Mr. Hazlett gave a remarkable illustration of this, which shows the spirit in which this body thinks proper to fulfil its duties as steward of this property.  The Devon Land Commission recommended that leases of lives renewable for ever should be converted into fee-farm grants, which would be a valuable boon to the tenant without any loss to the owner.  A bill founded on the recommendation was introduced to parliament.  Did the enlightened and liberal Irish Society hail with satisfaction this wise measure of reform?  On the contrary, the governor went out of his way to oppose it.  Having striven in vain, with all the vast influence of the corporation, to have the bill thrown out, he endeavoured to get the society exempted from its operation.  When, in spite of his efforts, the bill became law, the governor utterly refused to act on it, and brought the matter before the Master of the Rolls and the House of Lords.  From these renewable leases the society had an income of about 2,500 l. yearly.  And what amount did they demand—­these moderate and discreet gentleman, ’The Governor and Assistants, London, of the new Plantation of Ulster’—­for their interest in the renewable leases?  Not less than 100,000 l., or about 40 years’ purchase.  In the year 1765, when the city of Derry was fast hastening to decay under this London government, the society was induced by an increase of 37 per cent. on the rent, to grant those renewable leases.  ‘And but for the granting of those leases,’ said Mr. Hazlett, ’we should have no standing-ground in this city, nor should we even have the right to meet in this hall as we do to-day.’

Other striking facts illustrating the paternal nature of this foreign government of the ‘New Plantation’ were produced by Mr. Thomas Chambers, a solicitor who had defended the Rev. J.M.  Staples in a suit brought by the society, and which cost them 40,000 l. of the public money to win, after dragging the reverend gentleman from one court to another, regardless of expense.  Originally, as we have seen, the city got a grant of 4,000 acres for the support of the corporation; but actually received only 1,500, valued then at 60 l., a year.  This land was forfeited and transferred to the bishop in the reign of Charles I. Ultimately the bishop gave up the land and the fishery, for which the see received, and still receives, 250 l. a year.  The society got, hold of the 1,500 acres, and refused to give them back to the city, which, with the alienation of the sheriff’s mountain, and the raising of the city rents (in 1820) from 40 l. to 600 l. a year, left it 1,000 l. a year worse than it had been previously.  The result of this policy of a body which was established for promoting ‘civility’ in Ireland, was, that the credit of the corporation went down rapidly.  Executions were lodged against them, and all their property in quays, markets, &c. was swept away, the bridge being saved only by the intervention of a special act of parliament.  In 1831, however, the society granted the corporation an allowance of 700 l.  When the reformed corporation came in, and found that they were so far emancipated from the thraldom of the London governor that they could go before parliament themselves, the society was constrained to increase its dole to 1,200 l. a year.