The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-01 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

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HOUSE OF LORDS—This Evening.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on woolsack at
Ave o'clock.
AMERICAN RECRUITING IN IRELAND.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE moved for copies of
any reports that may have been received by her Majesty's
Government respecting recruiting in Ireland for the North
American army, and asked whether any remenstrance
against such proceedings had been addressed to the Federal
Government. The noble marquis said ho felt the subject of
such importance as to bring it under the notice of Parlia-
ment, and he did not think a graver offence against enter-
national law could be committed than the endeavour of a
foreign country to enlist solders for its army in the terri-
tories of ono with which it desired to be at peace. The
offence at one time was considered so great that ft was
punishable with death, and he found in 1749
three men were actually executed for the com-
mission of the crime, and it was not until 1819 that
the act was abolished. It was a notorious fact that recruit-
ing had been going on in Ireland for the Federal Govern-
ment for the last two years, and es far as he knew no steps
had been taken to atop the illegal proceeding. He hold it
to be a disgrace to the country such a state of things
should be permitted. (Hear, hear, from the Oppo-
sition.) There was no doubt the Irish Government
know what was going on, and it was not to be supposed that
the Irish Government had not reported the fact to the Go-
vernment on this side of the water. The only conclusion
that could be drawn from the statistics published by the
Emigration Committee was that numbers of the able bodied
young men emigrating to America were intended for the
Federallarmy. lie would give their lordships one instance,
which he thought would illustrate the manner in which
the system was worked. An Irishman arrived in Galway,
and put about that he wished to secure the services of A
number of young men for a contractor in America. He
(the Marquis of Clanricarde) took such steps with regard
to the person that when found, although he had set out
under the pretence that ho wished to secure the services of
2,000 men, he had barely sufficient to pay his own expenses.
He told him his opinion of the matter, and instead of
referring him to any subject of her Majesty, the person re-
ferred him to the American consul at either Liverpool or
Dublin, who would testify he was a person of solvent cir-
cumstances, and quite able to carry out all he proposed to
do Why, it was perfectly clear that the object this person
had in view was neither more nor loss than to secure
the services of young men for the American army.
The noble lord then referred to the case of the six men who
had been enlisted in Cork Harbour for the Federal
frigate Kersage. These mon were in the most paltry man-
ner prosecuted for offenccs,instead of any eteps being taken to
remonstrate against such proceedings on the part of the
American Government. (Hear, hear.) That ho consi-
dered was the proper course for her Majesty's Government,
yet, instead of doing that, they preferred to press
heav►ly upon the six poor men. Ho considered the neu-
trality of this country had been most partial, and not at all
in consonance with the honour and dignity of the country.
The noble marquis concluded his observations by repeating
his question.
Earl RUSSELL said ho did not think it necessary to
refer to, or discuss many of the subjects brought forward
by the noble lord. He admitted that such an offence as the
noble lord had described was undoubtedly a breach of the
Foreign Enlistment Act, and that it was the duty of the
Government to take steps to put a stop to such proceedings.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]