives when candles , bought for the occasion , and stuck i * i balls of clay , were placed upon the table in the middle of the room , the parties seating themselves rouud , some on kishes ( high baskets ) , aud others on stools .

      My guide , from being next of kin , was appointed judge , aud his first business was that of calling out the names of those summoned for the occasion , when , all having answered , he addressed them as follows : — " Are yees all blood relations to Phelimeen O'Donnell , God rest his sowl ? " to which all responded—

      Ireland. Naruative Of Malcolm M'Gregor. ...

      - ' Amen , and yes . " " . Are yees , any of you , married , or is father or mother depending on your labour ?" "No . " " Are yee 3 all willing to be drawn , to see who shall shoot the murderer ; af in case he should be doomed to die ?" "Yes , yes , yes . " " Are you willing to pay the lawful debts and just demands of any that may suiter for the deed ?" " Yes . " " Have you all made your sowls and made open confession of all your sins ?" . "Yes . "

      "Do you all pledge yourselves never to split or in . form ?" " YES , YES , YES . " ' Are you prepared now , to hear the evidence of the uncle of the deceased , that see the act , and can tell whether the witness swore true before the crowner , and whether Phelimeen owed the money that he was shot for , and whether he was likely * to kill them that took his life , af they did kill him , and whether the law would take his life ftf he waa tried for what he done ?"

      " Yes , we ' re ready . " Do yees swear , before your God that hears you > to do justice between man and man , according to what yees hear ?" " Yes . " The uncle of the deceased was then called , and , having blessed himself , and declared that he would tell but the honest truth , he proceeded to narrate the circumstances connected with the transaction , precisely as detailed to Mr . O'Farrell and me , and of the merits of which the reader is already in

      possession . He was then asked , if , on his oath , Phelimeen threatened to takeaway any man ' s life , or attempted to harm or hurt any one ? and to all of which interrogatories he answered , " No . " He was then asked if he knew whether deceased had paid the money he was sueijor , and to which he replied , that he was present on one occasion , when Catchpole acknowledged to the whole being paid up . Having heard the whole of the evidence , the judge spoke as follows .

      " Brothers , you have now heard how our dear departed kinsman , Phelimeen O'Donnell , came by his death , and what he done to cause thera to shoot him ; and yees will consider that yees must answer in the last day to your God , when ali is called upon forau account of his actions , to answer for the verdict yees come to to night , and if yees think tbat deceased would have killed them that took his life , af they didn ' t kill him , yees will say no ; but ai yees believe that he was killed from a wish to get his

      houldinu ; , and because them that killed him knew the law wouldn't touch tbem , then yees will say so , and yees are not to suffer yourselves to be led astray because our kinsman died with his sins upon bim , ( the Lord have mercy upon his sowl ) , but yees will do justice between man and man , as yees hope one day to expect Justice to be done to yourselves . " An awful pauBe , of at least five minutes , followed this injunction ; and in the midst of wbich , to the great horror of my guide and host , I sneezed , but so like a cat , that he was able to lay it on puss .

      The judge now proceeded to ask them if they hall agreed to their verdict ? commencing on his left and going through , and upon being answered jn theaffir . mative he then proceeded to put the question in the same form , " Is any one guilty of the murder of the deceased , if so , who ; or did he come by his death lawfully ? " And to which all answered , " Yes , Captain Squeezetenant is guilty ofthe murder , and deceased did not come by his death lawfully . "

      The judge then asked , " Do you all say that Captain Squeezetenant unlawfully took away the life of Phelimeen O'Donnell ?" " Yes . " " And do you doom him to die ?" " Yes , be the laws of God and man . " The judge then proceeded to break some straws into pieces of unequal length as lots , and having arranged them in his hand , he walked rouud the table , each drawing a straw and laying it before hira , until all were drawn , when the judge

      proceeded to inspect them , and declared that the lot had fallen upon Tim O'Donnell , a first cousin and bosom ' . friend of Phelimeen , he having drawn the Captain , or longest straw . As soon as the announcement was made , Tim jumped on his legs , and said , " Blessed be God it has fallen to my lot to avenge the blood of my friend and cousin , and but I'll be no ways afeared to meet my Maker when I dies , for Phelimeen was an honest boy as ever lived , and done his duty to the ould people , and never wronged or injured man or baist . "

      " Tim , " said a person on the other side of the table , " but I ' ll give you a two-year old heifer and a _collop of sheep , —( six sheep , )—af you'll only give me the privilege of shooting the villain , that turned my poor ould father out of his house and home and then transported him . " " No , " responded Tim , " it never shall be thrown in the teeth of an O'Donnell , that an O ' Donnell sould an O'Donnell ' s blood for all the heifers and sheep in the parish . "

      The ceremony now being over , all took leave ol Tim O'Donnell , kissing and shaking hands with him , and reminding him that the Olympus sailed for America that day fortnight , and that he should have plenty of means to clear him out of the country , wheu there came a sudden knocking at the door , followed by the most piteous howling . " Whose there , " asked the man of the house ? " Ogh , for the love of God , open the door , " , responded the howl . - What ' s the matter , " continued my host ? " Ogh , wisha , come down , there's murder at the cross below . " " What ! " ejaculated the voices inside .

      "Ogh , rejoined those outside , " come , run , come down to the cross , —sure the polis has took ould O'Donnell . The Lord be merciful to us , —sure he lay in wait behind a ditch , just opposite the polis barracks , and but he shot the Captain as he was going home from the sessions of Skihbereen , and sure the ould man was ' nt able to run , and but , instead of trying to make off , Hs what he came and stood over thc body , calling and bawling out

      Phelimeen , it was your father that revenged your blood on the murderer , aud but he'll soon be with you in heaven , ' and but sure , a mob collected when the polis came up , and when they were for rescuing O'Donnell , but they fired , and the Lord save us , but they says they made a riddle of his body , and there ' s all the Crieff boys and the polis fighting at the cross , and but af you don ' t run , but they ' ll get the better of them . "

      The last announcement had the effect of clearing the house as if by magic , when I descended from my hiding place , and escaping from the hovel , I followed the howl of the women , with many others who rushed down the uiountaiu side , uutil we reached the cross where the mangled body of " The

      Ireland. Naruative Of Malcolm M'Gregor. ...

      ODonnelP Jay , surrounded by screaming women and children , with scarcely a tatter of clothes upon them . In the ditch hard by lay the dead body of Captain Squeezetenant , while shots , responded to hy terrific cheers and yells , were heard from the adjoining hills where the police barrack was situated , and whither the men had repaired in pursuit of the police , —shot followed shot , and cheer succeeded cheer , until at length tbe work of demolition being completed , the edifice fell with a terrific crash , burying the inmates and mauy of the infuriated actors beneath the ruins ; a momentary silence _frjjowed the crash , when , as if by magic , a braze of bffl » nt _lijjfit burst around the dismal scene W presented the most appalling

      spectacle of myriads of half-naked people dragging the wounded from under the ruins , and , as a friend or relative was discovered , the yell was horrifying and heart-rending . As I approached the ruins , my former guide , the brother of Mrs . Mahoney , recognized me , and clapping me on the shoulder , said , *** -Gome , follow me , this is no place for you ; the soldiers will be here in a bit , come , come with me , as , maybe , if you are found here , Mr . O'Farrell might be ' _ifroaght to trouble . " I thought the advice seasonable and discreet , awl followed ray guide , who led me in safety to the house of my host , who had not yet returned from his day ' s labour . I communicated all that I had seen and heard to Mrs .

      Mahoney , who begged of me not to say a word about it to the priest , or to pretend to know any thing of the matter , I promised secrecy , and lest my manner should evince a suspicious excitement , I retired to rest before the worthy pastor ' s return . ( To be continued . )

      Mwnni Mvi\Mmm&Gt;

      Mwnni mvi \ _mmm >

      House Of Lords, Saturday, Jam. 23rd. Lor...

      HOUSE OF LORDS , Saturday , Jam . 23 rd . Lord _SiuFiKSBcr took his seat on the woolsack shortly before five . CORN AND NAVIGATION LAWS SUSPEN .

      SION BILLS . Mr . Gbbehe and other Members of the Ilouse of Commons , brought up the Corn Duties ( Temporary Suspension ) Bill , and the Navigation Laws ( Temporary suspension } Bill , which Un the motion of tke Marquis of _Landsdowne , were severally read a lirst time , . nnd ordered to be printed . Lord Sta _* _sli- \ - inquired whether it was the determination of the Gort-rnment to introduce another measure , the Bill for _repealing certain penalties in the use of sugar and molasses in brewing and distilling , as a permanent measure ; and also whether that Bill was to be passed as hastily as the other two Bills . Ho suggested that the proposed measure be referred to a select committeo .

      The Marquis of L . \ s » sdowsk in answer , stated that it was _thought more advisable to make the proposed Bill ofa permanent nature at once , than leave it for discussion later in the session . With regard tothe suggestion thrown out by Lord Stanley , it would depend upon the support the Bill met with in the other Ilouse , and the form in whieh it was sent up , whether it should be referred to a select committee . Some conversation then ensued on the pr posed alterations in the poor law , wliich Lord Brougham _denounced as the fruit of personal spleen and political agitation out of doors , and as inconsistent with the spirit of the original law , an opinion in which Earl Fitzwiuiam concurred , and gave it as his opinion thatthe appointment of a Poor Law Minister would be desirable . Their Lordships then adjourned .

      HOUSE OF LORDS , Moxdat , Jas . 25 . On . the motion of the Earl of Cuu ** . s _* do _* s the Corn Duties and tho Navigation Laws Suspension Bills passed through aU their stages without opposition .

      DISTRESS IN IRELAND . The Marquis of _LAKnsDow _.- _* K moved for tho production of papers relative to the condition of Ireland and entered into a lengthened statement descriptive ef tbe famine , aud its attending circumstances , ofthe measures of relief taken by the Government during the recess of Parliament , and of the Bills wbich it was the intention of Government to propose as well lor the resuscitation as for the permanent improvement of Ireland . The substance ofthe Noble Marquis ' s speech was identical with that delivered hy Lord John Russell in tbe Ilouse of Commons . Lord _Sta-viev freely admitted that the measures which had been shadowed forth by the Government appeared to be both / air and judicious : but he was

      of opinion that to attempt to discuss them in detail , without having an opportunity of fully cousiderine their bearings in reference to each other , and also their bearings in reference to the state of society existing in Ii-oland , _lvould be worse than useless . lie would not , however , hesitate to recommend to the Government to throw aside some of their principles of political economy , and he would _suggest to them the propriety of encouraging the introduction of capital into Ireland by affording ' advances to _rail-vay companies for the promotion of those great productive public works , upon safe and proper security . The construction of such works would give very _exte-ivbive employment to the labourers under the best possible supervision , that ofthe parties themselves interested in the projects .

      Lord Bisougham inquired if an estimate had been made ofthe sum that would bo reqnired to answer the loans proposed by the Government in carrying out their measures . The Marquis of La . v 8 D 0-iv . ve could not give an estimate of the probable amount that would be re * quired . Lord _Bhouobau said he had heard it would require fifteen millions sterling ; and if so , he felt convinced that the property tax must be immediately increased . But if the property tax must be increa _; ed then he saw no reason why it should not bo extended to Ireland , nor could he imagine why a man with £ 140 a year could not pay for the protection ofthe laws afforded him as well as the man with £ 160 a year . From the number of paupers passing from Ireland to Liverpool , Manchester , and Glasgow , it became absolutely necessary to adopt some mode of throwing the maintenance of tbe poor of Ireland upon the resources of Ireland .

      Thc Earl of Devon spoke in defence ofthe Labour Rate Act , which , though be admitted it had failed in very many instances , be thought had failed only because it had not been efficiently carried out . After a few observations from Lord Rode *** in disapprobation ofthe Labour Rate Act , Earl Fm-viu . iAM defended the Irish landlords , and _denrecated the application of the Poor Law to Ireland without proper limitations . Lord _Mountcasuel made a statement showing thatthe Irish landlords had only £ 3 , 000 , 000 out of 13 , 000 , 000 per annum , to Jive ou . Earl Gkby defended the L _ibour Rate Act as being thc best measure that could have been adopted at the time it was passed , though unforeseen circumstances had combined to render it nugatory . He considered the condemnation of that measure implied a grave censure on the present Government .

      After remarks from Lord _Momkaqli * and thc Marquis of Cunricabdk , The papers were ordered to bo produced , and their Lordships adjourned at One o ' clock . HOUSE OF COMMONS _.-Monoay _. Jax . 25 . The speaker took the chair at four o ' clock .

      TEN HOURS' BILL . Sir G . Strickland presented a petition from cotton spinners and others , in Lancashire in favour ofa Ten Hours' Bill for young persons and children . USE OF MOLASSES IN DISTILLERIES . Mr . Hume gave notice that upon the same day he would move thc copies of any reports showing the reason why molasses should not be introduced into the eountry and used in distilleries upon the same footing as sugar .

      ANNEXATION OF CRACOW . Mr . llraesaid that he would postpone the motion of which he had given notice upon this subject to a future day , in consequence of the papers promised by ihe Government not having been laid upon the table of the Ilouse . Lord J . _lUssi-LL _ob-crvcel , that tho reason the papers were not yet laid on the table was , that it was enly _«• ' < . ¦ _"* Parliament met that a paper had been _presented to her Majesty , embodying thc defence of the Three Powers for thc measure adopted with respect to Cracow .

      CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN HONG-KONG . Dr . Bowrino asked whether any answer had been received to thc communications made frora the Colonial Office , as to the infliction of corporal panishwents by tho Police Courte at Hong-Kong \

      House Of Lords, Saturday, Jam. 23rd. Lor...

      Mr . IIawes said last session his hon . friend drew his attention to the case of the _Chiness on whom it was alleged corporal punishment had been inflicted and he had told him in reply , that all the circum ' stances connected with that case would be inquired into . An explanation bad been received frora ihe authorities ot the island , which was to the following effect : —The Chinese in question had been guilty of felony , and had been arrested . A rescue was attempted by a large number of the Chinese , whieh was attended with considerable violence . They were , however , all arrested , and carried to tbe police ollice , where the question was heard , and others were convicted and fined five dollars , or to receive twenty strokes ofa " rattan . " He must confess , however , that this punishment was accompanied with the loss of their tails . _(** Hear , hear , " and a laugh . ) The seas there were infested hy gangs of lawless persons , and it was found very difficult to devise any punishment at all commensurate with their offences . ( Hear , heat . )

      THE NEW POOR LAW . " Mr . Fbrbasd gave notice that on an early day he would move * - ¦ That a select committee be appointed to inquire into the mode adopted by the Poor Law Commissioners and their Assistant Commissioners , in drawing up reports , and their treatment of boards of guardians ; and what controul the right hon . Sir James Graham , Bart ., exercised over the Poor Law Commissioners and their Assistant Commissioners during the time he held the ollice of her Majesty ' s Secretary of state for the Home Department . Also , whether , under the enforcement of the new Poor Law , wages have not been reduced ; whether crime has not increased ; whether a system of terror , instead ofa system of kindness , has not been adopted towards the poor ; whether the favourable anticipations expressed in Parliament by the promoters of the new Poor Law have not entirely failed ; and , whether tho principle upon which the new Poor Law is founded is not a direct violation of the constitution of England , "

      TIIE STATE OF IRELAND . Lord John _Russeu then rose to bring under tbe attention of the House tbe state of Ireland , and said that be had never felt the necessity so strongly of calling for the indulgence of the House as on the present occasion ; but be felt assured of obtaining it in an ample degree , after the sympathy manifested by the Ilouse on this subject a few nights ago and the forbearance which it had shown to the Government ; he would therefore at once go into the subject . . He wouid first state the order which he should follow in hia statement . In the first pkce'he proposed to show what was the actual state of that part of the United Kingdom in which the great calamity of famine had arisen . Secondly , heshould make age . neral statement as to what had occurred during tbe

      recess of Parliament , and as to what had been done in pursuance ofthe acts of Parliament of Inst year , and how far these measures had been successful . lie should then proceed to state what were the recommendations of the Government on the present emergency . After this he should call the attention ofthe house to other measures , which " , in the opinion of her Majesty's ministers , would tend to improve the state of Ireland , and to lay the foundation for permanent improvement . He should also mention some other subjects , which , although they had been under consideration , had not been so _fulty considered that measures could bo at once introduced with respect to them . Ho Bbonld now ask leave of the House to introduce two Bills , one to render valid certain acts which had been done under

      the order of the Lord-Lieutenant , and the second a Bill for the improvement of private estates iu Ireland , in conformity with the principle laid down in the Treasury Minute of the 1 st of December last . The noble lord then read extracts from the Report of the Commissioners as to the state of distress in Ireland . The calamity wbich had fallen on Ireland was almost without a parallel in modern times , operating as it did on a population of nearly eight millions , and which was like ft famine of the thirteenth century falling upon a population of the nineteenth century . But last year the quantity of food in Ireland was not so much deficient , yet notwithstanding tbis Parliament determined to make provision by affording the means of labour on roads and public work's , by means of _lowi . Several sums

      of money bad been advanced for that purpose , and towards the end of the session , Parliament passed an act for presentments for public works . After some time , ffhen this act was brought into operation , complaints were made that thc roads made undtr it were not wanted , and that the other works were useless . He did not think that the objection as to tlte nature of the labour not being so productive as it ought to be was one of a very serious character , for the object was to give wages lor -labour , instead of indiscriminate charity . Still it was most desirable that they should have the co-operation ofthe landed gentry of Ireland , and the Lord-Lieutenant , with the assent of the . Cabinet , made further arrangement- 'for public works . Shortly afterwards the Lord-Lieutenant was called upon to allow

      presentments to be made for townsli ips . I here were strong objections to this , as many of those townships were very small , and the average of them was not above 352 acres . The owner of a to _^ iiiarul would be only liable for tho amount required for that spot , and there would be no general sympathy ; therefore that could not be beneficially " adopted . He admitted that tiiere was no ilangerin the present state of employing labour in Ireland , and if care was not taken , permanent injury might be inflicted on the unfortunate class to which the _lahiurera belonged . As the destitution increased , the difficulty of finding means of employing labour increased . Great difficulties were found to ex ' bt in getting proper persons to superintend the labourers , and in somedistricts , in consequence of the adoption of task work , the

      labourers had refused to perforin tho work allotted to them . It wns also found that one public board could not effectually superintend such an extensive scheme of labour . It appeared tbat the number of persons now employed by tlie Board of Works in Ireland as officers for the superintendance of labour was 11 , 587 , The amount of money advanced in loans , and advancesup to the present time , was £ 2 , 410 , 210 . The . number of labourers employed on the Public Worksin September last was # 0 , 130 , while last month tho number had increased to 480 , 000 , aud at the present time the fauniber wns no ddubt upwards of half a million . It hvas calculated that five persons were dependent onfcach man so employed ; but supposing that there were only four persons in each case , tho numberdepcndeiit on such employment would be tuo

      millions . 1 he expenditure had been enormous . He had before him the returns of the weekly expenditure since the commencement of _Diceni ber . In the month of December the expenditure was £ 505 , 000 , and for 1 ho first three weeks of January it amounted to £ 485 , 000 , and it was estimated that for the whole month tho amount would be between £ 700 , 000 and £ 800 , 000 . It was impossible to view this state of things without being aware that it must be accompanied with many evils . In many places where task work had been adopted , it appeared that wages bad risen to ls . lOd . a-day , and the farmer could not get labourers to till the soil . Great abuses had also grown up by _fhrmors occupying twenty , thirty , forty , and fiiy acres of land , placing themselves and their sons on theso public works , while the really destitute

      co _ild not get employment . The Lord-Lieutenant had taken steps to lessen this evil . On deliberation it was determined to form in the various districts relief committees which would receive subscriptions and levy rates , and obtain grants from the government . These committees would have to purchase fond , to establish soup kitchens , and furnish food for the famished population . The labourers would be allowed to work on their own grounds or for the farmers , so that there might be due preparation for the next harvest . He was happy to state that that distinguished officer , Sir John BurgoyDe , had undertaken tke task of superintending tho plan which would be adopted with regard to the relief committees . Thia officer would b « in commu « ic & - _tien with the Lord Lieutenant , and wouid act either

      with or without a board , and would co-operate with the Board of Works , with the commissariat department , and with the officers of tbe poor-law unions and the constabulary . Care would be taken that in the proposed change the transition -from public works to other employment should be as gradual as possible , so that no extensive dismissal of labourers should not take place at one time . With respect to the money which had already beeu expended in public works , tho question had been asked whether the whole burden should fall upon Ireland . The extent of misfortune had been so great that he thought that the whole of the burden should not fall upon thc Irish people . He therefore should propose on a

      future day that a new arrangement should be made , so that each year au instalment of the advances becoming due , that only one-half should bo paid , ami tbe other half should be remitted . With regard to the money hitherto issued , it had been advanced from tbe consolidate' ! fund , and there had been no issue of new Exchequer Hills . Ho did not consider that it would bepvoper to _ituposo the whole _bunler . ou the finances of the country . He did not think that nny step of that kind should be adopted by the * , oveni ment ov Parliament without the most seriuus consideration , or that such large amounts should be takon [ Irom the laborious people of this country , on thw point hia lordship said when I _uxuke such a _proi'csi *

      House Of Lords, Saturday, Jam. 23rd. Lor...

      tion as that which has now been laid before ihe house it is one wbich places a very considerable burden upon the finances of this country ( hear , hear ); and that placing that burden upon the finances of thia country , I do feel myself disabled from making some propositions 1 should otherwhe havo _mado , but which considering the very heavy burdens arising Irom the destitution tbis present year , I should think it hardly fair to tho people of this country to bring forward . It may be said , " Let the burden be borne by tbe Consolidated Fund ; let it be borne by the Imperial Treasury and Exchequer . " I trust ah ways that those sums are not to be granted by Government or Parliament without most serious consideration ( hear , hear ); that these are sums derived

      from payments by the people of this country . ( Hear , hear . ) It is what they pay on their soap , their sugar their tea , their coffee . ( Hear / hear . ) Ifc is that which forms thesurplus by which weare ableto come to the assistance oi Ireland ; and while I believe there is every disposition to do all that is Jiher . il , 1 do think that we must , in justice to the people of this country , consider their difficulties and their privations , and how by hard labour they are earning their dail ) bread . ( . Cheers . ) With respect to the advances made to proprietors who had expressed a desire to make improvement ott tbeir estates , under tho nuthority of the Lord Lieutenant s order , Government thought that the term * contained m the Treasury minute of the lst of last December should be extended to them , and tbatthe > time tor there-payment of the advances whieh thev

      had received should be extended from 10 to 22 years , asm the Drainage Act of last session . _HavingthuB stated what the Government intended to propose to meet tho evil of the present year , he proceeded to observe that there was another proposal , of which , though of doubtful tendency , he was inclined to try the experiment . He proposed to advance £ 50 , 000 , to be repaid on or before the 31 st of December , 1847 , to the proprietors ot Ireland to furnish seed for sowing their lands . He did not intend to advance any part , of it to the small cottier-tenants , as it might not be used for the purposes for which it was intended ; but he thought that if the advances were made to the proprietors of the soil , the _measura might be safe and useful . In stating these proposi

      tions to tbe House , he felt bound to state that Go * vernment could not , and did not , expect to beabte to ward off entirely the effects of the awful visitation under which Ireland was now labouring . It was not in the power of man to do away with the ordinations of Providence , and it was a knowledge of that fact which led him to express his astonishment that two such eminent and respectable individuals as the Marquis of Sligo and Mr . Moore should have called upon their countrymen to meet At Castlebar , forthe purpose of petitioning Parliament to take steps to insure " an immediate cheap and constant supply of food" during the famine which surrounded them and was still impending . That was a task beyond all human power to accomplish . All that any

      human Government could do was to alleviate somewhat the present dreadful calamity , and to save the great bulk of the people ; and it must not be imagined that it could turn scarcity into * plenty . What , however , astonished him the most was , that a meeting for such a purpose as that which he had just described should have been called at Castlebar , where there was an union workhouse capable of containing COO persons , but not containing at present more than 130 persona , thc doors of it _beiig closed , and the guardians alleging that they could not levy the rates necessary to support the * v « rkhouae . He saw in the proposal of the noble marquis an unhappy tendency , which he had seen on ether occasions in Ireland , to recommend others to perform

      vague , impracticable , and visionary duties , while tiie plain and practicable duty of paying rates for the sustenance of starving men , women , and children in the neighbourhood was neglected . lie was obliged to say that while the Government would attempt all that was practicable , it would-refuse to make any promise which was clearly impracticable . He then proceeded to another part ol his subject—Bamely , that which related , not to the present , but tothe permanent benefit of Ireland . Although we had been diverted by extraordinary circumstances from general principles , it was _expsdtctit that we should return to them as soon as poas ibte . The interference of government might be given in three ways , which _ought to bu kept separate and distinct .

      With the support of Parliament , it might » ive assistance by loan to individuals anxious to improve their property . It might also give _assisfanco by grant of public money in the erection of works of evident public utility . It might also enact that relief should be given by law to the inSrm and destitute . The first measure which he proponed to bring forwaid , founded on the first of these three modes of interference , was based on the Dramatic Act of last session , and on the terms given to tho public in the Treasury minute oi December last . It was proposed thai where an improvement of an estate was proposed to be made cither by drainage or the reclamation of waste lauds , certain advances should be made from tbe public funds . The usual rate of

      interest on advances made by the Treasury was o per cent , j by tho Drainage Act of last session it wa * fixed at 3 " _t per cent . ; aud he now proposed to extend the terms of the Drainage Act to thc improvements which he bad just mentioned . He also pre posed with regard to more general works to consolidate and amend tbe Drainage Acts now on tbe statute boo !; . By the present Drainage Acts tho proprietors of a district _ruii-ht meet—tbey might _propose to obtain a loan for the improvement of a district by _drainage—and , if the plan proposed was approved by tlie majority , the loan could be ruado and the drain se effdeted . In that caso the drainage was undertaken by the Board of Works , AW , this act was only applicable to the drainage of

      streams and rivers . lie proposed to apply it to other objects , and therefore a consolidation and amendment ot the acts was necessary , lie also proposed , on the same principle on which other great works were _proposed by the Slate , to undertake by the State the reclamation of waste lands in Ireland , It has long been stated , said his lordship , in various reports of commissioners , in reports of committees of this house , and by eminent writer * , that in many cases the reclamation of the waste land * - of Ireland would produce profitable employment to the people , and make the lands of great value . Sir It . Kane , in his work , " on the Industrial Resources of Ireland , " _sa-ja , that the estimate that there are 4 , 000 , 000 acres

      ot wasto land in Ireland which might be reclaimed and formed into cultivated lands , was perfectly correct , and that it was no exaggerated estimate . Wo propose to devote 1 , 000 , 000 to this purpose , anil wo propose that the land should , if the proprietor lo willin _**; to part with it , be purchased ; but if ho docs not improve it by accepting a loan under this measure , or out of his ewn resources , _arul if ho refuses to sell , there shall be a compulsory power to the Commissioners of Woods and Forests to take ar . d improve waste lands wliich are below a certain value Tho value which wo propose to estimate , is land which _iliita ivot give bc ' . ow 2 s . oi . per acre . Mr . _GoL-LBUBK . —Is that the annual value ?

      Lord J . Russell . —That is the annual value . W o propose that such lands shall only be improved and reclaimed so far as general operations are concerned that _rcadsshall be made ; that general drainage shall be effected , and the necessary buildings erected ; but thatnone otthe cultivation oftlie land shall take place , until the erection of a public tie ; artment ; that having been so reclaimed , they shall be divided into lots wbich shall not be below a certain amount or abovo a certain amount . I am not at present prepared to fix this amount absolutely , but , say , that they shall not be less than 25 nor more than 50 ams , or some proposal of that kind ; and that when these lots have been reclaimed , they may be cither sold or let to tenants for a certain number of years , with a

      determination that they shall be sold at tbe end of that time _. It is intended that we shall not coniiue ourselves cither to letting or sale , but to net as may be found expedient in each particular case . 1 expect that 5 rea t advantages will gradually arise from this plan _, expect that a great number cf persons who trive hitherto been driven to despair , and many of those into crime , by the great demand for land , will many of them be placed in those holdings , and be able to earn a comfortable living by the _ptuduce of their labour . ( Hear , hoar . ) 1 think likewise , with respect to those who purchase them , that we shall be ab ! o to raise a class of small proprietors , who by their industry and independence will form a valuable class inthe future society of Ireland . ( Hear , hear . ) Let

      me say here , that I do not think—so far as I have been able to form a judgment—that such holdings are a great evil in Ireland . I believe that the particular nioc _' a in which land is held has very olten been a source of evil iu tbat country , but I do not think that thc small divisions have been injurious ; audi am the mure continued in this opinion by finding , that one of thc counties in . which _Uvivei _wtht »* _wA ,-ost division—1 mean the county of Armagh is notoriously one of the most nourishing and best cultivated in Ireland . ( Hear . ) If you compare thc whole province of Ulster with the province of Minister , you will find that property is more divided in the former than in the latter . I believe , therefore , __ that in adopting a plan of this kind , with a compulsory power , a very great _advantage will be obtained . Ho now ! came to thc _clns-s r . f measures founded ou

      tlie third mode of interference . And first ot the relief to the destitute . It would bo remembered that when tho Poor Law Commission of Inquiry made its report , it advised that all persons of a certain class should be relieved , and in that class _u included all persons infirm , ased , and permanently disab _^ d . Tho e _* overnmcnt thought it safer to have work ou * _•*•*• elected in Ireland , to allow relief to the destitute able-bodied as well as to ihe aged aad infirm , and to confine it t * the wovkh _' -v . se . It was now . _» _oy' _** uion , formed on n general view of Ireland , that ino Poor Law should be more extensive thsu it is . uo therefore proposed to _briiis iu a bill for ti . e w . rwe effectual rebel nf the _destitute poor of Ireland , which would enact that th _' _j gusrdians of the poor wV . _uhl bo required to s ' _* vc - > "iief , either in or ont of the work-); ou ? c , tothe ! tj _;*> el and _infiun , and to al' who were poriuan _rutly d ' isabled . This would be the _lueaus , ! C Continued in tht last page _.

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  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Jan. 30, 1847, page 1, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns3_30011847/page/1/