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

RAILWAYS.

Earl GREY gave notice that ho would postpone his
notice of motion respecting railways until some day next
Week.

PROTECTION TO AGRICULTURE.

The Duke of RICHMOND presented fifty-four pe-
titions from parishes in Derbyshire, in favour of pro-
tection to agriculture and against the measures pro-
posed by the Government.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH said he had to put
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. He 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
bad 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. Ile 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
toe': hold of any circumstances whatever to held 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 iittlecent nature, appeared with
the name of the Itomieltsbishop 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 takd its course, the people were called upon
from the altar, to stay away from the execution, and
persons ware posted on the road to watch those who
dared to disobey that mandate. Under these circum-
stances, which no one regretted more than he did, and
what, he 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 Catholicclergy
of 'lreland. 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 oyes 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.
:ion 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 of 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 en 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 be did not think it advisable to do so—" bad 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 stato of Roscommon." not of Weetaleeth, n 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 so fetal 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 WESTMEATFI 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 nut unparlinuaentary lie (the Marquis of West-
meath) would say that the expressions he had used,
which the Noble Marl had objected to, were intended to
be applied to the youth lin 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 qirl ST. GERMANS eing the notice he had done.
The Ea
wan 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
declaration that the whole youth of the country were
affected in the manner described. He was not justified
in applying such a charge to the whole youth of the
country.
The Earl of WESTMEATH raid he would back his
opinion agaieet that of the Noble Earl in this respect.
Lord S roitTom, in a very inaudible tone of voice,
defended the Roman Catholics from the charges of the
No %le Marquis. It was a hard thing to say that because
a juror teas a Catholic his oath was invalid. From the
statement o:tte Noble Marquis, the House would be led
to believe that tide'jury.to.which he had alluded were
Catholics, but he ("Lora Stourton)ts. It was hard too to say
was informed that
they were exclusively
Protastn
that a priest or a bishop theofCatholic religion must
be prevented from giving proper advice to his people
from the altars a his church. For !his own part, he
believed that, metwithstanding all the calumnies which
had been heaped upon the priests of the Catbolio
Church, they were still the best guardians and comfort-
era of the people of Ireland.
Lord BROUGHAM protested against anoh a snhjeet
as the proaeat 'being eonyerted into a religious questio,a.,
(Hear, hear).— -and he did not think that any one
did any service to the great and sacred cause of the
lee
due administration of justice who atterptra to k,
whether a jury woes Catholic or Protestant, because such
discussions tended to poison the administration of jus-
tice at its source..--( beers.) Ile (Lord Brougham) also
hoped and trusted that the Noble Lord who had spoken
last we well grounded in his Opinion, that the Catholic
Priaets weee the beat eripildi Ida niatrAto Of juaj