Star.
London, England, 1801-03-13 00:00:00

MARTIAL LAW IN IRFLAND.

Lord CASTLEREAG H moved that the Ad of the
39th of the King in Ireland, for fuppreffing Re-
bellion, and more effednally fecuring the Perfons
and property of his Majeßy's loyal Subjeds in that
Country, with the Aft of the 46th, for continuing
the fame, be read.
Mr. SH ER IDA N.—" Sir, I rife to objet to the
motion of the Noble Lord for reading t le two ads
'which he has mentioned, and I claim the indul-
gence of the Houfe while I give my reafons for
moving the queffion of adjournment. As it is my
with, and I hope it is the defire of the Houfe, to
acquire information on this important fubje.t, al.
though I have to regret that my former efforts
proved unfuccefsful, I conceive that the meafure
ought to be preceded by fome authentic commu-
nication. The Houfe ought, in my mind, to be
in poffeffion of tome communication from the
Throne, or of fome other convincing documents,
to thew the necellity of adopting a proceeding for
which there does not appear any ground whatever.
I further think that fome refponfibility fhould be
attached to the man who has prppofed it. I fee no
caufe at prefent which can jullify the Houfe in
having recourfe to fo thong a meafure. I can
difcover no propriety In moving the ccrntinoance
of the two Irifh Ads which have been mentioned,
by a Gentleman, no doubt, of great refpalability,
but of whom the Houfe can take no cognizance,
as he holds no official, no refponfible fituation in
this country. As no poffible inconvenience can
arife from delay, it is neceffary the Houfe fhould
leek for thole communications, which, from the
Commit on read to-day, every man mutt feel with
the molt cordial fatisfadion and the livelieft emo-
tions of joy we are enabled to exped. By his ,
Majefly's happy' recovery, the difficulties which
exified, and were before urged to our obtaining the
information I think effentially neceffary, are now
fortunately removed. With refped to the manner
in which the motion is brought forward, I mull
fay, that as a Member of this Houfe I know no-
thing of the Noble Lord ; and however refpedable
he may be, I contend that he ii no refponlible Mi.
flitter. It is not eafy, Sir, at any time and under
any circumflance to reconcile a man's feelings to
fuch a dangerous }meafure as that which is now
fubmitted to the Houfe; but as the furrender pro-
pofed goes-to fuperfede the whole Conkitution of
Ireland, I alk, can any man content to inveft the
Government of Ireland with fuch unlimited poivers
and unbounded-authority without fome previous
enquiry ? What has been the condo& ofthe Irith
Parliament ittelf in the fame cafe, and let us fee
how its rule of proceeding applies to the concef-
lion which we are this day called upon to make ?
Ws: fhall find that there ads were not introduced in-
to the Parliamcilt of Ireland without a previous
enquiry, and a regular communication from the
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. We cannot target
that in cafes of infurredion and rebellion the Pre-
Irogative of the Crown is competent to the esercife
of Martial Law ; but we mutt at the fame time re-
member that the refponfibility rens with Miniflers.
The cafe is different in the prefentinflance, and we
are called upon to charge ourfelveswitli the refpon-
fibility. The Noble Lord propofes by the meafure
which he offers to the Houfe to transfer without
grounds, without inveffigation,without documents,
to transfer inconfiderately and at once the Judica-
ture from the Courts of Law to the Military Tribu-
nals; yet allow me to fay, that it was perhaps for
the interelt of one unfortunate clafs of the inha-
bitants of that difiraded country to be fubjed ra-
ther to the jurifdiclion of Military Officers than to
that of the Courts of Law. They were perhaps
lets liable to the operations of prejudice, and to
the fpirit of relentlefs perfecution. If there be
Rill a neceffity for the continuance of Martial Law
in Ireland, and if that calamitous truth can he
made out, the Crown pot:fell-es the power of exer-
citing it. But if it be at all necefftry to emit!' this
Bill, in pmportion as I give confidence to Mini-
tiers. which I confefs myfelf averfe to grant, I fay
in the faine proportion I have a right, and it is the
duty of the Houle to demand and infill upon re.
fponfibility. I cannot have it from the Noble
Lord, and it is furely incumbent upon Gentle-
men to have before them fuch evidence as is con.
fifient with the magnitude of the occafion ; fuch
as the jutlice of the cafe requires; fuch as is due
to this own feelings and iliguity, Won they cuts-

fent to precipitate 'mature. It is at lean ne-
cetrary OD inltitute lome inqn'..ry by a :idea Coin-
br, by any other Meant which May. ap-
rar ••tdviteable. Why Awed *e give Implicit
confidence to the narrative of any man his
indeed ftrange, that notwithlleadiog all the pro
ailed advantages of the Union-Lall the boatted
tranquillity it was to prodnce—all the.happinefs
it was eftimated to infure, it fhould at this mo-
ment be fo far from healing the wounds of-that
wretched country, fo far from producing a cont•
plete reconciliation with Great Britain, that the
fpirit of infurreftion and rebellion is admitted Bill
to cal Let me elk, is it not inflamed to fuch a
degree as to make the tneafure propofed by the
Noble Lord neeettaryl Will the Noble Lord pre.
tend to fay that the rebellion CLUJ wails in Ireland,
or that it did exift ih fag when the Bill for its fup-
prefflon was renewed hi the Itilh Parliament Pi
Will he undertake to alert that if it did *dually
exift, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland had not fuf-
ficient powers to put it do*n? I cannot perceive
the poffibilky of any inconvenience front our de.
laying this fbrrender of the Conflitution mail the
Houle (hall inveffigate the motives which may in-
duce us to a compliance. But it is argued that the
Bill will expire on the :sth of March ; and what is
this grievance to which we are pelted to admini-
fter this extraordinary remedy? -In point of fad, I
contend, Sir, that the Bill had expired in Ireland'
before it was revived by the abth of his Majefty ;
and yet we art not told that Government fuffered
any difadvantage by the paufe and interval of time
which then took place. If any mifchief were likely
to arife, Government was criminal in allowing
the interrniffion of Martial Law; but no rnifehief
was apprehended—no dangers threateuedthe ii-
iftence of the State • and with what propriety can
the Noble Lord call' upon the Houle to interfere at
this moment, when the grounds of alarm, and the
dread of infurreftion, are in every retpea weaker?
Does the Noble Lord think that the Union will
produce dillurbances in Ireland, in order to jollity
his tmconftitutional appeal to the Houfe to take up-
on themfelves all the refponfibility which is infepa.
rable from fuch a momentous proceeding? I havb
-no difficulty in laying that the Houfe would more
effeaually manifeft their folicitude for the peace
and welfare of Ireland by relating the 'mature.—
If any diarations and difturbances thould erne,
the only injury retaking to the Government would
he that of fending the culprits to a Jury ; and I
fincerely hope that the Honk will not, without
proofs of extreme neceffity, content now to trarif-
fer them from that conflitutional tribunal to the
jurifdiaion of military courts. If any rebellion
thould break out, is it not in the power of his Ma-
lefty to fubjeft the infurgents by his Royal Pro-
clamation to the operation of Military Law
fuch a cafe we lhould alto know where the re-
, faionfibility relied for the exercife of that power.
On the whcile of the fubjea, I feel myfelf called up-
on to fay that / am decidedly inimical to thc mo-
tion of the Noble Lord, which is at once fo very
flrong and fo very groundlefs, without the fulleft
previous inveftigation ; and I maintain that it
fhould at all events cotne from oftenfible and re-
Cponfible Minifters. There ate certainly no cir-
cumllances before the Houfe which can induce it
to entertain fo indecorous. fo unconftitutional, and
fo violent a proceeding, which may lead to events
dangerous to the exiaence of the Conflitution, and
eflablifh a precedent of the moll dangerous ten-
tency in this country."
Lord CASTLEREWn raid, that he was not to be
deterred or prevented, on this occaflon, tram (hew-
ing the neceffity of the meafure which be had to
propofe, or from bridging forward, at the fame
time, proofs of his competeniy to make fuch a
motion. h was painful, no doubt, to come for-
ward in that Houle, and to a& of Members to re-
enaa a law of the fame complexion with that now
before them. Every man who had a feeling or
reverence for our Conflitution, mnft trench upon
it with extreme reluaance ; and he was not now
to be told that Martial Law was at variance with
the very effence of our Conflitution; but it was
always to be remembered, that it was the Jacobin
principle which was as yet very far from being ex-
tinguiiked, that had compelled the ruling Powers
in tome parts of the Empire, to incorporate the
Martial Law with the Municipal Code. He was
one of the laft of thole who would lofe fight of the
Britifh Contlitution. In the prefent cafe, the only
difficulty which'he felt, was from the number of
thole prefent who were unacquainted with local
circumftances ; though there were in the recol-
leCtion of all, and many military men now prefent
could (peak as ocular evidences on this occatior.
This was not, he mull obferve, the firft time that
England had been compelled to depart from her
Contlitution, and to adopt ettrancous meafures
in the remoter parts of the empire. He alluded to
Scotland, when the thong meafure of difarming
the Highlanders took place very fhortly after the
Union, and that meafure was concluded and en-
forced by a Whig Adminiftration. Ireland was
now in a limiter fituation, and it was for the Im-
perial Parliament to demonftrate its wifdom by
difplaying its energies. They could not preferve
liberty but by fuppreffing rebellion. He denied
that any communication from the Crown, or any
enquiry of Parliament, was neccffiry to fanflicn
this proceeding. No communication was given in
Ireland, and the laft Parliamentary Enquiry was
held in Auguft, 1798, where the Bill in queflion
was paffed in March, 1799. Thefe were prelimi-
naries which of courfe hemuft contend were not
of abfolute neceffity. Any man who argued the
contrary, mull endeavour to affimilate the Englith
with the new French Conflitution, by which the
originating principle is veiled in the Firft Conful.
The Parliament was to aft from its own under-
(landing, and from the notoriety of the leas.—
Thus the Habeas Corpus had been furpended in
this country, and the furpenfion continued without
one previous enquiry in Parliament. He did not
with to chain down the proceedings of the Houle
in the firft infianee, but he had no objeaion to an
enquiry, when it could be condufted without injury.
It was his with, t hereforeJto continue the prefent Bill
only for three m2nths, in which time there would
be ample room for an enquiry. It might be allied
why he had not moved an enquiry in the fret in-

"lance, tut he nn, fey ts., et lit aft e.l
d
low 4,
of
-oodpijo7tindbecilebisicel ordafvofi:imr: eyhyp.iiercner imperative t
bhdweev eyec
nt.oettitnuoi
Noble
iefl
reverie
:07 titrtyyi
nfpot
dr;
cw tntd
tlr rinafn.
ot
that
$ aitcnalai
reuni
coi
11:
coan C grounds
enquiry.
into a recapitulation of the leading features ea.!
events of the late rebellion; the confequentes of
which, he contended, rendered it utterly irnprac.
.ticable to meet the ex:genciee of the times, by the
Common and Municipal Law of the Realm. The
Houfe would do him the juffice to believe, that
:his feelings and national partialities were confide.
ribly outraged by the expofore which his pnblic
duty rendere I it incumbent upon him to make of
the actual fituation of Ireland. Sorry was he t-.•
!late, that even now, fuch a fpirit of difaifeCtior
arid difloyalty prevailed in many parts of the fiftei
kingdom, that the offices could not be held with.
out the interpofitioa of a military guard. Tne
late rebellion in Ireland was dittinguilled from al/
former rebellions by a very great peculiarity of
feature. In ail former rebellions the fortune
of the war determined the conteft ; but this was
not the cafe in the prefent inftance. Routed in
the field, the difailbeed Rill continued unfubito
gated. The baneful principles of Jacobinilin had
given a deeper dye of venom and atrocity to the
movements of difloyalty. Not only the common
feelings of raters ambition, and the tumultuous
phrenzy of anarchy, were called into play, but the
minds of men were whetted, foured, and exafpe-
rated by abftrufe and metaphylical difcuflioas. All
the united barriers of focial cuter were fubverted ;
chimerical doctrines were propagated, and put into
a (late of pradtical operation. Againft fuch an ae-
,gravation of moral and civil evil, it was efientially
neceffary to provide additional means of defence.
That the kingdom of Ireland was Rill far removed
'from a (late of tranquillity and fubjeCtion to the
laws was unhappily but too apparent. Within the
WI three months, not lefs than fixty-three perfars
had fuffered death, by the fentence of Courts-Mar-
tial, under the immediate warrant of the Lord
Lieutenant, for ads of rebellion. This circum-
ftance was certainly highly diftreffing to contem-
plate ; but it proved, at the fame time, molt ineon-
tellibly, the nec.effity of providing an adequate re-
medy for the peril and jeopardy of the times. To
inflict punifinnent was the moll difagreeable of all
the duties incumbent upon Government ; yet, how-
ever difagreeabk, it was of the firft confequence
that the welfare of many (hould be fecured by the
puniffiment of the rotten and corrupt part of th.:
community. But this object could not be obtain.
ed without the interpofition of a ftrong meafure.—
The Judges were not able to travel the circuits
with fecurity, neither were Juries fate in exercififlZ
their municipal functions, nor witneffes in detail-
ing evidence, without the intervention of military
protection. Under fuch circuinflances, a luminary
mode of proceeding became indifpenfably medal-) .
It was alledged, that Martial Law interfered with
the Conllitution of the empire, and the rights of
the rubjed ; it ought to be confidered, that the
fame meafure no% propored for the fafety of the
country, and the protection of the loyal part of the
community, was reforted to, and put in confiant
pradice by the fupporters and partizans of Rebel-
lion. The Rebels had Courts Martial of their own,
which decided on the lives and property of thofe
who continued firm and !launch in their allegiance.
He was ready to admit, that the open manifeila-
tioni of Rebellionvrere, freaking on the broad kale,
principally confined to three counties, viz. An.
trim, Limerick, and Wicklow. The latter county
in particular,from local circumftances, being very
'mountainous and inacceffible, was pre-eminent-
ly calculated to ad as the nurfe of difaffeetion and
rebellion. When he made this affertion, he was
well aware, that many Gentlemen might found
thereon a principal objedion to the introduction of
General Law, on the ground, that the prevalency
of the evil being happily local, a local meafure
would be fuffictent, and that, therefore, the con-
tinuance of Martial Law might be reftrided to the
three counties he had above named. • But he beg-
ged the Houfe to confider, that legiflative meafurts
had, and ought to have, a twofold object, in the
firft place to prevent evil ; in the fecond, to correB it.
With this view, therefore, he wifhed the properfr
tion to be general; and, though he was ready to
allow, that the Houfe might juftly nerd with a
fufpicious eye any_ departure from the eltablifhed
principles of the Conftitutioa, Rill, it ought to be
confidered, that the meafure he now propofed was
fubjed to a very wholefome jurifdietion and re-
ftraint. it was not fufficient that a Court Martial
pronounced fentence with integrity, and that fcru-
pulous regard to truth, which the achniniftration
of an oath could not fail to enforce ; it was requi-
fite, in order to give efficacy to their proceedings,
that their verdict fbould be confirmed and fandion-
ecl by the Lord Lieutenant. The virtues, the quali-
fications, the exemplary conduit of that exalted
perfonage, formed a theme, which he felt- the
highelt perform' gratification in expatiating upon ;
but they were too generally known, and too uni-
verfally acknowledged, to (land in need of panegy-
ric. All he contended for was, that the eh:trader
of Lord Cornwallis mull be a fufficient guarantee
to the Houfe, that no abufe would be committed
or allowed under the fandion of the Bill he meant
to move for. He molt earriefily intreated the
Houfe, in appreciating the merits of the cafe, to
difcard and banilli from their mind, and !till more
from their remarks, all allufioa to party quellioa.
He hoped a certain queftion, more immediately in-
terwoven with the national feelings of the Sifter
Kingdom, would not be prefer/land dragged into
the dircullfion. He wifhed to fee the evil,-againft
which the Hoare was now called upon to provide,
met boldly and with decifion. The fituation of
Ireland was truly critical. The dd./fleeted were
taught to look for favour from France. Vain as
was that hope, and little, or rather nothing, the
fuccour they had to expect from France, Rill it
operated to encourage perfons dirafteded to Go-
vernment to perfevere in their machination'. It
was not his defign to render the meafure per:no-
nem in the pnefent inftance. He only vriflted it to
be renewed for three months, which would afford
Win and opportunity for minute enquiry. At the

r}~

anl

in-
ad
Le
on

fame time lie thought it proper to ftate, that it was
his inteation to move the intro:Lodi:ate/WWI for
Pi:pending the Habeas Corpusgt during the fame
period. • . .
Sir Laden:es Paisous pryftffedhimfelf a nni
form and fyftentatic enemy to Martial Law. The
meafare appeared, to him altogether nugatory, to
speak of it us themildcft terns; in direct oppoti-
tion to what badly:Men from the Noble Lord, he
:,„„a take the liberty of hating, that'the Courts of
jultice had beraftheld without let or molellation.
lattices and Counfcilors attended the Affixes
throughout the whole of the different circuits, from
one corner of Ireland to the other- He could not
agree with the do trine laid down by the Noble
tool, that Juries could not be found to exert&
their municipal doty. On the contrary, he called
upon him to flue a jingle inflance, in which the
liw 'of the land had been obftrueted. On what
lxcafiorriti what county did fuch a cafe occur?
lie was preparcd with his anfkver—in. not one.
if any error, if any fault, if any caufe of repre-
tenfion could be imputed to juries, it was that
they were too prompt. So plain, and of fo cary
proof was 'the tenet he nOw advanced, that he
could tare upon him to affert, that Many of the
Prifoners on State Charges, or rather for taking
an aaive part in the rebellion, had petitioned to
to tried by Martial Law, inflead of the Trial by
Jury. In oppofing the motion, he did not mean
to contend, that Ireland fhould be governed by a
better, but certainly not by a worfe, tribunal than
any one country in Europe. He never could give
his anent to the revival or continuance of Courts
Martial, as not being competent, from local and
various 'other circumftances, to afcertain either
the guilt or innocence of the party. The Miniflers
of a country 'ought not to hope to carry every
thing by main force. But they fhould recollect,
that there was aneffential difference between be-
ing feared and being refpeeted. He was no advo-
cate for coMpromife and half meafurcs. On the
ccntrary, he wilted jufUce to be prompt, fevere,
and inflexible. This appeared to him the molt
efficacious mode.of refloring to Ireland the bleft
inns of fafety and tranquility. He withed for no-
thing but juftice. Let that juftice be evenly award-
ed ; let it be inflexibly rigid, only let it be juftice,
candidly adminiftered, and not trampled in the
dull under the hoofs of a Court-martial. He did
not approve of confufion and anomalies in the
Conftitution. The Irneafures now propofed apo
peared io him like the recipe of a Qoack, who pro.
fifes to cure every thing, and in the event does
moiling. • lie paid lonic very handfome and ele-
gant compliments to Mr. Pitt, on the (core of his
great talents as a lawyer, or profeffor, which, had
he not been called to higher views, he was calcu-
lated to embellith and adorn ; and concluded with
raying that he did not implore the Legiflature,
that Ireland !hook, be better governed than any
other Nation of Europe, bra merely that it Mould
not be worfe. totaled to fee the Irifh Peciple,
at leap, upon a par with the cotriricts in Botany Bay.
Mr. Dterris B owala contended, thatlad it not
been for Martial Law, Ireland would have been
completely fhParated firjan England. A confpi-
.ractwas formed to ellieroy the Conftitittion by
moms of the "Conftitution Jurymen who
did their duty were murdered, and could not be
proteited. The 'loyal and welldifporeil people of
the country aftually fubfcribed to fupport Rebels
in prifon ; and-vihen ailed-their reafon, they re-
plied, the State was unableto.protect them, and
therefore they muft endeavonrtoproteet thearfelves.
He trufted the lioure would not hefitate, if they
meant to prevent the reparation of the.two ceatn•
tries, to agree to the continuance of Martial Law.
Sir Ganaos Hits., after adverting to the con-
duft of the Hon. Baronet .in Ireland, in rnoving
for Parliamentary Reform, and,Catholic Emanci-
pation, during the Rebellion—laid, he agreed with
the Noble Lordin.his statements relative to the
fituation ofireland, but did not will to go at length
into a narrative of eiretunflances• which' unfortu-
natelydifgraced that country.' He thought it necef-
. Lary, however, to *ate briefly what had happened
within his owngerfooal.knowledge :—So long ago
as the year 1797, a Umber of delinquents for va-
rious fpecks of offences, many of them for mid
night outrages, werc tp be tried in three counties
in the North Of frcland but to fuch a degree were
the minds of jurors andiritneffes intimidated, that
then the Crown Lawyers came prepared to profe-
cute thefe-delinquents,Who weremore immediately
the object of their notice, acornpromife was obliged
to be made, and chore only charged with (mailer
offences were Prefeented;whilft ;bore charged with
• midnight outrigesfor which the punifhment was
death—were left untried, in carifequence of this
fhameful cempfoinire, irifing from the intimidation
`of Jurors and witneffes. Bethought the fasite'd
'fenfe which—adutted the Parliament of Ireland,
would alfo influence the United Houfe of.CoMmons
.on the .prevent occaflon.
• Mr. GUST -raid, that after the, excellent ttan-
fwered,. and unanfwerable fpeech• of the *Honour-
able Baronet (Sir Laurence Parfons) it was
neceffiiry for him to troubk.the Houfe.
-idle fhould vote for. the adjolimment, for the rea,
.funs Rated by his Honourable Friend (Mr. Sheri-
dan), and beatufe neither. the Noble Lord (Lord
.Calflereagh). nor the Gentlemen had ofbewn any
reafon for impofing fuch a mcafure upon the peo-
ple of Ireland. Amongli many topics to which
-the-Noble Lord had alluded, there was one valid
principle taken up, and. fapported by the Noble
.Lord, which,gbe was perfealy ready to admit.
The NOble Lord hod (aid,, that if the Houfc of
Commons was not to' as upon its own impulfe,
its own underflanding, and its own information,
it was in vain to roppote the country in the plate-
' Len of Freedom. -The Noble Lord (poke' an ac-
knowledged truth in this affertion, and he'hoPed
the Honfe Would, in this inftance, a& upon* that
principle; and before they agreed to the zneafure
now propofed, craft from the Noble Lord, fume
proof of its neceffity. Crimes had been Cape.
rimed of the greatelt magnitude and most dan-
gerous eonfequence,_ and /et according to the
• confelfion of the. Noble Lord, no fuch meafure
as
the prefengiod been retorted to. Such meagre%
. according Co the Noble Lord. were referred foe
tiXba who, gliric of Jacobean; oiped para.

. . .
•. • -
mount and triumphant. thourlit chaTss of him. The Lord Lieutc n7.nt expreffed the ftrongeit
Jacobinifm were nearly 'exthiguithea, but peihaps I ditapprobation of the veediCt, and aaually
difiv-
the Noble Lord was himfelf fomcwhat interested ed that Court Martial for having 'iven a dccilion
in charges of this naturo—there were Jacobins in contrary to the cleareit evidence. Xv'as it to be flip.
power as well as out of power. If thole who were • pored:that abufes such as this would not frequent
out of power deceived the People by promifes of ly take place, where a power was dandled, limit-
Reform—when in power they retorted to mea- ed by no rule, but completely at the mercy of dif-
tures the molt coercive and tyrannical. Out of cretion ? Were the lives of men to be made the
power they were licentious, and in power tyrants; fport of fuch a tribunal, and the viaim of filch a
and we had teen a military defpotilm fubftituted power ? He conceived the meafure to be wholly
by the Child and Champion of Jacobinifm in the anomalous in that Houfe : the Executive Power
place of all Law and all Order. In the place of was competent to march troops againit Rebels in
Law, the Noble Lord wished to fufpend all Law. arms—to fupprefs Rebellion, and deftroy the trai-
It had been afferted by the Honourable Baronet tors ; but that Houle ought not to pals an ad in.
(Sir Laurence Parfons) that Courts of Juftice poling Martial Law upon Ireland without the
purihed their ufual courfe in trying criminal of- fullett deliberation, and better evidence of it than
fences and civil actions, and that Juries were very they had before them.
far from being remits in their duties. This opt- Sir GEO. Hite, in explanation, faid, he meant
rated in dire& contradiclion to the ftatement of to apply the term midnight outrages to the prac-
the Noble Lord. It was laid a Rebellion had ex- tice of breaking into houfes in the night and tak-
ifted in Ireland, and 'a confpiracy to overturn the ing away arms.
Government, and deftroy the Conftitution of that Mr. Pirr faid, he felt himfelf perked vat liberty
country. But did it follow becaufe a Rebellion to difcufs the merits of the original queftion.
had exitted in Ireland four years ago, that now, There was only this difference, that the Honour-
when the country was reftored to peace and tran- able Gentleman ( Mr. Sheridan) had thought pro-
quility, nteafures were to be carried into eaten- per to bring on that difcuflion by another motion,
tion calculated to deftroy. the happinefs of the Rating thole reasons in behalf of that motion which
Country, becaufe they would annihilate its liberty. might have been as well fluted upon the original
The Noble Lord had contended it war only a queftion. There was one obli:rvation, however, of
temporary meafure, but he was afraid, upon the the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Grey) which he
principles brought forward by the Noble Lord, wished firft particularly to notice, as it teemed in
the meafure might be rendered not merely tempo- tended to glance particularly at his Noble Friend.
nary, bur permanent. It had been laid by the The Honourable Gentleman had laid there were
Honourable Gentleman (Sir George Hill) that Jacobins in power as well as Jacobins out of
perfons could not be brought to trial becatife ju- power, without explaining the exprellion; it (tented,
rors and• witneffes were intimidated by the Rebels however, to charge hislloble Friend (Lord Cat
—but that Honourable. Gentleman had not dereagh) with having been the frizad of Parlia.d
proved thole perfons to have been arraigned of mentary Reform. Surely the Honourable Gen-
any crimes of rebellion and treafon, only of tleman did not mean to fay, that Parliamentary
midnight outrages. They might, for any thing Reform and Jacobinifm were identified together--
ftated by the Hon. Gentleman, be houfe.break- perhaps the Hon. Gentleman would fay that in nb.
crs. Was it Intended that horife-breakers would situation could that be the cafe. That Hon. Gen-
be made fubjett to Martial Law? Or was it meant demon had continued the friend of Parliamentary
to be afferted, that they could not be punifhed but Reform when it had really become an engine and
by a Court Martial ? Strong grounds, he conteri- a pretence in the hands of Jacobins—when it was
dcd, ought to be (hewn to the Route, before they difclaimed by the greater pan of the kingdom it
contented to a meafure fo arbitrary and defpotic was grill reconciled to the mind cf that I ion. den-
as that Moved for by the NOble Lord. They had demon; and he would not put an uncandid con-
been told by the Noble Lord that 207 perfons had ftruelion upon that Hon. Gentleman's motive.
been tried in the courfe of the laft year by Courts Still, however, he mull contend, there was a very
Martial for ads of treafon and reWfon:---he could material difference betweenthofewho advocated the
not admit that affertion as any proof of the ne- caufe of Parliamentary Reform prior to the French
ceffity of this meafure. He vilified to know why Revolution, and thofe who supported it after that
thole perfons were fent to Courts Martial, to be event had taken place. Proceeding to the queftion
tried by military officers in an arbitrary manner; more immediately before the Houle, he would I
and why they were not tried by the courts of law, not have the prefumption to advert to the flute-
which, according to the Honourable Baronet (Sir ments brought forward by his Noble Friend with
L. Parfons) exifted in full vigour, and might have filch admirable perfpicuity and ability ; he could
been retorted to with the ntmoft fafetv and pro- only congratulate the Houle that fo much talent
priety ? The meafure was falfely named a fuhfli- exifted in one tidier in or out of power, who was
tution of one Law for another in certain cafes, for fo determined an enemy to Jacobin power.—
it was a fufpenfion of all Law ; a meafure which His Noble Friend had made out a cafe of unexam.
confided the lives of the people to a military power, pled neceflity, and at the fame time had brought
acing not according to legal rule or eltablifh- forward a mealitre of unexampled lenity. It was
ed cuftom, but according to its own impulfe and to meet a rebellion unexampled in the annals of
difcretion. But if the Noble Lord failed in his proof, the country, which pervaded toddy, and fpreacl
was there no proof on the other fide; the Journals of through the State in a new and dang,eyous manner,
tea trill% Parliament were unfortunately not prefent which was the more terrible becaufe lefs open ;
to be referred to, hut in chi, Rpointh of the Noble and the more to be feared becaufe its force and
Lord in the laft ieffion ofthe Parliament of Ireland power were the leaft difplaycd in the field. There
every fymptom of, and tendency to Rebellion in was only the alternative of imputing Martial Law
that country appeared to have vanquiflied. If his upon Ireland for a limited time, or of placing that
Ma' Pty's fpeech, at the opening of the prefent country in a much worfe and snore lamentable
Seffion was referred to—or if the fpeeches of the fituation. He had faid, the mealure propofed
mover and feconder of the Addrefs were recollea- was a mature of unexampled lenity, and a mo-
ed, the tranquillity of Ireland would be found in ment's consideration mutt convince Geptlemen cf
all a prominent feature, and marked in thong the truth of his affertion. It was asked, what was
terms, and difplayed in pointed expreffions. Al. the call, or where tallied the neceffity of Martial
ter alithisthe Noble Lord comes forward to prove Law in Ireland ? He antivered, the public fafety
the exiftence of Rebellion in Ireland, and calls for rendered it highly neceffary that Martial Law
throng and coercive meafure to fupprefi it.; but lhould ftillbecontinued in Ireland. But if the He.ufe
that no legitimate proof had been adduced was would not agree to the meaftire, they would then
p..rfealy clear. The Noble Lord had afferted that reduce the Crown to the necefiity of proclaiming
Ireland was never placed, by Rebellion, in a fimi- Martial Law in Ireland; mid what mull be the con-
lar fituation—but unfortunately he was not borne fequence ? Martial Law fo proclaimed, exercifed,
out in the aflertion. lithe Hiftory of Ireland for and enforced, under the authority alone of die Exe-
the two tall centuries was looked to, that country cutive Power, would (Wilma all other law. The
would frequently be found to have exifted in a Courts Martial would then entirely fuperfede the
fimilar Rate, and no fuch meafure as that pro- Courts of Law, and withhold their benefit from
pofed by the Noble Lord was ever thought of all the peaceful part of the Kingdom. Would the
or attempted to be carried into execution. He Houfe decide that Martial Law Mould not be en-
thought, therefore, the Houfe should certainly forced in Ireland for the purpofe of fuppreffing
agree to the Motion of Adjournment moved by the rebellion of the few, without taking away the
his Honourable Friend, until further and bettor privileges of perhaps nine-tenths of the peaceful
information was laid before them by the No- citizens of that country ? No civil rights would be
ble Lord, relative to the Rate of .Ireland, and difcutfed, no trial by Jury could be liad if Martial
the atlual rieceffity which exifled for the enaftment Law was thus to be introduced, fince it mull of
'of any fuch meafure. What inconvenience could necefiity be introauced unqualified, and without
poilibly rash from the motion of his Hon. Friend? limitation. This being the cafe, he had not faid
—would it put an end to the adminiftration of jut- too much in contending it was a meafure of smex-
tice in Ireland'?—no fuch thing. It had already ampled lenity. Was it not better the guilty alone
been afferted without contradiason, that the Courts should fuller, than that both innocent and guilty
of Juftice in that country were siting with their should be involved in one common punifliment ?
accnflomed powers. All that could refidt from Would it not be advifable—would it not be cape-
delay was, that perfons charged with sifts of re- client—that the horrors of Martial Law should be
bellion, mull be brought for trial before the Courts 'confined to thufe who were the occafion of its ex-
of Law inßead of a • Court Martial. There was ertion, and its exercife, than that the peaceful and
no evidence to jellify putting all the people of Ire- loyal inhabitant should unmeritedly fuffcr addition-
land out of the prote&ion of the law, and giving al hardfhips to tbofe which the hand of rebellion
a power which there was every probability to and difaffe&ion had already infliaed upon him. It
fuppofe midi, from the natnre of things, be was a meatiwe of policy and mercy, rather than
abufed. Some Minlftcr ought to appear refpon- cruelty and feverity. °Nations had keen made
fible for die execution of that power. He would to the arbitrary power and capricious condo& of
readily and willingly in in every panegyric Courts Martial; but did Gentlemen imagine that
pronounced upon the talents, the charades.. and they carried on their proceedings without tOrms, or
the humanity of the Marquis Cornwallis; but without oaths? Did they imagine that the Judges
how loon might that Nobleman quit) the Govern- were not (worn to try impartially—that the wet-
mem of Ireland ? nay, if rumour was to be believ- neffes were not (worn to give true evidence ? The
ed. the Marquis only waited the appointment of a blonohrable Baronet Ind appealed to his (Mr.
Suceoffor. For that Succefor, who was to anfwer t Pitt's) former profealonal knowledge of law, and
an arbitrary power was to be !uplifted to the hands asked jibe would prefer Courts Martial to Courts
of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and he of law ? To this he mull =fiver, that from the
would, never content to giie power which might Ihort period of his study, his profelional know-
be geed, and for the curdle of which no rcfpon- ledge of the laws of his country was little more
fildlity-bppeared. The Noble Lord had endea- than that perhaps of any Member in the Houfe; but
voured tojuitify. Courts Martial, by &fretting, that be had no heGtation in flying that thongh as a
they never abated. the power cottoned to them in principle, Courts of Law mull ucceffarfly
Ireland; but .was it a fad that they never did generalpi‘
1.. d to Courts Martial, yet there were
abufe that power ? On the contrary, an inflame
,cafes in which the latter were to be preferred, or
might, be produced, freth in the rrecolktßion of why was the Mutiny Bill annually -Wed, under
every one' where a soldier pnrfued a fugitive and which cafes occurred that could only be properly
murdered him in the arms of his mother, to which tried by Courts Martial ? Surely, in the pre-
be had fled for refuge ; the soldier was brought ,fent cafe, when it had been proved that jurors
Won a Coon Ilarus4 who vied =I acquitted I could not wane *air fimeticias—that witnefa

could not give their o ;Acme, intimidated by the
Ce,tr,of murdsT—when the public procefs of the
Law could not be carried into execution—it be-
came It:COLLO' to the puh!ic lafety to fubftitute
fome other procefs, by means of which Mike
(hould be executed, and crimes punifbed. Courts
Martial were then to he preferred, becaufe they ,
formed the only means of executing juftice, of
protefling the innocent, and punifhing the tinily:.
The Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Grey) had en-
deavoured to impeach the integrity of Courts
Martial; but, after all, had been only able to 2d-
.

ducc one folitary inftance cf abufe of the powers
entrufled to them, which was immediately cor-
refted, as far as it was poflible to corral it, by the
Lord-Lieutenant ; and all their proceedings being
upon oath, and their judgments fubjea to the
revilion of the Lord-Lieutenant, it was fcarcely
poflible that any material deviation from the
rules of juflice could take place in their dccifions.
Was it better to do this than to Ray till rebellion
reared its head in the field, and the•conteft could
only be decided by the chilli of arms? Was it bet-
ter that a tile of grenadiers thould'purfue the Tan-
quailed fugitive, than that this lafl and melancholy

appeal lhould he prevented by precautionary mea-
lures, adopted anar cool inveffigation and due de-
liberation ? Would any man fay that the crime of
rebellion depended upon 5, or so, or sOOO men,
arrayed in arms? If a confpiracy was formed to
deftroy the Conitiention—if in profecution of that,'
three or five men thould attempt to deftroy the
peace of the kingdom—lhould endeavour to carry
into en'ect their uwn machinations—whether it
might be by deftrudion in darknefs or in noon day,
whether by the dagger of the affaffin, or by—he
would not fay a glorious—but by a bold and open
Rebellion—it then became thelqueftion,whether an
attempt fhould be made to beat down the reared
ftandard of Rebellion and difaffeEtion by meafures
ftrong and coercive, but calculated at once for pu-
niffiment and protedion; or whethei by too lenient
mealUres Rebellion fhould attain an unconquer-
able ftrength, or by meafures generally fevere, the
whole mars fhould become inflamed and fpurred on
to Revolution ? Was there nb alternative but that
of leaving the country helplcfs and difarmeel, un-
able to refift a rebellion, operating more by acret
force than open attack ; or that of a harfh and
unqualified Martial Law, involving all in one com-
mon feverity, punithing alike the innocent and the
guilty, and dealing out the fame meafure to the
loyalift and the jacobin ? The medium was before
the Houfe—that meafure which would combine a
fufficicnt portion of mildnefs to temper feverity,
and of feverity to give fufficient energy to mildnefs
—that was the meafure propofed; and yet Gentle-
men though: it ought to be rejected as too fevere r
' and gave as a reafon, that the Executive Power is
anthorifed to carry into effea—what—a meafure
ten times more fevere, of which they afic the Houfe
to prevent the necetlity, by enacting one more
mild. Surely there could be no doubt of the lenity
and propriety of the meafure. He wifhed to fay a
few words alfo of the Noble Governor of Ireland,
to whom fume allution had been made. It was
wholly unneeerfary to fay any thing in praife of
his patriotifm and excellent virtues, they were fuf-
ficiently known and fuffieicntly admired. That
Nobleman's opinion, he thought, might be fairly
voted as good evidence to prove the neceffity of
tie prefent meafure. If he, whofe hnmanity and
whofe lenity no man could doubt, had thought it
neceffary to iffae warrants for the holding of
Courts Martial within the laft month, under which
perfons had aftually been tried and convitled of
r:bellious crimes, it was an (pinion exprefed on
the (fate of Irelat d, and the rebellion in that coun-
try, which no man could doubt, and which de-
fervcd every weight to be attached to it that the
exalted charafter of that Nobleman deferred. If
an Officer fo placed, and afting. in the molt merito-
rious manner, had given an opinion fo ftrongly ex-
preffed, that a rebellion Rill exifted in Ireland, what
further proof could be wanted to fanaion the pre-
fer meafure ? It was evidence fufficiently thong
and fufficiently convincing—free from any motive
but that of the public good. It had been Paid,
that the Courts of Law had been opened ; yes, the
wifdom of the Laws, and the adminiftratiun of
Juftice were reftored to the country ; ycs, the
Courts were again open, becaufe military exertion
had rendered it poflible to open them; had it not
been for the exertions of the military, a large clefs
of Ws Majefly's peaceful •and loyal lubjeas mutt
I hive been deprived of the benefit of advocating
1 their civil rights, and the powers of Courts Mar-
, tial mull hive been extended beyond all bounds,
to every kind and fpecics of off:nce, under the :n •
ability of the civil power. The meafure was only
alked for a fhort time that it might be leen whe-
ther the rebellion in that time could be completely
fubdued, and Courts Martial rendered no longer
necetrary.i Evidence fufficient had been produced ;
it was indifputably proved to be necelfary to the
public fafcty of lieland, and he therefore trufted
the Houfe would content to the meafure.
Mr. WHIr RR E AD obferved, that the Right Hon.
Gentleman who (poke laft, began a molt eloquent
fpeech in the fame manner in which he had during
the comfe of the previa war, began and conclud
cd many other fpeeches, namely, with an attack
againit Jacobinitin. But in his opinion, the con.
dud of that Right Honourable Gentleman, as
Minifter of this country, had been continually fa-
vourable to Jacobinical principles; and all his no-
tions continually tended to enereate Jacobinical
prat:lice,. To that conduit it was owing, that
the Jacobinical principles of France were now in
full power in that country. It was laid, that Par-
liamentary Reform had been made the pretext
for propagating jacobinifm in Ireland; if that was
the fad, he would ail, what mutt the Rate of the
Parliamentary Reprefentition of that country
have been? Tin. fair inference to be drawn, an.l
the fimple Rawer to this queftion was—that great
abufea citified in Ireland, or otherwife Parliamen-
tary Reform could not be an engine in the hands.
of Jacobins for the purpofe of overturning the
Government. The only queffiou then before the
Houfe wa.—whether a Bill for the renewal of
Martial Law in Ireland fhould be delayed for a
fhort time longer or not ? The Noble Lord who
propofed this wafer% Mad the ophgea of the

I‘

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in its favour I but
he mutt fay, that neither he nor any other Mem-
ber of that Houfe were bound in their Legiflative
capacity, to pay the kali attention to that opinion.
He totally el* ffered from the. Noble Lord in the
decifive principle laid down by him, that to give
Martial Law to Ireland, was giving that country
a boon inftcad of chains. As it had been alerted
that by the King's prerogative, Martial Law
might be proclaimed in cafe of a rebellion; he
would afk whether the Rate of Ireland at this time
was fuch as to enable the Lord Lieutenant to do
fo, in cafe the propofed Bill Should not pars into
a law ? He was warranted in concluding from
Marquis COaNwaLeis's Speech to the Ira Portia-
relent, that there exifted no kind of tendency to
• an infurreftion t in fuch cafe, the Noble Marquis
could not exercife Martial Law, and confequently
an Aft of Parliament for putting it in force could
not be confidered as a boon, but a heavy fcourge
impofed on the people of Ireland. An Honoura-
ble Baronet had that night informed the Houfe
that Courts of Jake in Ireland fat and exercifed
their funflions with the greateft freedom. The
Noble Lord Rated, that 34 perfons had been exe-
cuted under fentences of Courts Martial: he wished
to hear tonic reafon given, why theft perfons were
not tried by a Court. of Jußice ? It was known,
that Courts Martial had inflifted the molt lbvere
and unheard of punifhments :• that a power was
given to them to inflift any punifhment they might'
think fit, and that in confequence of that node-
' Signed and unlimited power, the), bad Indicted
flogging, half-hanging, and every fpecies of tor-
tare; and all this perhaps, might have been done
by three fubaltern Officers, perhaps by three lads
of t 7 years of age. It was a bad principle to
make three perfons fufficient to conffitute a Court
Martial, and thofe three perhaps ignorant of the
laws of the country, or difregarding them altoge-
ther. He wiftied to know whether there was
futh fcarcity of Officers in Ireland, that no more
than three of them could be found to conftitute a
Court Martial ; when thirteen were neceffary to
conffitutea regular Military Court Martial? It was
far from his intention to fpeak with difrefpeet of the
army, but he would contend, that it washighly im-
proper to place three perfons in a Situation where
they were to decide upon and execute laws, of
which they might know little or nothing. [Here
Mr. W. was interrupted by one of the Members,
who underftood him to have raid, that no military
Officer ought to fit on Courts Martial Mr.
ViThithread replied, thathe could not have faid any
fuch thing, knowing that a Court Martial could be
compofed of no other perfons hilt military officers :
he then contended, that while it was neceffary for a
man to be xt years of age before. he could be a
juryman, it was highly improper, that a lad of
17 years of age, Should be allowed to difpofe of
the life of his fellow-fubjeft. All that was liked
for that night by him and his Honourable Friends,
was delay ; that time would be given to examine
evidence, either at the Bar, or in Tome other way,
in 'order to fee whether this meafure was neceffary,
or until Come refponfible Mini fter Should point out
the neceftity of it to the Houfe. From fuch a dc
lay no poftible inconvenience could refult. He
wifhed that Parliament would ferioufly confider
what it was about to do. When the Union between
both countries had been agreed to, the Houfe was
told, that it was a meafure which would allay all
the difcnotents of the people of Ireland ; that it
might be hailed, as the happy period when peace,
wealth, and Liability, might be confidently looked
for. But now it appears, that the first Conffitu-
tional Aft of the ImperiabParliament was to place
that country under Martial Law.
Mr. WiSTENIL A (an Irifh Member) thought
that the prefent Situation of Ireland was fuch as to
render Martial Law abfolutely necefary there.
He hoped and trufted that the Englifh Gentlemen
in that Houfe would confider the kith Reprefen-
tatives as fo many witneffes produced on this oc.
cafion, and give full credit to their affertions rela-
tive to the Rate of Ireland; becaufe it was not to
be fuppofed that they could have any motives for
mifreprefenting the real Situation of the country,
nor for exaggerating its misfortunes. It would be
too great prefumpuon in him to enter into any
flatements after thofe which had been fo ably and
eloquently made by the Noble Lord (Caffiereagli).
He could do no more than bear teflimony to the
truth of them. He would barely mention one
thing, which he could affirm to be a fart—that
great quantities of arms, and particularly French
arms, were now depolited in Ireland, and ready
for immediate ufc.
Mr. Corm Iwo defired to know what fecurity we
could have, in the event of our forbearance, againft
the continuance of hoftilities and midnight maffa-
cres ? He then proceeded to point out contradic-
tions in the arguments of the Honourable Baronet,
and the other Gentlemen who oppofed the mea-
fure, and concluded with conjuring the Houfe not
to give countenance, by the rejeftion of the mea.
lure, to the prejudice endeavoured to be excited,
that the Reprefentatives of Ireland, by agreeing
to an Union, were cklivering themfelves up to
men, who had no common feeling or littera with
them, but were 141,311 y regardkfs of the welfare of
that part of the kingdom.
. Mr. TRENCH conceiving the condua of the Irifh
Parliament to be as good authority as that of
the Englilh one, and as proper to be referred
to as a rule to direct the proceedings of the
Hour!, he contended that no previous meffage was
• nceeffary to lay a foundation for the prefent mea-
ftie. When it was lira introduced in Ireland.
there was no filch mefrage, nor was it preceded
by any inquiry. Mc than took notice of the great
inconvenience that molt arife were the Bill (offered
to expire. The otientirs now in cultody would,
in fuch an event, be Set at large.; and though it
Should be renewed in the e.airfe of a few days af-
ter fuck expiration, yet irremediable mifchiefmight
be done in the interval. He Paid that the Courts
of Law were open; but that Juries dare not do
axis Milt, and that witneffes were afraid to come
gorward. The Hon. Baronet hail called for in.
fiances ; they were melancholy and notorious. He
&new one cafe, in stich the mifeondia of the
Jury' was tit flagrant, that the judge ordered
their names to be putted up for public reprobiltion.
A juror Should come to the boa unprejudiced's In I

. .
Ireland they could have no flub Juror. They could
have no Juror in the fpirit of the Conftitution, when
the queftion was between his confcience and his life.
Mr.Taytoa infifted tbat lhould the Bill be Rifled
in its birth, very ferious confequcnces might follow.
Mr. Firzotaaus ( Knight of Kerry faid, the
common law of England required no eulogium.
It was built on the principle that every witnefs
would tell the truth, and the judge and Jury do
what was right. But by the ingenuity of the men
who concluded the rebellion in -Ireland, for many
of them were lawyers, (a laugh) this which Mould
be the life was turned to the deftruCtion of the
Conilitution. The 'vicinage, which was original-
ly for the proteCtion of the Juror, became the
fource of his ruin. If a man could forfwear him-
felf in his vicinage, without injury to his charafter
for property, what but perjury could be axpated ?
If any man doubted the truth, let him live fix
months in Ireland, through which,. without this
law, twelve Judges and an appropriate :Cumber of
Conftables could be fent with no more fafety than
the could be fent into the Baltic. If any one fup-
tofed the Ira Gentlemen wilhed for Martial Law,
e wronged them ; their objetft was the reftoration
of the Conftitutional Laws of the kingdom.
Mr. J. C. Bstssroan reprobated the infinuation
that military men would prefide at a Court-Mar-
tial, with the remembrance of what had palled in
the field rankling in their hearts. Such a feeling
was more likely to happen in the cafe of a Juror,
whole child or other relative had been murdered
a Mac bcfbre, than in the breaD of an olncer and
a man of honour. The Courts, it was true, were
open, but Juries dare not give honell verdiCts.
In fait, fuch was the perfecution carried on againft
thole who fought to maintain the law, and carry
' it into effect, that a perfon fufpeeted of giving in-
formation to Government, had been followed from
Ireland, and murdered in this town.
Mr. OGLE perfectly coincided with the Noble
Lord in his account of the Rate of Ireland. It was
certainly fuch, that if the Bill Would not be pallid,
he would nbt be anfwerable for the peace of that
country, or the lives of the loyal part of its in-
habitants. He admitted the ftorm and tempeft of
rebelliontad fubfided ; but there remained a dan-
gerous (well, and the fpirit that firft difturbed the
waters, was Rill alive and aaive. The objea of
the rebellion of Wexford was to put every loyal
man and every Proteftant to death ; it was to pull
down Church and State, and build a Papal Hie.
rarchy in their place, in concert with France ; and
to effeCt the feparation of Ireland from England,
the Priefls were their Generals, and infpired- them
with every abomination. The Honourable Baro-
net had, laid all was quiet now. He wilhed he
would take a ride through the county of Wexford
and fee—(a laugh.) Perhaps the Honourable Ba-
ronet after the fpeech he hid made might do fo
with fafety, but he was certain he himfelf could not. I,
So far from being quiet, not even, the mails could
travel in fecurity. They were conflantly attacked,
and not merely for the purpofe of robbery, but of
murder. Nothing but_Martial Law could fave
Ireland. The rebels at that moment did not he-
fitate to fay that they counted on a French inva-
fion, and were ready to co-operate with it.
Mr. NVNAGHTON laid, he was aftonithed to
find that the Hon. Baronet (Sir L. Parfons) thould
be the only lrifhman in the Houle who oppofed
this meafure. As to the quotation that had been
made from Sir John Davis's account of Ireland,
he muff fay, that when that was written there was
no fuch thing as Jacobinifm in that country ; for
the fafety of which, Martial Law was abfolutely
neceffary. Without Martial Law the molt enor-
mous criminals could not'be punned; it would
be impollible to put a flop to the diftnrbances that
prevailed in the Counties of Antrim, Wicklow,
Wexford, and Tyrone. He voted that night for
the Noble Lord's propofition, for the exprefs pur-
pofe of preferving the Britilh Conftitution, which
it was faid the meafure went to deftroy.
Mr. BouvEats contended,that before a meafure
of fuch importance and magnitude was brought
before Parliament, there ought to be tome com-
munication from the King : as he conceived more
information than waa Dated to be necelary, he
would vote for the mction of adjournment.
Mr. Souses Coes• was convinced that if the
prefent (fate of Ireland was now fuch as it had
been at the time of the rebellion, Martial Law was
indifpenfibly neceirary ; and Would the Houfe re-
fute to adopt fuch a meafure, it would thew that
it had no concern for the fafety and exjftence of
that country.—[At this time the Q_ueftion was
called for from all parts of the Houfe-.]
Dr. Liuxtaca faid he would not, at the pre-
fent period of the debate, take up much time of the
Houle. He could not, even at that late hour (a
• c r y of hear / hear l) avoid riling to exprefs his difp-
protion of the meafure, or rather the monfter
called by the name of lenity, which was propofed '
that night. A meafure which was no- pore like
Martial Law than the Government of Algiers was
like that of England. This meafure fuperfeded all
the principles and forms polliffed by what was pro-
perly called Martial Law; that Law eftablifhed
by the Mutiny Bill, where all poffible checks were
to be found—where the fpirit of liberty was al-
ways Ilruggling againft force ; and in which were
found all reftramts that did not direCtly tend to de-
feat its objee. But all thole checks which went to
re arid the fe verity of Martial Law were taken away
by this meafure, which differed from the other not
only in its principles,but alto in the executive part of I
it. Here three Officers were fufficient to form a Tri-
bunal, in a country where there were one hundred
thoufand troops. All defies of people were to be
fubjeCt to this kind of Tribunal, while the Soldier
enjoyed the benefit of the Mutiny AB. While he
was ready to Wien to the tcilimor.y of Gentlemen
from Ireland, he mull beg leave to weigh it in the
fame manner that a Juror would do. But the
&anger could not be fo great as was reprefented by
lonic of thole Gentlemen, becaufe of thirty-two
counties, the Noble Lord could name only three
that were fuppofed to be in a difturbed (tate; nor
could the evil be my ferious, when it appeared
that so more than thkerfeven perfnns had been
tried by Courts Martial within the left 52 months.
There was, indeed, a kind of furd.murmur, and
a general difmay prevailing in Ireland before the ;
rebellion broke out. But immediately on that 1

event taking, place, all idea of danger raniffied ;
therefore the danger could not be fuch as to ren-
der the meafure necelTary. He would always fup-
port a vigorous Government in times of danger;
but the times did not require a meafure like that
now-propofed, when French principles were in to-
tal difrepute. He difapproved of the meafure,
becaufe it went to permit themoft unconftitutional
power to be exercifed over a country, on which it
had been raid that the bleffings of the Conftitution
would be conferred in confequence of the Union.
Mr. Marna (of Galway) declared, that he was
aimed by the prefelt Chief Jullice of the Common
Pleas in Ireland, when Attorney-General, that
fuch was the defire of a Jury to condemn, that in
one morning they convided 3o perfons, whom he
thought it neceffary to recommend to mercy.
From this circumftance, it was evident that the
regular tribunals of the country were fuch, as even
the rebel would exclaim againft, and prefer fuch
a one as was now propofed, which was only to
take evidence, and whole fentence the Lord Lieu-
tenant had it in his power to reverie. Therefore,
its defects could not pars without correCtion, he
confidered it extremely unwire, if not improper,
to fay any thing about the Catholics of Ireland at
a time when their claim was likely to be brought
before Parliament. He denied that the rebellion
was a Catholic one, it was a Proteftant Rebellion,
of which the principal leaders were Proteftants.
Mr. OGLE explained, and faid, he had alluded
to the rebellion in one particular County, which
was conduCted by Catholics.
Mr. Les (an Irifh Member) laid, that, in order
to thew that Juries alone were not fufficient to try
offenders, he would refer Gentlemen to the Jour-
nals of the Irifh Commons, which were now its the i
Houle : there it would appear that an aft had been
paired for making the information of a witnefs who
fhould be murdered before trial, fufficient evidence
to go to the Jury. This meafure had been adopted,
on account of perfons who wereio give evidence
agaistt rebels being murdered before the trial came
on, to prevent the conviehon of the perfon accufed.
He would refer Gentlemen to another Aft, by
which perfons confpiring to murder were held
equally guilty as if they had committed the mur-
der. Another Ad gave Magiftrates a power of
fending any man to ferve in the army or navy, who
fhould be found from home at night, and not able to
give a proper account of himfelt. The caufe of this
Aft was a praftice which exifted, by which ten men
ufed to meet at night, and (wear that each of
them would go that night and (wear in ten men ;
and there ten (wore kgain that they would (wear
1 each ten more, and fo on. It required no great
knowledge of arithmetic to Thew what danger
would arife from fuch a pratice as this. In fhort,
there was not an aft of the Irifh Parliament that
was not diftated by dire neceffity, and the Parlia-
ment was as lenient as under every circumftanee it
was poffible for it to be. The Rebellion of Ire-
land was different from any thing of the kind that
ever exifted in the world. Every man was taught
that he fhould get property, if the rebellion was
fuccefsful. The Rebels fumetimes parcelled out
and divided the fpoils before the battle was fought.
With regard to the condo& of the Courts Mar-
tial, ever fince the Rebellion, a Lawyer prelided
/
at them, and would have prefided durin the Re-
bellion, but no Lawyer could then be had a lasaith).
This meafure was not brought forwar In the
Executive Government, but by the Gentlemen of
Property, whenever they law that the (tate of the
country rendered it neceffary ; and it was not until
the Lord Lieutenantwas lionned,that he yielded to
the folicitations of the Country Gentlemen who re-
quired the adoption of this meafure. He wiffied
that Gentlemen would not make ufe of Ireland as
a flalking-horfe to curdle their abilities upon, nor
draw it in as a pollfcript to their meafures.
Mr. Hoes& Tooas faid he believed that martial
force was neceffary for Ireland ; but there was a
great difference between that and Martial Law.
Only four Counties were Rated to be in a ftate of
difturbance. In this country it was the cuftom,
when any part was difturbed, and when a fair trial
was not likely to be had in that put, to bring the
delinquents to trial in the found part, where juries
and.witnefles might be in no danger. He, there-
fore, thought that with the prefent martial force
in Ireland the fame mode might be adopted there.
Mr. SHERIDAN fpoke in reply, and the queftion
being loudly called for, the Houk was proceeding
to divide on the motion for adjournment, but the
motion was negatived without a divifion.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill ; which
was afterwards brought up by Lord Cm r Lsasaom,
and read a firft time.
At One o'clock the Houfe adjourned.

LONDON.

FRIDAY, MARCH 11

PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCIL

Confab 551.40 r ICC. 561••••• S per C. 91 iii-..
Omaium si i pCCUL

On Tuefday afternoon his Mai s rry figned a Com-
mit:Eon for paling the Loan Bill, and fame other
Bills, which received the Royal affent yefterday.
Mr. ADM mcropi was honoured with an interview.
Yefterday morning the North Sea fleet, under
the command of Sir HYDI PAll.l2llt and Admiral
Lord NILSON, failed from Yarmouth, but flood
off and on for fome time, waiting, as fuppofed,
for difpatches, which arrived in the courfe of the
day, by a MeiTenger from the Admiralty, and
were immediately forwarded to the Commander
in Chief. This fleet confifts of ao Gil of the line,
4 frigates, 4 floops, and upwards of ao bomb-
, retie's, gun-brigs, &c. From the great number
of bomb-veffels, firefhips, and gun-brigs,'by which
it is accompanied, fome coat Jr wain is no doubt in
agitation, and if fuch be the cafe, the reputation
and tried abilities of the Commanders give the
greateft reiton to hope' that it *ill be crowned
with fuccefs.