The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1874-04-12

ME-. Butts AMENDMENT TO THE ADDRESS.
AN INTERESTING DEBATE.
From the Cork Examiner March 81

! Speech.
Mr.. Butt moved as an amendment -
eve also beg humbly to represent to your
Majesty that dissatisfaction prevails very
extensively in Ireland with the existing z
/ system of government in that country, and
/ that complaints are made that under that
J system the Irish people do not enjoy the
full benefit of the Constitution or the free
( principles of the law; and we humb!y
assure your Majesty that we shall regard it
! as the duty of Parliament on the earliest op-
/ portunity TO consider the origin of the dis.
I satisfaction, with a view 20 the removal of
all just cause of discontent.' He claimed
: for the Irish people that they should be
allowed the management of purely Irish
affairs, but be was perfectly willing to
leave to Parliament the supreme control of
matters affecting the integrity and power
of the empire at large. He denied that
there was any wish to interfere with the
unity of the empire, and he remarked that
while keeping aloof from other political
combinations the Home Rulers had not
infringed the law or contravened the Con-
stitution, while perfect tranquility had pre-
, vailed during the whole of the agitation.
He complained of the severity of the code
which the Lord Lieutenapt had the power
to enforce with regard to the search for
arms and the powers of arrest accorded to
the police. He also objected that the
Irish had not the came privileges with re-
gard to the parliamentary and corporate
franchises, aud urged that the whole sys-
tenn of government in Ireland was based
upon dstrust of the people. He did not
ask that Parliament should give what was
called Home Rule-although that was a
matter that would yet have to be discussed
but he appealed to the Government to
avail themselves of the present opportunity
of inaugurating a complete policy of con-
ciliation towards Ireland.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin seconded the
amendment. He denied that the people of
Ireland were disloyal, but admitted that
country.
Mr.. Chaplin opposed the amendment on
the ground that its real object was to effect
the dismemberment of the Empire. 1t was
striking commentary on Mr.. Gladstone's
Irish policy that after five years. of concili-
self face to face with some forty Oh fifty
gentlemen pledged to support Home Rule.
He expressed hope that the country would
have reason to be thankful from the man
ner in which the movement was met, that
it had now Ministry in power who were
able successfully to resist such attacks.
Mr.. John George MacCarthy spoke in
favor OF the amendment. 1t was mistake,
be said, to suppose that Ireland desired the
dismemberment of the Empire. All they
desired was a middle course between sepa-
ration on the one hand and Capitalization
on the other.
Mr.. Newdegate opposed the amendment,
on the ground that it was covert attack
upon the constitution of that House.
Mr. Gladstone strongly condemned the
amendment. Replying to an accusation by
Mr. Chaplin that he had avoided express
ing his hostility to the amendment until
Parliament had met, he asked why it was
that the terms of the amendment had not
been communicated before that day. i
Mr.. Butt remarked that it was only drawa |
up last night.
Mr.. Gladstone said the course pursued by |
those who supported it would only tend to |
swell the majority by which it would be |
defeated. With regard to the plan laid |
down by the Home Rulers he asked where |
was the guarantee against the danger that |
Irish members after legislating for them
selves on exclusively Irish affairs would |
come over here and meddle with the affairs
of England and Scotland. He also con-
fessed that he was unable to distinguished
questions which could be regarded as ex-
ciuslvely Irish affairs and asked by whom
the question of whether affairs were ex-
clusively Irish was to be decided. He |
urged that before bringing forward an un-
lntelilglble and vague resolution Mr.. Butt |
ought to have tested the opinion of the |
house on some of the points which formed |
the groundwork of his complaints. He !
denied that the late Government alone had |
been the means of passing the Licensing
DlllJ anu Salu IL was measure Wnlcn mad |
been passed by both parties with the gene
raj assent of the House.
Lord r. Montague objected to any |
amendment of the address, but insisted as |
matter of justice, that her national rights |
should be given to Ireland. All that Ire |
land required was that the state of things |
which existed prior to the commencement |
of the present century, when Ireland en-
joyed her own Parliament, as England, |
should be restored, and Mr.. Mitchell |
Henry, and Captain Nolan strongly sup
ported the amendment.
After some observations from Mr. John
stone, Sir NJ. II. Beach regretted that SO
far no definite sketch had been given of
what Home Rule really was. Indeed sup
porters of the movement were not agreed
among themselves as to what they really
wanted under the head of Home Rule
Great difference of opinion prevailed up.
on the subject in Ireland, and the feeling
of loyalty was so strong in Ulster that it
would be impossible to introduce Home
Rule there except as the result of an inter
necine war. Under the Peace Preserva-
tion Act in the course of six months there
had been only twenty three seizuras or !