Lords Sitting of 1 March 1844

MINUTES.
PETITIONS PRESENTED. From Somersby, and 6 other places, and by the Earl of Yarborough, from Market Stainton, for Agricultural Protection.— From Dyserth, and St. Asaph, against the Union of the Sees of St. Asaph and Bangor.

TENURE OF LAND (IRELAND) COMMISSION.
Lord Monteaglewished to put a question to his noble Friend opposite (the Earl of Devon) on a subject which deeply interested the public generally, but which more especially interested the public in Ireland. He alluded to the proceedings of the Commission appointed to inquire into the Occupation and Tenure of Land in Ireland. He entertained no distrust of his noble Friend; he believed that the greatest credit was due to him for the energy and diligence with which he had prosecuted the objects of the inquiry, and he should be very glad to hear from him, if he were at liberty to make any communication on the subject, what progress had now been made in the inquiry, and when it was likely the result of the labours of the Commissioners would be made public?
The Earl of Devonhad no difficulty in answering the question, nor was he sorry that such an opportunity was afforded him of explaining why he was then present in Parliament, instead of proceeding with the investigation in Ireland. He had made arrangements to go to Dublin for the pur-
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pose of collecting further evidence, and had intended being in Dublin at the present time; but a few days since he had received a subpœna from the Court of Queen's Bench commanding him to attend as a witness in a criminal case at the next Devonshire Assizes. He had endeavoured to get the evidence which he should have to give made matter of admission; but the defendant considered it essential to the case that he should be examined personally; and he was afraid that he should be detained in England till the trial was over. His colleagues were, however, empowered to proceed with the inquiry during his absence, and they had consented to do so; no delay, therefore, would take place in consequence of his detention in this country. He was not sorry that he had the opportunity of stating that he was not idly or unnecessarily neglecting his public duty. It was generally supposed, although the supposition was incorrect, that the only business of the Commission was to collect evidence. That was, indeed, a most important part of their duty; but, any persons who took upon themselves the responsibility of offering suggestions as to any proposed change in the existing law should make themselves acquainted with that law; and, therefore, a not unimportant part of the duties of the Commissioners was to digest the information on the subject of the relations between Landlord and Tenant which was already accessible to the public. The labours of the Commission would be prosecuted with as little delay as possible.

TAHITI.
Lord Broughammoved for a copy of the correspondence which had taken place between the Missionaries in the South Sea Islands and the Government.
The Earl of Aberdeen—My Lords, there is no objection whatever on the part of the Government to lay such information before the House as can conveniently be produced. In the course of last year a noble Marquess (Lansdowne), not now in his place, asked me a question as to the effect likely to be produced with respect to the British Missionaries in the South Sea Islands by the recent protectorship of Tahiti by France. I then stated that the French Government had assured me that every security would be afforded them in the free exercise of their functions, and such appeared to be the fact when some papers which were laid before the other

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House of Parliament were read; but no complaint whatever was made on the part of the Missionaries. I may mention that only two days ago I received a Deputation of the London Missionaries, and I am glad to inform your Lordships that they had no complaints whatever to prefer. My Lords, I will take this opportunity of saying a few words on another subject. Your Lordships are aware of what has taken place on the part of a French Admiral in the South Seas at the island of Tahiti, and that that act has been disavowed by the French Government. My Lords, I think it right to state that this has been done by the French Government as an entirely spontaneous and voluntary act on their part. I have not written a single line on the subject to Her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris, nor has any remonstrance or representation been made by Her Majesty's Government to the French Government. I felt that when once the subject was known and understood by the French Government, a sense of their own dignity and honour, as well as a sense of justice, would lead to such a result. My Lords, although the statement that I have just made is most explicit, nevertheless I am prepared to see it said that the French Minister has yielded to the British Government, and I take it for granted that the war party in that country will not lose the opportunity of taking advantage of accusations so absurd. In like manner, whether from what I have done or not done, I shall be set down by the friends of that party in this country, though rather absurdly, as having been guilty on my part of a base and truckling policy. This I expect also. I only wish that the war party in France was as little regarded in that country as it is in this.
Lord Broughamsaid, that nothing could be more satisfactory than the statement just made by his noble Friend, and so it would be universally felt to be the case. It would be a complete answer to the war party on the other side of the Channel. He would not say more on this subject, because he was astonished as well as pleased to find that the existence of that party was altogether disavowed; and his noble Friend and himself were accused of creating that party out of their own imaginations; and when the subject was recently named in the Chamber of Deputies, as to whom the party consisted of, there was a cry of "Name, name," and they
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were challenged to name any person of that party. For his own part, however, he should be but too much rejoiced to find that there really was no war party in that country.
Motion agreed to.
House adjourned.