The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-03-16
THE DISTURBANCE IN IRELAND,
John Bright on the Suspension Of
Habeas Corpus.

statesman, in the 0ouse Of Commons on
the question of suspending the witt of
haJeas Corpus in Ireland:
Mr.. BKIGHr-I DO rot wonder at the
Irish members declining to make any OBJ.
servations to This House on the sui ject
No, no Ms strong interes. in the az
fairs Of their coantry irouical cheers is
for me sufficient. excuse for so dong
The Secretary Of State and the Govern
ment of which he is a member have called
Us together on an unusual day, at an un,
usual hour, to consider a proposition of
the greatest magnitude, aud which we are
informed is one of extreme urgency
II it be SO, | hope it will not be under
stood that we are here merely TO carry out
the behests of the adminsti alton; and that
we are not to be permitted if we choose
on his occasion to say something 10 mili-
gate the apparent hardness OF the course
the Government feels itself compelled to
pursue Cheers. 1t is now more than
% years since | was permitted to take my
seat IN this house. During chat time l
have on many occasions, with great favor
been allowed to address it. declare that
in the whole OF that period | have neve,
risen to speak under SO strong feeling,
as msmber Of this house, of shame and
humiliation, as that with which feel my
self oppressed at this moment. | Hear.
The Secretary of State las the right hon.
orable gentleman opposite has said) pros
poses to deprive no inconsiderabe portion
Of the subjects of the Queen, our country.
men, within the United Kingdom, of the
commonest, the most precious, aud the
most sacred right Of the English consti,u.
ton, the right to their personal freedom.
Cheers From the statement OF the
Secretary of State it is clear that this is
not asked to be done, or required to be
done, with reference to a small section Of
lie Irish people. He has named great
counties, wide districts, nay, whole prov
inces, over which undoubted disaffection
has spread. He asks that five or six mil
lions of the inhabitants Of the United
Kingdom should suff=r the loss of that
right of personal freedom which is guar
anlied to all her Majestv's subjects by the
Constitution Of these realms. Now, | DO
rot believe that the Secretary Of State has
overatated his case for the purpose Of in
ducing the House TO consent to his propos
sition. | believe that if the majority of
the people of Ireland were counted fairly
out, if they could have the will and the
power, they would unmoor that Island
from its fastenings in the deep, and move
it at least 1900 miles to the Yves, cheers
ana murmurs of disspproba,ion And |
believe. further, that if by conspiracy, or
Instruction, or that by open agitation to
which alone should ever give any favor
or aay countenance, they could shake Of
the authority-not so much Of the British
Grown, but of the Imperial Parliament,
they would do so Icheers from the Irish
benches. The honorable member from
Cork the other night referred to the char
acter Of the Irish people. He said, and |
believe with truth, that there is no Chris
tian nation with which we are acquainted
in which crime of the ordinary character,
as we reckon crime in this country, is so
rare as amongst his countrymen. lie
might have said further that there Is no
people. (whatever they may be in their
own country so industrious in every other
country but their own. He might have
said more, that they are people Of a
cheerful and joyous temperament, fin
sularly grateful for kin0nesses shown them
cheers / and that of all people of our race
they are most filed with a sentiment Of
veneration. And yet with such materials
and such people, after centuries of Eng
lish government, and after 60 years Of
government by this house, we haye them
embttered against our rule, and anxious
to throw of the authority of the Grown
and parliament of these realms cheers !
This is not single occasion on which the
maady had developed itself 1t is merely
an access of the complaint of chronic in
surreciion from which Ireland has long
suffered. Within the memory of the old
est member here similar statements have
been repeatedly made, ana on former
occasion, within my recollection, We had
almost the same speech OH the same sub
ject, and think from the same minister.
Sir q. GREY-no.
Mr.. BR1GHT-The right honorable gen.
tteman was, however, member OF the
same government by whom it was made,
and no doubt concurred in every word ut
tered by his colleague. Sixty years ago
this house undertook the government Of
Ireland. l will say nothing as to the
manner in which the task was brought
upon US, except shat it was by proceedings
disgracetul and corrupt to The last degree.
Hear. will say nothing Ct the pre-
fences by which it was brought about but
this-the English people and Parliament,
and the Irish people, too, were told that if
once they could get rid of the Irish Par
lament, Irish faction would be dethrcned
forever; and, with a united Parliament,
we should become more united, a strong
er, and more powerful people. Hear
Now, dsring that sixty years-and | beg
the attention of the right honorable gen.
tleman who has just spoken-there were
three considerable measures passed by this
house in the interests Of Ireland One
was the measure of 1899, for the emanci
patton OF the Catholics and 10 permit them
to have seats in this house. But that
measure, SO just, so essential, and now SO
certain never to be recalled, was meas
ure passed in the face of grea: opposition,
and Onlv undar tho threatened danger of