The Sun.
London, England, 1831-12-10 00:00:00

SUPPLY.

Upon the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE.
Qurn, " That the whole House resolves itself into a Com
tuittee of Supply,

Mr. DAWSON wished, before the Speaker left the chair,
to put a question to the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite,
respecting a regular battle which had taken place, as he
had been informed, between his Majesty's troops, and what
were called the " White Feet," in the county of Kilkenny,
in which it was stated no less than twelve
men were killed and six wounded. He begged to know
whether the Right Hon. Secretary had had any offici.l
report of this battle from the Lord Lieutenant ? and, if
not, whether it was the intention of the Government to
institute any inquiry such as might be calculated to satisfy the
public mind respecting this transaction, which had occa-
sioned such an extraordinary loss of life ? He felt the
more anxious to ask this question, because within
the last year there bad been more loss of life among
his Majesty's subjects in conflicts that had taken place
under the present system of Government, including Castle-
pollard, Nswtownbarry, Merthyr-Tidvil and Bristol,
than probably there had been in many battles by which
the fates of nations had been decided.—(Laughter.)
Mr. STANLEY was happy in being able to afford the
Right Hon. Gentleman a satisfactory reply, so far as any
satisfaction could arise out of a melancholy transaction
like this, to the question which he bad put with his usual
degree of apparent friendship and good temper.—(Laugh-
, ter.) The Right Hon. Gentleman had very much ex-
' aggerated the facts, nor could he (Mr. S.) think it was
at all necessary for the Right Honourable Gentle-
man to have dragged the Castlepollard, Newtown-
berry, Merthyr-Tydvil, and Bristol scenes into
his question on the present occasion. The battle that had
been alluded to was simply an affray that had taken place
between a party of police, who had succeeded the day be-
fore in apprehending eight persons charged with an assault,
and a body of peasantry, who had attacked them, for the
purpose of procuring a rescue. The newspapers had
given as full an account of the affair as Government
had received. Unfortunately there had been the loss of
three persons' lives, but only three or four were wounded.
The police party succeeded in carr) ing the offenders to
gaol, and from the information Government had received,
there (lid not appear to have been the slightest blame
attributable to the commanding officer. If the Right
Hon. Gentleman desired to have the papers which
Government had received laid before the House, he (Mr.
S.) would be happy to produce them.

Mr. DAWSON said, if he had been informed there
was to be a trial, or an investigation, which might have
satisfied the public, he would not have thought it neces-
sary to call for the papers, but from the answer given by
the Right Hon. Secretary, he felt bound to avail himself
of the offer, and move for the production of
the papers. With respect to the friendly mode
in which it had been said that he had put this question,
he certainly felt at libel ty to say that, in one point of view,
he did not entertain any friendship towards the Right
Hon. Secretary, or the Hon. Members on the other side of
the House.—(Laughter.) However, be did not mean
any thing personal or unfriendly ; yet friendly or other-
wise, he considered it the discharge of his duty to put the
question.
Mr. HITME said, before the vote of estimates to his
Majesty was put, he desired to know whether there was an
intention on the pat of Government to take any step to-
wards reducing the increased expenditure incurred during
the current year, amounting to nearly a million, in keep-
ing up an extra military as well as naval force. For his
own part, he was not aware of the necessity of keeping
up such establishments.
Lord ALTHORP considered it extremely inconvenient
to have questions upon the rate of estimates which
Government was about to submit to the House, put to
him at this period. He certainly did not consider it the
proper time to put such questions, and if they were put
in due time, in due time would he answer them.

Mr. HUNT was certainly a great novice in these
things.—(Hear.)
Mr. ROBINSON considered Mr. Hume's question ex.
trewely pertinent. The public were anxious to know at the
earliest possible moment whether there were to be any reduc-
tion, and if any, what, in the taxation of the country. Cer-
tain he was, that unless Government contemplated a re-
duction in the overgrown establishments of the country.
it would be impossible fsr the other classes to continue to
pay the taxation with which they were burdened.
Lord ALTIIORP, for the satisfaction of the public, and
in answer to the questions put, would say, that it was the
intention of Government to propose the estimates with the
strictest view to economy.