The Corporation of Derry have conferred the freedom of the
city on Lord Lyndhurst. The Guild of Merchants in Dublin has also presented his Lordship with the freedom of their worshipful body. The value of the latter compliment may be estimated by the fact that in the year 1833 these merchants contributed the sum of 14/. 10s. 5d. to the Customs—just nine shillings each.
It will be remembered that many charges have been made in the House of Commons and elsewhere against Colonel Bruen of Callow, for harsh- ness and oppression to those of his tenantry who presumed to enter- tain political sentiments of a different character from those of which he approved. These charges have always been met by an indignant de- nial; and as they are not easily susceptible of proof, they have re- mained unsubstantiated. We observe, however, in an Irish paper, a report of a case in the Court of Exchequer, in which this gentleman was plaintiff, and which, though it does not bear on its face a political aspect, certainly presents the honourable Member under no very fa- vourable aspect. So far as the facts of the case can be gathered from the evidence, they are these. A tenant of Colonel Bruen was deeply in arrear of rent ; and it is stated, that in order to obtain possession of the land which be occupied, without litigation, that gentleman inti- mated that the arrears would be forgiven if the tenant would give up possession. It appears also that Mr. Bruen had boasted on the hust- ings of his liberality, in having forgiven so large a sum as nearly 4001.; and had referred to this as a refutation of the charges of harshness made against him by the Liberal candidates. The land was accord- ingly given up in 1832, and has since been in the occupation of Colonel Bruen. But there being no proof of any legal agreement to forgive the arrears, an action has been brought by that gentleman after the ex- piration of nearly four years, to recover the whole amount clue from the te- nant when he left the farm. The action was successful, and the plaiutiff obtained a verdict in his favour for the full amount. Colonel Bruen may be as liberal a landlord as he represents himself to be ; but the facts which were disclosed on this trial, and which were not, so far as we are able to ascertain, in any respect contradicted, do not appear to confirm this character, or to discredit the charge of rigour and harsh- ness for the purpose of intimidation, to which he has been so frequently exposed.—Globe.
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