THE EARL OF CARLISLE ON THE CONDITION OF IRELAND.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1789, 8 November 1862, Page 5

THE EARL OF CARLISLE ON THE CONDITION OF IRELAND.

The annual banquet in connexion with tbe Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland, was held at Limerick on Wednesday, 6th Aug. TheLoidLieutenar.t of Ireland was present. The usual lo) ui toasts having been duly honoured, and the health ofthe Lord Lieutenant having been drunk, His Excellency, in responding, said — During all my earlier visits to the meetings to the Royal Agricultural Society of Ii eland, I have been enabled to use the almost unqualified language of congratulation and hopefulness. Seasons had been favourable — produce hud been on the increase, and crime was greatly diminished. The Ireland of tne present sft m ' scarcely to be the same as the Ireland ofthe past, and there ' were hardly any limits to tbe glowing antici- ' pa tions we might form respecting the Ireland I ofthe future. In many points on this occasion j I am compelled to take a soberer and more chastened view — especially with reference to one topic, which I cannot omit to mention, but having done which I will at once dismiss — both because it is the most painful of all, and one which has only an indirect connection with the object ofthe present meeting. I allude to the reappearance of crime. Old crimes, which we bad fondly flattered ourselves bad been nearly extingushed and well nigh forgotten, have shown their horrid front again amongst our rural population. Even the soil of this county bas been reddened with blood ; though in this county it bas been happily avenged — perhaps " happily " was not the word to u»e — I will say rightfully avenged. (Applause ) I need not point out to you that agrarian crime if suffered to remain unchecked, would prove a worse enemy to the progress of agriculture, even in its strict and narrower sense, than either blight, or drought, or rain, or storm, or the worst enmity of the seasons (Laughter.) Of the enmity of the seasons there has no doubt been of late no lack. From the year 1852 to 1858 there have been in Ireland a series of remarkably favourable seasons. Since 1858 we have suffered from a series entirely the reverse. In 1859 we suf fered from the drought. 1860-'6l and up to the 6tb Angust, 1862, we are suffering from deluge. (Hear.) Now these fluctuations of the seasons we have always been liable to in Ireland, and always I fear must be. They are mainly owing to the geographical position of the country, which we cannot hope to shift or change. (Laughter) lam aware that fault has been found with me once and again for dwelling upon the superior adaptation ol the country to purposes of pasture and the rearing of cattle, and so seeming by implication to discourage tillage and tbe growth of crops their proper sphere — (hear) — but surely, itis the part of a prudent man to take things as they are, and to follow the indisputable law of nature (Hear.) It is undoubtedly true that for a late season or two theie has been a material falling off in what may be termed the general agricultural income of the country; but it is as true and c_n be proved from authentic document-*, that this decrease has fallen upon ullage and crops, whereas the value of stock has actually increased. (Hear.) lam sure you will excuse me for pointing y«nir attention In this subject, which does seem to me entitled to your most serious attention: aud it appears to me to esi4blish incoutrovertibly that iv Ireland stock ib the most steady and permanent part of rural income. (Cheers). I think we should be quite wrong to consider that the increase of cattle necessarily leads to tbe decrease of tillage. (Renewed applause.)