The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-27 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

110 USE OF LORDS, Feb. 26.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack
at the usual hour.
THE GOVERNMENT MEASURE.
The Duke of RICHMOND, in presenting a petition
from some town, the name of which we did not hear, in
the county of Warwick, said that the petitioners were
interested in the subject of the ribbon manufacture, the
old and only established staple trade of the county. They
viewed with great alarm the proposals likely to be made
by Government in another place, and as they were in fa-
vour of protection themselves they desired pro:ection to
the agriculture of the country. He (the Duke
of Richmond) was very happy to present such a
petition, because it showed that the operatives of
the country were expressing their disapprobation of
the violent changes sought to be introduced by
the Government. He considered that the result of the
late elections gave sufficient proof that the farmers were
up and in earnest, and that should the measure, intro-
duced in another place, come up to that House, their
Lordships would be justified, in the exercise of a
constitutional right, to place themselves between the vio-
lent faction which urged on these charges and the best
interests of the country.
THE WAR IN INDIA.

The Earl of RIPON laid upon the table certain
papers from the seat of war in India.
The Duke of RICHMOND wished to ask the Noble
Lord (and in doing so, he felt deep gratitude for the
bravery and devotion exhibited by the army in India),
whether it was by desire that the Governor-General had
accepted a secondary position in the Indian army. It
might be very natural for Sir H. Hardinge, an old soldier,
to wish to be in the thick of the battle, but he (the
Duke of Richmond) felt that a divided authority might
be prejudicial to the interests of the country and the
honour of the British arms. _

The Earl of RIPON Eaid that due attention would
be given by her Majesty's Government to the suggestion
of the Noble Duke.

CORN-LAWS.

A NOBLE LORD presented a petition from several
parishes occupying land in the county of Leitrim,
against any alteration in the present corn-laws.

_ RAILWAYS.
Earl GREY gave notice that he would postpone his
notice of motion respecting railways until some day next
week.

PROTECTION TO AGRICULTURE.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented fifty-four re
titions from parishes in Derbyshire, in favour of pro
tection to agriculture and against the measures pro
posed by the Government.
The Marquis of WES MEATH said he had to pu
two questions to the Noble Earl (the Secretary for
Ireland) regarding the execution of Brian Seery. The
first question was whether there had been a deputation
to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, as stated, prior to
the man's execution, and the second question was whe-
ther, if there had been such a deputation, it could be con-
sidered an improper proceeding of those forming that
deputation? It did not follow that what would be con-
sidered improper in this country should be held to be
wrong in Ireland. Ho would state to their Lordships
the hardships the Commission at Westmeath had
to encounter from those opposed to it. A cer-
tain portion of the press was violently opposed
to the Government Commission and a great
feeling was created against their proceedings.
All this arose out of a conspiracy, a conspiracy involving
almost all the lower population in Ireland from the age
of sixteen to twenty-five. After the excitement which
had taken place, after the manner in which the Com-
mission was said to be got up —it was almost strange the
jury had not given way. He was perfectly sure the Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland would have acted with that modera-
tion and firmness that was necessary in looking into
the circumstances of that case, and would not be
swayed by any intelligence from any body of men in de-
ciding on the fate of Seery. He however would say that
if any Minister of the Crown had so acted, that it was
in the present state of that country most unfortunate.
The observations or expressions which had fallen from a
certain individual were most unusual, because they must
know that in that county there were persons who gladly
took hold of any circumstances whatever to hold up in-
individuals to public admonition by. misrepresenting
their conduct. Now he would show their Lordships how
justifiable was the conduct of such indviduals, by stating
what were the acts of the Roman Catholic Clergy. He
would tell their Lordships that before the Commissioners
came down to Westmeath, the Roman Catholic Bishop
gave out, in the presence of a large congrega-
tion, that Brian Seery was innocent, and with
that kind of announcement which was very well
understood in that country by many who were
afraid to give expression to their opinions. After
his conviction, a letter of a most extraordinary,
and he should say of an indecent nature, appeared with
the name of the Romish bishop of that diocese attached
to it. That letter condemned the course adopted by the
counsel for the prosecution, the Government, and all
the proceedings of that trial throughout, and the object
was to excite the people to believe that the unfortunate
man was sacrificed, and that he was innocent. When
the Government had determined that the law in that re-
gard should take its course, the people were called upon
from the altar, to stay away from the execution, and
persons were posted on the road to watch those who
dared is disobey that mendate. Under these circum-
stances, which no one regretted more than he did, and
what, lie was sorry to say, could not occur in any
country but Ireland, and which were not unusual there,
he should wish that those Noble Lords, and those per-
sons who were anxious to bring in some other measures
to accompany the one recently brought in by the Go-
vernment, would take this matter into their serious
consideration, and would reflect that (as had been re-
marked a few evenings back) by a Noble Marquis, whom
he did not now see in his place, that the supremacy of the
law must first be established, security given to life and
property, and the country be freed from the threats bul-
lying and insinuations of the Roman Catholic clergy
of Ireland. This interference to which he
alluded, before the trial, after the trial,
and during the execution, must be prevented,
and he thought that he had said enough on the subject
to open people's eyes to the necessity of such interference.
Under these circumstances, he wished to be informed
whether any deputation had waited on the Lord Lieu-
tenant, whether that deputation went from Westmeath,
and whether, under the peculiar circumstances of that
country, it was considered by the Government that such
a proceeding was harsh on the part of that deputation ?
The Earl St. GERMANS said that it was not his
intention to follow the Noble Marquis into any discus-
sion on the state of Ireland, but before he proceeded to
answer the questions put by the Noble Marquis, he must
enter his protest, if the phrase were not unparlia-
mentary, against the calumnious assertion, that the
youths of Ireland were banded together in confe-
deracy against the peace cf Ireland ; he also
protested against the assertion made against the
Roman Catholic clergy of Ireland, as a body.
He (Earl St. Germans) must say that many of those
gentlemen were eminent for their piety and charity,
and their attention to the religious and social interests
of the people. He would now proceed to answer
the questions which the Noble Marquis had
placed upon the table ; and he could not do
better, he thought, than read an extract from a letter
written by the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland to the Right
Hon. the Secretary of State. The Lord-Lieutenant
said that neither the language of the deputation nor that
of any individual member of it—and he (Earl St. Ger-
mans) could give the names of the members composing
it, but he did not think it advisable to do so—" had the
slightest influence on his mind or swayed in the smallest
his judgment in the case of Brian Seery. The prin-
cipal object of the deputation was to represent the
lawless state of Roscommon," not of Westmeath, " with
a view of getting the Government to enter into
more stringent measures for the pacification of
that country." He understood that they had stated
that any leniency to Brian Seery would be looked upon
as evidencing the weakness of the Government, and keep
alive that sanguinary spirit which was Po fatal to the
peace cf the country. He apprehended that that extract
would fully satisfy the questions of the Noble Marquis.
With regard to the third question, he was certain that
the persons who composed that deputation were actuated
solely by a sense of duty in making that representation;
but, at the same time, he (Earl St. Germans) was ready
to acknowledge that the proceeding was altogether an
unusual one, and he was not aware that in this country
such a representation was ever made by a deputation to
the head of the Executive Government. He did not
wish to say anything harsh, but he had no hesitation in
pronouncing this a most unusual course on the part of
that deputation.
The Marquis of WESTMEATII wished to explain,
and said he was glad he had given the Noble Earl an
opporunity of making the statement he had done. If
it was not unparliamentary he (the Marquis of West-
meath) would say that the expressions he had used,
which the Noble Earl had objected to, were intended to
be applied to the youth (in those) counties
who were under the iron servitude of the
Ribbon conspiracy.—(Hear, hear.) He was glad
that the Noble Earl had withdrawn the expression
" harsh," which had been the cause of his (the Marquis
of Westmeath's) attention being called to the matter,
and his giving the notice he had done.
The Earl ST. GERMANS was glad that the qualify-
ing of the expression had so far satisfied the Noble Mar-
quis; but he (Earl St. Germans) could not agree with the
declarationt that the whole youth of the country were
affected in the manner described. He was not justified
in ff
applying such a charge to the whole youth of the
country.
The Earl of WESTMEATII said he would back his
opinion against that of the Noble Earl in this respeot.
LsraSTORTON, in a very inaudible tone of voice,
defended the Romlatn
Noble Marquis.
a juror was a Catholic his oaarl
statement of the Noble Marquis,
wCaastahol!ies from the charges of the
thing
wast
e invalid. tow sayaas
a llthatalluded
becauseerde
From
were
the
informedta
shat
to believe that the jury to which) heH House
woutoldobetled
Catholics, but he (Lord Stourton
they were exclusively Protestants. It was har
that a priest or a bishop of the Catholic religion mustay
be prevented from giving proper advice to his people
from the altars of his church. For his own part, he
believed that, notwithstanding all the calumnies which
had beea heaped upon the priests of the Catholic
Church, they were still the best guardians and comfort-
ers of the people of Ireland.
Lord BROUGHAM protested against such a subject
as thea r
,ha
presenter:d he
)—being
notinto t ah
ink
o ore
any e
dd iude aadn ym
insiesrtvriactei
onto
otlfie
jgusretiact and
o whosacred cause
attemptedtoof
atisike
whether a jury was Catholic or Protestant, because such
discussions tended to poison the administration of jus-
tice at its source.—(Cheers) He (Lord Brougham) also
hoped and trusted that the Noble Lord who had spoken
last was well grounded in his opinion, that the Catholic
priests were the best friends sad administrators of just

tice to the people of Ireland, and he (Lord Brougham)
hoped and trusted that they would long continue to be so.
He (Lord Brougham) thought they would deserve well
of their country, if they would immediately give up the
reprehensible and abominable practice of addressing
political lectures to the public from their pulpits.
—(lleal, hear, and loud cheers.) Be they Protestants
or Catholics, they desecrated the altar when they
prostrated it to such uses.—(Hear, hear.) He did not
believe that the administration of justice was interfered
with by the priests of either of these denominations ;
but, if they did interfere with its administration, the law
might punish them. The duty of the Judge would be
ill-discharged if he did not punish any such
interference, whether by a Catholic or Protestant.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH appealed to their
Lordships whether he had stated that he generally
mistrusted Roman Catholic jurors. In fact, a great
portion of the business of Ireland was transacted by
a portion of that community, and he had seen Roman
Catholic jurors perform their duties as well as
those of the Protestant religion.—(hear, hear.) I❑
the case of Seery the jury was not wholly Protestant.
Lord STOURTON again defended the Catholic priest-
hood from the charge of fomenting disturbances in Ire-
land. They were indebted to them for much of the
peace and prosperity which prevailed in that country,
and they ought not, therefore, to be assailed in that and
the other House° f Parliament. in the way they had been.
COUNTY WORKS PRESEMTMENTS (IRELAND)