Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-03-30

given. (Hear. hear, hear.) The Insurrection Act
authorized all offences against its provision to
be tried at the Sessions. before the Magistrates,
who had the power to sentence offenders to
Now, in the present state Of
ireland, his Majesty's Ministers did not think
fit that this power should anv longer be exercised
by the Magistrates. Hear, hear)-The trial
of all Offences against this Act it was proposed
should, to certain extent, be subject to martial
law. loud CRIES of Hear, Hear" The
Courts, however, would be so constructed, that
he did not fear that the powers would be I'M
fairly exercised; the Act would contain security
against unfairness; at the time he hoped they
would be effectual in enforcing obedience to the
laws. 1t would be imperative that IN all these
Courts Sergeant at Law or Kings Counsel
should preside as Judge Advocate. and they
would otherwise be so constructed as no fear OF
any abase of power could be anticipated. AL
persons found abroad between sunset and sun.
rise all absent from their homes without a cause.
and those who had arms in their houses. would
be subject 10 this act. All persons distributing
seditious papers, any attempts toinjure the per.
son or property of jurors, prosecutors, or wit.
uesses, should also come within the provisions
of this act.
The Noble Lord referred to another provision
in the former act. protecting the officers OF courts
martial from future prosecution. This was es.
sential for their protection, and would b. en-
braced in the present bill. though the officers
would nevertheless be subject to have their con-
duct examined by proper court martial. lie
trusted these measures would be found ehrctual
to suppress the existing outrases Ireland; and
he should be happy when the time arrived that
the proposed measures Of severity might with
safety be repealed. II writ Of habeas corpus
should be issued for any person arrested under
the prov isions OF this act, it should be sufficient
return to the writ that the person was arrested
under the authority the act. He thought these
measures would be sufficient. They were Sc.
we're powers, but the necessity Of the case seem
ed to require them. and by which necessity alone
they could be justified. The question for their
Lordshps was, whether or not case had been
made out for such suspension of the ordinary
laws as all legitimate Governments have been a,
times compelled to resort to- for the safety Of the
State, and on the principle SALTS popuf s,prema
Ler. The next measure which his Majesty
Ministers thought il necessary to introduce, but
separately fro,a the present bill, was an act tor
changing the venue in the cases of all trials
where any species of Intimidation had been used
TO influence Jurors or witnesses II Hear, hear,
hear )-Apol"giz,ng for so long OBTAINING their
Lord,hips, and thanking them for patent hear.
ing. the Noble Lord concluded BY moving tor
leave to bring in the bill
Lord Lon gtord. in abiding to the agitation
that had been described To exist-sald It had
first of all been invited BY a noble marquis. who
requested u correspondent to "agltate-agltate
--agiate."
The Dake Of Wellington said. the question
was, did Ministers mean to dn-were they intent
on doins-thsir duty towards the country, in
bringing forw ard this measure! Ii they we're,
then it was useless to 60 back to former proceed
ings. The duty of the House was to meet the
state Of things in Ireland at the present moment.
(Hear0 In bis opinion. that state OF things rem
dered the proposed measure imperativsly neces-
sary (Hear. II the recall Of the present
Lurd Lieutenant. or any other measure ot that
kind, could render such proceeding as that now
contemplated unnecessary, he would immediate.
ly say, "adOpt that course" Hear. hear. -
But, as it appeared to him, looking fairly at the
question, the presen, measure was absolutely ne
cessary. (Hear, hear He cared not from
what cause the present state Of things in Ireland
arose. Ii sufficient for him tina, existed; and
seeing that Government grounded their call for
lllS measure Oh tld' state W NC sHVu'uf
without looking to one side or to the other-he
should. without adverting to what had passed
heretofore. give then his support on this occa-
sion Hea'. hear.
He considered the measure to be essentially
necessary, and on tia, ground alone he should
support it. Hear, hear. He was certainly
sorry that such measure had not been brought
forward formerly, but he was extremely glad
that it wssnow introduced. Hear, hear He
had locked at the bill, and he thought that
IL required some amendments Ii was his lnlen-
ton. in the committee. To move that courts mar.
tal should be appointed on the principle recog-
ni.ed in the mutiny bill.
There wer. also some parts of the bill which did
not. IN his opinion. give sufficient powers for the
purpose OF putting down the particular evils that
afflicted Ireland tie would not, however, on
the present OCCASION. discuss those points. He
hoped the committee on the bill would SIT on the
earliest possible dav, and he should then declare
his opinIon more In detail.
Lord Uxbridge replied to the Earl of Long
ford. with reference to the words " Agltate, agl-
tate, agitdte."
The Earl of Eldon shortly supported the mea-
sure ahspry INC that nothtnu hut the Drespnt py-