The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-03-03 00:00:00

imprrial Varlianunt.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-MONDAY

The Earl of ST. GERMAIN moved the second rending
of the hill for the projection of life in Ireland, and (la tilt
on the necessity of investing the government of Ireland
with the extraordinary powers which would be granted by
the proposed measure. It was notorious that the crimes
of murder and outrageous assault had become of late alar-
mingly prevalent in Ireland. He held in his hand offickl
returns of all the offences against the person, property,
and the public peace which had been committed in Ire-
land during the last two years ; from which it appeared
that the number of homicides perpetrated in Ireland in
1841 amounted to 144 ; and in 1845 to 136. In 1841 the
number of eases of tiring was 104 ; and, 1845, 138. In
1844, the number of aggravated assaults was 504 ; and in
1845, 541. In 1811, the number of casts of common as-
saults was 251 ; and in 1845, 242. The crimes of robbery
and arson had also increased to a fearful extent. In 1814
the number of cases of robbery of arms was 159 ; and in
1815, D5l. The instances of administering unlawful oaths
had also increased during the years in question from 59 to
223 ; of issuing threatening notices from 462 to 1341 ; of
attacks on houses from 254 to 483 ; of firing into dwelling
houses from 77 to 128. The total number of offences
against person and property in 1844 was 1195, and in
1815. 3402. The number of offences against the public
peace in 1844 was 3102, and in 1845, 5281. In IS coun-
ties crime had diminished ; in 4 it had remained station-
ary ; but in 10 it had largely increased. His lordship
then entered into further details with regard to the state
of crime in these peccant districts, and related several
remarkable cases of homicide and outrage, for the pur-
pose of justifying the introduction of the proposed bill.
These cases were of an unusually appalling character.
The rich man, said his lordship, was comparatively safe;
but the poor man was absolutely without protection.
The police and stipendiary magistrates had been in-
creased in vain, and nothing short of extraordinary
measures could meet the exigency of the case. The first
clause empowered the Lord Lieutenant to declare by pro.
clamation that any district in which outrages of the de-
scription referred to are on the increase should be bur-
dened with additional police and a stipendiary magistrate.
The second clause empowered the Lord Lieutenant to
warn the inhabitants of any disturbed district to remain at
borne bet wren sunset and sunrise ; the third clause autho-
rised the Lord Lieutenant to award compensation to the
family of the murdered man, to be paid out of the assess-
ment on the dt'trict in which the murder may have been
perpetrated. The noble earl, in conclusion, deprecated
any attempt to give the question a political complexion.
During the last session £414,000 had been voted for the
purpose of improving Ireland, and no fewer than thirteen
railroads, involving an expenditure of £9,000,000 had
passed the legislature. These measures could not
bear fruit unless a greater security for life and property
were provided. Its lordship trusted that the time would
arrive when the bill he proposed might be repealed.
Lord FA.RNIIAM spoke as a resident in one of the most
disorganised parts. His lordship alluded to the murder
of Mr. Bell Booth, which showed the fearful state to
which the district in which he bad resided had been re-
duced. tie dwelt on the refusal of the patties who wit-
nessed the murder to assist in identifying or apprehending
the murderers. His lordship spoke of the efforts of the
ribbon agents as most injurious to the peace of the coun-
try, and called upon their lordships to shape their mea-
sure so as to put down those dangerous societies.
After a few words from Lord Mi ESTMEATII, and other
peers, the bill was read a second time.