The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-22 00:00:00

'IRE PIX•MILE BRIDGE RIOT.

The Earlot CARDIGAN rose to put • question, of which
he had kiVtll \Odle, as to the treatment and mode of trial
of eirtain so'dien of the 31st Regiment, who were engaged
at the last el. etion for the county of Clara in en affray with
the people at ffix.mile Fridge. Since be had last addre•sed
the hon., en the oulsket he had received from the highest
legal authorities in Dublin important information with
regard to the present position and prospects of the poor
midi, FS w 1.., were about to he tried at the Eanis arises fur
the county of Clare, which would commence to-morrow.
Ile was inf ruled of a circumstance which seemed to be very
had and unfair upon them, namely. that up to Wednesday
last no intimation had been given to them, or the magistrate
at Six-mile Bridge, ea to whether they were to be proseitited
by the crown lawyers or not. The soldiers of oar army,
alth iugh t it touch thought of, exposed themselves to every
danger on behalf of the country, and displayed the greatest
heroism rend devotion to their duty on all 04:01,1001,.
lie thought that the government, instead of prosecuting
these soldiers, were bound to defend them. The very fact
of the.r lw,ng prosecuted by croon lawyers would be •
stigma on their character, and it would be doubly so if they
were found guilty although the sentence might afterwards
be remitted-. Ile would only add a bumble expres-
sion on his part, of lamentation at the fate of
Ireland—that unfortunate country, torn to pieces by
religious animosities, and tossed about by the change-
able and uns.eady a uric adopted by successive go-
vernmeets, constantly following one another, and each re-
versing the decisions of their pr,ekcessors. Much more un-
happy would that country be if, by oppression and injus-
tice, they allotated the affections and paralysed the energies
of a faithful army. It only remained for him to as the
question of which he had given notice, namely, whether it
was the intention of the government to prosecute or defend
the suldiers to whom he had referred ; and whether it was
their intention to pursue the course intended to have been
adopted by the preceding government, and prosecute the
catholic priers whu hid urged the people against the
troops ?

The Earl of ABERDEEN said the noble earl had in-
ferred to this subject and brought it before their lordship.
in a manner not altogether consistent with a due regard to
the adminietration of justice. He had told them that these
people were to be put on their trial at the assius which com-
menced to-morrow, and what practical object could the
noble earl possibly have in view by bringing the subject
forward at such a moment? (Hear, hear.) There
had been no choice but for the Irish government to
prefer bills before the grand jury against these people; and
in doing so, be maintained that they had only followed
that course which according to law, tustice, and common
sense, it wes in their power to adopt. The noble earl pro-
fessed to Wide that the late government would not have
prosecuted these people. So far was that from being the
ease, that upon a petition presented to the late Lord Lieu-
tenant of Ireland by parties connected with the people
whose lives were lost, objecting to a prosecution by the law
otiteers of the crown, and praying that they might prosecute
by their own engines, as they had no confidence in the crown
lawyers, this was the answer given: " His Excellency thinks
it incumbent on him to mark and reprobate an application
made on such censurable grounds, and with such an object
as that of inducing him unconetitationally to suspend the
Attorney and Solicitor-General from the performance of
their imperative duty." (Hear, hear.) That was the way
in which the Lord lieutenant rreeggaarded the prosecution of
these soldiers; and that prosecatioa was rendered doubly
necessary by the step whieb the hits itott ae
through their Attorney-General. bad brought the
Puestion before the Court of Queen's when it was
lly argued, and the verdict of the ecesser's jury sue-
tained. Alter that, what amine remained but to follow
the legal proceedings ? (Hier, hear.) all the re-
aped be eatertaised for the arm 7 on all occasions, he had also
great regard for the due administration of the law ; and if
they were to have the law maintained at all in Ireland
they must not attempt to strain and thwart its just ad.
ministration by any such interference as that which
the noble earl proposed. (Hear, hear.) After the
trial it would be foe the government to de-
cide what mune they ought to pursue. As to the pro-
sedation of the priests, he would make no distinction be-
tweets soldier and print; what he wished to lay down be-
fore their lordehips was thin—and he would undertake that
as long as he had anything to do with the government of
Ireland it should be carried out without exception ; whether
ha be soldier or priest, or peasant, or peer, pieties should
be administered with strictness and impartiality. (Hear,
hear.) Of course, therefore, the bills would be proceeded
with against the priests Past the sun* as against the soldiers
—and the grand jury would deal with them as they thought
proper. (Hear, hew.)
The Earlof CARDIGAN—I have it is the hand-writing
Attorney-General of the late government that It wu
not their intention to hors prosecuted these *oldie».
The setter then dropped.