The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-02-08 00:00:00

111 AW


bonder ■nder the burden of papacy. They only pre•
tended to give religious instruction t • one-tenth or a
twelfth of the population. Bet they did not eves
rive that. a• the Clergy did not reside on their lisle.

Thus. with a tithepr;itor to reconcile them tea atm-
resident clergy. and middlemen to reconcile them to
so absentee gentry, who could expect things to be
otherwise then they were ? It was only matter of sue
prise that (Whiniest bad so lung abstained from in-
terferieg between these Natural evils....• If these Bills
were passed it would require an eatliteased military
force to extents them, and why sot then try the reme-
dy first ? There was Co occasion for the easpensios of
the Habeas Corpus Act, which was only applicable
in case; of political exigency, when it Might be neces-
sary to arrest great agitators teithost the forms of law,
This, therefore, being coupled with the lasurrectios
Art, would excite a jealousy more likely to lead to that,
it ought only to be used topnt down, than to treats
tranquillity.
The Marquess of LONDONDERRY rote to reply.
The reluctance Government had 'hewn in bringing
*sward the measure might be toosidered ample apo-
logy for 'meeting to it. His Majesty's Government
peony waited tit the last moment, unwilling to resort
So these hills; bat baying obtiined the best opinions
I. :beeped* the necessity of the measure, they resolved
bare reams/ to, as the only means of preserving
rasa-pew and tranquillity of (reload. The House
would pee la the last despatches from the Marquess
Wellesley. that the exigencies justified the measure ;
lased if so, them could be no objection. There were
instances is which Parliament, without reference to
Ilse Mikes Corpses Suspension Act, Ita.l passed plea:
wee which did atom violence to the liberties of the
Constitution than the bills ander consideratios. With
teepee* to the principle of the Rill, it had been passed
before under similar circumstances, and the House
were well acquainted aid' its enactments. if the
prints was admissible, the minds of lion. Members
east be made up. He could go to the length of saying,
with the Hon. and Learned Gentleman, that they were
Falb Bills which every man most f el pain in passing ;
bat it was impossible to admit that the Divernment
were anxious to use this Act as a permanent
The Noble Marquess bad stated that it was not to go
to great extent, but be limited to the duration of Par-
liament; and brit be had to regret it had been said,
that so lung as these Acts were in force, the eat oftio-
vernment would beetled to all the grievances of Ireland.
The Noble Marquee expressed himself ready to pro-
neote nay measure for the amelioration of Ireland the
Rt. Hon. Baronet, or any Hon. Member might propose.
The Hon. and Learned Gentleman blamed the Cabinet
fur being divided on the Catholic Question, as if it was
the only Cabinet which bad been divided es that sub-
ject. The Hon. Gentleman had made another ditteo-
very, that whenever a change took place in •Cabi-
set, some friend to the Catholics must be appointed.
It was however quite useless to occupy the attention of
the House on this subject. All the Noble Marques.
would say was this :—He would be floppy to discuss
all questions relating to the improvement miabe Web.
Laws 3 and with respect to the Catholic Question, be
was happy to are the Catholics were not disposed to
effer themselves to the attention of Perliirinellir *arise
;.• date of Watt% They shoald take the time of Oder
onekorder. m44= act pradeutly. When the
al
loomium so
„. • eke (aeries ahead tea
bayou to do his duty. With respect to. tint
question before the House, the Honourable esti
Learned Gentleman, and others in the same school of
politics, bad cast censure on the because it
was not dictated by the Marquees Wellesley. He
would receive the praise of the Noble Marquess, as the
greatest authority, bat newer would consent to justify,
the measure because the Noble Marquess was dictator.
He was sure the people of this country would rather live
under the insurrection Act, than place themselves ander
a dictatorship which might dep.ive them of the exer-
cise of their minds and public feelings. The short,
question, however, in this case was. whether benefit
was to be derived from the Insurrection Act, as ap-
plied to the present state of Ireland, and whether it
could be altered fur the advantage of the people by st-
lowing trial by Jury ? That question had been seri-
ously taken into consideration by the Lord Lima-
nest, who had a strong desire to make an alteration
of the law in that respect. The project was long
considered, and the decision was, that if trial by Jury
was introduced to the Insurrection Act, it would
render the law nugatory. if the House resorted to
an unconstitutional law, it was necessary to have It
effective or not at all. He begged leave to plead be
the charge against the Magistracy of Ireland. There
might be improper conduct on the part of one or two
Magistrates, but was the whole Magistracy of Ireland,
therefore to be degraded ? It was said justice was
bought and sold, and it was the first time the Noble
Lord ever heard that money bad purchaeed the honour
of Magistrates in that country. Hs did not cilia the
case alluded to would tufo out to be so bad as de-
scribed, but, however it might tarn out, it could nut
cast censure on the great body of M.giittrates in Ire-
land. The lion. and Learned Gentleman bad stated
the law in contemplation to be worse than it really is.
It would bring an individual before a Magistrate, and
if he did not account for his absence, he was to be
transported. The inference could not be fairly death',
that every man absent from his home was to be trans-
ported. If the Magistrates of Ireland were as cor-
rupt as described, they could not commit the acts of
oppression the lion. and Learned Gentleman had stated.
The law required a Sergeant and a King's Counsel,
also some others of letal character to watch the con-
duct of Magistrates, and unless the Magistrates and
Lawyers were all corrupt, injustice could not be done.
There was also an appeal to the Lord Lieutenant. The
Noble Lord expressed a hope that Ireland would never
require the operation of such a law fur a long period,
but when rebellion stalked abroad, and uien were nut
safe by their fire side, be for one would not be deterred
from bringing in a Bill for the protection of the
peaceable citiaen, by the bugbears of the Hon. and
Learaed Gentleman, nor by the dictatorship lie might.
set up. The midnight assassin and robber must be
kept from the abode of peace and initiatory. If there
was any one provision in our laws that moat touched
Lis heart, it was the Act to repeal the Habeas Corpus,
but it was ~emery. and meet be passed. It aas notil
intended to apply.m the unfortuis4e'uten with arms
in their bands. opine 44 bills. secure entiktajaik
distarbers in atifitY of the cOithtry..-*---t:
Lord Wellesley hA sidiA P.4l.rat for
measures in which he coild kiuduess to