Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-04-05

winch nave right 70 take, spoilation, ana inc
question is-has Parliament right to deal with
church property as it pleases, or has it not! 1t
did once, know, deal with the whole OF 1t; 1t
took 1t from one man to give 1t to another: II
took away Tavistock and Woburn Abbey to give
them to the Duke of Bedford; and has it not
right to do it again? do not here speak OF dean
and chapter property, for that may, and perhaps
dues stand on different ground; but speak of
church property generally. II is quite clear that
there is no spoiiation in the case. The honorable
Baronet, the member for Oxford, was quite right
for his purpose in saying that Parliament had no
right to NEEDLE with it at all. and hatit was spo-
liation; but on this polnt although on no other,
am able to cope with the honorable Baronet' and
insist, and will prove, that it is the nations pro-
perty-that we have right to do with 1t as We
iike-and that we are bound to do with ii as may
be best for those we represent. great deal de-
ponds upon the term spoliation. Stismatize it
with the name Of spoatoh. and you gain much;
but defy the most impudent OF mankind to bring
forward any thing more impudent in his whole
career, than to say this-do what you will with
it-make it what you will, public or private. Gle.
rica or unclerica, but will leave it all still in
the families it belongs to. Gentlemen should,
however, be told a tale they perhaps were never
told before, (for we come here to speak in plain
terms, not to lard one another with fattery, whe.
Their high or lo~,l that nothing is clearer than
that church property is public property, and no
thing is clearer than that it is owned by the arts.
tocracy Of the kingdom. Not above forty fami-
lies hold all the church property of Ireland; and
| ask whether it is the interest of the gentlemen
of England to have their estates mulcted to the
extent Of two millions sterling, to maintain an
army of soldiers to compel the payment Of tithes
10 forty famiesl Does religion demand t?-
Does the religion of Jesus Christ demand it? No
lit does not not. | am, and always have been,
for what some may call complete spoliation. -
Cheers
now come to the pleasing part of my task.
In these troublesome times when some refuse to
pay taxes, and others talk of resisting this and
that, It is extremely desirable to have critic
rion or standard Of the right of resistance. 1t has
been given to US, and thank him for il, BY the
Secretary for Ireland. read Blackstone with
great attention, 10 see how far we might safely
60, and l went over to Locke and Coke. and
some others, for the same purpose. Blackstone
leaves the matter doubtful; but the Secretary
for Ireland has cleared up the doubt; he has at.
forded us a certain standard OF the right OF re.
sistance, and as if his authority were not sudi'
cient, We have the high confirmation OF the hon
orabe member for Leeds. He tells US that if
any state Of things arise here, similar to that IN
America in the year 1875. then we have right
to resist and not before. Let US see how this APP
plies to the case of Ireland lhopeit is not trea.
500 yet icheers aud laushter) It's said that the
Americans resisted, and that they had right TO
resist. and the, almost added that they rejoiced
IN the resistance and in its success. | never
went so far as that. Cheers and aughter) have
been called Republican, Radical, Jacobin, Level
/ H.. T., ,ha oF I
gone Though every stage, daughter but never
in my life did any one hear ne praise Washing
ton for that act of rebellion against his King.
Cheers would not have dune it, and least
Of ali, if had been servant of the son of that
King (Hear But to return. The Secretary
asserted that the Americans had right to re.
sist; let US see, then. what 1t was they resisted
They demanded their own legislature, and the
accusation against the sovereign was, that he had
attempted to interfere with the proceedings Of
their own legislature. Now, gentlemen of Ire
land, let me have word with you. do not
tell you to rebel, although the Secretary for Ire.
land praised rebellion, and said that it was law.
ful. Ibeseech YOU not to rebel. Cheers and
cries of Orderly Why am l called to order?
Is it disorderly. in these times, to beseech the
people Of ireland not rebel? Enough has been
done, perhaps, to cause rebellion; but entreat
them never TO rebel-never to suffer the devil to
tempt them to think about rebellion, until they find
some grievances like those the Americans com
plaiued Off Here is their declaration Of indie
pendence; here is cause shown for their rebellion,
and that cause has been declared by the Secre-
tary sufficient. 1t was written by Jefferson and
Madison together, and it was signed by them.
by Washington. and the rest. (Cries of no. no.;
Mr. STANLEY-Wa shington did not sign it.
Mr.. CoBBETT-Well, that is matter of no
importance. (Laughter.) 1t is a wonderful err
ror, which. suppose. is to ihvalidate all have
to say. (Cheers.) This is what the Americans
complained Of: "rhat the King Of England has
called together legislative bodies at places un-
comfortable and distant from their residences"
Ina is one Icharge; and this is another:-" That
the King Of England has made judges dependent
upon his will alone for the tenure Of their Offices,
and for the amount and payment of their sala.
rie.." do not speak Of the judges, but how
far this is the case with the justices Of the peace
IN Ireland, cannot say. The Americans 60 on
to complain, "That he has erected multitude
Il