The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-16 00:00:00

THE WEATHER.-SuN OFFICE, FEB. 16.

TfiBRMOMETER, Lowest, 32 ; Highest, 45 ; Noon, 41.
BAROMETER, 30.25.—W1ND, NV.

NOTE.—The number 32 on the Thermometer denotes the
freezing point, and 55 temperate. In Barometers fair is
usually placed opposite 30, and rain at 29.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE THIS DAY.
Morning .. 15 minutes after 0 I Evening .45 minutes after 0

SECOND EDITION..

ment against the charge of reducing the stipendary
magistrates. They had done nothing more than they
were compelled to do by Act of Parliament. He
had not much to say against the motion. He, how-
ever, denied the statement that justice was not fairly
administered, and at the same time defended Sir
ROBERT PEEL against the unjust imputation that he
had appointed the Noble Lord on the woolsack to his
high office because he was hostile to Ireland.
He was followed by the Earl of RIPON, at the con-
clusion of whose speech, after a pause of some mi-
nutes, the Marquis of NORMANBY rose to reply,
when a scene ensued, somewhat diversifying the usual
solemnity of their Lordships' proceedings, but for a
description of which we must refer to our report.
When the excitement calmed down the House divided.
The numbers were—Content, 78 ; Not Content, 175.
Their Lordships then adjourned.
In the Commons Mr. SOTHERON took his seat for
North Wiltshire.

Lord CLEMENTS gave notice of a motion for Tues-
lay next, with reference to the expense incurred by
he movement of troops to Ireland, and the registra-

,ion of arms.

Mr. WALLACE gave notice that, on the 29th, he
would call the attention of the House to railway
communication throughout the United Kingdom.
Colonel RAWDON gave notice, for the same, day, of
a motion relative to the proclamation against the
Clontarf meeting.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM postponed the Committee on
the Factories Bill till Friday fortnight.

In answer to a question from Mr. HUME, Sir
ROBERT PEEL said the estimates would not be
brought forward till the conclusion of the debate on
the state of Ireland. Mr. HUME presumed they would,
therefore, be brought forward on Monday.
A number of motions were postponed.
Mr. D. Ross, the Member for Belfast, resumed the
adjourned debate on Ireland, and expressed his
hearty concurrence in the propositions brought for-
ward by Lord J. RUSSELL; he expressed his astonish-
ment that the rulers of this country, after Ireland
had been connected with this country for six cen-
turies, had not devised some plan to consolidate the
union and conciliate that nation. The will alone
was wanting. He then described the peaceable state
of Ireland under the two Whig Lords-Lieutenant,
and adverted to the charge made against Mr. O'Cos-
IS ELL of not being sincere in his endeavours to benefit
his native land. It was said that Mr. O'CONNELL was
a hypocrite, that his words were smoother than oil,
but his thoughts breathed nothing but violence. Here
Mr. O'CoNNELL entered, and was loudly cheered by
the Opposition as he walked up the floor of the
House, and the cheers were renewed with great effect
when he resumed his old seat near Mr. HUME.
After this exciting scene Mr. Ross proceeded to
draw the attention of the House to the peculiar
grievance of Ireland, and particularly pointed to
the Established Church. The religion of the majo-
rity, he said, should be scrupulously regarded, but
by no possibility could the present state of that
Church be reconciled to the feelings of the people or
to justice.
Mr. P. BORT WICK followed.
Sir BARRON declined making.any reply to Mr.
BORTHWICK'S remarks, and, after enumerating the
grievances of which Ireland had just reason to com-
plain, expressed his concurrence in the motion of Lord
JOHN RUSSELL.

A number of other speakers addressed the House,
but the speech of Lord Howlcs was the speech of
the night. It deserves the highest commendation.
His Lordship was not shackled by Whig or
aristocratical prejudices, he showed himself an
honest man, a man of no party, and forgot all
political distinctions in asserting the rights
and denouncing the oppressions of a country that
would willingly be allied with England, if England
would only act like an honest and generous nation.
After a short conversation on the subject, the debate
was again adjourned.

--The ablest and most manly speech made last night
in the House of Commons was decidedly that of
Lord Howicx, who inveighed in indignant terms
against the tardiness and manifest reluctance of Go-
vernment in bringing forward remedial measures for
the sister-country ; and asked, with pointed emphasis,
if this was a case in which they could safely wait till
a more convenient season to propose more enlarged
schemes of amelioration. " While peace lasted,"
observed the Noble Lord, " the utmost extent of
the evil might be the production of a state of society
which must be intolerable to all who were forced to live
in it ; and GOD knew this was bad enough ! But had
Government considered what would be the result,
should a foreign war break out ? What would he their
situation if they were again called on to carry on
a mortal struggle with a foreign enemy, with
nearly one-third of the whole population of the
empire ready, not to take part with them, but
against them, with all the deadly hatred which
sprung from concealed disaffection ? Did they con-
sider how fearful a danger this was ? Peace, hap-
pily, prevailed; but who could say how long it would
last ? This state of things was a temptation to other
countries, knowing the sources of our weakness, to
ask for that which was inconsistent with our honour
and our interest." This is just the sort of argument
that would suggest itself, not to a mere red-tape-
tyer, but to a statesman of enlightened and compre-
hensive views, such as Lord Howicx shows himself
to be, throughout his well-digested speech on Ireland.
That it will produce much impression on a
Government whose highest object seems to be to
legislate for the day, leaving the morrow to shift for
itself, we do not suppose for an instant ; but it will
tell with the country; it will sink deep into the
minds of all whose opinions are worth consideration ;
and induce them to regard the Irish question in a far
different light to that in which they may have
hitherto been in the habit of viewing it. So long as
Ireland continues in her present state of deplorable
disaffection—a disaffection prevented from breaking
out into open insurrection, not so much by the mili-
tary force stationed in that country, as by the inces-
sant, earnest appeals of O'CoNNELL—there can be
no sure guarantee for the safety of England, in the
event of a war breaking out with any of the Con-
tinental Powers. With the affections of Ireland
estranged from us, with what confidence could Ave
venture to oppose the troops of France, burning to
revenge the defeat of Waterloo? how meet
the myriad masses of trained soldiers whom,
by the mere stamping of his foot, the Emperor
of RUSSIA. could summon into the field of
action ? How oppose the bold, stubborn forces
of the American Republic, whose recent mani-
festation of sympathy has so warmly endeared it to
the heart of Ireland ? These are contingencies not
very likely—we devoutly hope and believe—to
happen ; still they come within the limits of proba-
bility, and an enlightened Government—one, we
mean, that can see beyond its nose—should always
be provided against the chances of their occur-
rence. With the sister-country at our back, we
may bid defiance to the world; but while Ireland
continues to be our weakness instead of our strength
—our shame instead of our boast—we must be con-
tent from time to time to put up with sleights to
which, under other circumstances, we should not
dream of submitting. Lord Howicx remarked
that Ministers had shown energy only in " re-
pressing external signs of disobedience," and had
manifested a deplorable want of vigour in bringing
forward remedial measures. This is perfectly true.
When once they had decided on the point, they could
he prompt enough in putting Mr. O'CoNxELL on his
trial for conspiracy ; but their landlord-and-tenant
commission, which is meant to have a conciliatory
tendency, still " drags its slow length along;;"
and it appears to be a matter of considerable
doubt, whether, for this year at least, any re-
sult, in the slightest degree beneficial, will be
obtained from it. What substantial good can any
rational individual anticipate from a Government
which thus shows itself feeble in the right, and
forcible in the wrong ; and legislates on the assump-
tion that Ireland has scarcely one solid comprehensive
grigehv
taens ct ep
ot os s
icbol me
mp
oa
di ni ocufm,sli anofdretlhieaft
weiollnbseeqquubinttelysutffihe.
cient to answer every useful purpose ? In speaking of the
clitnoews,lcKaesxiin)reeesrisetyd_dhinae:
Irish Protestant Churcha,dLisotiord
self with a manliness—
serving of all possible praise, and satisfactorily showed
that, until that gigantic grievance was con-
siderably mitigated, if not wholly done away
with, there could be no hope of perma•
nent tranquillity in Ireland, It might be

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