Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-04-20

u.
Noble Jor,,s statement in the first instance that
sncL ,y,s his intention. But he would ask the
Noble ord would he get rid of the 80 franchise
which. "a he (Ms O'ConnelD had mentioned;
existed in Dungarvan? That was an o'd anu
Iono established franchise; it was 1t that had re-
far ned his friend, thelIon. Member Tor DowhPa-
tr;ck. and he thought it should be allowed 10 re-
main He did not make those objections 10 We
hill in caviiling spirit, nor with any desire 10
onnose the successful progress of tins measure.
Iiear. hear, hear.) He thought that 1t was cal,
cuiated 70 effect a substantial amelloratlon and
improvement, and though 1t might have gone 10
greater length. perhaps its doing SO might have
interfered with ITS success. Cheers,) Look
inc at it altogether, he considered 1t great boon
indeed, and he made no objection whatever 10
tGe principle Of the measure. OF which he COR
daily approyed. lie should not animadyert up.
on the ingenious arguments which the fancy oil
the Learned Member for Droghcda had suggest
ed in support Of such a system, but ne could not
avoids markiny that that Honorable Member had,
in the course Of his speech, resorted to weapon
from the use of which, he seemed to shrink
He had with great dexterity welded dagger
though he would make it appear that the blow was
not made by his hand. That Honorable Mem,
he, said, that one effect of this bill in Ireland
would be to Increase the Catholic popular ana
noljtcal influence, and to extlngnish the Protest
ant influence altogether. Did any one imagine
that in the close boroughs. as they at present ex-
listed. any inquiry was ever made about religion.
HIear, hear.) Did his (Mr. O'Connclfs) excel
lent Giend. Sir Z. Denny, care any thing about
the religion of the Lord of the Treasury to whom
he sold his borough: Or would he have any OBJ
lection to sell it to HIN (Mr. O'ConnelD IT he
should offer the usual price for it! Hear, hear.
Oh no: the superstition was absurd, and contra
~ to the fact. But he would ask. was every I'M
provement III ireland to be met by this cry about
religion. Loud cheers.) How long had not
Catholic emancipation been retarded by such
cry as that which the hon. member attempted to
raise? Hear, hear.) Were they to go to the
people of Ireland, and to tell them that the Pro-
testant religion, which had been made in the first
instance an argument against their religious llber.
ty, should be now an argument against their civil
rights, and would they, in the same breath, tell
them that they must continue to pay tlthes. ana
to support the protestant church. the existence Of
which debarred them of the privileges OF their
fellow citizens? He was sure that the period
was gone by when such an infatuated policy as
that would be adopted. The present excellent
measure would break down long cemented mo-
nopcly-it would break down power that had orl-
ginated with Cromwell and his party Ireland
It would break down power by which, under
Charles III. the children Of the followers OF
Charles l. had been trodden upon in that coun-
try. The 10th and 18th of Charles II. went to
establish new rules and regulations, the effect of
which was tc throw every borough in Ireland in.
to the hands of close corporations Forty OF
those boroughs had been originally eated by
King James l. in one day, and for what purpose
did they suppose! Not for the purposes of rell-
gion, or the promotion Of public liberty, but to
secure his designs upon two provinces in Ireland,
which he wished to partition out.
With that view, the Kings servants were elect
ed for those 40 boroughs: IL burgesses were all
they summoned together to return the mere SER
wants of the King for those boroughs; and 1t was
enough to say of such representatives., that two
of them, an Englishman and Welshman. exh-
bited the disgraceful scene Of pitched battle on
the floor of the Irish House of Commons. "a
laush.) The present measure was, he repeated,
great boon, and it would do great good even IN
the city of Dublin. 1t would be productive OF
great benefit to those towns In Ireland that had
been long domneered over by close corporations.
The measure was. indeed, healing measured
and although he had pointed out some changes
which he h0pe0 WOULD DC sun Hidut III IL, as TAI
as it affected Ireland, he thought it almost unne-
cessary to repeat, that to the measure itself he
was a most cordial friend, and that he should
give it all the support in his power (Cheerrs:.)
He could not avoid remarking, that the most dis
tinguished among the orators in favor OF the rot
ten borcughs were not the most disnterested-
that their generosity was of nature akin to
sordid selfshness-that they struggled not for
their privileges as feemen, but for their property
as traders: and they tainted the noble Lord OPP
posite with his inability to examine them con-
corning that property. The people complained
of great grievance, and those very advocates
and representatives of the close boroughs fur
nished, in their conduct, the proof OF its exist
ence. Instead of following the example OF no.
bic Duke and Marquis, and of two honorable
gentlemen, the representatives OF Cation and Old
Sarum resisted measure which was intended
for the benefit of the people, because it was not
for tie benefit of Cation and Old Sarum. But
the people would return their taunt upon them
with interest.
He was sorry that this debate had been COM
menced by the Hon. Member for the University
of Oxford opposing such measure as this. The
connection which subsisted between the Church
II r