On this page
-
Text (1)
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
observations had been made , that he claimed them as his political capital—it is an American phrase . ( "Oh , oh , ' from the Ministerial side of the House . ) Mr . Waipole : The honourable gentleman shall not put me out . ( Ministerial cheers . ) That the words I have mentioned were the words used I firmly believe , for they were taken down at the time . If they were not the words let them he refracted .. ( Cheers . ) The honourable gentleman unquestionably went on to quote the identical lano-ua ^ e of the noble lord at the head of the Government ^
which language did not contain the e xpression used by the honourable gentleman —( cheers)—but , on the contrary , it amounted to this , that the occupying tenants of the counties and the landlords of the counties had a mutual regard and good will for each other , and that that influence was exerted by the landlords over the tenants . ( Cheers , ) These were something like the words quoted from the noble lord's speech , but they did not contain the allusion I have noticed , that he said , or even intended to say , that the tenants were political cattle . ( Cheers . )
This little duel being over , Mr * Walpole stated the usual Tory objections to the ballot , including the now famous " New York case , " about which so much noise is made . After Lord Dudley Stttart had spoken for the motion , the House divided , and there were——For the motion , 144 ; against it , 246 . . Majority against , 102 .
TENANT EIGHT . Mr . Shabman Cbawtord moved , on Wednesday , the second reading of the Tenant Right ( Ireland ) Bill . An immense number of petitions ( 109 by Mr . Crawford alone ) were presented in support of the bill , and not one against it . He stood there as the messenger of a . nation , asking the ^ assent of the House to a measure to which that nation had given its assent . " The principles of the bill were very simple . The preamble stated that the practice in Ireland had been to let land to tenants at will , or on short leases , without any written agreement , without suitable buildings for residences or barns , or without sufficient allowance being given
in consideration thereof , or any allowance for expenses to be incurred in draining , and otherwise improving the land . ^ The preamble then went on to recite the custom of tenant-right , whichhad been practisedin the northof Irelandfor anumber of years , as a protection to the tenant for labour and capital expended . The bill did not propose to introduce the custom of-tenant-right where it was not already established . It onl y proposed Jthat where thatright had been used and established , the valuation should be made according to that custom . The real object of the bill was to provide full and fair compensation for the labour and capital exp ended by the tenant , and by the expenditure of _ which increased value has been given to the land : and it
provided that that increased value should be assessed according to tho tenant-right custom , where that custom had existed . Those enactments , however , were accompanied by two provisos for the security of the landlord . The first was that no landlord should be required to pay compensation if he were willing to continue the tenant at a rent agreed upon , or awarded under the provisions of this bill ; and next , that no claim should hold good unless the increased value of the land could be shown . There was one point of detail which was quite open to consideration—namely , the tribunal to which the decision of disputes should bo submitted . His proposition was , that in case of a failure in tho arbitration , the matter in
dispute , if under 100 ? ., should be referred to the assistant barrister and a jury , and if above 100 Z ., to the judge of assize and a jury . That , however , was a point which was quite open for discussion . There were two other clauses in the bill to which ho wished to call tho attention of tho House . The 10 th clause provided for tho adjustment of contracts made previous to the repeal of tho corn laws , because he thought it only fair that there should be a power of re-adjusting such contracts . ( Hoar , hear . ) That clause , however , was not an essential principle of tho bill , but he considered it a most useful adjunct . The 13 th and 14 th clauses wore not inserted originall y in tho bill , but had been added at tho pressing solicitation of many gentlemen greatly interested in tho subject . Tho 13 th clauBO was framed for the purpose of preventing evictions for a
limited time , and tho 14 th was inserted for the purpose of offectingan equitable adjustment of arrears . It would bo for tho House to decide whether those clauses ought to bo inserted , but ho thought tho mass of tho people of Ireland required some protection of this sort . ( Hear , hoar . ) Tho best protection of landlords' rights was for them to do justice ; and thoir rights would never be wife unless ' tho tenants' rights wore justly protected . His object was to do justice to both parties , and to promoto ¦ the happiness and prosperity of tho people in general ; and , believing that tho bill now before tho Houho would tend to effect that object , ho now bogged to move its second reading . ( Cheers . )
Tho motion was seconded by Sir D . NonitEYS . Mr . Nai'IKU , tho Attomoy-Gcnpral for Ireland , mot the 1 ) ill half-way ; agreed with tho principle , distinctly affirming that " compensation ought to bo given . for unexhausted improvements ; " criticised tho details rather sharply ,, and trtum briefly promised a bill on tho subject , framed and forwarded by tho Government . Tho whole drift of Mr . Napier's ppecch wont in favour of tenant-right , as a moiisuro neccsHnry for tho protection of occupiers ; ho even insinuated that tho present race of Irish landlords wore not t \ s good as thoy might bo , by stating that good landlords " could not ho inado by Act of Parliament / ' ami that without cooperation
between Irish landlords and Irish tenants , nothing could be done . Put he neutralized all his admissions by laying down the maxim that no enactments ought to interfere between t he owner and the occupier restrictive of the conditions of free letting of land . Oiir free commercial policy must be maintained , and parliamentary interference with contracts studiously avoided . And he clenched his speech by insisting that the remedy for Irish misery and Irish grievances lay in making " the law a terror iq evil-doers , " and in " putting down the Ribbon conspiracy , " with one hand , while , with the other , some mysterious benefits in the shape of simplified and consolidated laws relating to landlord and tenant , were dealt out by the Government .
The supporters of the measure were Mr . E . B .. Roche , Viscount CastxekeAgh , Mr . J . Gbeene , Mr . Vincent Scully , Mr . Keogh , Mr . Gbattan , and , conditionally , Mr . Osbobne . Its opponents were Sir J * Emerson Tennent , Mr , Whitesede , and Mr . Conolly . The supporters of the measure asked that it should be read a second time , and either referred to a select committee , or discussed and modified in its details by a committee of the whole house . These propositions were met by fiery attacks from the two Irish Tory members opposing the bill , one of whom applauded the tenant-right system as practised in Ulster , but objected ,
one to its extension by act of parliament , while the other denounced the entire principle . While they were debating respectively , the house grew impatient for a division , for the hand of the dial approached closely to six o ' clock . It was suggested that no division should take place ; and after Mr . Whiteside ' s acrimonious speech , Mr . Butxeb moved the adjournment of the debate , which was negatived . It wanted but ten minutes to six , when fate intervened in the shape of Mr . CoNOixY , who , denouncing the bill , with one eye on the Speaker and one on the clock , managed to continue until six , the hour of adjournment , arrived , when the Speaker rose , and the house adjourned .
MINISTERS WILI . BE BSOUGHT TO BOOK . The House of Lords was unusually well attendedon Thursday , as if the members anticipated that some interesting questions were to be put to the Premier . Lord Derby , however , was absent ; and the Earl of Malmesbury hastily and prematurely moved an adjournment , — himself leaving the House before the question could be put by the Chancellor . The Lords met at five , and adjourned at a quarter past ! Subsequently , in the House of Commons , Lord John Russell beckoned Mr . Disraeli from his seat , and held with
him a private conference ; after which the Chancellor of the Exchequer communicated with some of his colleagues , and then left the House . Later in the evening it transpired that Lord John Russell had arranged to interrogate the Government closely last night as to their intentions relative to a dissolution of parliament . Should the replies not be satisfactory , the Liberals will , it is to be hoped , unite to take positive steps for bringing the present unconstitutional " Government of a minority" to a proper sense of its position and responsibilities .
FOREIGN REFUGEES . Apparently for the purpose of giving Lord Palmerston an opportunity of making a speech , Mr . Monokton Milnes moved the following resolution on Thursday : " That this Houso has observed with regret , in tho correspondence respecting foroigjn refugees laid upon the table , a menace on the part of a friendly power to visit upon unoffending British travellers its displeasure at that exercise of tho right of asylum which is agreeable to tho laws , tho customs , and tho feelings of tho people of Groat Britain , and which in recent times has afforded rofugo and security to persons of various nations without any distinction of political opinions . " ¦
Tho famous or rather infamous Schwarzonberg despatches , and tho shower of notes generally from foreign courts during tho last months of 1851 , respecting the toleration of conspiring refugees in this country furnished Mr , Milnes with materials for a speech . Ho especially dwelt on theinsulting note fromPrhiceSchwarzonborg , threatening retaliation upon English travellers for tho supposed injuries inflicted on Austria by tho prcHOnco of Joseph Mazzini and tho enthusiastic reception of Louis Kossuth . He pointed out how tho language of tho continental Governments changed when
Lord Derby acceded to oflico—the Austrian Minister oxprcHsing his " greatest satisfaction" at thnfc event , and our Foreign Secretary , Lord Malmenbury , reciprocating the joyful feelings . His motion ,, he said , had a twofold object : first , to givo protection to British subjects in foreign countries j secondly , to assort tho right of England to grant an asylum to foreign refugees . Tho motion would likowiso have its uho in showing foreign Governments that despatches such as that which Prince Sehwarzonburg sent to Lord Mahnosbury were not acceptable to tho people of this country . Lord Dudxky STXTAiti seconded tho motion , opening hit ) speech by an attack on tho Government .
« ^ The Government , by the avowal -of their own leader in the House of Lords , were in a minority in the C mons , and it was extremely doubtful whether thev -m ?" not also in a minority in the Lords . As for theijeanl the Government durst not appeal to them ; ( ironu » l cheers from the Ministerial side . ) The noble lord , at tlV head of the Government , in Order to avoid doing that w driven to violate the assurances he had given in bis vhu ? in parliament ( cheers ) , and to back out ofhis enp&owvww ( crV of « Oh , oh ! " and " Question !» from thfKS rial side h / th of
) ; thoug e House Commons , upon the faith of those engagements , had consented to vote the supnlies (" Question . " ) Gentlemen on the other side did not like to hear disagreeable truths . " As the cry of " Question" continued , he justified his remarks by insisting that there existed a feeling of strong ^ sympathy between the Austrian Government and the present British Government . The papers on the table proved a conspiracy of kings to frighten England into yielding up refugees . Quoting the words of the late Lord Holland , who
said" In all times , and according to all history , if ever anvthing mean , oppressive , or treacherous was to be done Austria was the-party put forward to execute it . " ' And when taken to task for these words by Lord Liverpool , he would not retract them , but , on the contrary repeated that , —r" There never was a Government that had uniformly displayed more meanness , more severity , and more injustice than the Austrian Government . " He hoped the House would sanction the resolution as a rebuke to the political despots .
Mr . Walpole put in the Government defence . He read a string of extracts from the foreign despatches , and of replies by our Ministers to show first , that the conduct of the Government of this country , late and present , had upheld and maintained its dignity ; second , that the foreign Courts had misunderstood , very naturally , our laws and regulations with reference to foreign refugees , so different from their own ; and , third s considering that this misapprehension had been more or less removed by the representations of the late Government , and the conciliatory tone employed , and that more amicable relations now existed , that it was inexpedient by an abstract resolution , to revive feelings of dissatisfaction which had disappeared .
The present Government were quite as " determined as any past government to maintain the rights of asylum" in this country with regard to refugees . After Mr . Anstiey had insisted that the conduct of Austria towardsEnglish travellers was systematic and deliberate , not adopted in the heat of passion , and that it had not changed , Lord Palmebston rose to make the speech of the debate . " He thought Mr . 'Milnes had done , right in bringing under the consideration of the Hou question of great importance in regard to our own law , our international relationsthe rights of British subjects abroad , and the
, obligations of the British Government towards them . Mr . Walpole , ho observed , had addressed great part of his speech to one branch only of Mr . Milnes ' s argument—tho duty incumbent upon the British Government to afford protection to foreign exiles ; and did not express tho determination of the Government to enforced protection to British subjects travelling abroad . With regard to tho transactions to which the papers related , some allowance , he remarked , ought to be made for the sensitive anxiety which some of the continental Governments expressed last year in regard to the proceedings of foreign refugees in this country . Unaware of the license given to iree
discussion in this country , those Governments had also conceived an exaggerated notion of tho effects ot tho . uxnibition . In a conversation with Count Waloswski , he naa explained tho extent to which tho law of this country allowed of interference with foroignors . Ho had likewise endeavoured to convince other foreign ambassadors woon they made representations to him upon tho subject , taw thoir apprehensions as to tho mischief that could bo done by tho refugees wore extravagant . And hero ho irosW malicious . With that simple candour which ho knows so well how to < mumo , Lord Palmerston repaid his iore gn frinmlfl fnr tlioir nliarn in his fall , bv making tho io lownafe hh
statement of tho rnodo ho adopted in arguing with » on thoir anxieties . " ,, n . onT , " I took tho liberty further of stating to those pers that I thought thoy greatly exaggerated tho dsmgov jo apprehended to any foreign country from tho prcson c « ° t foreign refugees horo . Why , Sir , I think there is nothing in which opinion goes so far beyond fact , as in tho noiio that refugees can effect any considerable miseluot in country from which thoy have boon alienated . •""" . - they to do HP In tho first place , it is said that by tho ^ missives and lottors , and proclamations , they «" v , plans of insurrection . Well , but tho efloct ot a causo ponds very much not merely on the cauno itsoli , uut «» condition of tho thing on which that cause ia to <> F ft A single Hpark will explode » i powder-magazine ,, i ™ ^ blazing fagot will burn out harmless ) on a ? 7 " tornOl ( Hoar !) If a , country bo in a state of Biipproflnod ntor diHeont , on , t , a very slight indication may « WJ wunW »» content , and produce an explosion ; but if ^ tho com j ^ well governed , and tho people ho contented , tiion and nroclamatioiifl from unh appy refugees will do w ; floors /
Iohh as tho torch upon tho turnpilco-road . ( . t ] l 0 jri-It did appear to him , that , at ono time , it was tontion of tho Aufltrian Government to rota J / do British travellers , becauso their Government . u >» . Uy what tho Austrian authoritica know thoy c 0 "'"? ° $£ , « tdo ; and , therefore , Mr . Mimes did right in cftl ""f orB ton tontion of tho Houso to eucU a menace , ^ oxu . x «
Untitled Article
M % ' - ¦ ' .. ¦ ¦ . * THff j 11 | A ||; j |^ . ESA ^ TJ ^ y /
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), April 3, 1852, page 312, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1929/page/4/
-