A REASONABLE PROPOSAL.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sra,—While as a Liberal Unionist I heartily support the Con- servative policy "that fulfilment of contract must be the basis of society in Ireland, as well as in every civilised country," yet I wish that something could be done, in the interests of law and order, to divest the final decree on which the law of all hired property rests (that is, eviction), of the sensational element which enlists popular sympathy against the hand of justice. Such acts as the Glenbeigh evictions make the people of Ireland furious, the feeling being intensified by the fact that they and others of the same class are done in midwinter. The picture of women and children turned out of their hovels to starve in the " cauld blast" appeals to many a heart, and adds the stigma of cruelty to law.
Why not make eviction illegal daring the three winter months, December, January, and February,—in fact, enact a law giving a "close time" for evictions ; and in this way we should avoid the cry of bitter indignation which drowns the voice of reason, when she pleads the necessity of eviction as the only means of enforcing the law of property. I see no reason why the sentence of eviction should not be suspended during the winter, and am sure the consequence would be a great miti- gation not only of Irish, but of English feeling, as to the " cruelty " of the Saxon law as applied to the Irish people. Hoping you will find space for this suggestion, I am, Sir, &c., Shute Leigh, Wellington, Somerset. CHARLES H. Fox. [Is there not a difficulty caused by the will of Nature as to seed-time and harvest P—En. Spectator.]
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