The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-01 00:00:00

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IMPERIAL PARLIAMEN
HOUSE OF LORDS.—FathAT, Hews 31.
The LORD CHANCELLOR bat his seat at 5 o'clock.
PUBLIC BUSINESS.
comerrreg.—Borough Pollee superammetion Fund BilL
STATE OF IRELAND.
Lord BEAUMONT referred to some returns which the
noble marquis (Linsdowne) had laid on the table yesterday,
with reference to arms in Ireland, and said he regretted that
the noble marquis bad not made any remark
certains on the state o
observa
f
Ireland. When the Arms Act was pseud
tions were made as to the conduct of the Roman Catholic
clergy, and he wished to know what bad been the conduct
of that body and the general effect of the act since it had
been in operation. He thought such a statement might be
most salutary.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE was happy to any he
could give an answer which he trusted would be satisfactory
to the noble lord and the house The effect of the o
o armuts
bill had been that a complete stoppage had been put -
rage in the most disturbed district/ in Ire
juries
wesse
—had ail discharged their respective duties
necessity
repressing crime and restoring order ; but the Roman estholic
clergy had also generally lent their aid
large portion oto inculcate a prof
the
r
respect for the law. (Hear, hear.) A
clergy had se an improved
been actively engaged in preventing disturb-
ances. (Hear, hear.) He was glad to recogni
spirit in the Roman catholictholic clergy., and to bear his testi
mony to the fact that they had mainly contributed to the
reservation of order. (He
ar, ,hear.) The people of Ire-
and had also manifested seal and attachment to
no the
less instithan
tu-
tions of this country, for on a recent occasion
160,000 signatures had in a short time been appended to a
petition expressive of confidence in the; overnment from
ca Roman tholic, u well as protestauts ; dhe might also
state that in this country, particularly is Manchester, no
lees than IG of the Roman catholic clergy in that town had
exhorted their hearers to preserve order. (Hear, hear.)
Therefore, he hoped that, with the aid of the improved
spirit which had been shown in Ireland, her Majesty's
government would be able to mairtain that which they were
de:ermined to maintain—public order. (Hear, hear.)
Lord STANLEY congratulated the noble marquis on the
statement which he had made, and he did it the more readily
because he had expressed an opinion earlier in the session
that there were individuals among the Roman catholic clergy
who, by their denunciations, hail caused the commission of
crime. Hs did not doubt but that they preferred the peace
of their c .untry; but bethought they fult it was for their in.
tenet that the preservation of public peace should be attri-
buted rather to their influence than to the law. There were,
however, indications of a very different spirit among them.
(Hear, hear.) The case at Manchester and the example of a
clergyman of the nan.e of Macenery were proofs of this fact.
(Hear.) If there was a subject to which Englishmen could
turn with congratulation, it was, that while almost every
other government was tattering to its base—whilst there
were convulsions in almost every other country in Europe--
those convulsions had foond but a faint echo here. (hear,
hear.) On the contraey, ;hey bad led to a spirit of determi-
nation in the great bulk of
phist higher and lower classes to
maintain the law and public ce, amply sufficient to overawe
the small minority who were anxious to-;:isturb it. Therefore,
he thought they might look with pride to those free
monarchical iustitutions which had sueported them in the
hour of trial. (Ilear, bear.) In Ireland the spit it of dis-
content was more widely spread but even there there had
been a feeling exhibited to a great extent, by net only pro-
testant, but maladies, that the spirit of discontent must be
put down. He trusted the noble marquis would give noble
lords credit for the motives which had kept their lordships
silent. He would imitate the prudent caution of the noble
lord who had introduced the subject, and also of the noble
marquis, and not enter into any discussion as to the state of
Ireland, however alarming it might be. But he might be
permitted to say, looking at the language which had been
held in that country, it did appear to him that there
was in the law a deficiency in meeting. a cer-
tain class of offences with a proper punishment.
While the legislature visited high treason with condign
punishment it appeared to him there was a class of offences
beyond sedition, and which did not amount to high treason,
which ought to be subject to the correction of the law. It
appeared that there was a body in Ireland stimulating the
people to acts of violence, and who were not liable to be tried
as state criminals for high treason, hat only for misdemeanor;
yet the effects which their conduct might produce—the in-
crease of force rendered necessary--the disturbance and
alarm to which their ace might lead—ought to render them
liable to a punishment leas tardy than the ordinary process
of indictment for misdemeanor or prosecution as state
criminals for high treason. This appeared to be an error in the
law; and be thought, under the circumstances of the country, ,
that some amendment ought to be made ; but whether this was
the most fitting time for such amendment he would not say.
The noble marquis had entreated their lordships, to bestow
their attention on the subject, and he hoped their lordships
would continue to do so, because he thought the state of the
law in the gradations from sedition to high treason ought to
receive the anxious attention of all who were desirous to see
bloodshed avoided and peace maintained in Ireland. (Cheers.)
Lord MONTEAGLE thought they ought not to look to
the priests alone, but adopt other necessary measures to pre-
serve the peace. Never tor a period of 25 or 30 years had
the law been more satiafactorily administered than at the
present moment. (Ilene, hear.) The people of Ireland be-
gan to see that acts of violence interfered with the applica-
tion of capital and the employment of labour ; and a better
spirit was evidently manifested. (Hear, hear.)
Their lordships then adjourned at ten minutes before six
o'clock. •

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY, MARCEL 31,
The SrEsicza took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PUBLIC I:I7SINESS.
Tnnu) ILEADLNGS.—Propoty Tax; Stamp Duties Assimilatio