The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-30 00:00:00

those which Parliament may adopt, still, that in a limited
.area, at all events, there does exist a system of terror
kept alive by the constant recurrence of crimes of fearful
atrocity, by which individuals in the discharge of their
duties as landlords, by residing upon their properties,
are exposed to the continued dangers of assassination,
a system which must lead to the disorganization of all
society, and which must present an insurmountable bar
tier to every attempt permanently to improve the condi-
tion of the peoplo.—(Hear.) The House will have
remarked what constitutes, in every item of the long and
lamentable catalogue of murder which I have read, a
remarkable characteristic of the crimes now being com-
mitted. They have all been perpetrated with fire-arms.
Itlear hear.) Leaving, however, this part of the
subject, I now proceed to another, which I think the
house bas a right to expect that I should not altogether
pass bY—I mean the powers now possessed by Govern-
ment for dealing with the difficulties which present
themselves; in other words, the actual state of the
and the manner in which that law is administered.—
(Rear.) And I think I may appeal to every gentleman
Conversant with Ireland, and who may have recently
returned from that country, to boar testimony to the
vigour and efficiency with which the Lord-Lieutenant
455 administered those powers which the law has given
to him.—(Hear, hear.) It is gratifying to find, in the
resolutions of the magistrates which I have already re-
ferred to—resolutions adopted under circumstances of
"u3ual terror and dismay—that no charge is brought
against the Executive Government, of having neglected
anY means which could be adopted for their protection,
°,l. of showing the least degree of indifference toward,
lee crimes which have been perpetrated—(Hear, hear.)
may then take credit at least for the vigour and
efficiency of my Noble Friend in discharging his
'unctions for the repression of crime—the protection
Or, life, and the encouragement of those—and I am
glad to say that there are many such—who are dis-
posed to co-operate with Government for the main-
reance of order and the repression of outrage.—(Hear,
near.) The Lord-Lieutenant has made what use he
W4B able of the military and police force at his disposal
In all the cases in which, in his opinion, the appearance
of an overwhelming force might overawe the offenders,
or convince them of the fruitlessness of their attempts to
rain the advantages they seek for from the commission
of nritne.—(Hear, hear.) I have adverted to the pro-
ceedings in the case of Mr. Roe, and also to those in
the case of Mr. Hill, who was shot near Limerick, in
both of which all the powers which could be exercised
137 the Lord-Lieutenant were rigidly enforced. With
the view, however, of pointing out to the deluded perpe-
trators of these outrages, and all others who were aiding
and abetting in keeping up that system of terror and in-
timidation now prevalent in certain parts of Ireland, the
r;rd-Lieutenant has issued a proclamation which cer-
rly appears to me to comprise very much of what a
;:)ceneent of the sort ought to set forth. In that pro-
c &illation, the Lord-Lieutenant, while sympathising
With the sufferings of great bodies of the people, is at
Pains to point out that the outrages do not generally
eceur in those districts in which the most severe desti-
tution
exists.—(Hear, hear.) Although undoubtedly
outrages have been committed upon the pressure of
severe,,, distress, yet the night attacks in Limerick an
,d
Clare, and the assassinations in Tipperary, the King s
County, and in Roscommon, have not been induced by
Want.y His Excellency then proceeds as follows:—" The
Lord-Lieutennat, while affording the well-disposed the
protection of the law and the support of the Executive
Government in their efforts to maintain order, earnestly
asks for their co-operation in suppressing such violations
Of the public peace as have recently occurred in the
County of Limerick, and in other places, and in endea
vOuring to detect and convict those who are engaged in
e commission of similar crimes. There is no class,
;lave the guilty themselves, which is not interested in
and to punishment the highwayman, the burglar,
-11" the assassin and the Lord-Lieutenant hopes that a
vigorous and energetic co-operation on the part of those
os e properties and lives may be sacrificed at the hands
of these offenders, will enable the authorities to carry
out successfully the endeavours of the Executive Govern-
ment to vindicate the law and protect her Majesty's
Peaceful subjects. The Lord-Lieutenant, therefore,
"ulidently appeals not to the gentry alone, but to the
Well-disposed farmers and industrious peasantry who
11/le.ek to earn their livelihood by honest labour, to aid
,18 efforts in suppressing a system of terror, whi h
ha feels satisfied is exercised by the few, but which
may be overcome by the energy and determination
ofthe many, whom it is intended to overawe. His Ex-
led • thet the misguided people, who are often
tr, into crime by a few wieked men, may be persuaded
t"'il "'ten to better advice, and shun the companionship of
• felon and the murderer, whose course through life
eusu often be traced by the misery which he has drawn
,°we upon those who have unwarily joined them in a
means in
of crime. His Excellency is resolved by every
now
in his power to suppress the wicked spirit which
ittiew disturbs the public peace, and retards the social
eoProvernent and the prosperity of the country. The
hstabulary will be increased in all disturbed districts
iskaw,.,lle,reby an additional burden will be thrown upon the
""), military detachments will be stationed wherever
ecessary, in aid of the civil authorities, and efficient
11) atrols maintained ; liberal rewards will be given for
:,!°r,taation leading to the arrest of offenders, and
ti;"Pie protection to all who come forward and prosecute
0:1; in short, no exertion shall be spared for rigor-
,. enforcing the law against those by whom it is vio-
tee- The Lord-Lieutenant, therefore, warns all who
etgatie, either in resistance to legal authority., or in
attacks upon life and property, to abstain from such
'tees. which will be followed by the severest punish-
ment--he cautions the people not to join with the ha-
bitual perpetrators of outrage, nor listen to the evil
counsels of men who encourage opposition to the law
for their own ends, and will leave those they have de-
luded into crime to suffer its punishment—above all, he
thinks it his duty to make known the penalties that will
be incurred by accessories to crime, and that all persons
are by law considered accessories who protect criminals
against their pursuers, who afford them the means to
escape, who aid in their disguise, who mislead those who
may be iu search of them, or who harbour offenders in
their houses." The Right Hon. Gentleman continued—
Perhaps I may here mention that a case recently came
before the Court of Queen's Bench, in Ireland, which is
Connected with the last paragraph of the proclamation,
4ed the decision in which will, I trust, have no slight
°fleetenforcingthe solemn warning of
D_. my Noble
4:rtend, and in leading the people to see that his are no
rimeaning words:—Two persons were suspected of
Ttvieg harboured a man accused of an atrocious crime.
"Y were arrested, but unconscious, as it would ap-
Pear, of the gravity of the offence which they had
eclitni reitted, ppd to be admitted to bail. The
'e Justice, in an elaborate judgment, pointed
011,,t the enormity of the offence and the severity
d' the punishment which would await it, and
iecidedly refused to entertain the application for bail.
t. Lrugt,
Sir, this decision, coupled with the language of
Ile proclamation will have a great effect in checking
the
ieste,sYrapathy which has been unhappily mani-
prey' with the perpetrators of crime in Ireland, and of
curing that aid and countenance being shown to-
rds those which we have in too many instances had
tielitsgisee to regret.—(Hear, hear.) Allusion was mad&
nlioLhei• night to a special commission. Now, lam not
is 3 "Ilion to state that a special commission has
h_tied for the trial of offences; but let me remind the
ellse that the cases that would be so tried have all
• Come on us within the last few weeks. The first case
41 the sad catalogue which I read occurred only two
mouths ago. Since that time every exertion of the
(Zeutive Government has been made to detect the
vdiVera—to trace them to their hiding-places; and, not-
,_:estanding the many difficulties and obstacles which
e been thrown in the way, I rejoice to say, although
',eel of the perpetrators of these outrages are still at
it: p. and although no clue can be obtained to their
tk"tiplaces, yet that several of the perpetrators of
40 Most daring crimes have been apprehended, and will
re.o.doubt be brought to justice.—(Hear, hear.) With
r7Peet, however, to the special commission, the Lord -
eetenant, in the frequent correspondence which he
maintains with us, states that the issuing of such a Commission
is the course which he is prepared
!.0 adopt the moment that the Attorney-General
Informs him—as he will very shortly—that there are
4 sufficient number of cases to justify such a step.—
Wear, hear.) And this leads me to another portion of
the subject. In reviewing the state of Ireland, as re-
spects crime, I find no facts, and I rejoice to find none,
showing that juries are disposed to wink at crime.—
(Hear, hear.) What may in future be the case, I will
not venture to anticipate. But if we can judge of the
future by the past, then I find that up to the last quarter
sessions the judges bare reported that they have had no
reason to be dissatisfied with the verdicts of juries—
(hear, hear)—and I therefore do not come to ask the
House to suspend the ordinary forms of legal procedure,
or to erect tribunals of another character; feeling, as I
ide, firmly assured that the ordinary course of law will
'le found sufficient to bring offenders, against whom
Sworn information may be lodged, to conviction and
Punishment.—(llear, hear.) But in the meantime crime
I..ak still being perpetrated. Persons are seen lurking
busses by day and night, armed with writes and blunder-
loaded—as a military officer —with such
charges as that which was extracted from the body of a
recent victim—nausely, ono bullet and thirteen swan-
au°t The: persons using fire-arms, too, are in the
habit of practising at a mark. Now, by the Censtabu-
iarY Act, passed a year and a half ago, the Lord-Lieu-
tenant is empowered to proclaim districts as being in a
State of disturbance. There are also Whiteboy Acts,
enacting severe penalties against crimes—now common
thrsTiPPerary and Roscommon such as sending
b g
oti ce
-ateelti ns. Tesistricts, however, nnot
e said to be in a state ofe disdturbance, because their
tieendition does not answer the conditions of the defini-
• cf " disturbance," as given in the Acts in
ooquestion. The power vested in the Lord-Lieutenant
nsists in sending to disturbed districts, such as Lime-
ricoekTiPPerary, and part of Clare, a limited number of
reie, in addition to the ordinary constabulary force,
tcharging the expense on the county, but only, however,
u be at
collected distant periods, when its amount
Would probably be lost sight of in the general amount
he grand jury presentment, of which it would form
t°llll..lYPart. The Lord-Lieutenant having, then, at present
;_. power of increasing the police force in those districts
u whichh the prevailing crimes are principally coin-
Power as felt it to be his duty to avail himself of that
sso far as by Act of Parliament be was
tt enabled o to do. He has hitherto, however, thought
most prudent not to proclaim them in a state
of
uisturbance,
when he was unable to do anything
ry
More than send small bodies of police hither—for the
rheesreesetadtfeore: at his command in Dublin amounts, I may
in
merely to 400 men. It was at first proposed
the Constabulary Bill that the Lord-Lieutenant
, e should empowered to send to any disturbed district
ens portion of the reserved force. Considerable obj(
c-
e was, howwietivlerr raised in this House as to that power,
principal)yposed on the co ti elyrence to tb• charge to be thus ina-
were
situate,
and
in which the disturbed districts
4 an 441011dineat Wll5 carried by which