The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-06-16 00:00:00

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EXTZACTS
YRQII THE MINUTES OP EVIDENCE TAKEN FROM
TH E FIRST REPORT OP THE SELECT COO.
.3! ITTEE ON THE DISTRICTS 01 IRELAND UNDER
THE INSURRECTION ACT. •

Jolts, 13 die dfaii. 1821.
The Right Hon. Lord Viscount PALIIIIISTON in the Chair.

Frtincis litiarkbarne, Esquire, called in ; and examined.
Are not you one of the King's counsel aprointed to adminhter
the Ininineetion .Act ?-1 am.
• in wiust county ?—ln the county of Limerick, the county of the
arty of Limerick, and the baronies of liuncalty anti Tuna, in the
of Clare.
Wrwo did you Slit commence the
erA of Ara. 11t23.
!lave de goodness to state to the Committee your 'bearer the state
of the country at that period ?—ln April, lit: ?
Ver.—rhe ncnbern parts of the county of Limerick, comprising
fair baronies, were not at that time much disturbed ; but a great I
-teat of disturbance existed, and there were frequent outrages of an
Inunrcctionary character in the rest of the county. In the county
of the city of Limerick melt outrages were nut numerous and it
appeared an me that the Insurrection Act had there operated as a
measure of prevention in a most salutary manner. The baronies of
('fare had been recently proclaimed, and the spirit of insurrection
NA not established itself In them, in the same degree in which it
lad existed in the county of Limerick ; and it appeared to me, that
the disposition of the people was altogether better in Clete than in
.ay pan of Limerick.- That 1 think is, generally speaking, the
iituatios of Limerick and Clare, at the timer of my appointment.
Had not the Act been enforced in some part of that distriet, pre.
1..011% to your appointment ?--The Act bad been enforced from the
wiliest period at which it could be enforced, both in the county of
Llverick and the county of the city of Limerick ; but the prods-
oiet.ms of the two 'monies of Clare had been very recent.
nal you any knowledge of the este of theosunty previous to
vow a.irainistratioa of she insuuection Act ?—No ; I had clever
bewails Limerick, except on the occasion of a °Detested election in

i—ln the latter

I In ft
Were you aware of the state of the tourney per' to your
ansuroPti•rn of your office; I 1110111 SOS, to form yudgment as to
the state of it P—No ; but upon my maingto Limenck I, of course,
endeavored to inforninsyseff se correctly as possible with the ante-
cedent state of the districts which were then put under my juris-
diriow
Art you serouted with the situation of the people in the neigh..
beushood of Kildimo ?—No.
• flan you had many eases under the Insurrection Act, from either
that Owe or the vicinity ?--Several.
Are you aware that to the neighbourhood of Kildimo there are
or are not n considerable numberof resident gentry ?—I believe
there are in the neighbourhood, or not very remote from ft.
You mentioned, when you first went to administer the law in that,
&may, the state of it was very improved, to compared with that
which you collected from the reports you *eerie ?—Yes.
To what do you attribute the state of the ontintly ?—I attribute
it to the operation of the Insurrection Act, I attribute it to the esta-
blishnsent of the police. and I attributhit to the improvement of the
negativity of the country: to increased activity on the part of the
magistrate!, and the institution of the petty Sessions, which has
certainly given a vigour and consistency to the magenenal powers,
Which they had not before.
• Are on perfectly acquainted with the present state of that,
country, as to he able to say that you think that those other cireum-
stances you have mentioned, namely, the improved state of the
polite, the petty Session, and the activity of the magistrates,
without condnning the Insurrection Act, can secure the pram at
present ?—I think not.
Is it your opinion, seising froth the knowledge you have of that
part of the country, that if the operation of the Insurrection Act
eras not th be renewed by fresh enseetweds, it would be the cause
at' many mixed* gendemen deserting that pert of the country ?
.--Theserniment is universalamong* the gentry and magistrates.
thitit is in the present stated ths esantry, and the divposition of
the people, essentially newsier, fse their safety, to re-enact this
Act.
Doyen not attribute much of the efficacy of the Ineterection Act.
and the satisfaction it has afforded to the better classes of the
sonar?, to the caution with which it has been exercised, and the
anxious desire felt for exercising it with lenity and discretion ?
I So attribute a greet deal of it to that, and with respect to the
pain that government has taken upon the subject, I can my, that
*bat may rte termed the collateral duties of my. station are as itn.
portent, and not less troublesome than the judicial ones; I mean,
the reporting generally, and reporting upon petitions from convicted
prisorters ; not eve et those petitions comes to me without having
been as I believe, gpiously considered by the Lord Lieutesant.
I, if tonne, em obl . to compare the matters of them with my
note' ; and in many nstances, have reported the evidence at. large.
Pi msle when sobsequent matter has transpired, I am obliged-to
lien recourse to persons who can inform me upon the subject, I
have torn to report hilly to the Lord Lieutenant upon the matter;
and earn with teepee to those convicts, whose cases do not come
bedew me. on petidows to the government, before they leave Curt,
d list of their names is sent to me, and I ern desired to report,
whether there appears to be any reason for remitting or suspending
Ore otecution of there sentences ; this obliges me to go over my
note of the evidence, in order to enable me to report specidly to
the Lord Lieutenant, whether there be any cinema:am to jtutify
sue in saying whether the sentence ought to be emitted or net.
awe you not fonal in the conduct of the magistrates of the
nt Couy, as assisting. you in the discharge of your duty, that they
.hate been most anxious. as weO for thesafey and protection of the
Sleeeldi, SS for the enforcement of the law ?--Cectahily.
Om you 'peak as to the sentiments of the better and middle ranks
of fathers In the county of Limerick, with respect to the cond-
o:niece of the Insurrection Act ?—I cannot; if f were to form an
minden, I should say that several of then have Mt an interest in
close disturbances, and that their immunity from the payment Of
tact during the disturbances, was an advantage they felt they de.
wind *mu them. I recollect particularly a case, in which a farmer
of Opulent* had screened and protected two men charged with mur-
der ; and they were discovered envier a bed upon which kiss wife
AM daughter were lying to conceit them. f recollect /mother in-
mace, in it bleb a farmet came forward, to prosecute a man upon
.a
change of delivering a threatening message ; and the cress-exams,
nation of this man hy the prisoner himself, meat to shear that the
fanner brought forward the charge under a belief that the prisoner,
*to knew his secrets, would betray him, and bring him to justice
tin scene insurrectionary offences, unless he 11101 beforehand with
hiss.
90 you conceive, that the combination amongst the ineargcsts
iras beer very much broken up, in coesequesce of the number of
pens= who Wire turned approvers and King% evidence ?—Most
slecittelly.
lib you think there is any other circumstance which has tended
the strnrgly to break up the spirit of combination as that F—With
reopen to the degree of influence that the several causes mar pro.
dues, I cannot exactly answer; but I have always felt, with respect .
to the Insurrection Act, that the Act of Parliament which forted
the'perple to keep at home at night was the most efficient means of
metsedog combination.
-fir Me-. Uses of approvers which have had influence in banking]
writhe spirit of combination, have those-mom occurred in the trlalsl
andel the Insurrection Act, or in the trials under the ordinary ad-
ministration at the laws?—ln the trials underthe ordinary salmi-,
narration of the law.
llama there been an
yuses of approver, or King's evidence,
undo the Insurrection Act ?—I do not recollect one.; I.do not sew
tentibere nay bet bare been some, hut I do not now tecolloct one
before me.
4010,11iStshestiesces which are punishable under the Insurrection I
*et,. which do *au connive the mow impartam is magnitude aid
onathqueiae ?-.The most thapostant I minaive to be the winding
red. delivering threatening tasemageisood latthallal I manes any av-
agik whet their order** so iletneesof orissinality. The refund
te44hrer up finance sed enanninithe STO also important.
le opt •it within your-knowledge that lOW *Prowess who have
cape *ward ois trial Wee hest petmosepprehanded wider the
Insurrection Act.?—The Insurrection Act het been the mesas di
caithing up most of the eery lissichenellells lathe coantry t I an
wire that many of these pevons who have inetisie appeoene hays
Um appreliwitled, Is the fast Instants, under the Inaufroction
Ad.
1),, you think that they would have been a emended, if it had
son-Leta few the losierrect,ou Act ?--I think Is very iti-
niptable that they "od ft has in two Or three in.
4d;
smarm that a man has come Waned, to tsied„ and when behas
*pared publicly in dock.. has hone idandledies bong engaged in
*pig entragcor riot, by Mows persOn is tibeCTOssd•
* not, it at ling a very defficult thing to get informed* I—
cityou anthem that to the system of terror ?—I do; and Is
re's
Irlittr 65.
.
. sutra thick that the Insurrectisr. Au has been most Minn.
humeri is hankies that down 2—Lestately.
§,',49 *es stated that is post improvement has taken place, is
consequence of the Jr erection Act, in the pollee, sail the goo
ryas ia the musty or Lancia:. • do you moss to ear. distil**
metesures see likely to make the lower mien •(-passde omstantai
:04 peaciabk people, smut mica/Ails to the laws, andaillieg be
:loom in administering them ?—That thrones a question dams
its ; I value these as bringing things to sachet state as snip ast-
able those who have the waver, 10 -weedy the evils under which
theecountry has laboured; I coceite them. as tending topredate
a Moan to tranquillity, so as to al-on the operation of measures,
every man whit satins well to the country, would be glad to
stein operation.
fa your pertional experience of the administration of the insUr-
• radon Act, have you Tumid that the disturbances orereamained to '
'the slower tales, or did they elated to another desenpuon above
theme and in ease they _Alid rated to another description abases
term, can you state what description of persons P—l should think
shit the scry lowest labouring class were not 40 active in it as the
•ainall hincilicilders.
Are there missy of that description in the aunty of Limerick P
--slits.
Or the description of farmers, to distinruished from the &Lorin.
tire of persons who hold land in very elitist. quantities ?—I think
abbe are various dames of them.
,paw there a large body of farmers holding from ten acres of land
uposses2....yes, there ore ; I ehould say trurn 40 to Ile or 70 sem;
`I BM sure there la a large body oftemplent that description.
la speaking. of tbs.causes of the spirit of iu.surrection which you
(Mee suited t 9 the Committee, have they been, in your opioion. the
• consexof it,,tir may they not ell be rather considered as proximate
,des of the spirit of inwirreetion, than as forming altogether an
societal cause to aceenrivfer it ?—I think that most of them are
Jimotimate causes, and I think that all the rest create a facility for
:the orceptiun and difilision et ii.
it gillirt not among the lower orders of people in Indeed, Vas-
may ape
ea fisting tbat imam s.preApposig omits WOW