The Sun.
London, England, 1840-04-15 00:00:00

upon the third reading of the Bill, without his know-
ledge, or that of other Noble Lords who had taken an
interest in the amendments previously introduced.—
(Hear, hear.) Was the amendment founded on the
recommendation of Mr. Nicol, or upon any other cor-
respondence ? It could not be said that it was founded
upon some suggestions given in the lobby.—(Cheers.)
Lord MELBOURNE made some observation which
was not heard.
The Duke of WELLINGTON (warmly)—The
Noble Lord need not tell me.—(Hear, hear.) He
speaks across the House to a man who knows better.
—(Hear, hear.) It is the duty of the House to sift
this matter to the bottom. I am determined to sift

it to the bottom.—(Cheers.) I do not care if the re-
turn be n►il. But if it be, I say the Commissioners
have not done their duty—(Hear)—for I brought in
the clause myself requiring them to keep copies of all
correspondence.—( Hear, hear.)
The Earl of WICKLOW said when his Noble
Friend introduced the Bill he stated it was merely
formal anl could not meet with opposition, and there-
fore he had paid no attention to the third reading, not
thinking an important amendment would be introduced.
He was sure his Noble Friend thought he was not
doing anything contrary to the forms of the House, but
it showed the necessity of making some regulation on
the subject, for he conceived nothing could he more
inexpedient than introducing these amendments without
notice.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said he could only
say, as he stated last night, that he believed it was ab-
solutely necessary the Bill should have passed before a
certain time, and that was the reason he had asked the
Noble Lord to allow him from day to day to go on
with it. On the third reading one of the Poor-law
Commissioners put the amendment into his hands and
stated it was absolutely necessary for the working of
the Bill, and that it did not alter its provisions, and
hoped he would therefore put it in. He thought in
doing so he was doing what was quite usual, or he
should not have done it.
The Marquis of NO RNIANBY said there would be
no objection to produce the correspondence required by
the Noble Marquis in the enlarged sense put upon it
by the Noble Duke.
After a few words from the Earl of WINCHILSEA

and the Earl of CHARLEVILLE,
The Marquis of NORMANBY said he hid no
objcction to the returns being made, but he thought
some of them were totally unnecessary.
The returns were thrn ordered.

REGISTRATION OF ARMS (IRELAND).
The Earl of GLENG A LL said he brought
forward the motion of which he had given notice
in the hopes of being able to draw a declaration
of the intention of the Government with iespect
to the registration of arms in Ireland. lie was not
anxious to get up a debate upon the question ; he would,
therefore, tontine himself to a few facts relative to the
possession of arms by improper characters. The fact
that great quantities of arms were possessed by the
eery low;_st persons was notorious, and was admitted by
Magistrates, Stipendiary Magistrates, and gentlemen be-
fore the Committee of last session, and it was also noto-
rious that all the offences which had startled the people
of Ireland during the last few years had been committed
by persons having arms in their possession. All classes
were liable to attack from them, but more especially the
lower class of farmers, who were more subject to the
aggressions of such people than any other. Many Go-
vernments had considered the question, and in the time
of Lord Stanley a Bill had been introduced for the Re-
gistration of Arms, but in consequence of a dissolution
of Parliament, or some other cause, the Bill was
dropped, and nothing had been done further until three
or four years ago, since which time returns had been
made upon the subject. He would only refer to the
return for the last fourteen months—from the Ist of
January, 1839, to the Ist March, 1840—and the num-
ber of offences committed with arms were, in the whole
country, 707 ; during the same period in the county of
Tipperary the number of aggressive acts with arms was
185, and in Limerick and other places the number had
been very numerous, and the peaceable and loyal inha-
bitants were placed in much fear and jeopardy.
If these persons assembled by night they were liable to
transportation under the Whiteboy Act, and therefore
they worked by day, and the Magistrates knew not
how to act with them. On one occasion the Judge told
the policemen and others who had captured some of
them, it was fortunate they were not themselves in the
dock,-because they should have ascertained who those
parties were and summoned them instead of apprehend-
ing them. The Noble Earl then referred to several in-
stances of outrages that had been perpetrated, and con-
cluded by stating his belief that there really existed the
strongest ground for altering the Act, and thereby giving
security to the well-disposed inhabitants of Ireland, and
moved for returns of the number of persons indicted at the
Petty Sessions in 1539, fur unlawfully having arms in
their possession. He also wished to know whether it
was the intention of Government to bring in a Bill upon
the subject.
' The Marquis of NORMANBY said that there
would be no objection to making the returns moved for
by the Noble Earl. The subject had engaged the se-
rious attention of the Government, but he could not say
that it was their intention at present to introduce a Bill
on the subject in the present Session. At the same time
he would state thot he was in communication with a
Learned Gentleman and his Noble Friend the Lord Lieu-
tenant, and would give a positive answer after the
recess. The Noble Earl had said he would
not enter at length into the subject of armed proces-
sions, and, therefore, he should not do ; but, at the
same time, he could not but say it was satisfactory as
far as the county of Tipperary was concerned, that he
was obliged to go back for his instances as far as the
month of July ; and also that another Noble Lord, on a
former occasion, in alluding to the disturbed state of
Ireland, had been obliged to resort to another county
than his own for his illustrations. With respect to
Tipperary, he was sure it would be satisfactory to the
Noble Earl to know there had been this year but two
convictions for homicide. On referring to the returns
relating to the seizure of arms, he found that, during
the first three months of 1838, there had been one
hundred and twenty-two robberies of arms ; during the
same period of 1839 the number was reduced to
seventy-three ; and in the same period for 1840 to only
sixty-one, being exactly one-half of the number there
had been two years previously.
The Earl of WICKLOW asked why the Govern-
ment had introduced a Bill eel this subject, and after-
wards abandoned it ? If it were not necessary they
should not have introduced it, but, if it were, having
introduced it, they should not have abandoned it.
The Marquis of WESTAIEATH suggested to the
Noble Marquis to consider, during the recess, the pro-
priety of bringing in an Act to prevent the outrages which
accompanied the seizure of arms, and which, although
diminished lately, were still appalling to those who
were exposed to them.

Lord-MON TEAGLE said that very often the regis-
tration of arms served only as an advertisement,
pointing out to the evil-disposed where they could
direct their marauding attacks. Many attempts had
been made to provide a remedy, but without success.
The• Earl of GLENGALL, in reply, read several
extracts from constabulary reports, to show that the
northern parts of the county of Tipperary were in a
very disturbed state.

The Returns were ordered.
Lord DUNCANNON laid on the table certain
papers respecting education in Ireland. _ _

'Lord GLENGALL then moved for a Return of the
rewards offered by the Lord Lieutenant of [rebind
for the discovery of murderers, and of the number of
rewards paid in consequence.
The Marquis of NORMANBY laid on the table
the Report of the Inspectors of Prisons in Ireland.
FRIVOLOUS SUITS BILL.
The Frivolous Suits Bill passed through Committee,
and the Report was ordered to be received the first