The Sun. — 1847-12-08 (London, England)

CONNELL—I bow, Sir, to anything which may fall from you—l therefore beg to retract the word which you have decided was not in order, and which I only uttered under the influence of the strong feeling excited in my mind at hearing Irishmen and Irish Members spoken of as they have been by the Hon. Member opposite.— (Hear, hear.) Mr. WALTER resumed—The proverb he had quoted was from an eminent authority—that authority being Bishop Berkeley, and a distinguished Irish bishop.—(Hear, hear.) To judge by the speeches they had heard during that debate one would imagine that the subjects of Irish grievances and Irish distress were quite new to the House, and that Hon. Members could never have heard of the exactions of con-acre or of the system of ejectnients before—whereas the fact was that there was no one present who had not heard those questions discussed hundreds of times. But whatever might be the weight and importance of those subjects—and that they were important he did not deny—this was not the time to bring them under discussion. The House had met for a different purpose, viz., to protect the lives of the people of Ireland from systematic assassination, and were they to be told that they were not to take measures for preventing murder until they should have inquired into all the grievances of Ireland ?—(Cheers.) What would have been said if, when it pleased Providence to visit that country with famine, and assistance was called for to keep the people from starving, if English Members had replied —" We will not give a farthing until we have examined into the cause of the potato rot ?"—(Hear, hear.) Let those who, when money was the question, would admit of no delay, but whose cry was continually Give ! give ! be consistent now, and allow Parliament to afford protection to life before entering into matters which were of a less urgent nature.— (Cheers ) He concurred with his Hon. Colleague, that for ordinary crimes ordinary laws were sufficient, but an organized system of assassination was no ordinary crime.—(Hear, hear.) We must (said the Hon. Member) deal with the murderer and the assassin as Dr. Johnson said madmen should be dealt with— knock them down first and reason with them afterwards.—(Hear, hear.) "We must supplant those rough rug-headed kerns ; Which live life venom, where no venom else,  But only they, hath privilege to live."—(Cheers.)  Mr. E. B. ROCHE observed that the Hon. Gentleman's speech partook very much of the spirit of those envenomed articles against Ireland which appeared from time to time in a certain daily newspaper, and which cast vitriol rather than oil upon the troubled waters of Irish grievances.—(Hear, hear.) But the Hon. Member's speech, though remarkable for its smartness, was not to the point, which was, whether or not the d--!bate should be adjourned.— (Cheers.) His Hon. Friend the Member for Cork, who was well acquainted with Ireland, had been most ungenerously and improperly interrupted in his address, and unless he was allowed to proceed he hoped he would press his motion for the adjournment.—(Hear, hear, and cries of " Go on.") Mr. (YGORMAN MAHON should in that case move as an amendment that the Hon. Member for Cork be called upon to continue his address.—(Loud laughter.) He felt it due as an Irish Member to acknowledge the admirable attention and patience which, up to the present evening, had been shown to Irish Members generally since the meeting of Parliament.—(Hear, hear.) It was due to English Members to acknowledge with gratitude the spirit of fair play they had hitherto shown to Irish Members, and he hoped they would continue their generosity to the lion. Member for Cork for a if few moments. They should remember, too, that interruptions often renewed those energies which, left to themselves, soon exhausted themselves. Sir G. GREY said the Hon. Member who last spoke had done but justice to the desire of the House generally to give a fair and patient hearing to every Hon. Member so long as he confined himself within the subject of debate. And until the Hon. Member for Cork had occupied the House fora very long time in an address which was interrupted by many very long pauses, owing, he supposed, to the Hon. Memher's want of knowledge of the usages of the House, every attention was paid to him. He had no doubt, also, that if the Hon. Member would resume his address and confine himself within moderate limits, the House would continue to give hihimits attention. Mr. it O'