The Sun.
London, England, 1834-02-18 00:00:00

IMPERIALPARLIAMENT

THIS DAY, TUESDAY, FEB. 18.

• ,H-OUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair about ten minutes past twelve
o'clock.
Mr. HODGSON brought up the report of the Committee on
the Newcastle Subscription Waterworks Company. The Corn.
mittee reported that the Standing Orders were complied with,
and leave wai given to bring in the Bill.
Mr. BETHELL presented a petition from a parish in York-
shire, praying for leave to open a market-place.—Ordered to lie

on thitable. •
Mr. PHILLPOTTS presented a petition from the Gloucester i
Gas Light Company, for leave to light that town with gas.
The Hon. Member also presented another petition to the same
effect from another parish in Gloucestershire.
Sir R. FERGUSON presented a petition from the inhabi-
tants of a parish in the county of Fife, praying for leave to

bring in a Cemetery Bill.
The same HON. MEMBER moved, that the Cardiff Ship Canal
Bill be read a first time.

The Bill was read a first time accordingly.
Lord MORPETH brought up the report of the Committee
on the Calder and Keppel Navigation petition, and obtained

leave to bring in a Bill founded thereon.
THE REPEAL OF THE UNION.
Mr. F. O'CONNOR presented a petition from the inhabi-
tants of the town of Cove, in the county of Cork, for the repeal
of the legiilative union ; and, in 'doing so, he was almost in-
clined to agree with the HOn. Member for Kent, that they
shOuld have very little hopefrom the presentation of all these •
petitions, when they were obliged to go on presenting them
day after day without any of his Majesty's Ministers
being present, who had stated that they would resist
this question to the death. He was almost at a loss to know
what course he should pursue, more especially at a time when
the cry for the repeal of the Union was become so prevalent.
The petition which he held in his hand was from the town of
Cove, and he conceived that they had a good right to complain
of the Union, for their town had been formerly flourishing
and piosperous, and now it had been deprived of all its re-
souices, for the little that had been left had lately been taken
from them.' The Hon. Member opposite had chastised him
(Mr. O'Connor) for being so intemperate, and recom-
mended him not to abuse his Majesty's Ministers.—(Hear,
hear.) • But it was almost impossible that he could
pass over their conduct towards his country. What had
they done for Ireland that Irishmen should not expect some.
thing from a domestic Legislature ? What measure had bein
passed in the reformed Parliament to which they could refer—
what measure of grace, or what measure of justice had been
passed for the relief of the Irish people ? (Lord Althorp here
entered the House.) He (Mr. O'Connor) was happy to see the
Noble Lord in his place—(Hear, and a laugh)—as he should now
take leave of the accusation of speaking harshly of Ministers in
their absence, and he would say in the presence of that Noble
Lord that no Ministry had done more to destroy the confidence
existing between Catholics and Protestants, than that Ministry
of which he formed a part. It had been his intention to count
the House out, but the novelty of seeing the Noble Lord in his
place, whom he considered eqUivalent to forty, prevented his
doing so now.—(Hear, and a laugh.) It had been said that
they looked for other measures besides the repeal of the union,
but he begged to assure the House that the Irish Members had
no such intention. One of the greatest checks upon the con-
duct of Members of that House was to be obliged to return
to their constituents, but what availed it for the 105
Irish Repeaters to come down to that House, when
there was no disposition to accede to any proposition,
be it ever so good—(Hear, hear, hear)—that emanated from
his side of the House. He had been told that the Irish Mem.
bers had lately enjoyed some triumph, because it had been

from their general character for intelligence, must know that
the repeal of the Union would greatly impoverish that country
by preventing the sale of the produce of the land. There was
one class of persons in this country who suffered severely from
the connection of this country with Ireland—he meant the
English -farmers. No one suffered from this. snore than him-•
self, is he" believed 'that if the Prodjibe of' Ireland were not
imported into this countrY;liis land would be worth a third
more than it was at present: fie, however, was perfectly con-,
tent to suffer 'this diminution of his property, but he foated it
would be an argument of the lion: Member for Dublin to the
farmers and people of England, that the importation of Irish
produce materially affected their interests;. and this ,he felt
was an argument with which it would be difficult to deal.
Mr. C. O'D:WYER said he was surprised to hear, stny,wblic
functionary ofA Ireland accused of too much civility.—(]fear,
hear, and *tm:o For his own part he 'was bound to, say
that the SeCretary for Ireland, as far as he (Mr. O'D.) could
understand the opinion of the people,' had given universal
satisfaction.—(Hear, hear.) That Right lion. Gentleman had
unfortunately fallen into collisions, for which, considering that
he had not originated them, he ought scarcely to be held
,re-
sponsible to the full extent. His general administration, how-
ever, had entitled him to the approbation of those who differed
from the Government upon most occasions. He Mr. O'D.) rose
to assure the Honourable Member for Mayo, who had
described the scheme of repeal as visionary and delusive, that
he himself laboured under a strange delusion. He might rest
assured that the sentiments in favour 'of repeal pervaded the
entire country, and influenced the whole Of the democracy, and
a considerable portion of the higher orders.—(Cries of " No,
no," and " Hear." The fact was capable of demonstration,
but he had only risen toprevent the Hon. Member from adding
to the delusion that was practised on the Government. The
Hon. Member for Mayo had made use of language. ,which was
not justified, considering that he was the represenative of an
essentially Roman. Catholic constituency. He stated that pe-
titions to this House originated from a system of terror and
priestcraft. Now he (Mr. O'Dwyer) would put the question,
whether such language ought to have been used by an Irish
Member, who was indebted for his return to a Catholic com-
munity ? As to terror, it was absurd to suppose such a thing;
for how could it be supposed that in such a county as Mayo any
man could be compelled to sign petitions against his will ? He
had never heard of any opposition to repeal ; on the contrary,
the desire in Ireland was general amongst the lower classes to
come forward and give their attestation in favour of this mea-
sure. The Noble Lord opposite (Althorn) might rest assured
that there was a universal desire in Ireland in favour of this
measure. He was afraid he was speaking with temerity, and he
felt that he might be misunderstood, when he stated that
the question of repeal might even now be arrested by proper
and sincere expressions of the desire of this House to do full
justice to Ireland.—(Cries of" No, no," and cheers.) If they
could convince the people of Ireland, but he did not think
they could, that this House could legislate as beneficially for
Ireland as an Irish Parliament, he had no doubt that a de-
sire for the repeal of the union would not continue—that the
struggles for it would cease, and that the mere abstraction
would not induce the people of Ireland to continue in a state of
agitation.—(Cheers.) This was a Reformed Parliament—they
had been taught to look up to it for good measures, but
they had done nothing for Ireland—their only measure was
one of oppression and injustice, which, more than any thing
else, had confirmed those repealers that were wavering, and
had in fact created throughout the country a general feeling in
favour of repeal. He thought repeal inevitable; but at the
same time, if there was a locus penitentier, if there was any
possible way to stop the question of Tepee], it was only by
doing full, fair, and impartial justice to the people of Ireland.
Mr. J. BROWNE, in answer to the statement of the Hon.
Member who had just sat down, begged to say, that in using
the word priestcraft he did not intend to give the slightest
offence; he only meant to say that he was afraid the lower
classes of Ireland were a good deal swayed by the priests.
' Sir A. AGNEW would venture to say,from what he knew
of the people Of Ireland, that the general feeling in the breast
of those who were originally opposed to the repeal of the
union, was favourable to it at the present moment.
Mr. H. GRATTAN deprecated the course pursued by Mi-
nisters, who had in terms called all those who were fa-
vourable to the repeal disloyal subjects.—(Cries of " Hear,
hear.") Measures had been promised for the amelioration of the
condition of Ireland,' lint as yet none had been brought for-
ward. It was impossible that the people could be in a worse
condition than they were in some parts of Ireland. Some.
thing, therefore, must be done to better their condition.—
(Hear.) Such was the state of Ireland that he (Mr. Grattan)
thought it would be necessary to bring a motion before the