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

Mr. SHAW did not wish to say one word against the gentle-
manly conduct of the Right Hon. Secretary for Ireland, for he
had always found him most courteous and obliging—(Hear,
hear)—but he could easily see why the popular press had not
opened upon him; those connected with that part of the press
believing that he was under the patronage and protection of the
Hon. Member for Dublin.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) He
would not say that he countenanced his views, but he did not
oppose them with that spirit which might have been ex-
pected.—(Hear, hear.) He was sure thg the Right
Hon. Secretary countenanced no party, nor ever would ; '
for himself he would say that he had always avoided being
liable to be denominated a political partisan. It was true that
circumstances had occurred that caused him to take a part that
would give colour for such an accusation, but he would appeal
to any gentleman in Ireland or that House, whether he had
ever been considered a violent party man ? He was most wil-
ling to give the Right Hon. Secretary for Ireland credit for
being of no party, but he could not give him credit for much
firmness. He did not believe that any Government had done
so much as the present to forward the views, and give force
to the measures, of the Honourable Member for Dublin.—
(Hear.) The decision of the House, in the case of Baron
Smith, he believed, would spread dismay throughout Ireland,
and fill the minds of the people of that country with disgust
and amazement. ' For his own part, he believed that Baron
Smith had never done more than adopt the course which he
conscientiously believed as a man the circumstances of the
country required ; and he felt confident that every man, from
the highest to the lowest, would lose all confidence in the Irish
Government if the consequences of that decision were visited
upon Baron Smith. If such a course was adopted, the people
would think the Government acceded to the views of the Hon.
Member for Dublin, the head of agitation—he did not mean tte
term offensively,—the Hon. and Learned Member avows d
he was an agitator, and he honoured him for that avowal, but
the people; if what he had adverted to took place would consider
that infinite injury would be done to Ireland,

Mr. VITZGER4I4II bor.e.
.testimony to the excellent con-
duct of the Right Hon. Secretary for Ireland, and stated ,his
belief that the course he had pursued was the one best calcu.
]ated to put an end to the question of the repeal of the union.
Mr. RUTHVEN admitted that the present Lord Lieute.
nant and Secretary of Ireland had, Sy the urbanity of their
marinas, arid their gentlemanly behaviour, made themselves
acceptable to the Irish people ;, but he regretted,, hat while
holding otlice under the present Ministry, they were not in a
situation to do anything beneficial for Ireland, however much
they might be disposed to do so.
Mr. SC.ROYE was persuaded that the people of Ireland were
not anxious for the repeal of the union, but their miserable
condition had brought them into that state of mind that they
would be better for a change of any kind. He thought
the opinion was growing very fast in the House, and gain-
ing ground out of it, that until the measure alluded
to by an Hon. Gentleman opposite, namely the performance of
full and unlimited justice to Ireland, and affording the people
full opportunity of earnin their livelihood honestly,—until

some such measure was carried into effect tranquillity could not

be restored to Ireland. There were hundreds and thousands of
individuals dependant for their very subsistence upon the
caprice of a single landlord.—(Hear, hear.) An Hon. Mem-
ber had mentioned the other day an instance of a landlord who
ejected at once more than 800 families, containing upwards of
1,000 individuals, from their homes, and from their
only means of subsistence,—(Hear, hear,) No wonder,
then, that such a people, so distracted and distressed,
should be ready for the repeal of the Union and the dismem-

berrnept of the empire. If, therefore, the Government wished
to reduce the agitation and to disarm the Hon. Member for
Dublin of his most extraordinary unprecedented and dangerous

power, let them give the people soine reaef, and take them

out of the power of the landholders, and also take
measures to secure them against that stateof famine to which

they were exposed. It was not necessary for him to bay much
on the question of repeal, as it was so doubtful that it would ob-
tain the least support in that House. He regretted, however,
that Government did not contemplate the introduction of any
system of poor laws for Ireland during the present session. He
regretted this on account of the Ministers as well as the
people, because a strong suspicion existed that the Commission

lately appointed was intended merely to give the "go by"
to the question, or to delay it from time to time, and
from session to session, until some event should arise
to prevent its farther procrastination. It was stifled last
session by a promise, and six or seven mouths elapsed before
the Commission was appointed ; since then another half-year
had expired. The House had been informed by the Govern-
ment that they did not expect the Report of the Commis-
sioners to be made during the present session. He confidently
hoped the Government would determine to bring forward
some measure of the kind alluded to, as he was sure it would
give satisfaction to the English population, who felt the rivalry
of the Irish labourers; and it would also be the means of re-
storing tranquillity, and with tranquillity prosperity to Ire-
land.—(Hear, hear.)
Lord ALTHORD assured the Honourable Gentleman,
that the Commission was not issued with even the slight.
est intention, on the part of the Government, to give the
question the go by.—(Hear, hear.) He confessed that during
a former discussion he said that he was indeed very far from
having made up his mind on the subject. The information
possessed by Government, and that possessedby the Hon. Mem-
ber himself, fell very far short of being stifhoient to establish
the fact that Poor Laws would be benetioial to Ireland.—(Hear,
hear.) It would not be prudent for any Government to make
such a charge without full inquiry, and the completest infor-
' metien that could be obtained. It was from want of that in.
formation that Government thought they would b.; unable to
introduce the question this Session.
The petition was then ordered to lie on the table.
Mr F. O'CONNOR said he had another petition to present
from the inhabitants of the town of Cove, for the total aboli.
tion of tithes; but as so much of the time of the House had
been already occupied with discussions upon Irish affairs, he
would not detain them with any observations on this petition.
He would merely draw the attention of the Hon. Members to
the distinction between this tax, as affecting landlords and te-
nant in this country and in Ireland. In England the tax fell
upon the landlord, and was comparatively free to the tenant,
but in Ireland it was very different.
Petition ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. LLOYD presented a petition from James Dunn, of
Gray's Inn, Barrister-at-Law, complaining of the conduct of
the Chairman end Magistrates at the Quarter Sessions at Ches-
ter, and calling for an inquiry.
Mr. INGHAM presented a petition from the seamen and
other inhabitants of South Shields, praying that some regula-
tions should be made with respect to the impressment of sea-
men, in order that such a practice might be done away with.
Mr. JOHNSTONE presented a petition from the Provost,
magistrates, and town council of the borough of Cupar, in
Forfarsh ire, upon the subject of Church Patronage in Scotland.
As the repeal question of Ireland had occupied so much time,
he would not trouble the House with the agitation of Scotland,
which
country, and he trusted, to whatever extent they would go,
they would never agitate a repeal of the Union.—(Hear.)
was very
Mr. RIDER presented a petition from Ulcombe, in Rent,
praying that some steps might be taken to regulate the system
of tithes.
hie. H,as cu ofr
a
vs presented
different a
nature to that of the Sister
petition from Northcote,