The Sun.
London, England, 1834-07-04 00:00:00

.HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 3.

The SPEAKER took the Chair again soon after five.
Lord GROSVENOR presented a petition from Con-
gleton for the maintenance of the union between Church
and State, and a petition from Nantwich complaining of
the operation of the Beer Act.
Mr. H. HUGHES presented a petition from the Com-
missioners of the Court of Requests, Southwark, praying
to be heard by counsel against the Imprisonment for Debt
Bill. Also a petition from the owners of short stages
against the bill for regulating omnibuses, &c.
Mr. HALL DARE presented a petition from Dan-
bury and Woodham Ferrers in support of the Established
Church.
Lord ALTHORP delivered at Ale bar the answer of
his Majesty (as we collected), giving his assent to the Ad-
dress of the House on the subject of the claims of those
engaged in the battle of Navarin.

COERCION BILL.-IMPUTED BREACH OF
CONFIDENCE.

Mr. O'CONNELL—Seeing the Right Hon. Secretary
for Ireland in his place, I wish to know from him whether
the statement in the newspapers is true, that the renewal
of the Coercion Bill in its present shape is called for by the
Irish Government ; that is to say, by the Lord Lieutenant,
and by the Right Hon. Gentleman ?
Mr. LITTLETON—I apprehend that it is not a mat-
ter of course to reply to such a question, which refers to a
Bill yet to come before this House ; but I have no diffi-
culty in saying that the introduction of the Coercion Bill
has the entire sanction of the Irish Government.

Mr. O'CONNELL—That is not an answer, nor any
thing like an answer to my question, which was, whether
the Bill had been called for or directed by the Irish Go-
vernment?

Mr. LITTLETON—I can give no other answer.
Mr. O'CONNELL—That is an exceedingly safe course.
I will further inquire then, whether it is the intention of the
Right Hon. Gentleman to bring forward the measure here
Mr. LITTLETON—That is yet a matter for consi-
deration. It will certainly be introduced by some member
of the Government.

Mr. O'CONNELL—Then I can only say that the
Right Hon. Gentleman has exceedingly deceived me.
Mr. LITTLETON—The Hon. and Learned Gentle-
man has rendered it actually incumbent upon me to tres-
pass for a short time on the attention of the House.
Although called upon expectedly, I do it with most entire
confidence, that whatever political feeling may divide the
different parts of the House, Members will be actuated by
the feelings of gentlemen and sentiments of .honour—
(Cheers)—and therefore that the House is at all times, and
under all circumstances, a safe tribunal for any man, let
him be connected with what party he may.—(Hear.) I
need hardly tell the House what are the facts to which the
Hon. and Learned Gentleman alludes : I have a plain un-
varnished tale to unfold, and the result, as far as I am con-
cerned, may be, that I shall be accused of gross indiscre-

(PRICE 7D.)

tion. What may be the result as regards the conduct and
character of others will be for the House to judge. Mem-
bers are aware that frequent applications are made by
questions here, for the purpose of eliciting a premature de-
claration respecting the renewal of the Coercion Bill. As
no satisfactory reply was given in this place, means were
taken to obtain the information elsewhere. lam at liberty
to state, that the decided intention of the Government at
that time was to renew the Coercion Bill, with certain li-
mitations ; and I may add, that up to within a short time
of the period when the measure was introduced in the other
House, the Government, thinking it ought to have as long
a retrospect as possible, had not come to a decision upon the
precise extent of the re-enactment. It was perceived that it
was the intention of the Hon. and Learned Member for Dub-
lin to run a violent course upon this subject, under the excite-
ment of his feelings. Standing, as I do, in connexion with the
Irish Government, I pay him no compliment when I make the
avowal that I felt his conduct upon the subject a matter of
deep interest in a public point of view. I also felt that it
would be an act of some kindness towards him to caution
him as to the course he appeared disposed to take, and to
beg, and implore of him not to indulge those feelings which
actuated his mind. Accordingly, after consulting with
friends in whose judgment and discretion I am wont to
confide, I did, on the authority I considered sufficient, ask
for an opportunity of communicating with the Hon. and
Learned Gentleman. I took this step through a common
friend ; and some hours after my wish had reached him
he came to the Irish office, where I then was. Immedi-
ately he entered the office, I told him that the informa-
tion I had to give was such as I conceived would afford
him pleasure. I cautioned him that what I had to state,
must necessarily be of a most secret and confidential
nature. I imposed upon him the seal and injunction of
the utmost secrecy, which, give me leave to add, he
received and acknowledged. If he did not, it would
be better that he should now contradict me before I go
farther. - _ _

Mr. O'CONNELL-4 mean to answer the Right Hon.
Gentleman when he has concluded : he has said much
already that I must contradict.
Mr. LITTLETON—Under this injunction, I stated to
him my regret that I observed, in his letter to the people
of Wexford, such a disposition to pursue a violent course.
I knew the inconvenience that might result from the exer-
cise of his influence, and therefore I thought I was adopt-
ing a prudent mode of proceeding. Ido not know that I
said this to him, but I certainly acted under that conviction.
I told him, however, that he having frequently applied to
me to learn whether the Coercion Act was or was not to
be renewed, and I having informed him on previous occa-
sions that no decision had been come to on the point, I
thought it but fair and honourable to caution and to tell
him that I knew the renewal had been decided upon, and
that the limitation had not yet been determined. I proba-
bly also mentioned the day on which the decision had taken
place, and I am bound to add, for the justification of my
own character—which is superior to every other considera-
tion, although I may thereby incur the charge of indiscre-
tion—that I said I entertained the strongest feeling of aver-
sion to the renewal of that part of the Bill which prohibited
meetings, and that I did not think those clauses would be
renewed. I believe that I may even have used a stronger
phrase, but the House will feel all the delicacy and embar-
rassment of the situation in which I am placed.—(Cheers.)
There is much connected with the case which I am pro-
hibited by the duty I owe to my office not to divulge.—
(Hear.) I expressed my strongest conviction as an indivi-
dual that that portion of the Bill would not be continued,
but I told him that he should receive the earliest com-
munication of the decision of Government upon the point.
In the course of a few days I heard rumours, about the
House and elsewhere, which made it impossible for me not
to believe that the Hon. and Learned Member had divulged
to others my private communication to him. I, however,
said nothing. I merely resolved that I would hold no
farther intercourse of the kind with him. What was the
course I took ? The very moment the measure was re-
solved upon, after much deliberation with parties whom
it was natural and proper to consult—immediately I found
that the result was contrary to what I had supposed it
would have been, I consulted the individual whose opi-
nion I had taken before, and he was of opinion, as indeed
I could not but think myself, that an instant ought not
to be lost in communicating the decision to the Hon.
and Learned Member for Dublin. At the same time, I
could not be ignorant of the inconvenience that might
arise from it : I knew that we were on the eve of a dis-
cussion on the Tithe Bill, and I knew what an advantage
it would have been to have had the co-operation (as I be-
lieve we should have had under other circumstances) of
the Hon. and Learned Member. But I considered it a
point of honour to let him have the earliest intelligence
on the subject, and I therefore requested a common
friend to make a communication to him of the decision to
which Government had come. Not content with this, I
actually went across the house, and asked him if he had
seen the individual whom I had commissioned, and he in-
formed me that he had. I begged of him, whatever might
be his feelings or opinions, to refrain from the expression of
them until a more public announcement of the intention of
Ministers had been made in the other House. This is the
statement I have to make ; and I own that the conduct of
the Hon. and Learned Member has satisfied me, and per-
haps it may satisfy the House that I committed an act of
gross indiscretion in the communication I made to him. I
know not on what ground or in what manner he may justify
his disregard of the solemn engagement into which he en-
tered to consider what I said entirely confidential ; that is a
point of much importance. lam not conscious of having
mis-stated, or inaccurately stated, any of the circumstances ;
and I repeat, that I was animated by a double desire—
first, to discharge a public duty in the situation I occupied ;
and, secondly of kindness towards him, to prevent his pre-
maturely taking a course he might have reason to repent,
and which the government might regret, on account of the
injury it needlessly inflicted upon his country. My hopes
and wishes were cruelly disappointed ; and what has passed
has convinced me that, on public matters, it is unsafe to
communicate with the Hon. and Learned except-
ing Member, across this table.—(Cheers.)
Mr. O'CONNELL—The course the Right Hon.
Gentleman intended to pursue with regard to me is
quite safe, for hereafter it will be impossible for me to
confide in anything he may say. He has been exceedingly
cautious as to dates, and very prudent in suppressing a
great deal of what occurred. I will not involve the names
of others in this disagreeable discussion—whatever he may
have done it is unnecessary for me in that respect to follow his
example. The Right Hon. Gentleman began by saying
that many premature questions were asked respecting the
Coercion Bill. Does he mean to insinuate that I asked
them, or that they were asked by anybody connected with
me ? I do not think he does mean it, because it is utterly
contrary to the fact. Some gentlemen of a different way of
thinking asked the question before the Cambridge and
Edinburgh elections (we are not sure that we caught this
sentence correctly), but the Government ought to have
known its own mind upon the subject at least in time for
those questions. If the Right Hon. Gentleman has made
any impression upon the House upon this point, it is a false
impression, because is founded upon false data. Having
announced the sort of experiment I was making, that
of a total cessation of agitation, and of no longer, in
this session at least, urging any person on the sub-
ject, dear to nearly all my countrymen, of the repeal,
an election occurred for the county of Wexford. On that
I published a letter, and took a part, not consulting the
Right Honourable Gentleman, and having indeed no-
thing to consult him about. When he talks of motives of
kindness towards me, I beg to ask what kindness he can do
me ? I never go to his office for a favour or an indul-
gence ; I do not solicit him for a place or an appointment,
although some members were the other night reminded of
having done so. I asked him for nothing, and I wanted
nothing. I published a letter, callinc, upon the electors to
support the repeal candidate in the county of Wexford,
and I grounded myself on the announced determination of-
Ministers to renew the Coercion Bill. I thought I should
hear nothing more, and that any question between me and
the Government was at an end. I did more. I prepared
an address to the reformers of England, and sent it to be
printed. My letter being at that moment actually in type,
I was sitting as Chairman of the Committee on Inns of
Court, when the Hon. Member for Kildare was sent to
me to beg that I would come to the Irish office, as the
Right Hon. Gontleman opposite had something to com-
municate that would be highly gratifying to me. Be it
remembered, that the Right Hon. Gentleman sent for me.
He had no right to send for me to his office. I did not
want him, nor anything from him. If he wanted me, he
might know where I lived by inquiring at the Vote Office.
It was his business to come to me, but I went because I was
told that he wished to see me as a Member acting with a
party in this House, and pressing, at that moment, the elec-
tion of a particular candidate. I hope the House will bear in
mind that one candidate for Wexford was a Whig, and that I
was setting up a repeal member ; that was the situation we were
in when the Right Hon. Gentleman sent for me. The
conversation between him and me I certainly never would
have repeated, if he had not, by means of that conversa-