The Sun.
London, England, 1836-05-18 00:00:00

CARLOW.

Colonel BRUEN presented a petition from the land-
owners of Carlow, denying the charges made against them,
and charging the Catholic Priesthood with using unfair and
undue influence at elections.

Mr. WALLACE then rose, to bring forward his motion
for a Commission to inquire into the circumstances stated
in the petition of Mr.• Vigors and others. After referring
to those petitions which bad been already presented, he said
that upon a careful investigation he believed that a com-
bination did exist amongst the Conservative Protestant
landlords of Carlow to drive out their Catholic tenantry,
and replace them with Protestant tenants. The Hon.
Gentleman then referred to the evidence of the Rev Mr.
Maher and others, with the details of which the public have
been already fully acquainted. After that evidence he could
not believe it possible that the Government or the house
could refuse to assent to a motion for a Commission of In-
quiry into the truth of these allegations. The Hon. Mem-
ber then referred to some statements contained in a pamph-
let, from which he read. By these statements he found
that from the estate of the Hon. and Gallant Member for
Carlow, 93 families, containing 503 individuals, had been
ejected ; from that of Mr. Newton's, 41 families, and 235
individuals ; from Lord Beresford's, 103 families, and 518
individuals ; from Colonel Latouche's, 16 families, and 99
individuals. Since this statement was first circulated,
there had been additional removals, making in the whole
338 families, and 1,886 person's ; and by private let-
ters since, ho had heard of about 200 more who had
been added to the list, making more than 2,000 per-
sons who had been driven from their native soil within
the last three or four years, on religious and political
grounds. These families were, he understood, often influ-
enced to quit themselves, in consequence of an intimation
that it would he better for them to do so voluntarily, and
they were even encouraged to pull down their own little
houses as an effectual means of getting rid of them whilst
they bad the trifling advantages arising from the sale of the
materials. Another part of the system was to call rigidly
for arrears of rent if the tenant voted against the wishes of
his landlord, whilst it was the custom not to give receipts
for the rent as it was paid up, so as always to keep the
tenant in debt, and consequently in the power of his land-
lord. As to the Priests, he again denied that they had
overstepped the bounds of their duty. The Hon; Member
then entered into several particulars of the case of Captain
Woodcock, whom he praised in high terms, and of whom
the Honourable and Gallant Member opposite (Colonel
Bruen) had complained that he was compelled to prosecute
him for poaching, and that he had been called for miscon-
duct before the bar of the House of Lords. He should
move that the House agree to an address.--

" That his Majesty be graciously pleased immediately to
issue a loyal commission to proceed to the county of Carlow,
there to inquire, Ist, into the whole facts and circumstances set
forth in the petition presented to this House on the 15th of
February, by Nicholas Aylward Vigors, Esq., and since by
other persons belonging to the said county of - Carlow, and
especially into those parts of the said petitions which relate
to the persecution and ejectment of the Parliamentary electors
of the said county, therein referred to, by removing them from
their homes and possessions, or otherwise coercing or mal-
treating them, to the injury or ruin of them and their families ;
od. Whether corruption, coercion, and intimidation, through
the actual ejection of electors, or threats to that effect, ought
not in future to form legitimate grounds of inquiry before elec-
tion committees ; 3d. Whether, in the existing state of politi-
cal excitement in the county of Carlow, the persons, properties,
and suffrages of the Parliamentary electors should not be
protected in future by voting by ballot; 4th. Whether any
and what measures would best secure the independence of the
electors of the county of Carlow, and the purity of election in
that county ; and to report their opinions, with the evidence,
to this House, touching all the matters herein referred to."
Mr. HARDY said that the Hon. and Gallant Gentle-
man behind him, who was principally interested, not ob-
jecting to the inquiry, of course he would not. He would
now take the opportunity for which he had sought of advert-
ing to a charge made against himself by the Hon. and
Learned Gentleman, not now a Member of that House
viz.—that he himself had been guilty of bribery.
To that
Vigors (Mr. O'Connell)
should,acdoe n,
n e and
be
charge he would at once distinctly say that it Was ea_
lumnious, false, and unfounded.-..(Hear, hear.)
Mr. IIUME expressed his surprise that the Hon \
Member had not met the charge when it was
made,
iwhenpresentthe
iHon.in
theand H Learnedouse. A Gs
teonti‘leir. Gentleman
remembered that the Committee had decided that it could
not enter into the inquiry—into the allegations of intimida-
tion herefore, Mr. Vigors could not have brought
them forwarand, t
d.
Mr. HARDY rose to explain. On one occasion Mr.
O'Connell had retired under the direction of the Speaker,
and be (Mr. Hardy) did not think proper to say anything
in the absence of that gentleman—(Hear, and a laugh)—
and afterwards he chose the first opportunity of meeting the
charge.—(Maugh on the Ministerial side.)
exPlanationlof the
testimony
UfaLor J. RUSSELL felt bound to add his
having
on
to the ct of the Hon. Member (Mr. Hardy)
chargetlie occasion
m a(ie a
grae
ifne
sr
troclh i
ntlo,,
worilecrhe dexhpilsanation
Was at the
time postponed in consequence of the subject not being re-
gularly before the House. With respect to the imme-
diate question, ho (Lord J. Russell thought the motion
of the Hon. Member for Greeno certainly without
precedent ; for it did appear to him that the issuing of a
Royal Commission to proceed to the County of Carlow,
and there to inquire into individual charges against the
landlords, would be a most inconvenient one, and ono at-