Year: 1866

In a debate in the House Of Lord
on the 10th inst, when the secon'
reading of the bill for extending tn
suspension Of the habeas corpus il
Ireland was moved, Lord Kimberly, lat
Lord Lieutenant, in the course Of hi
speech made the following remarks OF
the Fenian movement:


think it is my duty to state to you
lordshiDs and to the country that an
persuaded that since the year l70S thcr
has never existed so dangerousa con
dition Of the minds Of the people il
Ireland as in the past year. | say this
deliberately, after much reflection an(
consideration, and after communicating
with those who played II principal par
in the year lS4S | think there can bt
no doubt that the conspiracy in th'
last named year, though it broke on
in slight rebellion, was far less for
midable than the conspiracy which
hope we have now to Il considerable
extent overcome.


The reason why this conspiracy wa
so formidable was that alluded to by
the noble earl--namcly, because to ;
great cxtcntit had its roots in for
eign country. Hear, hear, If i
were not for the encouragement ano
support which the conspiracy received
from persons who were themselves cX
cmpt from the dangers incurred by
those who remain in Ireland, though
there might exist in some parts Of Ire
land discomfort bordering upon disat-
lection against the Queens Govern
mcnt, yet such disaicction would never
assume the form of a conspiracy which
could be at all formidable and likely to
cndangcr the tranquility Of the country
But rs long as you have a large and
extensive society in Il foreign land, sup
ported by considerable SUNS Of money,
and sending cmissalic- into Ireland for
the purpose Of sowing disotfecton
throughout the country. You will not
he free from solicitudc concerning the
possibility of an outbreak


Another fact well worth attention is
that the persons who were most active
in promoting the conspiracy were not
the poorer and more ignorant classes,
but persons ! can best describe as be
longing to the artisan and small trades
man classes. II would bca mistake to
suppose that many intelligent persons
were not connected with the conspiracy.
1t is quite truc--and the circumstance
is most fortunate Onc-that there
were no owners Of property or persons
occupying high, social or professional
position in Ireland who took any part
whatever in this movement, but at the
same timethe leaders and moving spirits
Of the conspiracy, though belonging,
us | have said, to the artisans and hum
bier trading classes, were nevertheless,
persons whose energy and ability rem
dcrcd them difficult to contend WITH
As regards the farming classes, OF
whom | have frequently seen it assert
ed that they did not sympathize with
the scdition | regret that in its full eX-
tent | cannot repeat that statement.


In the south and west of Ireland,
although the occupicrs Of farms did not
take prominent part in the conspiracy
vet, as II matter Of fact, it was known
that had the rebellion broken out in
many parts of the country they would
have been perfectly ready to join it. |
do not intend to pursue this theme, but
have said enough to show you that
this scdition, the rise of which has been
comparatively slow, forit has been in
preparation for some years, cannot be
expected to vanish in amomcnt by the
mere enactment of Il law suspending
the habeas corpus, in the same manner
that scdition vanished in 1913. And |
am convinced that it is only wise and
prudent to continue for time the OK
ceptional powers Of the Government,
because if those exceptional powers did
not exist you would see Il revival OF
sclition, you would lose the opportuni.
ty Of stamping out the cmbcrS, and OF
preventing the rebcllious spirit from
again attaining formidable dimensions.