The Sun.
London, England, 1831-07-05 00:00:00

BILL.

Viscount MELBOURNE said, in rising to propose the
second reading of the above Bill, he would confine him-
self to a very few observations, in which lie would endet-
Your shortly to explain its nature and object. He enter-
' tained no doubt that the Bill might be easily carried into
execution, and that it would prove very beneficial to Ire-
land. The object of the Bill was to transfer the powers at
present exercised by the Governors of counties, to an offi-f
cer to be appointed in each county by the Lord-Lieutenant
of Ireland, and to be called a Deputy Lord-Lieutenant
The chief object proposed to be attained by this change
was, the establishment of a regular channel of communi-'
cation between the Government of Ireland and the Magis=
tracy in the respective counties. He was sure that noi
person could have been connected with the Government of
Ireland frir even the shortest period without having experi-'
enced the want of such a mode of communication. In the
absence of it, the Government was obliged to rely on the
communications which it received from individual Magi,,
trates or from bodies of the Magistracy, who, though men
highly to be respected in the aggregate, were, neverthelrsa,
frequently under the influence of prejudice and passion ;
the consequence of which was, that the Government was
often led into error by information which they furnished
—(Hear.) The establishment of Deputy Lord Lieute-
nants, as proposed by the present Bill, would be one
step towards introducing into Ireland the constitutional
Government of England, which never could be in-
troduced there unless we establi,herl there the same in-
struments by which it was so judiciously carried
into effect in this country.—(Hear, hear, hear.) He
WAR bound to say that it had been; the constant ender-
yours of the Lords Chancellors of Ireland, from Lord
Redesdale downwards, to improve the character of the
magistracy of Ireland. No man ever proceeded to Ire-
land with a stronger desire to do his duty fairly and con-
scientiously than Sir Anthony Hart, the late Lord Chan-
cellor ; but he believed that his attempt to fix a greater
degree of responsibility on the recommendations of per-
sons to the office of Illagistrate failed of producing any be-
neficial effect. This alone showed that it was necessary
there should be in each county some person distinguished
fur rank, property, and character, on whose recommenda-
tion the Lord Chancellor might place implicit reliance.
Having made these observations, he would conclude with
moving the second reading of the Bill.
The Duke of WELLINGTON said, that he concurred
with most of the observations which had fallen from the
Noble Lord. No man could be more convinced than lie
was of the necessity, of giving the Lord Lieutenant of Ire-
land every assistance which the Parliament could to en-
able him to perform his duties with the best effect. He
conceived the system of Governors of counties to be one
which could never work any benefit for Ireland.—(Hear.)
In some counties there were five of these officers, in others
three, in others two, and in some, but very few, only one.
They acted upon no settled system, and were frequently in
the way of each other. He considered it to be essential to the
public service that the alteration proposed by the Noble Lord
should take place. He had looked with apprehension to the
Bill, because he was apprehensive that it might lead to the
putting down of the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland—a
subject on which he knew that some persons in this
country entertained a strong opinion. He thought that
the abolition of the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland
would he the greatest misfortune that could happen to that
country. The Lord-Lieutenant was absolutely necessary,
in order to bring the Government home to the doors of
every man in Ireland. It was necessary that that officer
should be on the spot to suppress that bane of Ireland,
the acts and the power of the demagogues. Nothing but
the presence and the active spirit of the Lord-Lieutenant
could do that. He confessed that he had looked with
jealousy at the Bill on that account, and he hoped it was
not intended to establish in Ireland officers who would
conduct themselves in such a way that Parliament might
afterwards be told that there was no longer any necessity
for the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.—(Hear.) There
was one vat of the Bill before their Lordships which
he thought liable to some objection—he meant that clause
which proposed to give the Deputy Lord-Lieutenants the
power of appointing officers of the militia. It would be
very unjust to interfere with existing Colonels in that
force, many of whom had made great sacrifices. He
likewise was of opinion that the Deputy Lords-Lieu-
tenants should hold their offices by patent during plea-
sure, and not for life. _ . .

Earl GREY said that be was happy to find, as he
indeed had anticipated, that there was no objection on the
part of the Noble Duke to the general principle of the BM,
which had been sanctioned by successful practice in Eng-
land. He trusted that the Bill would not be prejudiced by
any su.picion of a design being entertained to use it as a
means of effecting the object to which the Noble Duke had
alluded. The present was not the time to discuss the ne-
cessity of continuing the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Ire-
land. Without giving any opinion as to whether it would
be advisable to continue that office permanently or not, he
was prepared to admit, that at the present moment, and
in the present circumstances of the country, it would be
highly inexpedient to abclish it. What might be done
hereafter was a consideration to be entered into on a future
occasion. He hoped, however, that the Bill would not
ba considered objectionable if it should lead to the esta-
blishment cf such a system of government in Ireland as
would make it possible, without inconvenience or prejudice
to the public service, to dispense with an officer, useful
and beneficial as he was, whose appointment was attended
with vast expense to tie public. He did not wish it to be
understood that he had any settled opinion on the subject,
but he would repeat that at the present moment it would
be highly inexpedient to discontinue the appointment.--
With re pect to what had fallen from the Noble Duke re-
lative to the Militia Colonels, he would give it the most
anxious cor.sideration, as every thing which proceeded
from that quarter was entitled to.—(Hear.) It was only
necessary for him to add, that the appointments to the
office of Deputy Lieutenants would net be for I,le, but
only during the pleasure of the Government.
The Eari of LIMERICK approved of the Bill.
Lord PLUNKS IT made an observation, which was in-
audible ; after which the Bill was read a second time.
The Frauds on Creditors' Bill was read a second time, on
the ....otion of Lord WYNFORD.—Adjourned.