LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
EVICTED TENANTS.
Ere MR EDITOR OF TIM "SFRCTATOR2'.1 SIR,—You appear to be in some doubt as to what has beers done under the evicted tenants clause added to the Land Bill on June 4th. There ought to be no difficulty on this point. Both Mr. Parnell and Mr. Sexton endeavoured, while the Bill was in Committee, to deal with these unfortunate " soldiers. who had fallen in the Holy War." Mr. Courtney, however, held the proposals made by both hon. Members to be out of order. The case of the evicted tenants was again raised by- Mr. Sexton on Report, and a long and interesting debate took place,—a debate in which all parties expressed a desire to do something. Mr. Sexton's clause was hopelessly impracticable,. and was defeated. But in a very thin House—not more than twelve Members were present—the Speaker ruled that a clause dealing with the evicted tenants on certain lines would be- admissible. I was one of the dozen who heard the ruling, and,. after consultation with those whose advice I was bound to seek, I placed a new clause on the order-paper, which ,was passed on June 4th.
This clause deals only with untenanted lands,—i.e., lands cultivated by the landlord, in charge of a caretaker, or dere-. lict. It allows the landlord, without reinstating the tenants, to arrange terms of purchase. The initiatiVe is with the land- lord, not with the ex.tenant, and I successfully resisted all attempts to extend the clause to tenanted lands,—i.e., lands: taken by new tenants since the eviction.
I expressly stated that I did not move the clause as an act. of justice. But, looking at the state of Ireland, with the Crimes Act ceasing to operate, the "Plan of Campaign," not dead indeed, but dying, and with a great healing measure such as the Land-purchase Act coming into operation. I thought the time was opportune for doing something at least to show that those of us who had fought the "Plan" could rise. above any mere feeling of revenge.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Previous page
