The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-12 00:00:00

and treated questions on their own merits. He was
quite sure that, with respect to the great questions with
which he had been identified—he alluded particularly to
the measure connected with free trade—not one would
have passed, had not its supporters resolved to treat
Whig and Tory the same. In all future questions in
which he might take an interest, he should continue
to regard them in the same light. The Alien Bill
had been so exhausted that it was unnecessary for him
to dwell upon it. There was, however, one point of
view in which it had not as yet been regarded. It ape
peered to him, that whilst the Government were passing
alien Bills, and Bills for the protection of the Crown
and Government, it was a proof that they were taking
the wrong direction as to what was the best course for
satisfying the country and maintaining our institutions.
—(Hear, hear.) It seemed to him that the Government
had not profited by the examples set on the Continent,
where they had seen repression and coercion fail of their
purpose—(Hear, hear)—and Governments prostrate,
because they had not taken the wise course of conciliation
and concession. The Government was seen still follow-
ing the old course of coercion and repression, but no
measures were propounded calculated to increase the
attachment of the people to the institutions of this
country.—(Hear, hear.) He would venture to say that
the country was at this moment looking moat anxiouslif
—not for coercion, not for gagging Bills, not for Bills
for the protection of the people against aliens, but for
the announcement of remedial measures—(Hear)—ex-
pecting to hear the Government prepared to put our
representative system in harmony with the spirit of the
age.—(Hear, hear.) They were not prepared to see the
whole world in motion, and this country standing still,
or taking a retrograde movement.—(Hear, hear.) The
country was also looking to retrenchment and economy,
and I will venture to say (continued the Hon. Member)
that, if you wish to maintain the monarchy againt ree
publican innovation you will do more towards the
accomplishment of your object by cutting away much of
that barbarous splendour which belonged to other times,
to the cost of the country, and the aggrandisement of the
aristocracy.—(Hear, hear.) You will do more to recon-
cile the people of this country to monarchical institutions
by removing some of these useless and mischievous sr
pendages to royalty, than by preventing the people from
discussing republicanism. I entreat the Government
not to think there is a passive acquiescence in the men"
sures they are now passing in this House. I have 0"
plained why you have a majority. The feeling out of
doors is very different.--(Hear, hear.) If you want to
maintain your institutions do not pass coercion Bills, but
resort at once to remedial measures; reform yourselves,
and retrench your expenditure.—(Hear, hear.) •
Lord J. RUSSELL—The lion. Member for Falmouth
(Mr. Mowatt) complained that the Government had, et
the beginning of the session, introduced various men'
sures of coercion, and said that they were abandoning the
principles which they had formerly professed, and were
acting against the constitution of the country as gene"
rally recognised by the people. It has certainly been
our fate to have to introduce measures which were in'
tended for the purposes of repression. If such measures
were not necessary, we were not justified in introducing
them; if they were necessary, I think then we should
have been much to blame, had we refused to perform
that which was our duty to the well-affected and well-
disposed people of this country, from any fear of such ire'
putations as the Hon. Gentleman has thrown out.
(Hear, hear.) But I think there are some tests by
which the utility and necessity of such measures nisi
be tried. One test is, whether such measures as we have
hitherto introduced, and of which the operation has been
in some degree seen, have been successful in diminishing
crime and the excitement to crime, whether they have
been successful in allaying that state of disturbance and
uneasiness which prevailed in one part of the United King-
dom. And a second test is, whether those measures have
operated with as little disturbance as it was possible to
give to the ordinary and usual enjoyment of the liberties
of the people of this country.—(Hear, hear.) In speak-
ing of those measures, and applying these tests—fol-
lowing
the example of the Honourable Member for the ,
West Riding of Yorkshire—l do not mean to makearany
distinction between Whig and Tory—(real', h
bwehcaa
tuesvee
rI
nabelieve
e that
been btohteh d
ips at
irnt
tics which belonged to these parties in anterior periods
of our history, have been earnestly and equally anxious
gchesaeracttim.erie'ss.:
gieusishin th
in
to maintain those constitutional liberties so longs hhe
boast of the inhabitants of these islands. Now,
regard to the first measure introduced by us' which has
been described as a coercive measure—the Irish Arms
Bill—we found that there began to prevail, last autumn,
a dreadful frequency of crime in Ireland, making the life
of every individual unsafe, and either driving men from
the country, or exposing them, as they returned home
from market or any other ordinary business, to be Ivey'
laid and assassinated
_from behind:the hedges; in shorts
reducing the country to such a state, that every one who
was a possessor of property, or had anything to to
with its management, even down to the small farmer,
was made to feel that he could not safely inhabit the
country.—(Hear, hear.) Sir, we introduced a Bill
which I do not think interfered with the ordinary en”
ployment of the people of Ireland, which was not open
to the objection that attached to the various Bills that
have been introduced with the same object at other
times—that of confounding the innocent with the guiltij
for this Bill, while it left the innocent in the enjoylne',"
of all their privileges, took effectual pains to disarm
those who were intent upon crime and in t
habit of committing crime. I am happy 10 561
that the last accounts which we have received as to °lf:
amount of crime in Ireland, tend to show bow "'if
great a change has been introduced into the barcondition
the people. I find that while in April, 1847, the nu
only
of crimes amounted to 5,209, in April, 1843, they 011,;_
amounted to 1,196. Homicides, which in April, lt;
were twenty-four, were in April, 1848, only nine.
crime of firing at persons had diminished from ninetfmee
in April, 1847, to three in April, 1848. The er.`e.
of demand or robbery of arms had diminished zruoi
67 in April, 1847, to 12 in April, 1848 ; the criMiept,
bearing arms from 16 in April, 1847, to 7 in Aril bed
In the same way several other crimes have dirnin's red
very greatly : and even in the last month, as coMPliber
with the preceding, the diminution in the total ntler°o,)
of crimes has been from 1,429 to I,l96.—(Hear, 13°00
I certainly should not omit to mention that in no
circuits, those of King's County and Roscorurn°,ll:,4B.
offences against the person are reported in April, lutbe
Therefore, whatever language may be used agains psi
Government for having introduced the Bill whieDie •
carried through this House before Christmas, it .."1 in,
great satisfaction to me to have been instrumer b-, in
passing an Act, owing to the consequences of vell'edeti
a great measure, there has been secured greater 5,1005
to life, and men are enabled to carry on their occuPP•oes
with safety in that country, free from the apprehensitat,
of continual and barbarous murders.—(Cheers.) eeter
sir, we introduced very lately a measure for the grn'tef.
security of the Crown and Government of this coon iii'
The main features of that measure were features °L;ruslf
gation—mitigation of the law of treason as it pre/',"001d
stood. But we did that to which I think no one -,that
well object, seeing that if a measure in reference te
cry
crime was necessary for England, it was no less neneessotor
for Ireland; and if it were proper that we in thise—teat
try should be subject to such a law, it was no less n‘tijoen
the Irish should be subject to the same eery
hear.) Though that Act has been in operation but sti ha,
short time, its effect, its successful effect, in Ire's° weer
been very visible.—(Cheers.) Every one will relneofthe
that, six weeks ago, it was impossible to read any e real‘:
papers from Ireland without seeing that men were es'
ing a great bravado of their courage; with the
emphasis, and with great demonstration of wha:rioi
were about to do, they declared it was their ilite°',"reoP/'
make war against her Majesty and her IMajestYs
and to sever Ireland from its allegiance to this ne-otites;
and they spared no kind of invective, not only %le
n'
the Crown and Government, but against the Penrdeed,
this country.—(Cheers.) It has appeared lately, in pay'
that those persons, although they spoke insad
spoke so very much because they were in Dlinl""'yeri
actually under the security and protection of thntstion,
Government which they professed their deterten!
it ef
to overthrow and annihilate.—(Cheers.) And der ":
happen that when on one occasion the comma tit bl°
her Majesty's troops had not forces immediately of the
disposal, in order to protect the persons of sornewere
worst of these would-be traitors—those personlisieetf
danger, not from her Majesty's troops and her so. ,ed
police, but they required the assistance of tbosucoese:
troops and police in order to save them front the 0,00,
quences of those harangues and those writings _ °the;
they had so freely indulged in Dublin and seltheuBo
places.—(Cheers and laughter.) But, Sir, :00, to
those very persons were so willing, a few week read/ to
submit to the penalties of high treason, and se.eetl°B
declare that they must either put down Lord tereir ;ono
or that Lord Clarendon must put down then", Woof Oa,
has been entirely changed.—(Cheers.) It is,„invenoi
most mild and mitigated treason—the most t-tere
water sedition—(Laughter)—so weak 1n'%11,4"
treason, insubordination, and rebellion, that it rt.,' pre'
become quite flat to those whose appetites for:
viously been tickled by the highly-flavoured neleioneta
merly prepared and administered by those Pe' 040,
(Great laughter.) Therefore I say, "'it'll 011,
to that Act, which met with so rale' use L'•
sition in this House, that it has been Yerting Wee
for its purpose, and has had the effect of nurdsegern it
great measure this very inflammatory and art thiseshe
language. At the same time, I venture to ass bed the
has not in the least degree diminished or cL".esnect
proper liberty of discussion in Ireland with
yrcenlere
eeS
any measure of the Government.—(Hear.) I e the
say that any one who really wishes to disci's be Might
sures of the Government—whatever faults s
wish to find with them, or whatever epithet
wish to apply to the conduct of the Governor this
before mesa
passed. much at liberty to do so as ho was he 'of ase
passed. He must keep within certain limits;
not use seditious language. Such was
_tan _ the I_l`oo,
land befere this Act passed; such is the l 7z,l3;ill:loii
now.—(Hear, hear.) Then we come t.13c.11 eertjeet
before the House, to the effects of whtsien,., 11,0
cannot speak very confidently; but cer
hinasu
gipee
Hon. Friend near me (Sir G. Grey)
eoedeiel
reason to think that it will have a be on,
sa,rearf
I wish to disclaim its being directed agas!",_ri.,(o_eted
ticular Government or any particulasr ieteo"opie
hear.) It is quite untrue that it i
_tst the r Go'
against the French Government or agsale_t to the re.;
of France.—(Bear, hear.) With re Pal', resson4t
vernment of France, lam sure we havee_iration „ehe-
collect with the strongest feelings of an:
etod fro-
a moment of great peril, when no one 1b of
11. !. Go.
might be the fate next day of the m tnecr's nris.oo
estine
visional Government, one of the rnenw eto Cl' ea&
vernment, Mons. Laruartine, held ,u
the least, for a feu, ACM' 1, ol
deputies, who, to say . cap the
.00
purpose, had gone to the Frencnb.
to the ace° ti
an se II Ith
language which, while it exposed lin d Wen trie
any ruffian who wished to carry terrorsbie
to him
-4011' it
into this country, was both honour:
and praiseworthy to him as a minister
_t wan/serie eel°
showed that he really had at heart, se e
might be to himself, the maintenanc 01