The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-20 00:00:00

ORDNANCE SURVI4.YS.

Mr. CHARTERIS wished to ask the Chancellor of
ihe Exchequer whether the Governmeat have con•
sider. d the Reprt of the Commi+tee which was up-
peinted during IEI4 session to inquire into the Ordnance
survey of ; and whether they intend t adopt
and ECG upon the recommendations contained in the
rcport.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
-onions ot the o.dnihnee survey tor the counies of
Y irk, Lancasier, %Vinton, and Wicklow, had tiei-n sur-
veyed, and punfished on a six-inch scale. and the
Treasury had directed that the surveys of those CULIII-
- should be compi,-ted nu the same scale.
COLONEL OU PRAM.
In reply to L'i!d JOCELYN,
Mr. FOX MAULE said the India Board had
rc-
cetved a ilispwcti from 13,,mbsy concerning the dismiiial
Of Col ,net Outratn, and nothing more. The reasons
for the dismissal were not assigned in the dispatch.
THE ST. ALBANS WITNESSES.
The SERGEANT-AT-ARMS appeared at the bar, and
informed the House that on ihe 9th instant, attending n
the House as Sergeant, hnd been served with a notice
0, action i i the C.Jurt of Exchequer, at the suit of
William Lima, one of the witnesses in the
St. Albans election petition; and on the 17th
waction, to which he was requires to
days. Before taking any steps insne mat-
r,thought it his duty to inform the House of
pleadt
eith a
he❑in n o
tourti
had of
Oat• circuma' ape, a.
Oti the motion of Lord J. RUSSELL the declaration
.
was ordered to be printed, and the matter to be taken
into consid ration to-morrow.
Mr. ROEBUCK said, that as the Sergeant-at-Arms
was required to plead 30 soon, he thought they had
better take some untnediate step. The first thing to be
done would be to take up the attorney who had issued
the writ.—(Laughter )

THE LORD-LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND AND
THE WORLD NEWSPAPER-VOTE OF
WANT OF CONFIDENCE.

Lord NAAS then ruse to move the followinge r solu-
tion:— " That, in the opinion of this House, the transac-
tions which appear recently to have taken place be-
tween the Irish Government and the editor of
a Dublin newspaper. are of a nature to weaken
the authority of the Executive, and to refl.,'"
discredit on the administration of public affairs."
In rising to propose thus resolution he felt that he r
miught
claim the indulgence of the House for the very peclia
circumstances under which he was placed. It was a I,l?set
invidious task to be obliged to impute hoseaTh n
actions of public men, and particularly ot ~,
there-
high office under the Crown. The Elou.se woluphil
hew as
fore, see the vary disagreeable position i h
th r • h Was
hOugliwttrallif,dd b
e greatoblni.
obliged
re-
who placed. His
bileicsa us reluctancehe
a;hethPaZsteongtne.w"ec_aswiTcit
who mixed in public affairs.
,pent fir the charact.r of the individuals to whom hesbenid
be obliged to allude. lie bad the deepest regard for the
great personal qualities, the talents, and private worth of
the Noble Lord who filled the offi,:e of Lord-Lieutenant
Ireland, and he must say tons th,,
to arraign certain acts which the Noble Lord and hi,
c tuld
Government bad committed. be did not at
in the least degree in-
tempt to deny
that that individual and that liovt-tnrr,
11 also upon
great services to the State. He , Lit had performed
thienh
think that their services vvoul.j._, tan, however,
submit t i
forwarderent
ritmbhist motion he was
&piece the opinion of
taking any step uttwortahn
I snwHo. her: etohhft it,
consideredkhhateth altihii,antudst
House
bringing
be
eo the question
-i- it. He could
y of himself or of that House.
con-
sider the to take excepions win, eavnedryteMeeown:
puolic acts of a public man.—(Hear, hear.)
He felt, however
any Member that a deep responsibility reatid upon
whotook such. a course, but he was
convinced that before he sat down he should show
to thetit
House
Inite beingtlifl thatllg
i the acts which he arraigned were far
and T thathi
This
whaiad motionnot
apersonal
was rot
with. ,u t foundation.
attack—
that he wished perfectly to be understood—he impugned
the acts of a public man on public grounds. They were acts
unjustifiable in themselves, and involving, moreover, an
on warantable expenditure of the public money. He
would, however, detail the history of the transactions as
they were first brought to light by a trial which oc-
curred at Dublin on the 15th of Di-cember last. Th,4
action was brought against the Secretary for Ireland
by an individual of the wilift of Birch for
money said to be due from him for
services dune by Birch to the Secretary. The demand
was for a balance due for work aid labour done, and
amounted in all to 6,7001,. of which 6,0501. was for arti-
-350/ for attending the Se-
at 5/. per week, and 3001.
copies of the World' newspaper. The main
:col era st
1, insertedi2ry,oor no
lat iivne ttoh those oWs ee7 alrdti; cI e
the case were not dent( d, it was not objected
wrailtehr s
rhota n dsi ne
egr e
work had not been done;
wtbuttars,
ay,t
withha en
ddefencethat
Le was,ohrad
tfhacattathole
raiagelildncunlloatiums due from him. He would now
Lt h
iaetut
discharged Lord-
Lieutenant hneanet
show the
It
had
of the gentleman
and
dceeodf ttoh,,
1846 its ctrealatyioenar%svad been eathblished in
Dublin some
aboutprevious,co per week, the tots
Innumiati4e7r stampse. and in the year
_ issued.as in the year being 30,916.
1; imitation had riaoa to 3903, in 1848

,f

it. hed doubled, being then 60,970. It w.s.s a paper 0
peculiar character, it had always contained articles of con.
siderahla taleet on public Anne; but there were alsd to be
found in it articles of the most disgraceful character. to
which he could find no paralh 1 except in the
paper for-
merly Published called the London Satirist.—((,ries of
Oh, ohl") These personal attacks were of the
grosssst and most horrible description—they were at-
tacks upon private individuals, gave names, and entered
into the topics of private life. No person was safe
female chastity and manly honour alike were assailed
and accusations made which were a disgrace
to any journal to insert at all.—(Hear, hear.)
It appeared that it had been the practice of this man to
endeavour to extort money from various individuate
under the threat of publishing articles of this description.
Mr. Birch, in fact, was indicted for one of the gravest
libels that could possibly be committed upon any ma'!,
and the prosecution was conducted by her Majesty
Attorney-General for Ireland. He was found guilt,'
and sentenced to six calendar months' imprisonment,
and yet this was the man 'and this was the paper
that was employed by Government to write in
' the in erest of law and order. This was the paper
selected by the Lord-Lieutenant to assist him and beig.
Government in repressing the very outrageous proceee
ings that were then occurring in the sister kingdom.
He could not help thinking that this was both an error in
principle and an error of judgment, It was an error in
principle, because it was quite impossible to say
that any public officer would be justified in engaging
for one moment the services of a man already contiete
of a serious crime, and whose paper was knowiato be
disreputable. It was impossible to defend' that action
and no one he was sure would be found hardy eabugb
to do it.—(Rear, hear.) He thought also it wasett
error of judemcnr, because no assistance. which
eild be rendered by such a paper could be
of any use to a Government if it was kw:l°'
and there was nothing to prevent its being
known that the paper had been paid to write in suppers
of law and order. No paper coeld carry with it; any
moral influence when it was open to the imputation
having been corrupted with a bribe.—(Heur, h'ar';
~
He would now proceed to state to the House
shortly us he could the negotiations which passed be'
tween Mr. Birch and the Irish Government. It ap;
peered that he became associueed with the Government
in 1848, and he received, in the early part of that year,
through the hands of Mr. Concellan (one of the secret
of the Government. Afterwards he was instructs
taries at the Castle), 3501. for writing in falciptsid
tt what
would t o
ee writeeeu afrboomu t
theandpaper how to
thattimhee.fhaiisthafrutillyiee'sai and
rred
out the intention; for, on the sth of April, be was the
tole
to work up the French affairs, and he did so inotil:
next number of his paper. In the month of JelY
Birch came to London, and had an interview .wille.
Sir William Somerville, but Sir William Solverv;a
knew nothing at this time of the compact that subSis`
between him and the Castle, and he was requested t
call again . When he did call again Sir William blideerei;
ceivrd a letter from Lord Clarendon, in Dublin, and be
Birch was promised 5001, which the party, who we' tae
agent through whom the promise was made, said :eels
not enough, for he thought Mr. Birch would have P7ll
ill-paid it' he had demanded eight times as milebe'—( a
laugh.) Mr. Birch, however, never
more than 2501. iu London, and in October ur
returned to Dublin. - where he had an nes
view with Mr. lasiville, another secretary, and'
paid the other 2501. Up to this time he had receir 0
800/., but the communications between this gentlecoan
and the Government appeared to have been carried oa,
in 1849, and it would seem from a letter whi°ll:l4
written to him that his was not the on
paper that had been subsidized.—(Elear, he aid
[here was another paper that had Pee° els3d
rectitte
in this way, and he really did think the Reuse 'A be
right to know what this other newspaper was, 0n",,,t 0
amount of public money that was paid for the fittfrelee
of buying its support.—(Hear, hear.) Shortly 0",0
this disclosure was made to Mr. Birch, be
printed in his paper language that was considered
disrespectful to acme one in the Castle, and he vi;
therefore called upon to retract it for 100 I, which eec
teinly was a very pleasant way of settling an, aeffal)
of honour like that.—(Hear, hear, and a iaeuTin'at
bir W. Somerville, in a letter to Mr. Birch, date" ;.es
April, 1850, said he believed no journalist ;jou
ever treated with greater generosity and att°lloo
than Mr. Birch.—(A. laugh.) Other correspondenet
passed between the parties, but at last Mr. Birch tee,
in his "little bill" to the Lord-Lieutenant, whieb vitna
couched in the following terms:—" Supporting law r)
order in the World for two years."—(Loud laug
" To rendering service to the Government, 50/. a-tvelof
6,sool."—(Laughter.) The Lord-Lieutenant nate' •
refused to pay, and Mr. Birch .commenced proceedings
against him in the Queen's Bench in Ireland, which to
might observe was one of the must extraordinary CO,
in the kingdom. - The Noble Lord then proceeded be
detail the proceedings in that court, the nature Of toti
compromise made by the Government, by wbl
2,000/. eels banded to Mr. Birch on condition o,s is
destroying certain documents and letters in his Plci
session, and the ultimate trial which took place,
al
lasted for two days. The Lord-Lieutenant
'
i
sworn on his oath, and in the course of be
evidence admitted that the letters then Pr°ducils
and made public were written by his authority 4
also said he had requested bir W. Somerville to 11:0
Mr. Bitch some money, but denied that the
newspaper was the paid organ of the Geyer,
however, right to teeetien that during
went, or that he had ever lead it. It , a7`,.;
World was in the employ of the Government leading
articles appi-ured in its columns from time to time prate:
log the policy o' the Lord-Lieutenant and of the Foreigldie
ffiee. It was absurd to say that the arrangement made
with Mr. Bitch was of a temporary character-90'1,P o;
the twee years tm
to advocate order while rebellion existed in 1r I
land, for the rebellion ceased on the arresd
of William Smith O'Brien, in October, 1848, anns
yet during the whole of 1849 Mr. Birch was ei (motet%
c .mtnunication with the Government. As late as
eat
'There that year he received 100/. from the Lord-Lieutsn'enns
There could be no doubt, therefore, that the arrangelid
with that gentleman was to support the general P„ere
of the Government on condition of his receiving 'bp
tarn reward. flit; money came out of tbeifoueelt
purse, and, as a member of the Opposition, " ion
it to be his duty to bring the subject under the ettgoolf
of the House.—(Hear.) The decision which the iity,
would come to would affect the scale of public moraend-
--(Cheers.) The Noble Lord then concluded 11l
ing the terms (.f his motion.
estio°
Lord J. RUSSELL then rose and said--The WI"
which the Noble Lord has brought forward The
attempt he said, a most grave one, and let not the Noble oe
attempt to dimicish its gravity.—( Hear, bear') „err
Noble Lord has said that be wished to do nothing 'tato
cloudy ; and, at the commencement of his Teloarke:erlt.
said that he did not mean to make a single harsh r 0e she
Now, the House must be aware that the oWnleiPecr of the
Noble Lord by his motion is to bla,t thee baraireisa4-"
N..ble Lord at the head of the Governmt 'n bee fen-
(Cheers)—to affix a disgrace upon a Man who
ho los
der. d great public services—(Loud cbeers)--; great
is certeinli:
been for many sears (-timed in public li'e ell. ell, hall
credit and with great honour, and who, above or.
render° f great public service to that country of 4 es,s)
lion of which the Noble Lord is a Member of.—(i_teoii;
Let not the House, then, at all believe that the N !J.O
morality—(Cheers)—for it must e",
reference to public moralt
whichhave mentioned, and
he as
consequences what foundation
Ltaitirdthieseborairsieging forward a question of mereapeco.loll,
examine, therefore, upon
80 penal a declare'
embodied in his resolution.--(H_
ear, hear.) k,
as that to these transactions require, t`ll
facts with respect . grave and
to
:after the see
House to come
to be gone over again narration of them by r,
Noble Lord. In thefirst place, let me say, howeree
the matter,
notice or
of
tptt his
Nobler e I aLt
oi or
di
,tivgl
tnat for my par: I never heard from Lord Clarendoelb
eueptiolttafttheirs
tendon to bring on this motion—in fact, fouree "hi° 8-ra
The letter which had been referred to by the r,°--er
as having been addressed to me by "B. be,
lieve cast aside unnoticed,Mr. ir
con3onnictv
tions which frequently comas one of those°
le Ago St
s
sMinrg. Ifie Birch,
either so wild or insane eto me from Peel ne notice,
—(Hear, hear.) Let as not to be desert' al/40,0 as
me now then state the eve
had heard them
from
Lord CI laden, as d
gathered them from "re • au as,
the reports of the
trial,
believe them sprit%
undoubtedly to have been. thei
lase fn
of 1848. utter the revolution which had taken PI At
France, the state of Ireland was one of great Perlo,
that L'me Mr. Birch sought the Lord-Lieutenant 0 war
land and told him that his own disposition wag:. jobt the
of supporting the Government of the country 'lO4 die'
revolutionary doctrines which were then so actively
Ivo
persed umorig the people, and that as his newsPaPet Per
a weekly one and circulated directly with the
bicious of these publications whicn were ereae 0. the
B up
rebellion, he could be of great use in maintaita
connexion between Great Britain and Irelatad, au ser
supporting the cause of peace and the, ender
ienance of law. In this situation of affairs, and ender
to
circumstances which I shall have hereafter to desVeger.
the House, Lord Clarendon accepted Mr. Bitch 6wrds
Mr. Birch than stated—and I will quote again 01,14000
which Lord Clarendon used, and to which the 50d
Lord has already referred:—" I then saw Mr. 13,,re.b'ealo
in the state of public affairs at the time, I think I eedeell
have failed in my duty if I had not accepted offer' Dion
any person made in support of law and order. .hir• lb;
offered to write in that sense, and I told him be alt
'Os
do so, although I did not expect much good tee wee
from his labours.—(A laugh.) I told him. at the
eent,
time, that he should offer no support to the &Vera; op
and that, as for myself, he might abuse me as ra, °leech
he liked, as 1 was perfectly indifferent to it.
endon
Sir, that passage shows that what Lord Ciar_sie"
wished to ho done was writing in favour of the Imeed
tenance of law against the attempts at rebellieoteire
that he did not seek any support to his own B(1031401
time The fetter afterwards written by the ;ipd,
Honourable Baronet, the Chief Secretary for teriarefr
corroborated exactly what was stated by Lord sl pep
don. On the 30th of April, 1849, Sir %V. Son° ne
said, in a letter addressed to Mr. Birch, " As fat
_id
am concerned, my solo motive throughout was, to
journalist who professed himself anxious to self ;sit
the cause of public order; nor can 'charge my lased to
having done, or left undone, anything at all calcu Teo
give you just cause of complaint." On the 3d Of "
10441'
1849, he ulso writes, "If there is anything I Gan
re/On!'"
tbe
mately do to aid you in your efforts to pbe 015 _tact.
cause of order and good government, I shall „ f
And regain, in November of the same year, be °ll‘, sae
can have no other viow than the public good, an
the same for the other parties named in your
geeu7renslon
cation." Theme are the statements of Lord tilbwrie
and of the Right Honourable Baronet the Chi' they
tary for Ireland. The Noble Lord opposite Red too.
are men of nigh character—he has not unpOg7;to,olo36
character—and therefore the House, upon Ull°ll,ol peitig
""
of the Noble Lord, will accept those dechira

the real motive which actuated the Lord-Lieutenant of
Ireland and the Chief Secretary throughout these trails-
"inns —(Cheers.) The edif,or of this newspsper—
the World—the Noble Lord says was a perste.' who was
discredit to any newspaper with which he was eon-
nectar!, and referred to his previells c 'unexi nay, and
although he acquits Lord Clarendon of any knewfedge
of the facts, he states that he certainly ought to heve
known them. Now, for my own part, the firsi. occesien
Upon which I had ever heard or read of the World
newspaper, was seeing a letter which was written by
Mr. Elliot, who formerly held the position of secretary
to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and who spoke
in the most complimentary terms or the news-
Paper. The letter was date i September, 1842, and
was as follows:—" Sir—Bslievine- that the recent
prosecution instituted against the World newspaper was
g
fleet to the displeasure with which some of the poli•
oPponents of the present Government have viewed
the Course taken by that journal, I cannot but exceed-
ingly regret that the very independent support which
You have given to the measures of the Government
should' have subjected you to this treatment. Dif-
feringas you do from the Government upon many and
moat Political opinions, 'cannot but think that your con-
duct as proprietor of the World. in having considered
and discussed their acts with impartiality and candour,
is very creditable to you. With these feelings I very
'stiflingly subscribe the sum of 501. to the fund for pay-
ing the expenses of this prosecution." This letter Was
written at the very time that the Earl of St. Germans
watt Chief Secretary for Ireland—and the Earl of St.
Germans is a man of the highest character—(Hear,
hear)—and I certainly never should have supposed, •
after seeing that letter, but that the editor of this
newspaper was the editor of a respectable journal.
expressing his own impartial and independent opi-
nions.—(Elear, hear.) Mr. Birch had sent me copies
of a number of other letters, some of them to the
same effect, purporting to be from Earl De Grey,
Earl Glengall, and others. I know not what authority
those letters may have, and I shall not, therefore, quote
them. I received the letters to-day, and as I consider that
the word of Mr. Birch is but of little value, I shall de-
cline to quote them upon his own unsupported authority.
Mr. Birch, it appears, in his statement to Lord Claren-
don, stated that it was very difficult to procure a sale
for a paper which did not deal in the exciting topics of
the day in favour of rebellion, and asked him for some
money to enable him to get a.tents, and to pay for the
expenses connected with increasing the circulation.
That, it appears, was the first beginning of his re-
ceiving money, and Lord Clarendon at first let him have
1001, which was afterwards increased by various pay-
- Ments to 1,7001. But in the year 1849 the times had
Materially changed. At the end of 1349 there was no
longer any danger to be apprehendedlo Ireland, and it
appears that the Lord-Lieutenant did not direct any
further sum to be paid to Mr. Birch. Iu the beginning
of 1850, Lord Clarendon, having considered the matter
over, asked some of his friends, whom he consulted,
whether it ought to be considered that the sums ad-
vanced to Mr. Birch were properly payable out of any
Public fund entrusted to his disposal, or whether they
should be paid out of his private purse.—(Loud cries
°f " Hear, hear.") The quesdon was referred to the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and he was of opinion
that they ought to come out of the private funds of
that
Clarendon.—(Hear.) At tee beginning of 1850, all
sums taken out of the public fund were r paid to that
fund, and the whole charge of this expenditure was at
But Sole expense of Lord Clarendon —(Loud cheers.)
°lit Mr. Birch being determined to give notoriety to these
transactions, or to extort money from the Government,
demanded a atm of 4,000/. for his s.rvices. Lord
Clarendon was advised that if the matter came before a
court of law, as he never made any express stipulation
with Mr. Birch, or entered into any contract, but as he
tat paid him from time to time, the jury might find a
Vedict, for a large sum, and that it wow(' be safer for
him to make some adjustment of the claim. Ia conse-
quence of that advice Lord Clarendon p ,id Mr. Birch
:;0001•, which with what he had already received made
eit 001, a sum much more than ad, gusts for the payment
any services he had performed.—(Cheers) It would
eve been thought that after these transactions his
relations
with the Government would cease; but being
determined, if he could, to extort more money, he
Proceeded to bring his action against Sir W.
• t,otnerville, which was heard last December, and
With the particulars of which the House is an-
tplainted. Upon that trial Lord Clarendon was examined
as a witness; he declared that he never directed in any
Way What should be the course of the paper, that he
never wrote
duringwrot
ea line in it, that he read the leading
the excitement of 1848; but that after
tille danger was over it was not his custom to read them.
the now to the transactions which are connected with
see present motion. It suits the Noble Lord exceedingly
well to omit all mention of those circurastasces, which
hers a great impression at the time, and which Mem-
_n
era of the Hou,e will hardly forget.—(Hear, hear.)
the beginning
of 1848 a democratic revolution took
place in, France which destroyed the monarchy, set up a
republic in its place, with democratic leaders, and pro-
claimed in
somewhat ambiguous t 'lll4, its intention to
the oppressed nationalities in other countries. The
disaffedisaffected in Ireland immediately endeavoured to take
savantse of that circumstance. Clubs were rai•ed
in
eo Ireland expressly fur the purpose of severing that
utitsl,ll!trY from Great Britain. Clubs were es-
all caked fur the purpose of throwing off the
eglance to the Crown, and a special mission
F`
sent sent to France, with the idea of securing
eneh assistance for the contemplated rebellion. This
°nut does not forget t 1 withering reply given to
""tiorts put in this House by one who returned from
tillsl mission. To enable the Howe to remember still
e_more, vividly the circumstances to which I allude, I will
bal?_.aome few, and only a few, of the extracts of the
esunliti newspapers which then circulated, and which,
aantaining the most exciting matter, were read with the
I,l_titiviost avidity, while those newspapers which supported
higher
and order were either only circulated amongst the
e'rier classes of society, or else had a very limited cir-
ea isslinth These extracts will show what was the nature
he danger and what was its extent. In the begin-
eine,
heti a, March there appeared in an Irish newspaper
waeannsendations fur street fighting, in imitation of
UV: had taken place in Paris. Advice wss given to
to d theavements to procur mssiles, ad how bes deep the soldiers, who we toi n t
ritB defsnd the autho-
of the British Crown. After recommending these
she s"es, this journal (the United Irishman) said:—" To
ea, e Missiles from windows and house-tops revolutionary
eziess• e,_
Cold ter co:17 add boiling water or grease, or better
available; molten lead is good, but too
Werde•l • In the Nation newspaper the week after-
coaaer%the llth of March, it was said:—" We demand a
.ease "'ten nt to treat with • Envied tor our freedom—
winnoabe:,tion representing the people, and whom h- people
On the same day the United Irishman said:
dec.._ Intist utter and maintain the goasent ~rude—the
the de
that is in the hearts of us all—Hate England to
Renea:r." This was the language commonly used and
the is; a 7 spread by these newspapers in Ireland. On
newsr, March a similar passage appeared in the same
XartraPer, the United Irishman was a letter to the
ot
treasonecbarendon:—" And, as for the same warlike and
Meade le articles in this newspaper, they will be
Until tl e°,„latieued and improved upon, week after week,
a street have 'ate produced their effect—the effect not of
berateet riot to .
disturb a peaceful meeting, but of a deli-
Cleee and universal armament, to sweep this island
British butchers, and plant the green flag on
of el° Caltle." The letter was addressed to " The Earl
, her Majesty's Executi ,ner-General, and
aer•nheeariendon
Butcher of all Ireland." In another passage—
aat.at strong English reaping-hook is a capital vvea-
re'nst and in case of street fighting let no powder
fair (3°
explosive, or no instrument be too hot for ,
a_ll hands to lift tied hurl down upon the enemy." This
;as
sae
kind of language Lord Clarendon hart to meet.
:de: were the circumstances in which he thought it
advisable to spread an antidote against such poison.
The e the circumstances in which he aided and en-
toged a public writer, to defend his conduct,
butnot
defend his merits, or
to defend the cause of the uneiof his administration,
Parliament, the cause of the etite'd Kingdom, the cause of
(Loud cheers.) There seas au:lt:ace of this empire.—
told'eNassage, written in 1 similar tone, in which it Was
that their object to destroy the accursed BritisAh
Oentives had werea empire.
rlieatt Ttueshmde secured,
rr
very great effect.
Pekes were manufactured, and ,hero
a
avom
iel,s in, the different towns, as
ailaCteaad throu2.hout the country districts
d'iivi9ge(OluYt tfhoer
tmaposs. of an insurrection,
Nintera r.every than the troo-ps,of Property
-whtue country, These were the circumstanc.,e and plundering
uteder
melee
Lord Clarendon was called to govern Ireland.
i --" 22(1 of July, on a Seturiay morning, I proposed
:it this le
eee -"nose to suspend the Habeas Corpus Act, and
8—"11- o'clock on the same evening a
bwithonlyund
aught dissentients out of an assembly of three'
its t the Habeas Corpus Act, passed throughb all
tlainsites.—(Hear, hear.) What mte,t have
wouldeEn !by:
leieer and the imminent
sestieed the House of Commons to p4,s ..c.
peril which h
intitending the liberties of the hide people—and writ
in_
Initeeee° ....them to act with such speed and such mien
Ot o'rci well, Sir, these measures, with other measures
sore Clarendon, completely defeated the intended !ti-
er ebeti°l3. It was intended to deter for some six weeks,
the tel the time of the harvest, the outbreak. When
-ere filers found their persons were to be seized, they
(1011
wOreel into premature insurrection. Lord eleven-
dwispat:ha alive and vigilant to the
.danger. He instantly
-ere the General Macdonald into those parts which
edtnies.reatenee ;
u and the insurrection, according to the
week b/;°,.11 of the Noble Lord, which was formidable a
tom' "re, failed utterly, and became utterly ri lieu-
becaZ(Cheers and counter cheers.) But why did it
• the e° ridiculous?—(Loud cheers.) Why was it that
°jail aeacrY was not subject to those sad disorders of
secltlene which took place in 1798, and the cruel con-
kale tees Which followed it?—(Hear, hear.) Is was be-
tts"Le Government of Ire laud was alive and vigilant.
theae eause the Lord-Lieutenant acted properly that
datat-e;""tnPts at insurrection were defeated, and the
kqtleticaverted.—(Cheers.) I have alluded to the esti.-
See le of the outbreak in 1798. Every one has heard
the ad With • e
p , pain the scenes which were enacted, and
Which aliment which follow, d. Sir, the punishineet
of followed the attempt of 1848 was totally
1 differ
their Put nature. The chief actere were put upon
high tlrria4 for high treason—they were convicted of
exsetw eason no blood flowed upon the scaff id—the
Ittaiss !tlea was not called in to complete what the civil
keneutletY had commeticed. Agr example of cle-
ateAwns.shown, which had its ell' ct, and the ratalling
Winch it
t-h! -ester i❑ '--a -) attends insert cceon defeated, did
visit—e 'ZanIreland.-11ear, bear.) Aaer a very short
eeicie began to admit that the Governnonst had acted
anu Was d leniently.—(che
Corpus"glin thoughterl)
AHowever, next 37::
. prudent to ve-•nenti the llflb
the-.et, and it was be Leal sessioe ea A suspended trom the beginning of
1- "nark( d, hsc u4Umt, 1849. 1w ah these facts to
lid A atr.e there is , •
fur r. Birch
sat eounsel alt, a sire to ienore them,
tit tdi
have endeavoured to show
danger was
r in 1848. Why, if that bad
•

rnE SUN,

' been the case, this House would not, hew, readily a hi-
, cond rinse 9,hsPNted to the suppression of the Ithsress ef
Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) Wolf. thee), Sir, I think it is
, I generally asimittsd—universally admitted—t het Lord
Clarendon, in a time of great danger, great eifficulty,
I and great peril, has shown ebility, vietleoce, pile-4mm
and judgment. and all the characteristics which out ht to
datinenish !.‘ Vtceroy in a moment of thffieulty and
danger—(Cneers.) Stivereign readily admitted
' that merit, and thought him e.ntirlo i to those distinctions
given by the Crown, or which it eels said—
" Teo et emblems Cc cti did invest,
And gleamed on wise Godolphin's breast."
beeWenn
ptehrefaormeSier,, rafter,iit isa
fete ti emiepted —atter these services have
se dangers are past—it is at-
tempted to sffix a stigma on that character, and mark
with indelible disgrace the man who performed these
strange
narr (aCsh:ieprsw)as Why. we would think it vary
n
the exertion of toil, antgirjeuadtgpineerrillt,. aainldd
dt
sec
rceatni
nt
na bayd
lashied the efforts of the winds and waves, and saved the
vessel from the storm, if some ono who had not assisted
in that endeavour crept out from the hold—(Tremen-
dous cheering)—and said, "I must inquire into the
means by which the safety of the vessel has been se-
cured. I must see how you have contrived to weather
the gale. and if I find that any on© of your sailers who
was employed, either in cutting away they mainmast or
haling out the water, is an unworthy person, I will con-
demn you, and pass uunotieed the great act by which
you have saved the vessel."—(Cheers.) But I am still
further astonished at the quell, r from whence this mo-
tion proceeds. I could have imagined that some dema-
• gogue who had hoped in the overthrow ot existing
institutions in 184$ to have obtained place or plunder,
who had desired to invest himself in the insignia of a
secretary of state of a republic-e-I could have imagined
him corning back to vent his spite and indignation
against the man who bad bsfil td anti overthrown treason
and rebellion.—(Cheers.) But what I do not sad what
I cannot understand is, that a member of a Conservative
Opposition, rifesr having shared in all the benefits
of L•rd Clarendon's wisdom and policy—and it
was to that wisdom and that policy, and the energy
which characterizsd both, we owe the satety of the
people and the peace of the country—l say I cannot
understand a member of a Conservative Opposition
coming clowa here to arraign the man who has conferred
these benefits, and asking the House to agree with him
in condemning the man to whom they ought to be
grateful,—(Cheers.) lam sure that such will not be
the feeling of this House. This House has done
nothing—t has no opportunity of doing anything by
which they can show their estimate of the services per-
formed. But they will not give their first expression oi
opinion on Lord Clarendon's administration by the se-
vere and unsparing condemnation centained in the terms
of the notice. Never was the Executive stronger than
in the hands of Lard Clarendone-e(Chrers,) Never
was public authority more rt spected, even by his ene-
mies.—(Cheers.) Never was there a Viceroy carrying
on the duties of that office with more fairness to all par-
ties, with nasre courtesy to all who came to consult him,
with a more earnest wish to remedy some of the many
grievances under which Ireland labours.—(Cheers.)
But 1 have now stated a hat was the nature of the
transactions with regard to this newspaper, :he Woad.
I do not propose to follow the Noble Lord into those
statements of the merits of the various transactions
to which he has alluded. I believe it was with
the motive that he stated that Lord Clarendon
accepted the services of Mr. Birch when they were
offered. I believe that he accepted them with the
view that they might be of service in maintaining order '
when it wes so grievously assailed—that ha might be '
able to administer some antidote to the poison spread- '
ing throughout the lead, a poison which might have the
worst ,ffeets. Whether Lord Clarendon was right at
any time, even when placed in circumstances of great I
danger, or when the danger was not so lowering, to '
spend public money on purposes connected with the I
press, Ido not mean to combat with the Noble Lord.— l
(Hear, hear.) It you enter into that (siltation, you i
ought to consult persons connected with the Govern- t
merit in Ireland.— (Hear, bear.) We know very well
that in this country it is not the practice to du what Mr.
Curry Counellau calls subsidizing the press.—(Hear,
hear.) No Government could receive any advantage
from such a proceeding. But if you want to know what
is the practice in Ireland—it you want to know the po-
hey of that conduct—ask all the chief secretaries who
have been there, and hear their opinions. Take the
Earl of Derby—(Loud cheers)—and if the Earl of
Dsrby wore to declare that in no circumstances what- I
ever were you to give public money for put poses
connected with the press, that he had always care-
fully abstained from it, .1 would have the greatest
respect and attach very great weight to that opinion.—
(Cheers.) I should likewise wish to hear the opinions
ot other chief secretaries, who could tell what has been
the practice, and what were the grounds upon which it
was Justified. For my own part, I have never been
either locally or immediately connected with the Go- '
vernment ot Ireland, so I cannot express an opinion
upon the point. Ido not think it necessary to say more
than that in my belief Lord Clarendon acted with Ito
wtsh to benefit himself or to support his own adminis-
tration; he seems to hive ratted solely with a regard to
the public good; and he also seems to have acted not
eiffsrently from those formerly in the government of
Ireland.—(Cheers.) With regard to the further ques-
tion, immediate to this, whether Lord Claret don should
have given aid to an editor of a paper of so disreput-
able a character as the World, I have only to say that
the Noble Lord in his speech girea full credit to Lord
Clarendon's assertion that he was not aware that such
was the character of the paper. And what do I find? .
Why, Oat Mr. Birch being imprisoned for libel, many
of the most respectable citizens of Dublin, amongst
others Mr. Hoe, had gone with a memorial to the Go
vernment, asking fur his release. This was not the
coed act of persons who believed that this mart was of a
disreputable character. With respect to the further
question—whether the Government ac ed wrong io'giving
bums of money, and whether Lord Clarendon ,shoula
have paid that 2,0001 upon demand, without going
before a jury—l am of opinion Lord Clarendon erred in
not contesting the payment, and in not refusing the
compromise. I only heard of these transactions lately,
and I have framed my judgment upon them; but I do
nee, think that au error of th..t kind, an error of no very
grave importance, not so much to be weighed even
against the weight of a feather, can prevail against
the eminent, the undoubtt d, and valuable services which
Lord Clarendon has rendered to his country.—(Cheers.)
Well, then, here is a great question before the House.
You have the 'character of• a public man entrusted to
your hands. I am persuaded that you will be of-opinion
that it is neither consistent with the diguisy of Parlia-
ment nor with the welfare of the country, that you
should pronounce the condemnation that is Frayed for.
Aud for my part, as a colleague of Lord Clarendon—as
one who has esteemed him, and for many years has
loved him—l am ready to place his character and his
conduct in the hands of the Commons of England, anti
am assured that he will obtain justice in their decision.
—(Tim Noble Lord resumed his seat amidst loud and
continued cheering.)
' Mr. DISRAELI—I wish if it is the intontion of no
othee Honourable Member to address the House, to apply
myself' shortly to the unravelment of the ingenious so-
pairtry of the Noble Lord who has just addressed you.
The argument of the Noble Lord, as I understand him,
is this:—" Put down rebellion, and if you are successful,
never mind the means, you may appeal confidently to
the country for a verdict of acquittal." But is that the
logic supported by Members of the d fferent parties in
this House?—(Cheers.) Is that reasoning to apply to
other rebellious as well as those in Ireland, which have
been equally unsuccessful, but in respect to which the
Government had recourse to means in which those Hon,
Members did not concur? This is not political mora-
lity; I might say that it was political 'immorality, oily
that in this House there is no need to have recourse to
strong terms; it is a course which I am sure this House
will never sanction.—(Cheers.) But the most remark- -
able part of the speech of the Noble Lord is the position
in which he places the journalist whose conduct is in
question on this occasion. According to the statement
of the Noble Lord there was a great crisis •in Irel•tad at
the period referred to, and such a crisis that the very
existence of the empire was at stake.—(Hear,•hear, tiriq
laughter.) The Noble Lord added that so strong was
the feeling of the Ileuse of Commons, end so keen
their sense of &urger, that they agreed almost Una-
nimously to the suspension of the Habeas Corpus
Act in a single dsy. It was in eerisr of tact
patriotic energy of the Place of Commons, and other
means, argued the Noble Lord, that Lord Clarendon
savedi Ireland. What were those other means? Mr.
hch ( Laughter end cheers.) The Governor of Ire-
land is
Lord?
herought before the consideration of this House,
because
or a lPlaced hunselt in connexion with the editor
ts,eshbsa,e,tini
isooaocnyiass:vitaiii,isnifuNr.hri, Journal, under
auto,
dd er
authorityeireum
sa.tedßuOtt
lNoble Lord says that
of that country, se we in Ireland by the administrator
the Parliament or gptetiirted by the unanimous voice of
The Si
tria east cecranliciutri
Nohitl,aughter.) There was a
the vestams_uit
a'gr, td. What What has that to do with
person in Ireland would haveLk:rds that every honest
may be, deprived of their livese-
great chenee, seer the
that country eeastel
plundered, and, it
eatahnd to prevent this
honest people,
and cheers.)
catastrophe, as well as to proteci
the Lord-Lieutenant of
cils this eottor of the
.--augard to his culla-
That Noble Lord, it appears, was the Seh
3,700/ cut of his own pocket.—(Cheers, laughter°, paidd
occesion, for to prevent plunder and
cries of " Oh.") I only want to place the quhstirie eearni
to saLeilf)eat he
the
before the u„ssa—(Leughter, and cries ot osht\
Th3e.
issue at stake is the character and conduct (-1 the
Governor ot Ireleed —(Cheers.) There are certain
facts and cirstimsteeces the accuracy of which has net
been denied, hot* the truth of the Noble Mover who stated
them challenged. Whether these facts and circum-
stances—these " transactions," to use the words of the
motion —e be of a nature to weaken the authority of
the ex, cative, and to roil ct discredit on the ad,
ministratiors of public affairs" in that country, is the
question the House has to d. cide. Well, are they cal-
culated to strengthen the authority of the CiteCutiVP, or
to ail e ertdit on the administration of public offers
in
Ire!ann ?"—(Cheers.) Have we or have we nut, to these
transactions, a dark inkling of a system of government
in that country prijudiciat to public morality, and dis-
creditable es well es disadvantageous to the administra-
tion of public affair. ?--(Cheers ) The Noble Lord,
Ireland
rebellion,
Ireland fur its justificat
(Cheers)—St cretaries wider state of things.
Ilse Noble Lord said that Lord EliotlB4l, approved
of the c oldest of this journalist; ate; in
Lord Derby, the
Nobls L rd teals, 'soul ; answer whether or
of Ireland was subsidized—as a practice.
the
press
"se iu.;
question was a peculiar one—if the Irish Government I