The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-24 00:00:00

-next mail will bring accounts of the entry of
the British troops into the Punjaub, and probably of the
occupation of Lahore, the capital. One of the India papers,
not much disposed in general to show any partiality to the
army, thus pr.ii3es rather than blames the policy adopted
in by Sir HENRY HARDLNGE :---"That the Governor-General was
aome degree taken by surprise—that he was at all
events wholly unprepared for the advance, in the form and at
the time in which it occurred, of the Seikhs
beYend the Sutlej--is sufficiently apparent. Nor is it
at all
that wonderful, or in the least degree censurable
it should be so. The army assembled along the
bands of marauders ; and that more than these should have
assailed us, no reasonable or reflecting being could have
iluaginad. The Lahore Government, indeed, by pushing on
"'er army, drew down on themselves the consequences they
Place all things anxious to avert, and
the ed their country at once within our grasp—
„ people now and for ever at our feet. Should
Pertnit the Seikhs for the present to rule over it,
It west be under such circumstances and conditions as to
leave it completely at our mercy whenever it nay
fulsuit ft
s Summarily to deal with it. We lament the fear-
''ss of life that has occurred, and hardships that have
14,,,het
endured but beyond this our regrets for what has
lut
the PPened scarcely extend; and we most heartily rejoice
t no
u
unequivocal evidence we possess, that from' .
at act of intimidation on our part—no casting ot
eye of covetousness' on the possessions of our neigh-
hasre
f ,,, ,
our the country of the Five Rivers been placed at
tilerdi Looking at the position of affairs altogether,
ore, we
believe that the Governor-General has acted
accordance with his instructions, and that though the
Ltasvie
tc"aPa have suffred severely, it was better to act en the de-
than begin a war without just cause.

lee RThe
°'cloc Lo
I) CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack a,
k.
The
the presentation ofa petitions
leR of of e Earl
Sr.T.GERVANS rose and moved the second read-
ie-stieee• the Pacification Bill, the necessity for which he
eiee'e by quoting various statistical details from the returns
ie the Itith constabulary, showing the vast increase
thetreee
Which had taken place in Ireland during
The iVet Year as compared with the year preceding.
trees „°ene Earl also read several letters showing the pro-
stated Molly Maguirism," many of the writers of which
root -.!at If the Government did not interfere, the peasantry
elaguirein„ self-defence be obliged to join the " Molly
victim It was hopeless to attempt to get a col.-
le th unless the witnesses were kept in confinement
Isere,: Police barracks until the trial was over.
Set" of the cases of homicide were of the most horrible
kid Ise f'rulinee as the Noble Earl justly observed, " a black
trete,°o(l-staiiied catalogue ;" in no instance had the perpe-
the t.;,' a these atrocities been brought to justice, such was
iente,4':°' inspired by these " midnight legislators." In one
e:lne, 1;e Parties had stated that they knew the guilty perd-
Snf th
,!it dared not give information until they heed dispose
itet,;.Property and were prepared. to
tquerite twhereceantry.
iiesedtne writers stated distinctly country h parties
Ikeeee °len who went about the
. cominiaing as-
t'kee,.oll for hire. The greater portion of these crimes,
be„e Which were 137 homicides, were comitted
Of armed men belonging to secret assocmiations.
Pete,: 'times, only five were committed on the persons of
4rvetl• The sufferers in general were small farmers or
cltes ants in the employment of gentlemen. These un-
lee • "e rue
, eqh,„ e were dragged out in tees middle of the
a-A Bauch maimed or murdered in the presence of their families ,
;4144 i;„-,wal the system of terror established, that the family
,tte -e,,,give evidence against the perpetrators of the out-
'te e.;"e Government had adopted every method in their
,'"e fret; suPPress the outrages. They had increased the po-
lly it;el), but in vain • and they were now compelled to
It„kreeet,,e.allisiment for further power. If it was intended by
ee'' (0 grapple with this evil, they could not adop_t a
allottutional measure than the one proposed. The
7j
n, p,i,,e, se gave the Lord Lieutenant power
1-t'cl'ttet "in any district. The second clause was
ktte eq. These crimes were planned and committed
e tell
tO4 i! (luring the night. and therefore the second clause
ij"! rinlPortant. He 'also considered it important that
t
r''''",eeet,ee•leutenatit should have the power of awarding
ce„," 1 ;,I1 to the family of the murdered man,
ti mitt on the barony in which the murderhhnaoditein_
kb41141 ~by way of fine levied by rate, from which V.4klh °Q'd be exempt. It was also important t atthe police
„eel nave the Do er of en t ering and searching public-houses.
ets't violated' w -constitutional form in the trial of
te see. fe no
de Nb: `"ey were to be tried by jury at quarteF-sessions
k", 4113 Ile would not enter at length into the
na').;,t,lte measure, as they must be better discussed
e4sletTte-ee..
.H knw that some persons attributed these
'fee „".Political feeling, but he considered the. future, ines-
-1474, eut`rruue had diminished
.in certain counties of Ireland.
Voeeh,ages were not of an insurrectionary chayecter, and
'I• ete7e',they were quite unconnected with polittcs. The
Iti;I Of th"" had shown itself not insensible to the improve-
(lo:l -llieeeondition of the Irish people, but all such mea-
0* °--c," be useless until these outrages were. put
Ile:"liele'el'e could be no doubt that the minute
tteettNeele of land had led to some of those
teet"'letio',"st't the great cause was the existence of secret
he e• It was ecessary to meet the evil, •
sepl,edupon necessary to meet the evil, and there-
11d upon their Lordships to sanction this mea-
kd Of give to the Irish peasant that feel-
le?thi Ceueity which the English peasant, enjoyed,
/let'"ee e'w °Lad enable the measures of the Government
eiele'nereltel! the social condition of Ireland to bear the
Pte..' h they hoped they would produce,
.but which they
eeroduce until the feeling of security for life ande
Oete "as restor d•He, therefore, moved that the Bill
Ile seceeci • e •
lett time.
Ikeektios (Pus of LANSDOWNE could not offer the slightest
hatsto the progress of a Bill intended for.
.the.
e),e,farf`4l of the lives of her Majesty's Irish subjects ,
letiutee 'el) :11 complaining of the early time at which the Bill
seelllet forward
he thought that every day since the
t° the the session was a day lost, in not making some
'l,•. tarts Rut an end to such a lamentable state of things.
1144'1 tilt `"at their Lordships would lose no time in consi-
le?l% bet urea for improving the condition of the Irish
l`itlS, ,e he admitted that the measure which had been
a:1 an indispensable precursor to them. He
htp weeasts '
admitting and stating that this was a Bill
tletlete;e'hection of the poor against a lawless system of in-
101bou'r which was aimed against their only property,
,Itu, *eel and which, if not put down would extend. to
41,4 ere,,e country, and end in the extermination
Pei:lleer"' luau of `the population, and the destruction. of
,Sl',er:tah'ul security. At the same time
.he would im-
' „iy the Government the necessity of introducing as
PossiNe measures to ameliorate the condition of
1,1
4d
httNl. 4°,cPßAat agreed that this Bill ought not to be
"f• tee'''„e
.deplor-eed that
dom there should exist in any
inions a state of society which, if
ellleSre—e"Y Put down, would render all attempts
ett d jeietnent the wildest fancy that it ever
SodOiy I') the mind of man to in.iagine.
• hry h,owards Ireland was to render it an inhabitable
rtkii Putting a s'on to the progress of crime,
Pk.."l tlidere trait an uninhabitable country.. He regretted that.
Se' ref the tcontain provisions for- trying accusations in
countr where juries were not subject to the
NtMaiici`e Should like to have this provision not confined
'4 'TN but extendedle to the whole kingdom. In
offences might be tried either locally, or
It
urgh
r 141,.. tel. at the- option of the prosecutor.
i,")r,,„' 4 both for the prisoner and for justice, that be
lie-,'Neeei'e'l Where he was not known. He trusted the
leNcliteo wculd, before many days were passed, make
n to this most necessary nieasure
oft ht4l-ItAsi said that Cavan twelve months since, was
distialletest counties in Ireland and now it was the
,kilatietd: The disturbances began with threatening
ittlZ the t;" Perambulation of the county by armed men,
tireed that being
t 4, t any-PavtTe murder was committed., in the open day
made to arrest the murderer.
/44 4, tic), —l' till was for the protection of the poor,
6.4ttc'tii"l'ee.wineaienh ight provide for his safety by quitting
WO, t the poor man could not. If the
.farmer
r.O 'eave the country he could not sell his pro-
tlie„ tee Purchaser would not be safe. The cause
liF.cote-heevlre 'was the existence of ribbon societies, so-
igs7sed exclusively of men of the humblest classes
,11 aneducated, but most mischievous, and
l'titeres,„.. Perpetrating any crime, however atrocious.
Yq.(l/10'‘ roeasure was one necessary for the security of
PertY, and he hoped its progress would not be de-
'll*"tht,vg`ii,j_s .3f CLANRICARDE complained that himself and
"ol he acted had been grossly assailed, because
ILY 4°4 the Government to adopt measures for the
C4441t hi! and property in Ireconscientioland.
us opinion
He was extremely
caPression of his
ion uPortion of his countrymen. He must entertain
Totch ,t4;ot te!,t4t the Irish should enjoy equal rights and pro.
iiNlyttt had nothing to do with the present measure,
nee ", "5 for the protectiou of life and property.
tlitt4y:" cieh'llllll)laint of the Irish farmer, that
,toutMo4,,llllve;:t,rcved of the franchise, it would not
Kit hj 11,14,t —„,Say, therefore you shall not be defended in t
Vitee-Ng Your life and your property. He objected
tviejSry f 4 Permanent measure. Arbitrary power would
letdet7l. /et" a• aloe, but the period of its exercise. should
tht helet sho,..Tas, perhaps, right that the inhabitan.ts of
tlifit
.theu",cl be fined in:which a murder was committed,
ylso rklet ought
that where a conviction followed,
it}iujacte‘dlut not to be subjected to the fine,
h ,") infliet.n,g the punishment of transporta-
k,:l•ee:weeerevions reference to the Lord Lieutenant.
i„ti.ceiye Were matters of detail, and so necessary
tteine.C_lrte pre""e Tile such measure, that he would not op-
N 1 of stage.
~1 b, 418 het se, le2tuaw thought this a most useful Bill,
146 41-4lle't t'ie force of the objections of the Noble
lett, ° it te°llglet, however, that sonic additions might
te etrete_ secure the conviction and punishment of
lec4, eZleeeeleei"iurof crime. It was impossible in local
4eci 11,1111 who would convict even on the clearest
iSkYtt ""e Provision to remedy this evil was
N if it °F cLA,,
,fAarric thought the Bill would. be more
~, rities .`'ater powers to unpaid magistrates and
t‘l%,,,yeat w„l'o had greater local knowledge and
it,,ti1t4t41,,,4 to tli;a. ‘le district than stipendiary magistrates.
4 e hler P'an- of assessment for compensation, as
oLleest 4 keutta`le the unpopularity of the poor-rate. Pep L Would
NI kid St not oppose the measure, but
-Leareeteet the doctrine laid down by his
N'logie every Friend, that it would be ad-
g a Llse to give the prosecution a power
kt r; AC/Imin_
I,,iilt;pits 7, whiz to trial at a distance from his
Was an encroachment on the
irtrial N, Of C)th British subject, and contrary to the
c"nre
t 811041,1 .r the : .
on. law For the sake of the
Hefp
-oti take • Public, was better that
seet,l•llce, and the sentence be pronounced,
Nl/41 (1.
~, 11„.. ins where the crime was coin-
-7111 the '7,l>e•elel would in political trials
yeeti°t belleveeoeeereineent almost arbitrary power.
t 441 it POW eto e present Government would
ti.er, but •
ut tour:, .ote It entOit not to be entrusted to any
oge th i'Lle Court of
eer. 'tied that it was the law of England in
tih~ai the Queen's Bench in England
Couer.tve,ue in snob cases in England, but
or of s„,°ll 'luee tes Bench in Ireland now.
a very
anr(i)Lrbut- th.. criminal law of Scot-
,kl se leer el.° tho I•LL arr nature, and not near
stri" EnglanrrtY of the subject as the
'4ei leo
gi ex convict- Would his Noble Friend
it'
ha ._raooths pie
to too of
Mu ,t• and Palmer
te d u the e, he imitated e and within
4p., ‘eoure of j .
' Olt t POWs r usticiary
had determined
1/4 -0 it a„, ••° create any new offence,
iteiol el of 'ellteo tfe:t. Punishment the neiglit think
see he Itnitatio e would tto New o for not be held up as Loebe a not Op "gland and Ireland. Al-
t'etttl can t!'''Peea P"e the Bill, he considered that
eotl stitotioe. Y measure as it was an encroach-
Ge "meal "
4, toe" Lord CA nA
iough au, loe mutually explaiaed.
wine
of'the me.ts' ures proposed