published their Report eleven years before Mr. Labouchere made this speech, but he does not inform us what measures the British Government had in the meantime adopted, or if they had adopted any, to raise the people out of such a state of misery and degradation; but he clearly thinks he has brought forward a clever argument in his own and his colleagues’ defence, when he states that one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, had such abundant and redundant pauperism.  Yet this was in the “sister country”—­the sister of that great and wealthy and enlightened England of which, no doubt, the Irish Secretary felt proud to be a native.

After offering some defence for the free-trade policy of his chief, and having indicated the measures the Government had prepared for Ireland, he resumed his seat, and was followed by Lord George Bentinck.

Lord George had, within a short time, attained to great importance in the House of Commons.  After the protectionist party was deserted ("betrayed” was their own word), by Sir Robert Peel, that large-hearted and high-minded nobleman was installed in his place, as their leader.  On the present occasion, without being severe or unkind towards the Government, he pointed out their shortcomings and mistakes with regard to the Irish crisis.  Speaking for himself and the party with whom he acted, he said:  “We shall be prepared to give our calmest and best attention to any measures her Majesty’s ministers may be prepared to bring forward as remedies for that destitution which unhappily exists.  But, sir, at the same time, we must be expected to deal frankly with the conduct of ministers, and whilst we are not disposed to say that ministers acted wrongly in declining to call Parliament together, not disposed to censure them for having overridden the law, and suspended the duties of the legislature itself, we are disposed to say, that the measures to which they have had recourse are not those to which we can altogether agree.  It is impossible to view the operation of their poor-employment Act, and say that it has answered any good purpose.”  He held strongly the opinion, that the Government should have supplied food to the people, at least in remote districts, where it could not be otherwise procured.  On this point he thus expressed his sentiments:  “With respect to the supply of food to the people he, for one, cannot agree altogether in those principles of political economy which had been advanced by the Right Hon. gentleman, the Irish Secretary.  This political economy of non-interference with the import and retail trade may be good in ordinary times, but in times such as the present, when a calamity unexampled in the history of the world has suddenly fallen upon Ireland—­when there are no merchants or retailers in the whole of the West—­when a country of which the population has been accustomed to live upon potatoes of their own growth, produced within a few yards of their own doors, is suddenly deprived of this, the only food of the people, it