Star.
London, England, 1830-12-13 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, Dic. 11.
The House at this day, contrary to general usage. The Srrazzit
took the chair at three o'clock.

NEGRO SLAVIIY.

Lord STANLEY presented six petitions from congregations in Li-
verpool, Manchester, and Wigan, for the abolition of Slavery; also a
petition from the master manufacturers of Cheat and Little Bolton,
against the truck system. He knew an instance of a man who worked
for the same truck-master twenty.tbree years, and in all that time re.
ceived but 7s. 6d. in money.

lEPIAL 01 TIM UNION.
Mr. S. RICE presented two petitions from parishes in Limerick, for
the repeal of the Union. The petitioners were highly respectable but
he differed with them in opinion.
Mr. O'CONNELL said the petitioners had called upon him to sup-
port the prayer of the petition. It was impossible to give an adequate
idea of the distress and misery of Ireland. In Limerick the distress
was frightfuL One of the great evils of the present system was, that
public opinion in Ireland had little effect on that House, because the
proceedings in Ireland were little known in that House.
Mr. MABERLY said he was confident It was in the power of the
Hon. Gentleman to an end to the agitation in Ireland, and he
hoped he wo lid s see the propriety of doing so.
Mr. BRISCo ' said the only argument which the Learned Gentle.
'man used in that House for the repeal of the Union was the neglect of
Ireland by the King's Govennuent ; he hoped that Learned Gentleman
would call on the people of Ireland to suspend their agitation, and give
credit to his Majesty's Ministers for doing justice to Ireland.
Mr. RUTHVEN lamented the agitation of the question; but was'
confident Petitions for the Repeal must increase if the distress of Ire.
land was not removed. He agreed with the Learned Member for Wa.
terford, that the condition of the people of Ireland was very little
known in England.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it wee the anti-
mu desire of Government to' Improve the condition of Ireland. He
thought it right that the attention of the house should be peculiarly di.
rected to Ireland, as to the most distressed part of the United Kingdom.
It was the exertion of the Irish Government that last year prevented ad-
ditional taxation being laid on Ireland.
Mr. O'CONNELL said, he had a right to complain of the member
for Abingdon, for imputing sinister motives to gentlemen who agitated
the question of the repeal of the Union. England had 30 millions of
taxes taken off since the peace. Ireland had nominally 600,0001. taken
off, and had 900,0001 laid on ; and by one Act, making the taxes pay.
able in English currency instead of Irish, her taxes were all increased
one-thirteenth. Ireland ought to have a Parliament of her own,
not one removed from the wants, and feelings, and hdluence of the
people. Since the Union of Ireland her manufactures were swept from
the land. He defied any one to deny that there was more misery in Ire-
land than in any other country in the world ; and yet no country was
more tranquil.
Sir R. WILSON said he was in Ireland at the period of the Uniot,
and never witnessed each a picture of misery in any other country.
Wretched and abject as the Egyptian was, it was his feeling
that his condition was superior to that of the Irish people.—.
He therefore hailed the Union as a measure of benevolence and
humanity. What Ireland now wanted was repose, which would
cause capital to flow into it. If there was a repeal of the Union thew
would be a struggle for Catholic ascendancy, which would lead to a
civil war.
Mr. LEADER wished to preserve the Union, but thought the drain
for absentees might endanger it. He admitted that much of his popu-
larity was lost among bie constituents by his not supporting the repeal
of the Union.

Mr. O'GOKMAN MAHON said there were millions pledged
to each other to make the repeal of the Union the only Irish question
during the next Session of Parliament. The distress in Ireland, before
the Union, was increased tenfold since. There were exactions to an
enormous amount in districts of Ireland for the support of the Proles.
tam Church, where there never was a Protestant. Had Ireland been
left in the possession of her own resources, the t state of distress
cou'd not have arisen. It Nhould not be that the sway of the
lan. member for Waterford was paramount In Ireland; and, whatever'
else might be the effect of his measures, they had, at all events, the'
meth of keeping the country tranquiL It was most unjust of the gal-
lent General to impute to the Catholics of Irelsnd the wish to drive the
Protestants from the country, or to assume any ascendancy over them.
Sir J. BURKE said he was decidedly opposed to a repeal of the
Union, but must admit that many of the ablest and most honourable'
inen in Ireland supported this measure; and he feared, by not sup-
portirs it, he had lust so touch of the favour of his constituents as to
endanger his success on a future occasion. He should for ever, as a
Catholic, oppose Catholic ascendancy in Ireland, which, he was con-
fident, was not sought fur. They only desired to have their religion
enjoy the same impartial protection as all religions did in America and
France.
Sir It. BATESON was confident that the Vision could not he re-
pealed without a civil war. Even within the last month it had ex-
eked differences between the Orangemen and Catholics of the North.
He called the attention of Government to the meetings that were daily
and hourly taking place, where speeches were made that were seditious
if not trea•onable. The march of intellect and political economy were
the ruin of the country.