The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-03 00:00:00

BILL.

Lord NAAS moved the second reading of the bill for
fur idler suspending the Habeas Corpus Act in Ireland,
assuring the house that nothing but the belief of its abso-
lute necessity would have induced the government to ask
for a continuance of these extraordinary powers, which
had been so boldly and prudently used by the late govern-
ment that they had produced • great sense of @acuity
among the loyal and well-disposed portion of the commu-
nity. Altogether '730 persons had been arrested, and 320
were still in custody, who must he discharged uncondi-
tionally on the Ist of September if this act were allowed
to expire. The government desired to deal with these
men in a spirit of forgiveness, but before discharging
them desired to have these powers continued,
so that they might take securities from them that they
would leave the country and engage no more in their
treasonable designs. To show that Fenianism was not
yet extinct, he pointed to the mid on Canada and recent
meetings in the United States, and mentioned that within
a very recent period drillings bad been going on in
various parts of Ireland. It was hoped that when, by
the continuance of these powers, the American agents
were driven and kept out of the country, the people
would at last become awake to the hopelessness of this
conspiracy. Lord Naas next adverted to Mr. Meguire's
resolutions, expressing s modified concurrence in some of
them—in any other sense but as an amendment to this
Bill—but dwelling chiefly on the last two, which point to
liberal legislation as the true cure for Irish ills. He
pointed out that the Fenian agitation was not directed
against any causes which could be remedied by legislation ;
that the Fenian repudiated the authority of the Roman
catholic church, and contemplated a general confiscation
of the land, so that no change in the established church or
in the tenure of land could content them. That, however,
he assured the house, would make no difference in the
earnest desire of the government to introduce and promote
any legislation which might be advantageous to Ireland.
Mr. MAGUIRE moved a string of resolutions affirming
that the circumstances of Ireland have changed since the
ect was first passed, that the supremacy of the law had
been sufficiently vindicated by the ordinary tribunals, that
political excitement bad faded away, and recommending
a liberal and remedial policy instead of repressive mea-
sures. He asserted that there were not above 50 men now
in prison who would not gladly give any assurance in their
power to get out, that Fenianism was dying out both in
America and Ireland, and referred to the records of the
aseises to show that crime was greatly onthe decrease. After
dilating at great length on the land question, which he as-
serted lay at the root of the difficulty, he exhorted the go-
vernment to come forward next session with lugs and libe-
ral measures of conciliation.
Mr. GLADSTONE, agreeing with Mr. Maguire that the
land question was the chief canes of Irish evils, and shar-
ing in the desire to see it justly settled at the earliest
moment, supported the bill, pointing out that in former
cases the powers now asked had generally been taken for
a longer period than six months, and expressing a confi-
dent belief that they would be exercised in • lenient
spirit. In discussing Mr. Maguire's resolutions be pro-
nounced a glowing eulogium on the good faith of the
American government during the late raid on Canada,
and an equally vigorous denunciation of the malig-
nant wickedness of that enterprise ; and, while
agreeing in the general spirit of the resolutions, be
argued that they were no reply to this demand of the
government. The members of the late government,
having consulted together, were of opinion that had they
remained in office it would have been their duty to make a
similar request; consequently they were ready to take
then share of responsibility for this measure.
The bill was opposed by Sir G. Bowyer, Mr. O'Beirne,
and Mr. Dillon, who argued that no sufficient ease of
urgency had been made out, and supported by Sir F.
Heygate who believed that it would bring about a feeling
of conhaicnca which would induce a return of English
capital to the country.
Hr. OSBORNE shamed the condition of Ireland on
English legislation, and particularly on the measures
of rirdi which had been adopted, and taunted
the ' government with not daring to call out
the NINA w pat alma in the hands a Irish