Mr. Mill made a good but rather too abstract speech,
which was heard with considerable impatience. He called the Ministerial proposals "a beggarly account of empty boxes," and held that a Conservative Government which affected to be Liberal ought at least to be on a level with the opinion of the country. As to the Church, he rejected Earl Russell's proposal to endow the Roman Catholics, and advocated religious equality ; and called the offer to establish a Catholic University an offer "to sacrifice the best thing in Ireland [education] in order to save the worst" [the Establishment]. The pith of Mr. Mill's speech, however, was devoted to the tenure, and was of course in accordance with his pamphlet. He was, however, willing to waive his proposal that the State should collect the quit rent, and allow the landlord to collect it for himself, as he does at present,—a concession which removes the objection that the dislike now felt by the tenant to the landlord would be transferred to the State. He of course denied any intention of confiscation, asked, how taking land for its full value could be held to be confiscation, and declared that the "sacredness of property" meant that it should be sacred subject to the rights of the community.
