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-tolerance of the coercive .. Whig government . He tnew of old wbtfc Whig profesaoas meant ^ what « Ine km to be attached to Whig ^ cmiECS . When they were weak , they ati tvs coorted Irefend , and fawned upon her ; « htn tbey were strong , they openly betrayed ttelratred which lurk « d in their hearte , and twach--toBsly tamed on ttose who had supported them . Bow had they acted a few years ago when weak ? Jnstwd of sending an _ agricultural rsan to be Lordlieutenant of an agricultural country , they eenta jenihinilitary chieftain , with plumes living , r . o otier ftan the Marquis of ^ Nonnanbr , who at the time ihesecrimes were beingenpendewd , instead of issujjjr procJaniationf , and making the law mpeetal psreered through the onntry like another Don Q abcate , derfared a general gaol deliv ery , and went about letting thieves , villains . Mid pickpockets loo ? e _^ Urance of thecflerci « re .. Whig eoTermnent . He
oa M iety- ^ nns mr ruma ! the ordinary law , bring icethejndsPSOfthelandintocontemp t . mockiB ^ ihe power of jnne ? , and liberal ing thieves and felons to give stability to a tnttenup government . Was this the way to inspire respect for the ordinary law ( Hear , hear , and cheers ^ ) Wag ever any thin e half eo absurd ? N o thing , odIm , indeed , it were the mild provision fmild at mother ' s milk ) of the present bill , which made it imperative that when a murder ww cwEmitfcd naif the population of a country , children at sixteen , and old men at sixty , should scatnDfr through the corn fields aft « r the ' murderer , or else nake nptteirmind stoimpriscnment fortvro vears . ( Laughter . ) The pol . ee ar = d the satellites of the « w
« rnmer * were at tne bottom rf a Tery j ^ proportion of tte offencMatWbnted to the Irish peasantry . In the year 1833 , when LordHatberton \™ fey pro f essional dut y in Cionkilty . - On his return be was thrown from big horse , and could not have reached hemethat night had it not been for the kind , ness of a friend , wWplaced at his disposal his horse fw ^ wtw- " * 116 a 8 itation TOspoinff OB varwrnsly at the time , and the servant , ^ ho . heinjr a Catholic , of course approved of it , mentioned a * ther rode alnne that when WUiteboyism was in existence be had lived with a captain in the army , who need to make it a practice to go out at night amongst the peasantry , with a friend of his , a major , and one or two other
geaWemen . The nfcole party used to Wacft . ntheir facts , and swear the peasants in as Whitebovs in order that they might have employment , lie ( MrO'Connor ) tald Mr Littleton of those transactions , asd undertaking tohaTe them properly attested ; but the secretary declined to interfere , beea ^ e ( no donbt ) it was gentlemen , and not vnlear | K « sar t ? , who would have to be impeached . Another iKtance whreh he would quote , and wonM rive the ~™; ? - » ? Tend ? artiea concerned , if the house nqmrad it , as he would state nothing that he cnnld BotBihstaruate : itwas this , in the year 1823 duriu 2 the time of the Whitefoys , wh 3 n the landlords and prsonshad driven the people into rpen rebellion , a tenant of his , Mr ( O'Connor ' s family ) had a private still , a very common tb > s in those days and he
, received a notice signed . 'Capt . Rock , * Rtating that he and S 3 me of his men would call upon him thefollowae B-sht for two or three gallons of whi * ev , and which nnsst be supplied on peril of his life . " Well , whn were tie messengers ? Why , tw » orange praiestant yeomen , white their captain , now no nitre , was within a field , and , in a short time afterwards , these very notices and praetices were made the pretext for « nttm ; those and other yeomanry «> ns on doty . A . iw wasnot that an answer to the fabricated correspondence , produced by the right hon . eentfenjan . t liine tht house that America furnished the Ho us money . Another imtarcc he would give them . He ( Mr O'Connor ) was at breakfsst with * magistrate , in the County of Cork , when the following letter wnshanded to him : — -
JSydear . 1 understood that To-n PitejeriW , the constable of your district , who resMed withCapt . Daunt , has awnrrant a-rr . in > t Rosa for the murder of GaUaran . Wfll you send for Fitijerald and get the warrant frtm him , * as Ross is as good a Protestant as ever stepped in shoeleather and GaUaran was a rank Faiisr . Tours , . . Now ho ( Mr O'Connor ) was present when that magistrate got tfce warrant from the constable and destroyed it . There ' s Irish ordinary law ! ( Hear , hear . ) Tb ? hon . and leaned gentleman then alluded to the attacks which hsd been made in that house acd elsewhere on the Cathclic . elerpT . and declared Ms coaviciion that the on ' y resiilt ¦ which , conld
proceed from such unwarrantable aggressioBS on men so exeraplaryar . d pious would be the exasperation ef the Irish peop l e , to whose hearts they would be for ever dear . ( Dear . ) Their crime was devotion to the natlocal faith , which was nursed in the cavern , and chmshed in the cave—it was hegsed as a priceless jewel to tie victim ' s bkediusr heart , embalmed in fiie bloody shrond-entombed in the martyr ' s cold grave , and enshrined in the nation ' s affection . ( Hear ) There wr . s not a single argument used by the right honourable har ^ nei in favour of the bill that was not , in his ( Mr O'Connor ' s ) mhd , a condemnation of it . He would read for the house the opinion which had been sivea in the year 1822 of the Irish people , by the Honourable W . W . Wynne , who was then a
Jnember of the government He says , ' When refl ? ctin ; upon their many admirable qualities , their genius * and intelligeuca , asd particularly their social and affactionate character , their disposition to cive confidence , their devotion to any canse they ever heartily espouse , their patience , their hospitality , their re narkable love of country , their attachment to all the charities of life , what must I think of the policy by which all those excellent qualities and all the gifts of nature and of Providence are rendered the fruitful Eosrce of misery and bloodshed . ' He ( Sir O'Connor ) asked , would they reject that authority—the authority of the President of the Board of Control in the year 1832 ? But , notwithstanding that opinion , they ha < l subsequently passed Coercion Bills . He would
tell them that whatever good they intended to do for Ireland , tbey must enforce that good , or the landlord would have the entire of the good , and tenant none of it ( Here the Attorney General was speaking rather audibly to a member near , when the hon . gentleman was speaking , and to whom Mr O'Connor turned round and observed , — 'Sir . I hold this interruption upon the part of the Attorney General , and indeed his Inattention te the defence of Ireland , as highly culpable ; asd he begged to tell the noble lords and right hoa . gentlemen opposite , that this country did bo ! want , would not put up with , a sneering , laughins , giggling , cheering minist » 7 , who required in * formation on a snbjectef which they " were totally ig-B ' -rant . and vet rejected knowledge . He ( Mr O'Coni
BorJtoWtbenooie lords and right hon . gentlemen , that this CTOntry required , and would demand , » thoughtful , inquiring , steady , and intellectual government , ready to receive information , and to govern the country upon constitutional principles . ( Cheers . ) When the / passed the Irish Tithe Bill , they gave the landlord 25 per cent , of church property , bat did the tenant eet any * f it ? No ; on the contrary , tha landlord pocketed it all . ( Hear , hear . ) Was it not frightful , he asked , that a man who was willing to kbmr for himself and his family , should be unable to obtain work or the means of supporting them . ( Hear , hear . ) Out of the money which had been recently expended in Ireland . £ 350 , 000 had gone in patronage , aad oat of the million and a half which had been voted for the purpose of being advanced to landlords , only £ 39 . 000 had been granted , in consequence of the difiiEu ' . ty of obtaining it from the technicalities surronndmi it . He would tell them that they .
could not redress the condition of the labourer and of the farnHtr without redressing the condition of the landlord . He would tell them there was not an acre , of land in England or Ireland let far one-half of its valu ° . They let the land according to the bad system of agriculture which is practised , but let them « sta-Wish a better system , and the land would be worth doable what it is worth now . ( Hear , hear . ) The Irish land ' ords had managed their estates according to the science of polities , and not according to the Bcieace of agriculture . They sought to get a commission for one son , and a living for another , am thus they managed the land according to political Eciea-a father than manage it like feenkemen . Ue weu'd cive them an instance of the extent ot the distritntronof patmnase in the good old times . Tee Hutcl . iBsous and Beresfords obtained almost everything to bs eot , so much so that it was said ot toe foi mer that if they got Ireland fer a domain that they would a-k the Isle of ; Man ior a potato garden .
( Laujhter . ) And upon one occasion when Lore Cathcart was commander-in-chiaf . he made a tour ot inspecikn turouih the south of Ireland , when ha took op his quarters at Lord BeresfonT * . and seeing many of that name in the Army list , he asked her ladyship after . dinner ,-it he should not h ave the . honour of being introduced to the young heroes— Certainty , answared her ladyship , and leaving the room , calltd to tha nnree— ' Norse , take the Captain ' s cradle out of the Major ' s room , as he ' s teething : and when th . 9 Co ' onel wake ? , put hisregimentolson . and bnne flun down , the General wishes to see farm . ' ( Gnat laushtcr . ) When he ( Mr O'Connor ) was twelve yean of age , he had an ensign and a lieutenant on full pa io « , 1 O « . ! = « . and when the insuectionday wasat hand ,
ttseir mothers broBSht high heeled boots to make the heroes lode talL ( Renewed langhter . ) He was glad that the honourable member for LimencK naa Been the prudrnce and propriety of opposing ttas measure , and he implored of the lushjandlords «« aembets to take eoansel together , > " «^ ° ' ? ™ . eUs * . polities , or creed . As an argument against the bill he would remind the houre that * bad _ Uen opposed bythehon . gentleman the . member lot ^ flcnda ' e ( MrS . Crawford , ) who performed his du ^« a landlord , and who could walk with perfect ease eitiier by day or night among his tenantry . ( Hear , hear . The very gentlemaa who asked for a r « ant Rjgh pO . and Is alMdtord ww net afraid to be bound by it , but thuhonse > tender of the ng hte of property , would in b » wise iDterfera wtb «*» " * Wh , ? Had they notinteriered w » th ***** etery bill for the alteration of the Tithe « j * t « £ and was he to be told that they could cwnmooal interfere with imnlpments and nroduce , » B * * *•
ttterterewitii the raw material , when ita adjosJr aent became IndispeBBiHe to the wJr ^ i » « » country ? ItwairiiiculouB . itwas opj « 8 t , tocharge tte Irish people with erimes . when they were we Wtteqaenceofonprewonand misrule ; «* * e t »'
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O'Connor ) co . uld ., tell . the house , that having for ^ S 5 wiSS k % 1 MI 11 ' * WM e »»» B eightpence a fay brought b ? fore a magistrate , or charged with aiiDEleciime . Wken the right hon . baK was 5 f { W « yf tingthecriiHcgoflrelaiid . he omit ! ed to tell the house of their grievances . Hedidnot S Jnm ° nSCthatit w" of fre « aent occurrence to * ee AUUuprocegseB antered at one qnarter sessions ior sums in many casegnot exeicding a few shillings ; men brought mites from their home and their busi nesg to be prajed upon in their misery , by a swarm of vulture attornies . How then , he would ask , could the mest unblughing partisan attempt to support the system , watch requires periodical coercion to nron if . O'Connor ) could tell * ti « i . ™ - it .. x i .... .
up ? And yet the Whig Ministry boasted of its kindness towards Ireland , but ke would jell them that any hasty concessiop , extracted from their fears , was only granted in the hope of reconciling the plucdeied to the dominion ot the plunderer . He would tell them more , tbatnntil Ireland had Belf . governroect it was vain to expect a isst administration of any pitiful law that was paaed frr her improvement . Its every benefit was absorbed by the landlord class of which he would give the two followipg proofs . When the currency of the two untries was assioilated , nine in every ten landlords demanded payment of old rents accordieg it the new Bfandard—that is every landlord made a profit of ei » ht and a third per ceut . making tha tenant pay
£ 100 . in the new currency , instead of £ 92 . 6 s . 8 d ., wbieh represented £ 100 . accordins to the o'd currency , and he Mr OConnormade many £ 100 . of his profession b y amplyanswering the question' Can they make me . j >' ay the ould rent in the new money ?' But thiadiU not stop with the tenants , for in amsjoritj of eases , the wages of the labourer was reduced from eighi pence to sevenpence , while the landlords took care to have the benefit as debtors . He ( Mr O'Convor ) would rsake no apology for his opposition to this bill , because when he discovered that the Repeal of the Union was not to be discussed sessional !? , with a thorough knowledge of bis country , he proposed ze veral measures of relief to that house , —the adoption of which would have rendered eoercion unnecessary , and the rejection of which had paralysed the arm of indaatry . It wa § , therefore , that he demanded remedial measures as a means of checking the growth of
cr me , and arresting the-assassin ' s arm before ha gave his consent to any measBre of erercion to destroy those crimes which misgovernment had engendered , fostered , and encouraged . In conclusion , he ( Mr O'Connor ) begged to assure the right honourable baronet that the bill ahsnld have his most decided eppesitiou , from the preamble to the last clause of the bill , and he assured the ri ^ ht honourable baronet that if he thonght eonscientiualy that this bill , or even one of a more severe character , would have the effect of reprossinp crime , he would yete for every elause of it ; but it was because be understood the character , constitution , and condition of his countrymen better thanthe right honourable baronet did , having had ample opportunities / of , acquainting " himself with them , that he was determined that this insidious measure fhonld not go to the country with the stamp of his approval oa it at all events . ( Hear . )
HrR . D . Bbowxe defended Mr H . Grattan from the attack of the last speaker , whom he describsd as a nan with ill the ambition to be in oflace , but with none of the modesty which would teach him to retire into his proper place . It was his intention , like Mr H . Grattan , to give his support to the second reading of this bill : because it did apt go ton far , because the circumstances of the country required it , because it ' wonW affect only guilty parties in certain districts , and afford prelection to respectable persons in the midst of a reign of terror . He m ! so supported it because be believed it would be ad . ministered by tba Lord-Lieutenant in a spirit of moderation and humanity . He supported it because be belisved that the majority of the people of Ireland bad no sympathy with thos ? crimes . Re believed the majority of the people and the priesthood wereauxious that these murders should be put an end to . He believed ihat the
lairdtrcr ; were oatcas ' s and traders in hljod , and were nit connected ' with the predial dHfcrehce bf tween land-1 ri an < i tenant . The murder of the Eev . MrLloyi was a brutal , dastardly , and barbaroni ranrder , « nd such atrocious murderers were , a disgrace to Ireland and as he wished that the law should be vindicated he gave his vote for this measure . It might he said this was an a constitutional act ; bnt it was more kncosstitational to leave the country at the mcrcy ' of a jet of lawless ma . nraders . Heweuia give , his TOtefor itas bill without rtf ^ rence to lemedtal measures , lest it shonld teem that he bad the slightest sympathy with such crimei . The administration of the law in Ireland was most ineffiel ently carried on .. - The crown prosecutora were often incapacitated { com perf 6 raing their duties by reason of age and infirmity . He felt confident thst , in trusting the powers eontalned in this measure to the government , they would not abuse it .
lir If . O'Coneell said he held in his hand a book , entitled * An Account of the Debate on the Bill for the Protection « f Life in Ireland , in 184 $ , ' edited by R . Dillon Browne , M . P . ( The hon . gentlestaa then read extracts from the tpeecbes of Mr Dillon Browne . on tfcat debate , in , opposition to . that measuse , and in which be advised that coercion should be given up and remedial measures tried . ) The bon . member for Meath ( Mr H . Grattan ) too , who h * d been obs of the mese atreauo ** epponsnes # f the Coercion Bill of lS 16 . be regretted to find amongst the advocates of the present measure . Sbgnise it as the ; would , this bill was . a * much an infringement ef the constitution as that proposed by the right hon . baronet , and which the noble lord now at the head of the government said ho would never conseat to unless it
was accompanied by rtmedi&lmcasarf s , On that same gronnd pat forward by tha noble lord in 1846 , as against the ArmsBai of the right henonrable baronet—the absence of remedial measures—• iid he ( Mr II . O'Connell ) oppose the bill no W before the honsa . It . was all very , well to refer to the condition of society in Ireland , and point to the calendar . of crime as a jostificatUn for » ch a bill v but how-did they eipect human nature te endore patiently the tyranny to which the Irish tenantry were subject , driven from their holdings , without food or shelter , prevented from reaping the crops they had sown ; and deprived ef all the advantage of their outlay and labour * Try the experiment in , England , and see what woal < 3 be the oonstquence . ( Hear , hear . } He gathered from the reply of the right honourable the Home
Secretary , to the suggestion of the right honourable baroeet ( Sir R . Peel ) that a detective polios was about to be organised in Ireland . - What was this but a ritnrn to to the old spy system , with all its attendant horrors , its perjuries , robberies , « nd murders ?• How many instances were then , in former -days of innocent men being en trapped into the commission of crlme , and then informed acainst for tha si&e . of the blood-money ! In no country sxvb It . land would such a system be tolerated . It-had been practUed In 1798 under the aotoripus Uaj > r Sirr , aided by . tha infamous Terry O'Brien , and yet la these days it wu sought to legislate perjury by act of parliament . Kotmthstsnding the determination expressed by ? ome Irish , members ta support thi » ,. bill , he for on « should girt it the molt determlaed opjoiitlon iu every
stage ofitsprogreES , He had been , as earnest and as aaxioas as any man in denouncing crime , and he had not only preached bnt practised obadienec to the law . He had endeavoured to enforce a maxim liid down b y one whose memory he aust ever revere and venerate , that the worst enemy of Ireland- was the . man who violated the law . Be would not parley with the murderer , but he would strain the ordinary law of the hud , in order to secure bis punishment ; bat he protested agalest arming irresponsible parties with extraordinary powers to do that which- might be doao by tba smallest particle of resolution and courzge en the part of the reaident landlords in the ; counties vrhlch were ( aid to-be dutnrheu , and which would be put down by the tenantry It the landlords gave them the 8 lighUs * , encomragemeat
80 to do .. Bathe found fault with this , bill oa another ground , namely , that it was entirely , and exclusively a landlord ' s bill ; ( Hear , hear . ) It was not a bill for the protection of . the lives and the proper : y of the people , batfor the protection of magistrates , who . would not do thsir duty , and to enable the landlords to collect their rents ; He had expected after the numerous commlisions of Jnqairy which had beea issued by . various governmsntr , that at the commencement of this geition the present miaistry would at least be prepared wiUi ' some remedial measures for Ireland .: He understood that the Landlord and Tenant Bill was aotaally in print , and , tning so , it ought to be now on the table of the " h us - . It was , - aowever , kept back , and not a ^ word of explanation as to its provisions had yet been stated to the hoose ,
In fact , nothing whitevar had been done to . carry out any of the rtcoamendatians contained in the re . ort under Lord Beron ' s commission . ( Cries of'D vide . ') Honourable members opposite had . spokes ' of cert tin sutements alleged to have been made bj Boman Ca holie olergymem from the altar , but the Attorney-General Ji « d very properly told thtm that wherever such « harge * conld be authenticated presecutien would follow . ; With refpsct to the denunciation of Major Hahon , the clergytnan fflplicatedbad hinuelf denied in print that he had evfr mentioned that gentleman ' s name , or that he knew anything about him . What would the house think of no English landlord , who , comin ; into a property , should commence with a small village at his park gat * , and take
from the inhabitants their little gardens , from which tbey had obtained their winter ' s subsistence t The hon . nemb : r proceeded to detail other instances , of Major Hahon * * conduct towards his tenants , bnt was continually interrupted fcy load cries of ' Question , Be comp lained that tke deceased gentleman had sent a numbir of his ttBants on hoard ship , bound to America , hut the rtssil being wrecked , the people were obliged to return , wren , sick , starring , and shipwrecked as they were , they . wtra left oa the road without shelter to perish . Until the noble lord at the head of the government had l « id kit remedial measures en the table , tbe . house might ex . psct tbat be ( Mr O'Coonell ) would give this coercion bill er « yopiK « itoniu nU power .
Mr 6 a » pme » gave a reluctant support to the bill . He was not one of tboie who would vindicate murder , ¦ r wh » die not wish to see It puniihed , but he could not h « lp having some compunctious visltingi when he remembered the fc TOii Ul-oisge which Irelant had eipe . rienced at the hands of this country . ( Hear , hear . ) He regretted , therefore , tbat the rigkt hon . geatleman while proposing coercion had not more clearly indicated the remedial measures which he proposed to introduce fer the benefit of the silUr country . He was not one of thoie Who thought . tbat Providence hsd . endowed one race more than another with iusilocts of crime « nd indoleece Ho was willing to admit tie defects of the Irish
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character but he waslndinedW attribute ftem ] noi to * tteprandeneeofa 0 d ; ttif to the-vmisgOTHnment-and granny of aan . ( Hear , hear . ) That comntry had for CTOyears heen . under the dominion oi what an . mlnMit foreign publicist had called a bad ' artitoeraof . Pure olooa . no mniewhers or ratnnfecturers , » o grind the people , nothing but lords , iquirei , and serfs . To these England had added an alien priesthood , ond la h « suptrstition had shutout wery avenue of advanesmsnt from the great . houy of the people . The outward and visible si gn of all this opprertlon-tbe Protestant established church—still existed in full vigour . ( Hear . ) He did not think ' ^ : .. . , - ~ . ,. . ,- ... , . ,
itsabolition would remedy the ills of Ir » - land , but it wks at least due to that country as repara . tioa . Probabl y no single measure would hare the » ffl » tt of redressing all the evils of that country ; hut we ought t » undo aUonrbadlegifiation , step by step . 8 o long « s a splendid pnblte property , amouRting to a million a year , existed in Ireland , devoted te the support of a church alien to the sentiments of nice tenths ' of ihe p > ople , private property ooght not to be burdened with ratw for the support ef the indigent . He vcoaltl nev * r conEenl to any measure of coercion for Ireland , ualtsa remedial measures n ere brought forward at the same time , ( Hear . )
Mr Keatinge laid that the Trish Catholic priesthood , so far frem excitipi : the people to outrage , exerted a directly opposite influence . In p / oof of this he re ferred to the conduct and addressee of the curate in the perish where Mr Roe bad been murdered . He was opposed t this b ;!] , because it would not tend to tracquillise the country ; it would be a complete failure . ( H « ar . ) Such a measure never could succeed ; It had in it no element of success . Mr FiOAN moved the adjournment of the debate . Sir G . Gbei hoped tbii motion would not be pressed . There would be atuadant opportunity , in tho future stages of the bill , for hon . members to express their views . Greatiaconvenience bad resulted from disenssing
the principles and details of the bill , upon s mere motion of form , for parsing to the oticr orders of the day . Mr Facim . thought it was not fair to urge him to proceed in addressing the house at so late an Vonr , He had to wish , to be supposed factious in taking tblt cocrte . i- ¦ ' . ¦ . - ¦> . . , The bouse then divided , ' ' For the adjournment , „ ' 18 Against it ... ... ... 269-271 8 ir G . Gbet said he conld not expect that at that late hour the bill sboold be read a second timo ; all he wished was that the preliminary st < pp sfconld be taken ; 1 Mr ^ EAHGus 0 ; Coi ! K 0 B said " that he was not anxious to inttrfere .-jvita . the wishes of the right honourutl » baronet , but be would beg leave to move that tho home do now adjourn . ' .
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw , but ne division took place , it having been arranged tbat the orders of the dayshould be immediately read , ' and that tho second reading cf the Coercion Bill should takeplace on Tues-day . . . , ' Thehouse then adjourned at half-past twelve o ' clock . ¦•¦ ¦ TUESDAY , Dec 7 . ' ^ ; HOUSE OF LORDS—Tharc was no business of importance before this house , - which sat only , for a few minutes , and adjourned till Thursday . ; ' ;>; . i : < ¦ ., ;
HOUSE OF C 0 MM 0 SS .-. CHAH 01 NOVBKTBSC 8 ( IBBLAKD . — -In answrtrtoa question from -. Sir . Ji-, Walsh , ae te the state of the law reacting tbe chaBgeof-venne hi Ireland ; the Attobpet Gsnesai . said . tbero were , both in England and in Ireland , many-statutes which provided that , in the case ef felonies or misdemeanours , ofiVncef might be tried either in the county in which such offences were committed , or in the coaniy ia which the offenders were apprehended . By the law ofEngland . and of Ireland , the place of trial , both of felonies nnd misdemsnn
ours ,- might be changed in every case where there wss reason to believe thifc a fiir and impartial trial could Hot be had . The course of proceeding- was this : —aftrr a bill bad bsen found by the grand jury the indictmoni was removed into the Queen's Bench by writof eerftbwf ; when the proceedings were thus ttken into the Quecn ' B Bench grounds must he stated on affidavit to thow the court that there was reason for granting the application ; and , if the grounds so stated were satisfactory , the venue was directed to a foreign county . Petitions were laid on tke table complaining of the lections for Athlone , SHpfo , Aylesbury , Carlisle , Bewdley , North Staffordshire . Nottingham , Dublin , Harwich , Andover , Horsham , Lincoln and Hythe . Petitions were present * d , in the course of the preceding night ' s Fitting , complaining of the elections of Wcstbury , Lancaster , Paeblesshire , Leicester , Dandalk , Drogheda , MaldoD , Derby , Bodmin , and Bolton . '
Repeal op the Lecislative TJsioh , Sir G . Gbet appealed to the hon . raembtrforNottingham ( Mr O'Connor ) whose matlon stood first on the paper , to waive his right of precedence , bo as to enable the government toprocede whh the Coercion Bill , as , in the opinion of the Lord Lieutenant , it was of the greatcstimportancetbe decision of tbe house should he had as speedily as possible . ... Mr Feabgus O'Conxor then rose to bring forward the motion of which he bad given notice on the first day of the session , and said , Sir , I am pertectly aware of the situation the right hon . baronet has placed the in , but from what I have before witnessed of the patience of this house , during the discussion of a very irritating subject , 1 trust vour
indulgence will be now extended to me under verypeculiar circumstances . Sir , I am perfectly well aware of the ungracious , position . which any hon . gentleman . must occupy who asks those in power , and who may be called the conquering party , to surrender any portion of tbat power which they possess , but at the same time , Sir , I h avc a duty to perform tb my country , and one which , yphen I occupied a place in this house before , I did not shrink from performing , and so long as I occupy a place . in thiB house , I shall not shrink from the discharge of that duty .=. I amaware that it was necessary to bring forward this motion as speedily as possible , and for the most cogent of all reasons , that I have always
thought that whenever an agitation is carried on in any country for a preat national purpose , that the very earliest opportunity should be sought by those who profess to advocate tbe principles and doctrines which characterise , that agitation , to have the opinion of the House of Commons upon them . Moreover , as I understand that a great many hon . gentlemen became converts , on the eve of the last general election , to the principles bf the Repeal of the Union , I thought it my duty to those gentlemen to give them the earliest opportunity of redeeming their pledges , and I thought it but fair to my country also , to let tlie people of that country seethe manly and the honest manner in which I am
convinced those representatives will redeem their pledges . And , in order that there may be perfect union and harmony on this subject , I have , contrary to my own views ; arid the notice of motion which I gave in 1833 , adopted the very words of the gentleman , now no moire , who brought forward a motion ou the subject iu 1834 . The present motion is not exactly with my own views , but 1 have preferred it , in order to procure perfect unanimity . And , let me remind those hon . gentlemen who may feel some little jealousy—some little anger or pique , because 1 have been the first to g ive notice of a motion of this kind , that I was the first man tfiat ever gave such a notice . In 1833 , i gave notice of a similar motion , but
was induced to withdraw it , in consequence of that gentleman , now no more . giving me his assurance that he would take the earliest opportunity of submitting it toparlianie » t himself . ' And when the right hon . baronet is ' asking fora Coercion Bill for Ireland , I think the whole case of the country to be coerced ought to be taken into consideration . Not the condition of that country , just now , but the condition of that country during the forty-seven years it has been retrogradiug , and the consequence of which retrogression is the present demand of the right hon . gentleman . I shall , so far as I am concerned , carry on this debate in a different manner from that in which it was carried on in 1834 .
I shall . not enter into a discussion as to the , relative merits , of the Saxons , or the Irishmen . I ought to be the last man in this house to cast any . reflection on Englishmen , and for this reason , and let not the ri g ht hon . baronet dismiss it from his mind , that while the Irish people were comparatively idle and ignorant of their interests , nearly 3 , 500 , 000 of the English people petitioned this house for a Repeal of the Legislative Union . Therefore , it would ill become me to stand up here and speak ill of Englishmen before their representatives . < IH anvable-to nhowthat a Repeal of the Legislative Union would be of utility to this country and to Ireland , and if yon refuse me a committee to inquire
into the means by which that Union was carried , and also into its effects upon both countries , then , I presume , the Irish people wiil come to the conclusion that there is something behind the scenes which it is not desirable they should be made acquainted with . I shall spare the house the trouble of listening to statistics and place ray appeal upon one , and only one , ground—upon a higher ground , sir , than the falling off of exports or imports or of agriculture . I shall place it upon this ground , that if the government of this country should say that their title to Ireland is by conquest , I will ask what statute of limitation there is against any one country in the
world to redeem and regain its right by the sum means whenever they ? re able to do so ? Oh the other b . « d , if I am told that it was the wish of Ireland that the Union should take place , I will show that it was not so . And" if I should be told that ihe" two countries are now bound up so closely togetber that it would be dangerous to sever their ties , I ask , how does it happen that while England is travelling on to the goal of perfection , Ireland is rapidly retrograding ? The house will understand that this is a large question , but , although I may have to run over a very extensive period I « hall do so very rapidly , not dwelling upon single events but merely tracing the title of the crown of Englaud to
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l ^? ? . ' ? . !^ ? f Ireland from the first period when it is supposed ' sucH ' aiitirdccurred' . '' The house will bear with me when I tell them that I am obliged to divide ray address into four parts , comprehending a very extensive period but not requiring a great deal of discussion . The first endeavour England made to establish a title of dominion to Ireland , was by a charter of Kir . g Ed-. ar , in 964 , which charter was supposed to have been sorapleted . at Gloucester and registered in this country . , 1 shall rapidly run from that period down to the year 1542 , and show that in * he time of Henry VIII . both nations were Catholies , and that , therefore , those outrages , revolutions , and dis turbances" that took place could not have had their ori gin in religious distinctions . Then I shall
go on from tht period ofHenryVIII . downto the time of the American revolution , in 1776 . Not dwelling long on that period , I shall go on to 1800 the period of the Union , and from that down to the present time . I trust I shall succeed-in showing this house that every revolution which occurred L i comiT f > wa 8 created either by the English by blood or birth , or was waged ' by the English Protestants against the Catholic Irish people . But in no single instance was there ever a complete Catholic er religious revolution . . Every revolution , confined solely to Ireland , was carried on by Protestant gentlemen looking for the augmentation of their own power—making the * Catholic people their dupes and , at the same time ; ' limiting the
power of those Catholic people . ' If Iam able to da this from history , and if I an able , to ' defy contradiction , I think I shall make , out , at al £ events , a strong , and powerful case for the Repeal of the Union , andshaU relieve the ; Catholic'people of Ireland from all the odium cast 6 ti them by historians and others , who have represented : the . Catholics as dissatisfied parties . . NftwJ sif ^ vwiiri ' regaril ' to thes charter of Edgar , rThe . title sc > uproy )^ nglanH ' to the . dominion of Ireland was . said , to ue , s ) gned at Gloucester . -Edgar afterwards invaded Ireland and conquered a great part of it together with the ; mo 6 t noble city of Dublin . But Leland ,. the faniorrt historian , says that that charter * from ' it s Asiatic style , was suseeptilile of considerable ' doubt ,
It , therefore , cannot be considered as anything like a fair , title . The next title of ^ England to the dominion of Ireland was by the 6 upposed conquest ofHenry II . in 1169 ,: when the Jiang of Leinster having himself become odious to , his owiV subjects , " and obliged to quit Irelandj'followed Henry to Aquitaine and craved his , assistance in'restoring him to his sovereignty , offering on that event i to hold . his . kingdqni . in vassalage "to Henry w'lib ' was to be called the defender oMreland , ! idjne C ^ rave / son of . Earl Strigull , and who had receiycrl tlie ap | iel ! ation of Stronnhow , then went tO ; Irela » d and having succecdedfin conquering a great portion of the province of Leirister , ahd for his services having received in marriage' the daughter of the king , who shortly after died . an'd the province of Leinster as herdbwer , " Ilenry . inauced by the offer of ( this part of Ireland ,
went over and invaded that country in 1172 . .. This is the second title of England to the dominion of Ireland . Now what title did Henry take with him , and to this I beg the attention of the house , for what I am going to state are matters of history and will be thought of great raportancein Ireland . Henry took with him the bull oi Pope Adrian IV . , and the alleged condition on which that bull for conquering Ireland was granted was , that Henry should spread the Catholic faith , and make the Catholic people of Ireland attend more to the rites of the Church , and in return for the permission to conquer Ireland , the Pope was to receive Peters' pence—that is , a penny for every house in the kingdom . In 1172 , when he * arrived in Ireland , vre are told that he ; remained there a short time , and all the princes and nobles made submission to him , and tendered him all their estates . The following is the Buli :-
THE SECOND TITLE OP ENGLAND TO THE LORD ¦ "¦ SHIP OF IRELAND . Adrian , bishop , servant o' the sen-ants of God , to his dearest son in Christ , tho illustrious King ofEngland greeting our apostolic benediction . , ' Full laudably and profitably hath your magnifioenco cenceived the design ot propagating your gloriuus roaoun on earth , and completing your reward of eternal hapuiness in ' heaven , while , as a Catholic prince , you aro intent on enlarging tho borders of the church , teaching the truth of the Christian faith to the icuorant and rude , ex terminating the roots of rice from the field of the Lord and for the more convenient execution of ' this purpooe requiring the courisol and favour of the npostblic see ; in which the naturer your deliberation arid the greater the direction of your procedure , by so much tho happter , we trust , will bo your progress whh the assistance , of the Lord ; as all things arc used to come to a . prosperous end nnd issue , which take their beginning from tho ardour of faith and the 1 ot » of religion . ..
There is , indeed , no doubt but' that Ireland ftnl all the islands on which Christ , tha Sun of Righteousness , hath shone , and which hare received the . doctrine of the Chris , tian faith , do belong to the jurisdiction of St Peter , anil of the Holy Roman Church , as your excellency also doth acknowledge ; and , therefore , we are the more selicitous to prcipapat * the righteous plantation of faith in this land , and the branch acceptable to God , as we have the secret conviction of conscience that this is more espochllj our bounden duty . You , then , most dear son in Christ , hare signified to us your desire to enter into the island of Irelamd . in order to reduce the people to obedience unto laws ; and to extirpate the plants of vice , and that you are willinf to pay from each house
a yearly pension of one ptnny to St Peter , and that you will preserve the rights « fthe churches of this land , whole and inviolate . We , therefore , with that grace andncceptaneo , suited to jourjioun aid laudable design , and favourably assenting to your petition , do liold'it good and aeceptnble , that for extending the bnidtrs of the ohurch , restraining theprogrois ' of vice , for tho correction of manners , the planting of virtue , and the increase of religion , jou enter this island , and execute therein whatever shall pertain to tho honour of God and the welfare bf the land , and that the people of this land receire you hon . ourably , and reverence you as their lord , Ihe rights of their churches still remaining sacred and inviolate , and saving to St Peter tho annual pension of one penny for erory house . * . « . ¦ ' .. . ....-- ¦ '
If , then , you be resolved to carry . the design you have conceirei into effectual execution , study to form this nation to virtuous munners , and labour b y yourself and others whom you shall judge meet for this work , in f « ith , word , and life , that the church mny be there adorned , that the religion of the Christian faith may be planted and grow up , and that all things ^ eitaining to the honour of God , and the salvation ef . souls , he bo „ ordered that you may be entitled to tho fulness of eternal rei ward from God ; nnd obtain a glorious renown on earth throughout all ages . ' ¦ .. ... >
Shortly after , Henry was obliged to ' leave Ireland without having much augmented his Irish dominion . . The next title is one , the date of which and the person connected with which , this bouse , when it thinks of Magna Charta , will not be indined to speak lightly—I mean the title of King John . When he was a mere boy—twelve years of age—he was sent to Ireland to receiie at Waterford the obedience of the nobles . But so imperious and insolent wag this young king , tliat a ' warcom menced the next day , which showed that they did not consider their submission to him very , binding ; While the fabricated title , alleged to be given to Henry II . by Pope Adrian ,- was granted for the extension of Catholicism in Ireland , the'best historian ? tell us , that ' the seventh ; eighth ' , ' and ' nibtli centuries were a period in which'Ireland ' was ' more prolific in missionaries , and was . propagating ; 'the faith in a great part , of the wbrid ^ while England
was not-making any advancement whatever ; and for which : service on behalf of the Catholic , faith the Holy See conferred the title of ' Insufa TDoetorum" and tl Insula Sanciorum , '' - upon ' - 'Ireland / But to investigate this title of Hetiry , and its value in his eyes , a little further , it should be understood that Adrian IV . filled the papal chair froitfllSi ^ O j 1159 , and that this bull , which ^ Henry , did p ^ pt uVft to strengthen the King of Leins ' tcr . in . ' lljS 9 , or attempt to put into operation until il 72 , bore date 1156 , and thus , with a jealous eye towards the con * quest of Iwland , retained ' this missive for sixteen . ' years as a dead letter . Birtj further'to show the little reliance to be placed on this document , the ' Commissioner of the Pope ' s ; legate , in th e reign of Richard I ,, many years . after furnished ' the then kipg with a more moderate title to parts o ^ Ireknd pnlyi and Davies , a corrupt English , lawyer-historian , tells us that 'it was manifest that the , submission
of-the Irish , lords , and the donation of the Pope , were hut slcrider a " nd weak assurances for a kingdom . ' Besides these fabricated titles , ' what- ' other'titles ' can England set up to dominion in Ireland ? Until ihe ruthjess days of Cromwell andjlie ; conquest V the rebel king—I mean William—there was no conquest of Ireland . Every foot . of ground you gained , by your numerical superiority before that period , i you were obliged to surrender theraoraentyou withdrew your ( orces . In 1395 , when Ricliard II . invaded Ireland ,
with an army . ' - of 4 , 000 'men-at-arms , and 30 , 000 arcKers , when all the chiefs ' and . princes made submission , either , to the Earl . Marshal qf ^ Eng larid ,, or to the King himself ; and in reiurn for which , ' they received from the Earl Marshal OHwiumpacia—the kiss of peace ; and one curious condition without a blow beiig struck was , that they should render all their lands and ' possessions to Richard , - without striking a blow , and should serve him in his wars against his other rebels . This submission Davies tells us— ' - - •¦ ¦ -. ' ¦ ¦ !
The hlsg himself caused to be enrolled and teetlfted by a notary public Had delivered the enrolmonte with his own hands to th « Bishop of Saliiburr , then Lord Treasurer of England , nid as Davies informs us , are now to bo found in the office of the King ' s Remembranoer . But happily for the interests of truth , Iherej viasa Preaeii soldier with the English army ; pne Froissart , who accompanied Richard on that exue ^ itioh , end he told a different Btory , for . he said— . ' . " . ; ,.
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That though Riebnrd ban * pent a large mass of trti . sure in transporting his army , by thecouritonanctt ¦ nher » - of he drew on thes « submissions , yet he did not increase his rerenue thereby ono sterling pound , nor enlarge tho EnglWi borders the breadth of an acre of land j neither did he extend'the jurisdiction , of bis courts of justice , ' » no foot further than the Bngush colonies , wheroin in it ; was used and exercis » d before Besides he was no soonw returned to England , but those Irish lords laid aside thoir maskg of humUity , and scorning the Weak forces which the king had left behind him , began to infest the borders , in defence whereof , the L » rd Roger Mortimer , being then tlie king s lieutenant , and heir apparent to tha Crown of insland , wus slain .
These submissions were written in Latin , and not one o f the chiefs appear to Lave known how to spelt their own names . In 1399 , Richard again invaded Ireland with a large army , to avenge the death of Mortimer , and of which expedition Froissart gives the following description—At this time the Earl of Rutland , with a hundred sail of ships of war , armed in Dublin wherowe remained during 8 ix weeks , living in joy and delight , when a small bark arrived , bringing advertisement to the king , that the Duke of Lancaster was arrivsd iii England . And nfter some time Ilichavd took his departures for liilford Uaven . ¦
The next invasion of the rights of Ireland was Poyning ' s Act in 1495 . The next title claimed by the English to dominion in Ireland , was founded on the csnquest of Henry VIII . , in 1542 . Up to tbat period both countries wera equally Catholic , and therefore none of the previous revolutions couW have arisen from the opposition of the reli gion of ale country to that of the others . Fiomthe tim «| of Henry , " VIII ., up to the passing of the Act of Union , Ireland was subject to continual aggressions on . tbe part of England .. In 1495 Ireland had what might be considered a free parliament , but the effect of Poyning ' s Act was , that every act passed in England was transferred to Ireland , and no question could be
entertained in the Irish parliament , jiHl' ^ fi ^ V ^ Pns ™* ot the English parliament paying ,. peen , obtained . Davies tells us , however , W # MmtMand'HB the servile submission of the WSBf . ! Wj "» flw » . ,. to Henry in 1542 , that it took bussex . jthe English deputy , twelve years , from 1 . 542 to 1554 , to subdue even a part of the province of Leinster , 'and the amount oft which conquest was testified in" the simple change of the name of the two counties of Leix and Offaley . to King ' s and Queen ' s ; and the county towns of which were called P ^ IP ^ PW , ' . an 4 ; Maryborough , in honour of the . thenreigningTOpnarcbs . ' Mary , supposed to be still tainted , . , with Popery , was succeeded by herProfosta nt sistery . Elwabetb , who desolated the land with
fire ; and sword till 1603 , when a period . was put to her existep . ee . Next came James I . - of England , and hefai ' tlifully followed his predecessors'brutality , and under pretext of secret plots and conspiracies , fo raenlejl by ' his' Protestant adventurers , be commanded bis i lawyers to present him b y escheat' with six entirecounties of Ulster , and on which he planted Scotch Pictish Puritans , and English Protestant settlers .- Surely this didn ' t ahow much of conversion to the act of parliament faith of Harry ' s reform inationl' Jaraes , in order to corrupt the Irish parliament ; enfranchised forty new boroughs ; and in 1613 , a contest , sir , took place for that office in the Irish parliament ,, which vou now fill with so much
dignity , impartiality , and credit , when this very said Davies was proposed as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons , backed by James ' s 80 noraiaees ; and , even then , there , was a struggle for liberty , as one Everard , the candidate for the opposition , was throwninto Davies ' s lap , and the contest was reduced to a physical force-struggle . ( Laughter . ) Yes ( continued Mr O'Connor ) , it may excite laughter , but it was produced by English , corruption of Irish morals ; and tbe first act attempted to be done by that parliament wag the attainder of the O'Neals by this Popish recusant , Everard . James died , and was succeeded by his sou Charles ; andhis loyal subjects 6 f England , nothing , daunted by bis title of right divine to rei
gn , « ut his head off , but not before Strafford , his minion , acting as judge , jury , witness , and bully , had presented to the crown a portion of the pickings from the plunder of Irish estates . Charles was succeeded by the psalm-singing-Protector Cromwellj who , aided by the loyal republicans of England , desolated the land in a manner not yet described by historians . He wa 3 succeeded by Charles II . —this was called , the Kestorjatidn—but , there was no restoration ; of the plundered property of the princes , chiefs , and people of IreJand . Then came James 11 . —and the Irish . people , with fidelity ! to the king , who still professed their faith , flocked to his standard , while his'loyal English subjects declared allegiance to a'Dutchman ; who , ' after the battle of the
Boyne , partitioned the remaining ' portion of Ireland amongst bis followers and adveiUurersiand ' so ardent were the Irish , ' and so well did jiieyVsustairi tbem ^ selves in-that struggle ,. that even , after ,, thei r . defeat ; a consequence of the weakness of : their general , one of the soWiers said , ' That if they changed commanders ; they'd' fight the battle over again / ' ( Laughter . ) Previously to this tjmei we fincVthat wheheyer there was any commptipn to be made jn , Ir eland , the King * of England , asked for six counties . ' 3 Ye ; find that six counties in Ulster were given to James , tq satisfy his lust and gratify his . ambition ; we find j also , that not a single conquest was made , that was not in some measure destructive - of-tbe Catholic religion . In 1688 you had what you' call « the glorious revolution / This took place after the battle of the
Boyne , where James , from his folly , weakness and cowardice , was obliged to . surrender . From . 1688 , the period when English dominion became powerful in Ireland , down to 1768 , the policy of England was to rule Ireland -by corrupting the Irish aristocracy through the instrumentality of patronage . In 1768 Lord Townsend was sent over as Lord-Lieutenant to Ireland . He began by patronage to lay the foundation of coercion arid dominion . He commenced by corrupting the House of Commons and the-holders of seats . This was in the reign of . George III .- ' A seat for life was only worth £ 500 . Lord'Townsendby introducing octennial parliaments increased the value of those seats to £ 800 , per
eight years , instead of £ 500 . for life , and thereby increased the patronage of the government . ' Up to 1776 , the period of the revolt of , the British American provinces , the Irish people , as . it had been well 8 aid , - -were V brayed in a mortar , ' acd reduced by pillage ^ pdatilcuce .- and famine . Catholic Mary and Protestant Elizabeth were equall y ferocious towards the ' pe opl ' e ' of Ireland . There was nothing for Ireland j then but coercion , destruction , pestilence , and famine . ' Iii , 1776 the difficulties of the English minister commenced . The Irish Protestants ' having revolted against their patrons , repealed Poyning ' s Act in 1780 , and thus rid themselves of the
dominion ' of the British minister . Then , as if by magic , an' armed force sprung up , under LordCharlernont ' ; the ^ ' price of seats rose from £ 800 . ' tt ) ' -42 , 500 ; because the British minister found that it . wa 8 , onlj :, b ' y ; haringiecourae to bribery , that he coujdiiiaya , dominion in Ireland , The Irish parliament established . Free Trade , lacking capital to carry ; it on and'the Lord-Lieutenant was surrounded with ' all the pageantry of a Court . And to prove that corruption ever increases in the same or greater proportion as the demand for freedom increases ^ an oppressed ' and degraded province presented . the novel spectacle of an independent sovereignty , with L 6 rds ; Qf ; a , treasnry , and a Treasury bench , a
Chan-. cellpruof an-Exchequer , a Secretary of State , annual iScssionsj-additional ! judges , ' a fri ghtful ^ catalogue of placemen * pensioners , and sinecurists , with enormous 'salaries ,-and' all the mimic pageantry of a Ccurtr-: ; Bier | ly ait apretext for the distribution , amorigst the : Vpte ! owncrs and their orehtuies , ' of wages , advanced | inrpi ' pp ' prtion to the rise-upW the' commodity of seats ~ theh increased in price ' frpni £ 800 . to £ 2 , 500 . ; each--arid in . order . to enable , the grand corruptor to furnish means to bis subordinate agent , called secretary to a Lord-Lieutenant / to meet this profligate waste of the substance of the people , a naiiona ) bank was established ; that hideous engine , the
funding system , was put in a state of active requisition ;; and ,, that nothing might be wanting to ; com' p ' lete the farce , ' a Whig . club was gqt "' up , aiiorder of St Patrick was instituted ,. and the theatre of College-green was perfectly assimilated to its ' prototype—tbe Chapel of St Stephen . : The volunteers were then formed , and to this period I wish' to call particular attention . We hav « always heard that Charlemont was a name to conjure with . Wh y , sir , there never was a man in Ireland who deceived Ireland more , than Lord Charleraont , and the commanders of the volunteers . The volunteer soldiers were all Catholics , but th « commanders were all Protestants . The Protestant officers took , advantage of the embarrassment of the
Whig government to increase the value of their borough property , but the moment they got that , they then deserted their Catholic followers . After the first victory , the soldiers called upon Lord CharlemoHt to march on for a full , free , and fair representation in the Commons ' Hease of Parliament . His answer was— 'No ; > any change be made , it must take place or « he basis of Protestant ascendancy . ' That is the Charlemont that has been so loudly extolled and boasted of hi Ireland . That is tbe Charlem ont , and those are the men , whose desertion of . thfi peop le created the Insn revolution . The Irish people were " decewed by these men who US 3 d them for ; the purpose of aBginentuig their own property ; and disapDointmimti gave me
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^ . ^^ "i b Confederation . Theie .. were , spies In that bod y , and although ' the gOYernmeht Irnew every mau that took that oath , not a single man of them ' was arrested . And why ? : - Because it was the object of the government to foment ' a rebellion , and then to take vengeance on those who refused to aid the English at the American revolution . Then came thatreyolution , toYfhich not only Ireland , but the world , looked for the march of freedom-the French revolution . Wasii wenderfrf that the Irish Catholicipeople , who were governed by Protestants—who were oppressed by a penal code—who were unable to hold land , oreducate their families—was it wonderful tbat tbey should . look to the French Cailiolic people for redress ? No : all the world was full of
the French revolution . It was an earthquake that shook society to its centre . The English minister was again afraid . He was obliged to send his forces to France , and he attempted to make use of the Irish people . « No , ' said the people , '' you deceived us before . The test now shall be Parliamentary Reform . ' And let it be borne in mind , that the professions of hon . gentlemen opposite , is 'Taxation , without , representation , is tyranny , and should be resisted . ' The late Earl Grey , " Charles James Fox , and other Whi gs , taught that lesson ; but they gave it up when they got into power . For instance as soon as Charles James Fox got into power , he said , ' my idea of reform is that no
governmerit , commissioners be allowed to sit in this house . ' But when the Irish found themselves so often duped , thoy said , « Well , we'll go forward for nothing else than parliamentary reform . ' Precisely as the Whigs had dealt with Ireland , did Dumouriez deal with the liberty of the world . He turned traitor in Fiance , and instead of giving them the bill which had been approved of in Council , he gave them the celebrated Convention Act . la 1776 tbe Catholic people of Ireland , operating on the fears of the British Government , got rid of some portion of thftir disabilities . They were allowed for instance to bay their father ' s land back again , if they could only aet he money to d so . ' ( A laugh . ) In 1798 cam *
the rebellion , anlwhen the history of our country is fairly written , it would . be seen for whatpurpoBe that rebellion was fermented . But the historVof our country is not yet fairly written . We have given you orators—we have given you conquerorswe have / given you financiers—we have given you statesmen-we have given you dramatists and poets , but we cannot give you historians , because you have distroyed the literature of our country . I ask who commanded you ? ,, Who fought your battles f ! The answer is , Irish generals and Irish soldiers . ( Hear , ienr . ) Well then , sir , there was something belter due from this country to Ireland than you have given her . How was the union' carried ? In 1797 Lord
Moira said in the House of Lords , that it was folly to coerce the Irish people , and that it was better to submit to their legitimate and just demands . It was said that the British minister was perfectly aware of the treason carried on in the Irish camp . I shall not now go into the question of exports and imports -I shall not attempt to show how from 1780 up to 1800 , Ireland had increased in her imports exports , and general wealth , but I shall show by what cor . ruption the union had been effected , and the great fraud that had been practised upon the country . I shall show what corruption inevitabl y leads to . I shall show : that a good social system can bear a greater strain than a factitious system . In 1780 ,
Ireland did not owe a fraction , notwithstanding tha ages of privation ,. suffering , nnd oppression she had endured . In 1800 , when tbe union ; was effected , she owed £ 14 000 , 000 . This is what Ireland ow » d to Lord Cbarleraont and . the volunteers . They did not owe a fartliing ' vrhen helpless and unencumbered with British Legislation , but whenin the power of the boronghmonger 8 , they owed £ 14 000 000 . I have here the opinions of Lord Plunket , Earl Grey , Mr Saurin ^ the Irish Attorney-General , and Mr Just'cefipsh ei ^ . and afgreat many high authorities , all showing . the trieahsb y Vhich the union was carried , and , foretc ] ling , tlie resuit . pf that , union , especially if Ireland were not properl y governed by the Imperial
parliament * . and all showing the state of prosperity to which- ) . -Ireland . had - advanced , before the ' passiug ^ of-i-therAct of Union . When , the ; ' union' ; ' wa 9 carried Ireland was not in the position ; lof ^ elngja 'fab ;; contracting party . Whan W ^ n } . e 5 J ^ . oja ^ n e r . fih ; ip > ith , " a man , you will , of course , be ; mfOTmed . pf : the flmpuut of your partner ' s capital and . . tKeadvantages . and disadvantages will be tin . proportion-tathe ' respective amounts of capital possessed ^? each > : party . ' In ^ the case of the union-our' capital was > undoubtedly slender , and without giving ys the ( 'advantage ! to which such a ^ P ^' ni ' sbl ^ airly entitle ' uVyou made us pay a ? 4
?< H 6 Si .-Mu ' . « : U , wiciii ^ r . « bt pn , ine iNauonai ueot tuan w . ebujHt ; to . pa ^ ,. , ' ( He ^ he ; aV . ); .-You coerced Ireland mto . the -. partnership .:. :. ' Sheswas then in a state of \ duremi ^ She . was . hot free to act . Her hands were manacled—chained behind her back , and notwithstanding that £ p « compelled -her to enter into that engageihen ' g ' every article Of the union was violatedMWai ^ xfeen ^ years ^ pT-its " . completion ; ; - \ The exchequers . of ^ he . tW jOj ' coyjB'Jries ^ cVe consolidated , and . inslead ^ tmatoguslpay . twp , seventeenths of your debt-ras-. it has been , said , i but , as I , estimate it , one twenty-ninth ^ -you-made us pay as much as yon could extract from our resources . Let no one say that Ireland is ' not taxed ; ' but the taxation ,
unfortunately , is always in proportion to the ability of the party who has to " pay , and not to what they ought to pay , pr to the clemency of the Chancellor of the Exchequer . And now , not haying occupied much time in running over the historical part of the question , let me come to the most material point-tho casvs belli . What was the cam bellithe irritating question between the Irish parliament mid the Irish people ? Was it not Catholic emancipation . ? Canning saidi in , the House of Commons , 'tbat ihe greatest reason—the most profound and justifiable reason for cavrving ' the union was to remove the theatre of discussion- on , Iiish questions ; from College-green to the more placid arena of-St
Stephen's .- " Catholic emancipation was an implied contract at the time of the Union . The Irish pariiam ' ent was composed entirely / of Protestants ; and yet Cattiolie emancipation was the principal ' question . discussed . But Ireland never bad aparliaraent The Irish parliament was , in foct , nothing more than a registration court for . English Acts of Parliament . From 1495 to 1800 , and from that period of boasted Irish liberty to the timeof the Union—twenty years—the liberality ef the Irish parliament -was manifested only in such an opposition to England as would insure an advantage to the Pjptestant borough mongers , a » d who , I have shown , increased their borough properties . to an enormous amount by
corruption and patronage , granted by the necessities of England , and placed as a burden upon the s Irish people a debt of . no less than £ 14 , 000 , 000 , within that short period of twenty years . Passing from Poyning ' s Act in 1495 , till the Actinl 780 , and from 1780 , till the passing of the Act of Union , corrup . tion ,. placemen , and pensioners , rode roughshod over the country . : But the capus belli was Catholic emancipation . The country was shackled b y bribery and corruption .- 226 members of the House of Commons were returned by a few peers . Oae person had" the power of returnin g fourteen or fifteen members to the House of Commons , and of that number , a " rioble . un ' cle of niihe—Lord
Longuevillewon four at cards , backgammon , and dice . A few persoifs had all the patronage of the city and county of Cork , and they returned their minions to the House of "Commons , in order to do the work . of the British minister . ' Ireland never had a parliament . The Irish parliament was corrupt . It was governed through the means of Irish boroughs , under English influence , and . control , for the owners of those borouRhsjwere bribed ' by the . English government with , place , and patrpaage . . In 1832 i . you reformed ycur ; own parliament , and thereby declared . " your-Bdves corrupt , and incompetent to do the work of the nation ; but instead of reforming the Irish parliamerit , jou destroyed it ; because the repeal of PpynitigV Act had made the Irish' parliament independent ; ' of England . ( Laughter . ) But what did
Castkieagn ' . do ? He pledged himself to give Catholic emancipation . But he violat ed the articles of the Act of Union . The peop le petitioned against the Act of Union . Plunkett , Saurin , and others . had sold themselves , and although I hsve stated theiV opinions , I do no * rely on the authority of such un ^ princip led men . ' I look on such men with diso > in . These men . at first protested against the Act of Union as ini quitr «» and destructive to Ireland , and vet they were , afterwards ; mean enough to . accept places and pensions from tbe enemies of thejr conn-Ir r ( Hear , hear . ) I have shown you that the articles of tho Act of Union have been violated , and now what remains for this house to do ? Your duty now is to . grant a ' committeeto inquire into the way in which the dissolution of the Irish Parliament was
accompH-hed . If the government should resist this motUnfor inquiry , il ., will . go forth to the Irish people , that the Irish members who wished for this inquiry had made out a case which you were unable to answer . If this motion be ; resisted , then the English government will stand condemn d ) : » fore the Irish people . It cost not only ¦ £ ] ^ 00 , 000
Untitled Article
P ^« beb U , 1847 . i THE NORTHERN STAR 7 - - ¦> ¦" . ' . . . ¦ ' 'g . ¦ . '
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Dec. 11, 1847, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1448/page/7/
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