Star.
London, England, 1823-06-25 00:00:00

thing that had since occurred had shewn that the dis-
turbances were now on the increase, and that consi-
deration became mare formidable when they recoils
lected that these disturbances were not of a tempo-
rary nature—not of one or two years' date—but ,
had continued the same for a great number of years.
The Hon. Baronet here quoted passages from speeches
of different Members who had brought forward mea-
sures respecting Ireland in the years 1819,1817,1816,
1818,1806, and 1801, to shew that at each of those
periods Ireland had been in a state of great disturb-
ance. The House would next find, that the Insur-
rection Act had been in force during a great mit of
that time. It had been introduced in 1796, and con-
tinued until 1802, a period of six years ; next from
1803 to 1805, a period of two years ; next from 1807
to 1810, a period of three years; next from 1814 to
1818, a period of four years ; and from 1822 to the
present moment ; thus making since 1796, a period
of 26 years, during which the law of the land had
been suspended in Ireland. Besides the operation of
this Act, there had been another, called the Arms
Act, which had been in operation from 1796 to 1801,
from 1805 to 1807, and continued since then as a
matter of course. One thing was clear, viz. that
the plan of coercion had failed. He might state as a
summary, that twenty counties were more or less in
a state of insurrection ; and that the system of dis-
turbance had now gone on for so long a time, that
almost the whole of the population had been edu-
cated in it. When they considered that the popula-
tion of Ireland was computed to double itself in every
46 years, it became a subject of serious consideration
in what way so large a population ought to subsist.
It was impossible to look at the associations now in
force in Ireland, the habits which they followed, and
the eagerness with which they obtained arms, and
believe that these associations had an idle• object.in
view. The object of the motion which he was about
to submit to the House was, for a Secret Committee
to enquire into the object and extent of the disturb-
ances in Ireland. Into the causes of those distui b-

antes the motion did not enter, although he thought
that an enquiry into their causes would be useful. It
was unfortunate for Ireland, that individuals in this
country were apt to entertain most erroneous notions
as to the real cause of his!' disturbances. A Noble
Lord at the head of his Majesty's Go:ernment had
expressed it as his opinion, that the only cause of
those disturbances was the contest between poverty
and weaLiu, and the reception of his Majesty by
cusses in Ireland, had been adduced as a proof that
the disturbances had no foundation in political
grounds. All his (Sir H. Parnell's) experience con-
vinced him that nothing could be more erroneous
than the opinion to which he had adverted. He had
taken great pains to ascertain the truth on this sub-
ject, and he would say that nothing could be more
erroneous than to suppose that even the lowest and
poorest Catholic was not fully sensible of his political
situation. The Irish had considered the visit of his
Majesty as a pledge that measures of relief would be
adopted, and they ha•l received him, as they always
would, with mat ks of attachment. It had also been
said, that education might ameliorate the evils which
Leland had suffered. That was an erroneous notion;
fur it was by the laws of 41 country that its manners
vete established. An llon. Gentleman had on a for-
mer night referred to the case of Scotland. But the
-present situation of Scotland was not a canoe in point ;
for it appeared from the writings of Eletcher of
Saltoun, that Scotland had been in a miserable
situation until its Constitution had been altered ; and
i lal been then that an amelioration of manners and
condition had taken place. Up to 1775 the Popery
Laws, as they were termed„ continued in full vi-
gour, and the consequence was a hostility between
leland and England, from which those laws were
natty ally eeough supposed to have proceeded. At
the begiuning of the eighteenth century, and up
to the present period, though much had been con-1
ceded to pacify the feeling of that country with re-
gard to England had not undergone any material al-
teration. He admitted that the true weight and value
had not been given to the cote.essions made in their
favour in the English Parliament by the people of
Ireland. On the contrary, they rather looked fur ward
to what was withheld from them than to the boons
which the wisdom and liberality of Parliament had
granted. He felt, therefore, that the people of Le-
land, knowing that to which they were entitled,
should at once have their right gracefully conceded,
and convinced he was that they would be received by
them with gratitude. If they came to consider the
mode in which the English Constitution was admi-
nistered in behind, they would find that no two
things were more dissimilar than the same Constitu
tion in different countries. lie should briefly illus-
trate this position by a reference to the Act of Union.
The clear object of those who supported the Union
was "to give the British Constitution to eland"—
these were Mr. l'ites own words, width clearly im-
plied, that before that period they did not (the peo-
ple of Ireland) enjoy the privileges of the Constitu-
tion. Here was most decisive evidence, and he
would ask what had been since done calculated to
increase Ireland's share in the British Constitution ?
Mr. Pitt himself had actually resigned because he
found it quite impossible to obtain from the House
of Commons their assent to a measure which he con-
sidered indispensable to the admission of the people
of Ireland within the pale of the Constitution. He
thought, under all these ciromstances, that the
course now pursued of coercive measures towards
Ireland, was calculated to produce no beneficial re-
; and therefore he felt it his duty to point out
the manner by which he thought the Government
ought to proceed; and he did so, not from the vain
hope of succeeding in his motion, but lest hereafter
he might be called upon as not having fairly dis-
charged his duty as al Irish Representative. The
Hon. Member concluded by moving, as an amend
ment, that a Committee of twenty-one .Members
should be appointed to inquire into the extent and
object of the disturbances in Ireland.
Mr. GRATTAN seconded the amendment. The
Hon. Member observed, that the system . now pur-
sued with regard to Ireland was little calculated to
diminish the evils and afflictions under which that
unhappy country was labouring. The severe mew:
sures recently adopted towards Ireland—the revival
of the Insurrection Act, and similar unpopular enact-
ments, were often tried; they bad always failed,
aid be thought that the adoption of the proposed
• ♦ote would give a pledge to the people of Ireland