The Express.
London, England, 1847-12-10 00:00:00

conetababuy wee find, and a maximum laid down,
which the Lad-Llestenant could not go, being
every county, and 16 for every barony and town.
were, however, provisions, by whieh the number tosill'a
issereased, on the requisition of seven
that the number was insufficient he a A
and secondly, the number might be
peoelemation by the Lord-Lieutenant M/ •
subsequent act to 100. Since the polio* had bemm hemeaset
they had been paid partly out of the consolidated fund and
partly out of the county eras. It bad been suggested that
power should be given to the Lord-Lieutenant to remove the
police from a part of the country which was quiet to a dia.
turbed district ; but that power already existed by a Provi-
sion in the Zth see. of 8 Will. IV. By 2 and 8 Viet., c. 26,
a reserved police force was established, which was retained in
Dublin, on the principle of a regimental depot, and the man
were trained under constsbulary officers ; and a portion of
them might be sent oa en emergency to assist in repressing
outrage. The number had been increased to 400, and the
constabulary generally pasted through this body,
which was thus a means of feeding the demand whisk
might arise in the police forte is different conetioe
What would be done by the third clause of the bill would be
to remove the limit placed on the power of the Lord-Lieu-
tenant, and to leave it to his discretion to appoint as many
constables in disturbed districts u he thought fit. It was
also thought desirable to increase the number of the con-
stabulary depot He hoped it would now be underrood
that there was no limit whatever on the number of police
that the Lord-Lieutenant could send into proclaimed dis-
tricts. Hitherto, half the charge had been borne by the
consolidated fund, and half by the county, but now the
whole charge would be borne by the county. It had been
suggested that it would be desirable that the charge for the
additional police should not be coextensive with the dis-
trict; but by this bill, if the Lord-Lieutenant should proclaim
any huger district than that in which a police forte wee
necessary, they would be appointed to act upon the mei
where they were required, sad that part of the district weal
be chargeable. There was another point which bad
been alluded to by the hon. member for Heath—viz., the
appointment of special constables. By the 2nd & 3rd
Win. IV., c. 108, powers ware given to call out persons to
aid in the execution of the law in disturbed districts. It
was, no doubt, clearable that the Lord-Lieutenant should
put the power given by that act into force where it could
be done safely and beneficially. The hon. member for Meath
&aid it was desirable that the people should be taught to sat
in their own defence. He (Sir G. Grey) agreed with him,
and, under the Special Constables Act, they might do so.
He believed it was correct that Lord De Freyne and his
brother, the hon. member for Roscommon, by virtue of that
set, had called out their tenantry, who were now sworn in
as special constables for that county, and had rendered vale-
able aid in the suppression of outrage. This example,
he believed, had been followed by the other bon. member
for Roscommon, and also on the estate of Lord Dillon. Hs
had, however, been often told that there were parts of the
country where the powers of that act could not be put fa
force, for that, *wing to the sympathy with crime which
existed, it would not he safe to make the people special con-
stables. He hoped that this was exaggerated, and that the
gentry would aid the government in their attempt to indite.
the sound part of the population to share in the repression el
crime. There was soother point with regard to the law »-
taring to accessories. It was said that the government would
not alter the law with regard to the instigators of crime. As
hon. friend of his bad to-night given notice of a clause with
regard to accessories which would receive his (Sir G. Grey's)
attentive consideration. The objections which had been
made related to accessories before the fact. The attention
of the government and the Lod Lieutenant had been elle
traded to this point, and it was their opinion that mem ef
punishing and preventing that 01111•99 bed shank bass
given by the law ; but there were ether dilienhlios will Pe.
treed to evidence of the precis words mod and the wain
of individuals who formed an exception to their dem; emit
was stated by the Lord-Lieuteuant that the Roman wails
clergy, as • body, had rendered most efficient alai'? renewing
crime. With regard to the statements made by individuals,
whether priests or laymen, there was only one sworn infor-
mation laid; and the Lord-Lieutenant had stated that if suffi-
cient grounds were shown that a prosecution might be insti-
tuted with success, he should not shrink from reforming
that duty as well as any other which was required
in the administration of ;the affairs of Ireland. Provision,
however, wax made for these cases by the existing law. By
the 23rd sec. of 9 Geo. IV., c. 54 (by which statute the law
of England was made applicable to Ireland), it was enacted
"That for the more effectual prosecution of accessories before
the fret, if any person should weasel, procure, or command
another to commit a felony, either by common law or statute,
they !nay be indicted and convicted ; and this even if the
principal felon is not convicted." By 10 34,
sec. 9, " Every person who solicits, encourages, persuades, or
incites another to commit murder, shall be guilty of
felony, and subject to capital punishment." He (Sir G.
Grey) did not know that any law could be devised more
stringent than this. He should not traipses further on the
house, but be thought it advisable to endeavour to remove
some misconceptions which had arisen, and to answer sug-
gestions which had been made to him.
Sir R. PEEL said that it appeared to him that it
would be an advantage if there was a distinct re-
cital in the present bill of the enactments which the
right hon. gentlemen had mentioned, instead of referring
to those acts. It might be doubtful, when the enactments
were not contaieed is this bill, what was the law, and in
cue legal difficulties should arise, which they often did, by
the reference in onestatute to other acts, it might be advan-
tageous to recite those onstunta.
Sir G. GREY add that he supposed the suggestion of the
right hon. gentleseen related to the 17th clause. He did
I AM think, If the *bit biaa baronet would look into that
clause, that be went ilad say advantage in the reenact-
ment of the mamma reheard N. The two acts in question,
1b& 18 Geo. HI. 31,1011 &S Will.lV., 0.44, commonly
called the Whitehoy At sentained certain penalties, and
the preambles mita that the object of the acts was to
punish AWNS Wein out of agrarian disturbances
nisr then asst. Helm inidesce could be given in a pro-
seenties it wee nuseisay that witnesses should be called to
slaw the state el the faxatary with regard to disturbances ;
end if ths jury nee maid that it was snoh as was required
by the preamble of the set, then the prosecution was pro-
ywith. la the peensat bill, not onl was the prelimi-
riest of the Mietautiances dispensed with, but it would
be seashint that the Marin nould have been proclaimed by
the Lord-Lieutenant.
Mr. J. O'CONNELL mid that in putting the question
which he didpt=gimaing of the debate, his object was
to give the ens mere &sus of showing that co-
ercion we. act the may messiase to be applied to Ireland.
He had, however, me Mager any hips. The policy of Eng-
land to Inieul ems sainies. sad se it would continue to
the end el the aspen and the pie of Ireland must
give thameshee se despair. The Wneasin to this bill
whisk led beet wind by In misimbess had meshed no
shoe et the atemillea et the tight his. seialsawn but he
had shissesst himself with MN te the here el twe leglish
maelars, lest semis pectins el the hill Unit wit meet
*sir Moss al arewity. At least there might have been so
amen fisswary new, to ths bin numbers as that their
Medea eidedielle to the bill sicald haws remind an an-
swer. The YE ems as doubt gales safe. It mast be carried.
They (Nos kin meenses) hid amt swan et resisting it, not
even by wait =this fetus el the hens, which had
been cast s be (Kr. O'Connell)
&it sat swift mu eimuntssrleri=ty he could serve his
belisma However, fees the pain at which the
ebtisata as. bruin in, they coma set sensed in resisting
it. They ban defence. The govenseset EWA trample on
them, and ea their counasiz they het already done
en immay ,by bawled this bill. Was
this the ger .111111•ViSON them that they were in error in
*Wass thst nothing but *a awn parliament could do
yet to their sewn; Wu this the way to Induce them to
en me the skinned their lima and which they were pledged
be the people ist. Ireland es carry into effect? How could
their sje,, diellidiele that the repeal of the union was
Ile iiasalle
it= Ireland be removed when even
'Mir ureaswered, while every deference
tees p 77.• *linen esmsessid by English members? If
thie weeao,it itbe deiced at ones that the Irish mem.
be. het act hstisem therm sad that the people of Ireland
meet lenge dins& the aseskary ofelecting members. He did
net gun the ineesinstissef this hill because he was assured
by the right ism penman that it would be partial in its
net ft would apply only to certain districts.
gplit=ele able the Lord-Lieutenant was empowered
to asks it applicable to any part of Ireland.
Clan soneles ask the assurance given by the right bon.
glonldemen? Jny esvaty could be proclaimed , it was not
useemeny that it Una be disturbed, and it depended only
Me the itofemen
t of the Lord-Lieutenant, who was made an
absolute attestor ts apply the provisions of the bill
to the whole et Ireland. He (Mr. O'Connell) main
tabled that this was practically a breach of faith
on the pert of the right honourable gentleman. If,
tise pessaaCamosamaamt were removed from office, which
dm* Plerbefe- _he within two months from the present
Maui welts wog pat la the hands of those whom they them-
selves diglimffielld=st soh as this bill contained
—powers
which he abused ? He impugned this bill
as boobies's* beseght la violation and in direct breach
of the satteentat upon which its substance had been an-
imas's& big
dayegemi auk, by the right hon. bart. at the
Wed et Os hens seletneett. He trusted, however, that
urea seised sot whew thoughts, some member of the
ffeesermist wadi Alma die konas some on planation why
stbss= bed lase fads. He trusted at the right
amber Jer Drogheda (Sir Wm. Somerville),
one had bees basyst by the Irish people until he
Ind esensetai himself with a coercion ministry, would yst
=Mk the same feeling for the welfare of las
reentry that he bed manifested when the last messure of
sesesion was under discussion in that house. Lax.rtee
ening previnsu which had been included in the
Mennen he (Mr. J. O'Connell) was Foperedi:
prioemsamonee, and he asked who It would ad be
whils, in order to obtain the unanimous umearremes
t and the speedy transit of the bill
to hews. the government stated was et 1101611°Ilt
imperbaw) Is divide the bill, and in a sheet bill be mast,
priding giving pow= to increase the polies ewes eat to
alai& sees species of mglaration Units, and prevent
anus bang borne lithe disband thin* la ths open day ?
To web &lilt he would curet, Vat imbued of this, the
government had boundthereprevislons together with clauses
which he felt bound to -mailateined that
search for arms Oily ought to tea Mired to be
mete in the presence ef stleulllwe matliaratei
bet evia if a pre** ea that Mist was to. be
Wonted is imendtter, still the meant appointment of Mr.
;yin, of Obussi, s a' stipsfaMsq megutrate, did not
men any grounds tar awellAwalar aim such a proviso would
work w 4. Mr. Rpm baCtaltna.am waive part at election
th Tperary, sad , Is tie political and religious
suil tie hel been appointed a sti-
, in the direct teeth of
nessehers at county, and for the
county Itself. He y odious is Tipperary, end