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wmaLf^p S r IL T5. 1^48. „_^ THE NORTHERN STAR. %
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¦ —"¦ *^ KOSDAY, Aran. ». ir BTKOSBIWIIO...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Wmalf^P S R Il T5. 1^48. „_^ The Northern Star. %
_wmaLf _^ _p _S r IL T 5 . 1 _^ 48 . _„_^ THE NORTHERN STAR . %
¦ —"¦ *^ Kosday, Aran. ». Ir Btkosbiwiio...
¦ — " ¦ _*^ KOSDAY , Aran . » . ir _BTKOSBIWIIOK 0 _» "WM O * TEB fi * * " CffASTZS . OF LORDS . —In answer te a _que * _tloa from 0 _^ SE w _ETaa _jtnoB _, which was quite Inan-. , J _£ H 3 BIS c " * S _* . * l ![» a ?* **" ™* _«•"• hB beU * Ted ftere Tte _asf _^ ftr tte _jj arm htch certain _proceed-** c 0 , f ° _« r * d to take place to-day had created . The _isrf _^ T _^ _tine on Kennington Common had _j _s _" _* _„ S bv the police without the appearance of c , _vta _?? . Z-tLt dispersion bad beea effected without _& s _' l \ * , _i _ituost difficulty , and under _rfrcnmstances S _^ _jIw-1 its _w-union and _re-orgasiatlon ia the _^ _te « _eT _iapMbsbie . ( E « r , b _« r . ) Tb * _pe-^ fce !{ Men bed _be _« so unnecessarily made the subject i & Si _«^ _isr of thii kind , and _eecasionea w much * _f 8 _pWCfrnaiteraarioaf hai beea brought in the quiet-* _^ . _irleros . oa . of ths bridgti In a vehicle for n t ElEE t . ___ taken to tha other house of parliament , _*»» Srnctto 8 _* _" _** _*«» reeei " a in lu P *> 5 re" . s * , _« additional satisfaction to bim , inasmuch _^ ArlU the right of kef _HyBStj _' _i _lODJtetS t < _J p « ti-* li a < _-sll tiaes be freely admitted and exercised , _¦^ _^ _as " dene in a constitutional manner . ( Hear , _pisa it " ' " " ° " _- *
l _Ssotcaiu eatirely agreed with the noble mar . r _^ _. _upmost important on every _cwosioa , for _^ _' _" _b _o ! ths eauntrj , tha liberty of the subject , - r _ . n _ oftbe crown , thatthe right of petition should *! _hftaterferred with _uale « it were absomlely _neeas-** ' i ( Bear hear . ) The same _ebaervation _wooia apply ts : . j-ht of meeting fer tha purpose of disenseioo ; . < _> , _mii _KSEatid _t ° esiitenM " * -- _&* ot right _^ VL oettisg should be for di « _-n « le « _alansw ( Hear , \ Wherever there was an _assemblege too _large for
it ** - ) " . , _„ .- _„ - — ;* y _* -,-.- o -, _* _.. A ; .-i . m _~* _ieMSiibffityof _&' KnjrioB , i _* became _s . mesa displsy of _bErs t 3 r _&» « hibirion of physical farce , and could Ea _fhafe flit intention of overawing tba minuter * and Ibunent . ( Sesr _, hew . ) Discussion the people had _Srirtit to , bat * display of force they only could haTe ft r , _\ t 0 when tbat fore * was wielded by the governat under the parliament of the country . ( Eesr . ) The _moaner meetings in England and Ireland wereesntislly illegal they w * re mera _exhibitions of physical ;!_ , , _oij < : oalasot . bj any r * rveriicu of leagues * , be
_prejgg _& i to _bsmMtirjgsfortnattTlriiiaiMO & _BeimpoHiDie , _jiz , di 5 c _= _sa _« a , where no oae coild bs heard , and where se one , he aright be permitted to say , even dreamt of ' _fitkioe , but _Bhus all , if _tuij did . _uat dr « _gra of * e & 3 g _, _tlscedJ- _tbemselveB in a position in which thej night bt irirsa , before they knew it , to illegal courses . ( Hear . ) ¦ Tbis wss tbe opinion ot tka late Lord Plonkett aud Lord i & Bgtr , as well as o ! himself , with _leleieHCB t 9 a great EretinS in _Haachester _, in September , 1818—they all £ _93 £ htthstby thelaw ef this land that meeting was HecsJ , and this was one af a similar character . ( Cheers . ) Tie Daks af WsiiiKGTOK hopedtfle _noWewdlearned lord's opinion was fetwded en the law of the country » s _i-reOly _existed . No people bad luSered sore than the
_jsbftbitants of the _metropolis within the last two or three days from this _threatened meeting of two htmdrsd thousand _psople . All tha atitensbttd beta pieced c « - _ieraitns—all trade , cotasierce , and oecup & ttoa of every _Ascription , aad been partially f _ucpendsd , erery _indfriflsal beicg obliged to s » ek the safety of hi & seU K- \\ niS _Mighbour , as veil as the security of tbeir property . To be exposed to such inconvenience as tbey had _besa that iay for the third or fourth , time in tbis short session of _pirlivnent—once _beJcife on . _KeuuingtOB . _Gamraott—Tf ts _inietil a matter of serious consideration . ( Hear , hear . ) Se trusted by the till how pending- in p « rii « _iaeDt , or ether measures , the law would be so explained and _un-<"; rsioo _3 , _tiftfc Bettings , might ba limited to wch
numfers as could consistently discuss & § aestiOD , or hear it diseased—( bear , hear )—end tbkt tbe _Btrchants and otters in this great _aen-ipolis—the mart of trade and credit—might not be alarmed , week after week , by such transactions at bad _feeengoiDg-on within thelast _tewdays . He _hopsd it would no longer be in the power of _asy men _tocotctrt— -he _« _onld not say coasplia—to hold such _mtetiags ttbich neeesssrily pat the people uRder anrn , 6 ndtooh them away from their _busiae _» s . ( Hear , hear . ) The Besting tbat dsy bad been dispersed entirely by the efforts ef tbe _pelice , and _altnoEgh be had been ¦ is _reedisess witfe the troops , togive every _peEribleiupport to then , if _Kquired , for the preservation _ofthiptace of the city , ad the maintenance _» f the law of the country , not a single soldier had been _Sstn . ( Cheers . )
The U £ . _t <_ ef _Not ? Hl . Ii ? 50 » Kids _IQEia obserTations ia s low tone of voice , and added retb . tr more _sudibly , that he wished to express the gratitude of their _Jerc ' _ships fo ? the noble _cenduct of the people of London oi tbe present occasion . The spirit of erder and attachment to the English _constitution—of religion and _aorality _eskieited by the middle classes—would lo » g be _renrinbered . ( _Hesr ) The Karqais of _Laitsoowxe bad great pleasure in con . _finnias the statements of tbe noble marquis , thst beyond fee conduct of tbe police and the readiness of the militery to act if _steseetary , nnder ihe noble dulie , the
_govsrument had received the mest decisive evidence ofthe K 2 . _1 of every class of tha community in ali parrs of London , throughout which there had bsen but oae _ssulatba , Bamely , vfhieh should render the most service and _nske the greatest sacrifice . ( Hear , hear . ) If there wss SDjtMog wbich had imparted to hsr Majesty's go « _tcmfnt that degree of confidence which was necessary to enable them to _ast as they bad door , it was the _certsintv wbich tbey bad st quired within the last eight snd ferry soars tbat , if they bad _eccasio n to _eail on any _ys « cf tie _caanauairy for support , it weald bo readily s 3 ? n 2 _» 3 , ( Hear , tear . )
Lord Bs _^ _ucaiE _aade a few _obserratioHB , which were _jEiooible . _TheilirqaisofLiWDOBDEiBI hoped the government _FOald pay particular _attentio * t * the eonduet Sf certain fMwgEPrR in Loadon , who , he understood , were inciting Its ptople to ac _* 6 of violtnce . ( Hear , hear . ) Their lordships then adjourned at « quarter before _£ x o ' cleck . HOUSE OF C 0 _UH 053 . — The _Speamb _toofe _tfce tbeir s ; five _minutaa iofonr _oWoeb . Oa entering the house , the orj « ct that _attraeted nnire «« i _aoft ' ee wa * tte monster _petition , which lay on the f oor , dote to the table , in five large masses of paper .
Tiere were abent SOD members present when tha gal-Itiy was opened , snd by four o ' clock that number had _iotreafed Je about 400 . The only cabinet ministers _preFent at tie time were Lord _Horpetb and Sir J . C . _Uobhouie . ifr ? . O'Cannor occBpi _ed bis usual seat on the Opposition side of the feouse , aad after conversing for a few ? icntes witbCjlonel Thompson and other members , crossed the floor and shook kands with Lord M . Hill . Si ? Eobm Peel Has one of ths members who arrived eeriy . Captain _PxcasLt presented a petition from a large camber of the electors ot Brighton , who had availed
_tbraselres ofthe constitutional privilege Of _EUbBittiPg tee consideration of their political rights , trusting they would reeeive tbat degree of attention which their insportance demanded _fros the guardians of ths civil , tHial and religions rights of the people ; The petitioners stated that the great _ead of all governmental institutions _Elould be the protection of lite , the security of property , * £ e promotion of education and morality , and the _diffa-R _' oa of happiness _amoag all classes . ( Sear , hear . ) They therefore prayed _ihst the house would make such reforms in the representative system as to secure to the whole people a full , free , and fair representation , ia accordance with tbe urgency of the times and ihe wants sad wishes ot the psople _.
THE GrIARTSR . Kr F . _O'CoKKoa . —I r ise , Sir , to present a petition , _" 3 _« ed by 5 , 700 , 000 _piwoHS also another petition signed _byabsut S 3 _. CM , which , is not appended to that large _nnster-roll « hica is now lyiag on the floor ofthe _hense . The _petitioners pray for Annus ! Parliaments , Universal _SaSYagr _, Vote try Ballot , Equal Electoral Districts , So Property _QuaYificsvioa , and the Pajment of Members ; _acdlbeg _. froia the ccurtesy I bave already received _froa tbe house , to say no more now than to submit that tte first petition be read at length by the clerk . The petition was then _ordered to be brought np , and the simple sheet , containing the petitioa without the signatures , was brOHght op and read by the clerk at the
table-Lord IfoirETH . —I wi _* k fo state , oa the part of my _rigbthon . friend tbe _Secretary for the _Hoaie Departsent , that he would hare been in his place at tbis mo _ffieut bnt that be has beea much occupied by tbe _nettstary business of bis department this morning-. I aa fare I may say for hia , that _wbattver may be bis _sentiaents on tat actual prayer of the petition , he would not wish to _ajyear _wantinj in T « pect to tils or any other _petiu ' en signed by ft large b « dy Of bis _fellow-subjeete ( Cheers . ) Tbe monster _petiUoa was then relied out of tbe hoase bv tbe _xaeBtesgerf .
Mr Bussr presented a petition screed to by the _delegates of Manchester , representing 6 . 000 persons , praying for tbe sis points of the Cb . irttr referred to in the large petition ; also for the abolition of the law of £ _ats _& aad Primogeniture —( _crise of 'On ! ' and _langht / . r _) - » for a limitation ef the hours of labour , and for the establish * _zatst of local boards for tbe regulation of tie wages of trade . ( Hear , hear . ) The CHiBTEB —Mr C . _LcsEisoToKgave _notioethaton Friday next , the day appointed for tfce _diseuiiion of the petition of the people for the "Chart * r , he should ask the noble lord tbe _Prst L « rd of tbe Treasury the following _qaestiens : —Whetbtr he couldbold out any distincthope that he would daring tbe present session introduce er support a measure for th _# - _Extensien of tb 6 Suffrage—( cheer * an 4 laughter}—for the _abridgment ot tbe duration of Parliaments , for tbe formation of Electoral Districts , and for tbe Tote by Ballot' ( Laughter . )
CaoWN AKD GoTEMKEKT _SxccatTT But .. —The Clerfe having read _theorirrof the day , 6 ir Q . _StErmoved the second reading of this bill . Ur S . O'Bbieh : I da not rise , sir , for tie purpose of enteriag a : any leegth into the details af this bill . 1 care very little about these det 2 il »; bat I 6 _ee in this bill a mew attempt to meet the dates of Ireland by coercion rather then by _coECtesions—( 'Ob , obi' and laughter . ) Bad his because I regard it in that point of view , snd not eae _*!> ou * itofit « _UchuioaUormatien . that I an * here to
¦ —"¦ *^ Kosday, Aran. ». Ir Btkosbiwiio...
oppose it . I can assure tbis heme la all _Kilemsity tbat I feel thia _atterspt-you are making to coerce tho people of Ireland wUl be _utWy _ineffectual , and that they wiil laugh at your attempt to iadict the whole _natloa for high treason . ( Ironical cheers . ) But , be that as it may , I have a duty to ptrfora , asd from the _perforaaacs of that duty 1 ihi . U not shrink . ( _Lau-jbter , ) la i _« 3 , before I joined the Sep sal Association , I felt it ray duty te make a last appeal to this bouse , asking them fer what was then called justice to Ireland ; that is , a series of rueful measures , calculated to give satisfaction to the Irish people , consistent with the maintenance of the union between the two countries . You refused that appeal—an appeal made not onl y by so humble an _iudividual si myself , bnt by a verv considerable part of that
nation of which I aot one of tha representatives . Too have now an opportunity of meeting tbe demands of that nation by yielding to their claia fur a _efparato _legisla . tare , for self-government under the ancitnt constitution f Ireland , consisting of the Qa _^ en , Lords , and Commons ef tbat nation ; and I am here to say to-night that I sincerely believe , if you _refase that claim during the pretentyear , you will havo to encounter the establishment of a republic in Ireland . ( Loud cries ot' Oh , oh ? and ironical cheers . ) Unlike all other governaents In Ireland , the liberal gorernraent of _England , instead of attempting to pacify the couatry with which I asx connected by fcindly concessions , diet their demands by a coercion law—( hear , bear)—and that at thia moment when jour Foreign Hiaiater is giving his _eenntsnauce to tbe _envrts
of erery other people to redeea _thsastelvsl from servitude . 1 eay there £ e no better parallel for the _condition of _Irelaadiu her relation ta England than that ef Sicily to Kaplet ; but the noble lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs thinks that Sicily is perfectly right in throwing off the yoke of Naples ; snd yet , in _aiy absence , hon . gentlemen have brought charges sgaisst se—if tbey have ehari »« against ma let thtm make _tktfn _tonight— ( hear , hear )—bui & _eyaavsbroughtCBVgesBgiiBStmQBBanin * dividual , and against tbe part ; with whom I act . ( Hear , hear . ) I am here to answer those charges both for that party and myself , and I may say this—with respect to ray noble companions in the noble _struggle—( ironical ckein and great laughter)—for the independence of our native land—( renewed cheers )—having for 80
years bad tbe opportunity of seeing the _saost distinguished men of ali partite in tbis bouse , never bave I met with a number of rata acting fer a greet political _object tbat appeared t » rae at least to be actuated by sueh pure ud diiinteretted motives as _taose with whora ft ic my pride to act . ( Boars of _Jaugater _. _andIronies ! cheering . ) Kow , with respect to myself , 1 have beea called a traiter . ( _Treseadeas ironical _cheerisg , which _eontlausd _fcj tome nuUites , aad was again ani agaiu renewed . ) I shall not profesj _dislayaltr to the Queen of England _( _groaas ) ; but if it be _treatoa to profess disloyalty to this houst—to the government of _Irehnd by the parliament of Great Britain ; if that be treason , I avow it . ( Lou & cries of 'Ob , oh !' cheers , and laughter . ) Kay , mora ; I say it shall be the
study of ray life to _everthrow tin _domiaationofthis parliament in Ireland ( laughter ) aid I take UPOU my . self to _ehaUtnge any aan to contradict my statement , thst in tbU house no man stands higher in regard to his public character than I do . ( Roars ef laughter . ) _Taa _perfectly eentelous that there arecuny ia this house infinitely my superiors in talent ; but since I have bads seat _hera at representative for Limerick I have nevtr given auy vote lathis house from any other object thai an _hosett and a sineere desire to promote the public welfare . ( Hear . ) I challenge any one to point out any vote given fey me from any other consideration . And I tell the boese more . Sow , tbat I am to be _arraigned as s criminal , I should gladly accept the _BOlt ignominious death tbat could be inflicted upon me —( renewed and
_loog-contnmed laughter )—rather thau _witsese the indignities tbet have been inflicted by this legislature upon ray _counb-ymeo _iutbig the next thirty _yeurg of my life —fa Ungb )—I mean thelast _thiriy years . ( Laughter . ) It has been stated tbat I weat to Praace fer tbe purpose of soliciting foreign aid ( bear hear ); that is te tay , _armta succour on behalf ot my country in tbe _straggle in whieh they are engaged . This is a _mfsspprebeasion . (* Hear , ' and a _lsngh . ) If I had gone to seek foreign aid of an armed hind , believe me 1 should hare come _fcect accompanied by a tolerably large legion oftroeps . ( 'Ob , oh ! 'aad great laughter . ) I wWh that you had been is France , ( Continued laughter . ) Why , sir , the language tbat I bare held in Irelaud and _iaJrancatansy countrymen has been this , ikat Irish
frtedom must be won by Irish eonrage and Irish , firmness . I have no desire to impose upon my eonntry one description of servitude in place of another . ( Hear , beer . ) t { l believe that It tke liberty ti _Irilaad win to ha won , or at least its redemption were to ba won by foreign bayonets , it eonld only be maintained in that position by foreign bayonets , aad it is not my _desire or intention te place my country under tbe influence ot foreign bayenels . ( Hear , bear . } Tht hon . member then proceeded to avow that he went to Paris to congratulate the provisional government , and through them France , on the overthrow of a tyranny which had forfeited all claim to tbe possession of the throne of France . He went therefor the purpose of _coBgratulating the French nation on _baring shown the nations of the World—asd the
example already had not been without its effect—bow a nation might effect its deliverance , displaying 8 spir it of independence which , he trusted , would react on bis own couatry . He had so hesitation in avowing that he found ob the part of the French people a very great amount af intense feeling to wards Ireland . He was glad that suth a feeling existed , and it would be the _busirisb of himself snd those with whom he acted to encourage that sympathy , whieh was net _eoefined to France alone , for he believed tbat every nation , every enlightened man , and every _statssman in tbe civilised world regarded the condition of England , in reference to Ireland , aB entirely analogous to thst ef Russia in reference to Poland . He did not reject the sympathy of nations go offend . He was bappy to think that there was in tbis country , among
the middle and bumbler classes , a very large amount of sympathy 'for Ireland , and a desire that Irishmen should acquire tbe power they sought . Though be did not agree in all the points of the Charter , he was happy to say that among the Chartists , the 5 , 590 . 000 who signed the petition to the house , there was scarcely an _individusl wbo did not sympathise witk tke causa ofthe Irish . ( ' Hear , ' frem Ur Feargus O'Connor . ) He trusted that they would _acquire political power for _themielveB , and they knew perfectly well that tbey could do so at no time with a greater prospect of _success than when Eng land was embarrassed in its relatione with Ireland . _Tberefore he trusted tbat the Irish would receive tbat aid which xha Chartists—whether from sympathy or political expediency—off _. red thtm .
He avowed the sentiment tbat he had been instrumental in asking bis countrymen to arm themselves . Under tbe pre tent circumstances of all countries in Europe it was tbe duty of every person to obtain tbe possession of arms . There was not a nation in Europe wbich did not make it part of its duty to instruct its _citisens in tbe use of arras , and it wsj the peculiar duty of _thjs Irish people to obtain tbe _possessioa and the use ef arms at the time when tbe gorernment told tbem tbat tbey were prepared to crush the expression of opinion , not by argument , bat by Wis fores . If this were guilt , he avowed it . He advised this ae much for preserving order as for acquiring liberty . ( Oh , oh J' ) Let bim remind han . gentlemen of what took prace in 1782 . It was no crime fer a psople to enlist themselves in armed array in
resistance to foreign foes , and in protection of their own liberty . It _vras by such armed array that tbe Irish obtained that legislative independence which England accorded to it , by a compaet which England subsequently perfidiously violated . In order to show ths feelings and intentions of tbe body with whieh be acted , be read a resolution passed at a late meeting oftbe Irish Confederation , wbich was to tbe fbllawing _ffiest : —that the Confederation repudiated , as a gross calumny , the imputation thrown en them by Lord Jobs Russell , thatthe object of the Confederation wm social disorder , end tbe violent separation from Great Britain ; the aim having always been the legislative independence of Ireland , and thereby the attainment of social order , and that they desired tbat sueh _independeaee should be attained , it
possible , without civil war . ( Laughter . ) If it were uilt to counsel his fellow-countrymen to send to th * _mettepoli * of Ireland , a national council , virtually _represeniinu tbe country—he cared not whether by eleetion or by such nomination as would give _tff _. et to the gtntim . nss ofthe people , composed of S 00 individuals , they were aotingon tbe _suggestion thrown out by the late iliustrioae leader of the Irish ptople , Mr O'Connell , and such a step became necessary , because the Irish members iu parliament—he wished to _ipeak with rejpect of them —did not constitute a full and great exponent of tbe nation ' s feelings . They represented only one Irishman in one hundred , aud formed , therefore , not a true representation of tha country . Therefore it ires proposed to send to tbe metropolis of Irelaad a body to represent tbe
couutry , aad with that body he would lecommrnd the noble lord to enter Soto early negotiations for the purpose of effecting an amicable settlement of the questions now at issue between the two countries , ( Laughter . ) He was quite _prepased _. _whfcu . he came to that bouse _to-dsy , to be met by tl _ese insulting saeers ; but they bad no effect on bim . He felt that the Iruh wonld eventually succeed in their efforts , aud that was set a fit subject for ridicu ' e . The only thing against tbem was precipitation . If any portion of the Irish Repealers should lend themselves to the designs of the government by any overt act of violence , though eventually tbey would obtain the emancipatien of tbeir country , yet Ihat wonld retard it . On whom did the government rely ? k question bad been asked ths ether night about tbe manufacture of pikes , and tbe noble lerd at the head of the _government appeared to rely on a detective police , and on men whose principle it was to allure men into crime for
the purpose of betraying them . The noble lord also relied on packed juries . If the noble lord relied on a free jury it would be impossible for him to get a verdict . ( _Lanshter . ) The noble lord was running a considerable risk in the prosecutions wbich the government contemplated . If the noble lord failed , thepr « _ifc « _andiBflutnce of the government were ever thrown , and he weBld fail if there should be one independent juror out of the tweiv # . ( Laughter . ) Bat if the soble lord should succeed , what would he _effsct ? The soble lord knew the spirit abroad ; end , for every person convicted , there _wouli be found 59 . IM , or 1 , 009 , who would consider it no disgrace to ba so convicted to serve tbeir country . A _declaration to tbe Lord Lieutenant , wiih 280 , 000 signatures to it , had been spoken of ; but the natnee of the parties signing it were not known ; asd it was by active solicitation that many had been Induced to declare « _nqual'Si-d confidence in tbe government . If ever there should b" a conflict in Ireland , the government
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could place no reliance en _tbree-foarths of the Irish . There _wee-or-tirae-when the _arlstOOTapjrMuhlTtfifeBt something In belaid- but they bad . aot that | 0 wer now , which Lord _Clenricarde would knew if Jh _* u * sU _» d on the Da Burghs to follow him . Neither did he think that the Duke of Leinster could get a single partisan out of hie own famil y ! or that" any man would follow Lord Ormonde in _Kilkenoy , though ono of thc most amiable men in Ireland . The noble lord at the head of tbe _government must know that looking to tke gentry of Ireland for anything like support In a national struggle wss relying on a fallacious hope . Ia case these mat . ters should be settled by a resort to the last extremity , — which be ( Hr O'Brien ) earnestly and ardently deprecated , —the Irish gentry would be glad to compound
with the dominant party for saving their estates . Therefore the government could place no reliance on tbem . Neither could the government rely on the Orangemen , a body of considerable extrinsic _strengtb _, for , by tbe bill ef the bon . member for Droghcda ( Sir W . Somervllle ) , tbe government was about to deprive them of tbeir tenant-right . Amosg tbe Orangemen of the north of Ireland there existed a great deal ofthe spirit of the United Irishmen . He most ardently desired that tbe Orangemen should arm—tbat any portion of Irishmen should obtain power to enforce their right . The government relied next on the _polloB force . It was 10 , 080 men strong ; a fine body , bat entirely national , Tbey _ntift taken from tbe people , and were excellent for the pre . serration of order ; but if it came to a great national
straggle , the policemen in Ireland would be too bappy to obtain future reward and tenowu , if tnty _viere to aet as the saviours of their country . ( Laughter . ) The government nest relied on the army . The army at the preseut mement was en insignificant fraction of the wbele nation . During the rebellion , .. 153 , 000 armed troops were occupied in maintaining the possession of two or three counties in Ireland ; and if it came to a Straggle , which God forbid , the 56 , 600 troops In Ireland would cot present any serious obstacle in the way of the Irish people . Ireland was divided into small fields , which made it dimcult for cavalry and artillery to aet . Therefore the government had no just ground to place reliance on mere physical force . Bat he _honwtly _belitved that tbe government conld not rel y on the army
in Ireland , ( Loud cries of ' Oh ! ' ) He was persuaded that if there should ba a struggle to-morrow , a very large portion ofthe army of Ireland would _reiuse to act sgaiast the people of Ireland . _( Cries of * Ob , ob J' ) He knew not the meaning of liberty of speech , if he were uot allowed to speak ou these subjects . He would state what had been the object of bis argument . He nead not say tbat he treated with utter disdain tbe attempts cf tbe government to put bim down by prosecution . ( Laughter . ) But the object of his argument bad been to show that if ever those two great coun . tries , England and Ireland , should come into collision , the result of Bach collision was exceedingly ascertain —( 'Ob , ob 1 ' )—and _ceuldnot ba otherwise than disastrous to England in any ease . If England failed ,
England henceforth would stand alone , and it might not be unadvifsble to consider what would be the condition of England with aa iadepEndtnt republic on one side and an independent republic oa the other , ( Loud laughter , j But , if England succeeded , it might desolate tb * coun . try and distress its industry , but it would still bave Ire . laud a disgrace for itself in tbe eyes of all mankind . Under those cireumstances , before tbose _omiaons worda too late' were pronounced , striking tfce knell of _English power in Irelaad , he advised the concession to tbe Irish of those rational rights to which tbey had a claim by every title , human and divicp . He had used no reserve oa the pretent occasion ( Laughter . ) He should use no reserve in the end of these observations as be
bad nsed none in the beginning ; and when tbe noble lord told him that he ( Mr O'Brien ) was a traitor to the Crown , he repelled tbe charge and retorted it . ( Laughter , ) He told the noble lord that if in the present posltion of Europe be attempted , as regarded , bis own teU _low-eountrymen , _tocruiaall _tfforlson tbe part of the democracy ot this country to obtain those just rights which tbe democracy of other countries had obtained ; and it , as regarded hie ( lb O'Brien's ) countrymen , he refused their demand for self-government—if the noble lord played here tbe part which Guisot and Mettcrulch had played in thtir respective countries—then be told the noble lord that it was not be ( Mr O'Brien ) but the noble lord and bis colleagues that were traitors to tbe country and tbe Queen .
Sir G . Gee 7 Mien rose , and was greeted with loud cheers . Hs said , —After the long absence of the hon , gentleman from this house , upon seeing bim to-night rise tbe moment the second _readiog of tbe bill now before the house was aoved , I _enUrtaiaed tome hope , albeit a _faiatone _, that tbe hoa . gentleman had risen to disavow with indignation —( loud cheers)—with tbe indignation befitting a loyal subject of the Crown—( renewed cheers ) •—tbe most foul imputations cast on his loyalty , not in tbis bouse , but iu every newspaper circulated throughout the realm for some weeks past—to disavow , I say , with tbat fervent eloquence which chstaeteriset Mb addresses elsewhere , if not in this bouse—( a laugh )—tHe _sentimentB of disloyalty which have been attributed to to bim , irfrom no better feeling , at least by virtue ofthe
oath of allegiance which be hat repeatedly taken to the Sovereign of this country . ( Loudeheers . ) What , then , was , I will not say ray astonishment , bnt my pain and iegret—a feeling , I am sure , shared by every other member of the house —( cheers)—te find tbe hon . mem ber repeating the same sentiments in this bouse , not with tbat boldness and daring wbich be assumes elsewhere , but accompanied with a miserable pretence and lip service of allegiance , and with s _nroftssioa ot a faiat shadow of loyalty to tbe Crown , and bringing against my noble friend , for defending . tbe constitution of this country , a charge of treason . The hon . gentleman had said , that in bis absence , he has been called a traitor ; end he may therein have alluded to what I felt itmy duty to state tothe house tbe other night , for bis absence I am not accountable—the cause of that ab . _sence be can best explain , ( Cheers . ) I did not Call him a traitor ; but I read to the house a portion of tbe report of a meeting ef the Irish _'Confederatloa—namel y
tbe announcement made by Mr Duff ? that he bad re . ceired a message from the hon . gentleman at _Paris , in which be cast to the winds that _discouraging reply—( cheer ?)—he received from M . Lamartine , who with public virtue refuted to _tEcourago designs , be thoy seditious , or traitorous , or loyal—as the hon . gentleman pretends—knowing that if he encouraged such designs he should be violating tbe law of _aavioftt _, and giving a good cause of war to England against France . ( Hear , bear . ) I ask the hon . _geDtlesoen whether be is prepared to disavow tbe truth of thst _message which Ur Duffy announced as having been sent from Paris by him ? and whioh was to be the exponent of the sentiment of the French nation , casting aside tho language of tl , Lamartine ? ( Cheers . ) I ask the hon . gentleman whether he did say to the Irish club at Paris , ' Every new proof of sympathy renders us more able to serve the cause of our coantry . The satisfactioa which we feel _ariies , above all , from the fact that we have found that _thsre are at Paris Irishmen who are determined to unite
their _efforts to those ot tbe Irish people ia reconquering tbe national independence . Though we hare been in Franca but a few _dajs , We havf , nevertheless , seen and beard enough to bave the conviction , that the French nation is deeply moved by the indignities and sufferings we have endured . We have seen and beard enough to feel assured that , were Ireland to demand assistance . France would be ready to send 59 , 000 of her bravest citizens to fight with her for liberty !' Mr S . BsiEN . —Will the righthon , gentleman read the next passage ;
Sir © . Gkt . continued— ' Wa offer to the French onr sincere thanks for tbeir generous sympathy . That sympathy may be to ue , later , a great _assistance ; but we feel tbat tbe liberty of Ireland should be conquered by the energy , the devotion , and the courage of ber own children . ' The hon . gentleman , knowing the sentiments of M . Lamartine , nevertheless writes to Ur Duffy , and says in effect— ' We will , if w _<* can , institute a successful rebellion ; still , if we should be worsted in tho struggle , I promise tbe assistance of 50 , 000 Frenchmen . ' ( Hear , hear . ) I did hope tVat the bon . gentleman would have disavowed these attempts elsewhere imputed to him , to seduce the soldiers of this country , the police also , and to insinuate tbat tbey were disaffected to the Crown , and that as a body they would rise . ( Hear , bear . ) I have
said that I did not cell tbe hon . gentleman a traitor , but I did read that statement made by Mr Duffy to tbe Irish Confederation , The hon . _geotleman drew bis owa inference . ( Cheers . ) He said I called him a traitor . bee & vse I read those sentiments , ( Renewed cheers . ) The _hoaeealso drew its inference , and I read that infer . ecce ia unmistakeable language in those cheers which the honourable gentleman receired _wben he said , ' I Was called a traitor . ' ( Loud eheers . ) The hon . gentleman has referred to the feeling of tha people of Ireland , but I deny bis right te _maka bimself the eapeuent of the loyalty of the people of tbat country . ( Cheers . ) The bon . genthman bas endeavoured to excite feelings of _dissfftction to-night by introducing hackneyed topics , and ba » alluded to a bill , tending , aa ha says , to
withdraw a privilege from the Orangemen ot tbe north of Ireland . Kow , I tell the ton . gentleman that a large portion of the north of Ireland is Inalienably _attachtd to tbe Crown and constitution of this country . ( Cheers . ) The hon . gentleman may receive such proofs as will convineekhl that Ihat portion of the population of _Ireland to which he bas alluded will one and all indignantly deny the right ef ihe hon . gentleman , to be the expoaent of their feelings . ( Cheers . ) The hon . gentleman _htu said the Chartists were with bira to a man . I utterly disbelieve that also . ( Hear , hear . ) Beside the bon . gentleman sits a leader ef tke Chartists ( Ut F . O'Connor ) , who on Friday lost expressed feelings and opinions very _dlffarentfrom those of the hon . gentleman , _declarisg himself & friend of the Monarchy . ( Hear ,
hear . ) I believe tbat if any person endeavours to get foreign assistance aad te seduce her _Mejeity ' _s subjeots from their alleglence , he will find himself miserably disappointed , and there will ariss an indignant spirit of _resittacce against tho bon . gentleman , and against tbe expression which he _preteads to gteo of the feelings of the conatry . ( Hear , hear . ) Tbe hon . _gentlemsB has misrepresented tbe intentionsef the government towards Ireland . We have no such feelings as he attributes to as . We desire to see the Irish portion of the kingdom , while indissolubly connected with us , happy , and in the enjoyment of that constitutional liberty which iB tte bit thright of every subject of tho Crowa . ( _Cheera . ) In order to secure tbose blessings we want the real union of all men—and I rtieice to say that to a great extent we possess it—in opposing tbe mischievous objects cf the boa . gentleman ' s associates ; and that is tfce best way to
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kcuto the real interests not of the Crown and govern . xsmmrelr , hnrstmimtrmi of ta * people . ( Leud end repeated cheers , ) MrF .. O'C 0 NN 0 Rgaid , a 8 he had been alluded to , he wished to repeat the expression of an opinion which he had often urged both in and out of that house , viz ., that there waa a power behind the throne —the voice of the people—which should be gieater than the throne itself j but if the term ' treason" were thrown m the teeth of any honourable _memtier in that house , he begged to say tbat he had taken the oath of allegiance , and that tbat would induce him to protect her Majesty ' s crown even against the machinations of her Majesty ' s government , ( a laugh . )
— V O / He was surprised that the descendant of Lord Vi m Russell should he the man to ferret out the law of Charles II ., in order to determine what treason ami sedition -were , and be certainly thought , after tbe able and constitutional speech of the honourable member for Oldham the other night , that the government would have paused before proceeding further with this bill . He would be the first man to resist the invasion of a foreign array , and he might tell'the ri ght honourable baronet that he had refused to proceed with a deputation to France ; but if Ireland had been treated with justice , he asked the right honourable baronet how it was that so many thousands had died of famine ? He knew the right
t « . i honourable baronet did not like compliments , and he knew how liable tney we to be misinterpreted } but he must say that but for that step which the right hon . gentleman advocated , in spite of the whims of some of the constituencies , hundreds of thousands would have perished in Ireland . But were the Irish always to be beggars at Britain ' s door ? He had that day witnessed a demonstration , and , thank God , it was a peaceable one . ( Great laughter . ) Did honourable gentlemen laugh at the idea of a peaceable demonstration ? He rejoiced at it , but he would warn the right honourable _baronet that if he suppressed the free expression of pubiie opinion , he would inevitably cause tbe formation of secret clubs
and associations . ( Hear , _hewr . _^ When the Confederation was dissolved in 1839 , two men went through the north of England and Scotland establishing secret clubs , witk private signals and modes of communication . He ( Mr O'Connor ) pursued them , _however , and drove them out of the country 5 and for himself he must say , that he never said or wrote anything of a political character which was not perfectly open and patent to the world . He had never allowed the doors of any assoeiation to he closed against the press . And now they were going to prosecute the honourable member for Limerick , and if they obtained a eonviction from an honest or dishonest jury , their triumph would only be a
weakness . What he regetted was , that there was no constitutional opposition in the house . The opinion of this eountry was wild , because it did not see itself represented in the house by a constitutional opposition : and until it saw that opposition , there would be no bearing on the benches opposite . What he wanted was an opposition based on constitutional principles , opposing the government in their attempts to inflict laws of this kind . Was not this bill an in . fraction of the rights of the subject ? He knew of many membera who had voted for the first reading of thia bill from _courteuy . He ( Mr O'Connor ) _vsas made of sterner stuff ; and , if be stood alone , he would move that this bill be read a second time this
day _s « months . It was monstrous that with a starving multitude not a single measure was proposed for the amelioration of iheir condition . When they asked for reform , they were met by prosecution and persecution . As far as he was individually concerned , without asking for the aid of a foreign power , without secret associations , without anything injurious or unjust , there was not a man in the country who would go farther to shake off the English yoke from the _Trish people than he wouid . Many hon . members had adverted to the foreign cireumstances now passing around us , but not one bad told the house or the country , that in every foreign state where popular freedom had been
achieved , that a free press and the liberty of 6 peech was the first , because the dearest right contended for . ( Hear , hear . ) While the descendants and successors of Charles ? ox , Richmond , and others , were using the opportunity for limiting , or altogether abrogating the very right for which other nations were contending . ( Hear , hear . ) He would characterise this as a base , brutal , and bloody bill , and let them once close ihe safety valve for the free expression of public opinion , and the cauldron of corruption would burst around them . Did they hope to resist the mind ' s torrent by coercion in the nineteenth century ? or did they imagine that opinion would be trammelled while the nation was panting for
hoerty ? This bill was an act of treason against the sovereign , and this was the fTrst instance ofa government presuming to attach the odium of its tyranny in its measures to the sovereign . ( Hear , hear . ) The right hon . bart . had risen like a veiled prophet to reply to the treason , as he called it , of the hon . member for Limerick , but the enthusiasm , the eloquence , and loyalty of an official , thumpin g that red box , had no effect upon his ( Mr . O'Connor ' s ) mind , as the true response to ministerial fervour was " Quarter day . " ( Hear , hear , and laughtcrf ) They were fond of precedent in that house , but they rejected precedent from their political _predecessorB-from Fox , Richmond , and
Erskinewhen those precedents were not calculated to aid them in their acts of tyranny , and if there was no modern precedent for this atrocious blow at liberty , some precedent-loving official would take up this blue hook , and read as follows : —" Sir , I will now call the attention of the house to & precedent coming from no small authority , and one which this house will do well to pause before it rejects , it bears , sir , essentially upon the present case ; I quote from the nine thousandth nine hundredth and ninetynint _' _a of Nebuchadnazzor , the King of the Jews , when that monarch required a precisely similar measure to suppress Chartist violence and treason . " ( Laughter . ) Was this the promised fruits from reform ? Was this the realisation of popular hopes and
Whig liberty ? Was this the reward of seven years peace amid pestilence , famine , and death ? Or will this be tolerated , as the mind ' s extinguisher , by those who are determined to achieve their rights ? He knew not what may be the feelings of those Irish members who usually followed ia the wake of Ministers , but he would again repeat , that he trusted it would spur his countrymen to throw off the foreign yoke altogether . If he stood alone , he would use all the forms of the house to resist the progress o this monster ; he would interrupt its passage by every constitutional form , because it was a violation of the constitution , and if he stood alone and without a seconder , he would now move that it be read a second lime that day six months .
Mr O . _Taoiipflon _eipressod hia keartfelt gratification that the _praceedi & _gs ont of doors to-day had been cba _raetrlsed by peace and order . ( 'Hear ' and cheers . ) It must be satisfactory to ev « ry member of thst house that instead of labouring under the apprehension of conflict out of doors , tbey were assembled to-night in peace aud _quittnese . ( il « ar , hear . ) He hoped tbe people wonld 6 fe that the best means of attaining their just _rij-hts Was by conducting themselves in an orderly and _peaon . Qblo manner , by avoiding any conflict with tka authorities , and by _abstaining from any violence to persons or property . ( Hear . ) With regard to the bill now before the bouse , whieh he considered to be one of more _importance than any that had beea brought before the
house within the last _century , he must Bay he thought it bad been introduced with undue and unbecoming hujtr . The objeet of tbat bill was to rendtr the speaking , onenly and advisedly , of _werde _affecting the integrity of the British dominions a felony . He would warn the bouse uot to adopt such a measure precipitately , an 1 to beware lest by doing so they ennobled felony , and con . verted what was _intended to be a badge of degradation and infamy ii . to a badge of honour and renown . In the clause of this biil which proposed to render ' open and advised _speaking'feloolous , no less than _aiae or ten offences were enumerated which were to be _rendwed felonies . It was declared to be a felony to meditate tbe deprivation of Her Majesty of any of tbe honours aad
titles « be now enjoyed—to wre 6 t from Her _Mnj-sty any portion of fie depend * _Hcies of the Crown—to levy war against tbe Crown—to ovtrawe the Parliament—to in . eite _foreigntrs to make war either upon the united kiog « dom or upon any part of Her Majesty ' s possessions—to print , to write , or to speak certain matters , and to do any overt act or deed connected with tbe _subjectB previously recited . Ho approved o ( this bill so far aa it tended - . to place in another category of crime certain offences bitberto punished as treason ; but be hoped tho government would bs Induced to abandon the elauoe to which be bad referred , by which it was _proposed to make open and advised speaking a felony . He could not support a measure which would gog the mouths of tbe people , and _prevunxtbtm fiom _tspmstag thtir views on
political questions . He certainly never anticipated tbat tbe _gentlemen who now sat upon the ministerial benches would bave been so recreant to the principles they proteased nhtn oat of ofiice as to pro ; _ose a measure of this nature . It wae said that this _moasure was rendmod necessary by tho state of Ireland ; but bo would ask whether It wae fair tbat tho whole population of Grtat Britain _sbuuld be gagged in consequence of the indiscretion of a few persons in Dublin , or , _pirhaps _, of a few person * in London i Tlicro wae no doubt that tbe discontent manifested not only by a large proportion of tho people of Ireland , but also by a large proportion of tbe peoplo of tbis eountry ; bad led the government to introduce tbis measure ; and it was invariably thc case tbat when a gevernment had neglected
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the just claims of the people to-tbeir rights , and had _escited tbeir indignation by a denial ef those rights ; they then came forward with measures of coercion . The present government bad refused to relieve dissenters from church rates—they bad refused any revision of taxation—they had refused to equalise tbe income-tarthey had eo far adhered to tho doclrine of _finality that tbey had refused any extension of political rights to any portion of the community and , when the people announced their intention to assemble at Kennington to petition'the legislature on some of these subjects , what was the _contact of ( he government t He was _sati » B * a tbat no Christian man could have read without a shudder the accounts given ia the papers that morning of tho preparations made by Her Majesty ' s ministers . ( Cries
of' Oh , oh ! _' ) Such precautions were _nevor necessary in a country which wae wisely aad _jastly governed . They were not necessary in France ( laughter , and cries of ' Ob ! ' ) until a Guizot became minister ; but it seemed unhappily that tbey were _neeestari * in the metropolis of the British empire , and under a liberal government . ( Renewed cries of ' OhV ) Tbey might _»*> t aB 3 nred that there was a cause for tbe discontent which led to the adoption of such _precautions . The hon . member for Nottingham ( Mr O'Connor ) would never have been supported by such numbers if there had net been injustice somewhere ; all the power and influence of tbat honourable _gentleman wero attributable to tbe wrongs which the people suffered at the bands ofthe legislature . Ho _tras ready to admit tbat if the gevernment approbended danger they were justified in tbe precautions tbey had taken , but be believed that tf the assemblage
and procession had been permitted every thing would have pnssed off quite as peaceably as bad happily been the case . They had lately seen the progress of _enlightoned freedom throughout the whole _eontinent , and tbe government bud not only commended but had professed to sympathise with that movement ; yet tbe moment a desire was manifested by the working people of this couatry to obtain their j «« t rights the government came down with a gagging law . As be understood this bill , it a man delirerad his opinions npon governments in tbe abstraot , upon the origin of human governments , upon the purposes and designs of human governments , or _expressed hie preference in the abstract for a f _epnbllc as compared with tbe monarchy , he woald be liable to b « arraigned as a felon , and if convicted to bo transported . He hoped the government would see the necessity of striking the wo ? ds ' _opun asd avowed _spsaklng ' out of the bill .
Sir fi . Ham after stating bis surprise at Mr Thompson's opposition to the bill , proceeded to make an attack opon Mr O'Connor . He Baid he did not intend to follow the hon . gentleman who had just eat down through the whole of his rery discursive _speeeb ; but he must express his _surpiieo that tbe hon . member had come to the conclusion to vote against the second reading of this bill . He understood the hoc . gentleman to say tbat _although there wero somo words in the third _elause to which he entertained strong objection , ho was ready to give the other provisions of the bill bis hearty support _. Hi ( Sir B . Halt ) would suggest to the bon . gentleman that ho should vote in favour of tbe second rending , and propose the omission of the words to which ne objected in committee , He ( Sir B . HaU ) considered that tbe
government would have been wanting in the duty tbey owed to their Sovereign and to thc state , if they hod not asked for powers to stop tbe treason and sedition whioh had lately been rife . ( Hear , hear . ) Tha spetcbot ibe hon . member for Nottingham ( Mr O'Connor ) had been marked by great loyalty on the one hand , and by strong- condemnation of government on the other . He ( Sir B . Hall ) bad been in tbis bouse ever since that hon . gentleman was first elected for tbe county of Cork , sixteen years ego ; and he must do the hon . member the _justice to say that be had never heard him express any opinions which intimated a desire to depose the Sovereign er to subvert the monarchy . He ( Sif B . Hall ) wished , however , Jb no unfriendly spirit , to give ihe hon , gentleman aa opportunity of avowing or _disavowW
certain opinions which had been ascribed te him witain tbe last few days , and which were at variance with tbe opinions he professed in that house . He ( Sir fi . Hall ) held in bis band a paper called the NoHTHEBH Stab , of wbich the hon . gentleman bad in that house _avowod himself to be tbe proprietor , and in which , so lately as last Saturday week , there appeared a letter purporting tobe written by the hon member . He ( Sir fi , Hall ) must do tbe bon , gentleman the justice to say that , throughout the whole of tbat letter , he did not tell the people to roaort to other than moral force ; bnt he ( Sir B . HaU ) _wlshod to give him an opportunity of esplaiolo _^ the _meaning of the words he was about to read . The hon . gentleman addressed a letter to the _« Old Guard ** ( laughter ) , in Which he _Sflid _, * Old Guards' I have re .
ceivtd _s ev oral letters warning me of tho danger of joining la the procession , but tbis is my answer to one and all , —that I would much rather be taken a corpse from amidst that _prooesBien ( a laugh ) than dishonour myself , _disffraoemy country , and _desertyou by remaining away . Old Guards , the charges against me by tbe enemy have been numerous but cowardice baa never been one of tbem . But as to republic or monarchy , let the pow » r behind tbe _tbrsne be greater than the throao itself , let labour select its own representatives annuilly and pay them hoheurably ( a laugh ) , and I do not care whether you put the Pope , tho Dav _/ I , or the Pretender upon the tbron ? . ( Laughter . ) Let tbe _pvople be th * base of the _superstructure , and I eare not tbree straws what tbe _figure head may ba . ' ( Orlas of' Hear , hear , And'Oh , oh . ' J Tbat wae not hastily spoken , but deliberately written . The bon . member would do well _.
in addressing great public meetings , not only to instil into men ' s _mlnda that tbey should endeavour to attain their rights by moral and not by physical force , but to read a short speech delivered not many days ago by one ofthe most eminent men in tbo most enlightened oountry in the world , a speech _delivered by Mr Welcker at Heidelberg , to a large assembly desirous of an « xt _« n » ion ot tbeir rights—a _spe « eh in whieh tbat gentleman said In * snVstance _, 'Do not let us mistake licensef . ir liberty . ( Hear , hear . ) Do not let _ub _imagine that because much may require to be remodelled , oil must be overthrown . ( H _?& r , hear . ) Lst ns take England as our model . She has free ' _institutions , her people have _greatpilitical privileges ; she aloBoremtinsproui and pre-tminest amongst the nations of the world , whilst all around hs ? is a wreck . ' ( Cheers . ) Desiring to see thia country maintain that proud position , he ( Sir B . Hall ) should support the proposition of the gov . rnmont .
Mr _O'CoKJfon begged to remind the bouse tbat the hou . baronet ( Sir B . Hall ) bimself allowed , that the letter of two columns , from whioh ho read two _seatences was taken up with recommendations to rely on moral force alone . The two passages which had been road be ( Mr O'Connor ) avowed ; th « y were iu accordance with all his writings ( hear ); and be defied the hon . baronet to show that fee had ever breathed anything but atrial obedience to the law and moral _foros , Mr Hums repeated tbe objections to tbe * gagging ' elause of this bill which he had stated on a former evening . We are now going to re onact for _Eogland and Ireland the law of _leasing-making , which we had
_repealed for Scotland , and under which Mulr and five other Scotch patriots bad been banished from their native country . If we passed aneb a law , wo should have tho same secret meetings and _espionage which we had in the bad _youfe subsequent on the outbreak of the Brat French revolution , Whilst he said this , ho did not think it fitting that we should have a National _Coavention permanently sitting in judgment on Parliament . He called or Ministers , instead of passing new , to put in force tbe existing laws . They had power to put down delegation , and he advised them to exert it . Every place ought to have its distinct meeting , and should not _delegate its power to a distant body ,
The _Soucrroa-QEHmii supported the bill , It was not intended to repress private speaking , bnt only , ' open and advised speaking , ' recommending tbe levy of war upon her _Majesty , As personal notoriety was one oftbe strongest motives for these treasonable exhibitions , be thought that tbis bill would pnt & stop to them * , for the man who might reckon upon sympathy as a traitor was not sure of meeting it as a felon . . Mr Hume bad complained ihat tbe government had made use of a clause in an act of Charles II . for stopping persons who had threatened to bring up a petition with hundreds ef thousands of men ; and tbe government were supposed to int _« i > d to use the whole of tho aet , and prevent more than twenty persons signing petitions . It was clear from tbe decision of Lord Mansfield , in the case of Lerd George Gordon , that the clause In the act of Charles
II , relating to tumultuary assemblies was sot repealed * , but it would bo ridiculous to contend that because Ministers thought proper to avail themselves of that portion of tbe act tbey must be supposed to coincide in all tbe doctrines contained In tbe statute . The hon . member for Montrose was mistaken is supposing tbat the case of Mu'r and Palmer bore any analogy to tbose whieh would como within the purview of the measuro proposed by the _Revernment the cases were perfectly distinct . He bad felt it necessary thus britfly to explain that what was meant by ' optn and advised speaking ' was language used in tbe moBt open manner , with the view of inciting persons to levy war against her Majosty , or against _Parliament , for tha purpose of Inducing it to olter mcMares which it believed to be conducive to the welfare of the state _.
MrHuHE . —Will the hoa . and learned gentleman stato whether open and advised _epeahlng was ever before made a feleny ? The Somcitob . _Gbhebai . —Itis treason . Mr _Hobb , — Treason 1 What statute makes it so ? The Sowcitob Geneb & i ,. — Open and avowed speaking , followed by an overt aot , is treason , ( ' Oh ' . ' and « Hear , ' ) The other speakers in favour of tbe measure , but several of tbem with qualifications as to the alteration or omission in committee of the gagging clause wore Sir tt . Inglio , Mr AnBtey , Mr Agllonby , Lord Nugent Mr P . Wood , Captain Arehdall _, Mr _H . Druinmond , and Mr Horsman ; those againBt tbe motion altogether Mr Osborne , Dr _Bowring , Mr Munta , Mr Bright , lir J . O'Connell , Mr S , Crawford , and Mr Wakley , the latter hon . gentleman expressing his intention , unless ihe otnoxious provisions were removed , to throw every possible _obstruction iu the woy of the progress ef tbo measure .
Lord J . Russell thought that the words objected to in the olauae about ' epenly and advisedly speaklDg ' were absolutely essential , and explained tbe ohject whb wbich they were _Inttoduocd in the _samo terms which he used on J ? rid ay night . It waB on account of the _^ _xeitarnent aad lear now prevailing tliat government _iafroduced this bill . While he relied generally on tke ap r ' t ef the peoplo to oppose such machinations , be could not forget that there was one peculiar class which was par-
¦ —"¦ *^ Kosday, Aran. ». Ir Btkosbiwiio...
_ticuiarlj interested In tbe speedy cessation of such © x-teltement and sueh fear . Tho working classes were noww _txpesed to danger by tho excitements addressed to _them-i _. Ought wa not , then , to endeavour to put an end to o * _thaia , and to pnnlsh those who by urging the working : £ _olasses to breaches of the p » aee , and to the levying _ofifJ war against our Institutions , were putting in jeopardy y their dearest _interests ? Ho then adverted fo fhe _etofd _. f ,, _majestio , noble eonduet of the people , and to the attach-1-ment ana love for their institutions which they bad ex- - _hibitsdthat morning ; it was owisg to tbe respect and J
confidence whieh thai people repelled in the force at tnO S command of the government that government had boea I enabled to keep tbe peace , which it would have no more B bean able to keep without it than ths government ct t Berlin , Milan , and Vienna , When we contrasted oor * situation as we bow stood , with our situation as it might t have been , had the result boon different , there was no > man but mast highly value the institutions on which the i comforts and the _bappinasa of the prople bo mainly ¦ depended , In conclusion , be stated , that if be could i believe tbat tha liberties ofthe people would be infringed ' . by tbis bill , he would not be a consenting party to it .
Tbe bouse then divided , when the second reading was carried by a majority of 417 , the numbers being 452 to 35 . On the question that the bill be at once committed , a further discussion arose , Mr _GitCNEB , after very _conei . derable difficulty , obtained a hearing , and then only altar having moved and witbrawn a motion for the _» d _> _journmontof the house against the bill , Mr Humb moved as an amendment tbat the bill ba committed that day week , when tbe bouse again divided —for the amendment 33 , _agaiast it 230 , majority , 197 . It was then moved that the house do adjourn , when a further division took place , for the motion 26 , against it * 228 , majority , 202 .
Aftsr some further discussion _thobeaeo again _divided on tbe question of adjournment , —ayea , , noes , , majority , 189 ; when tbe bill was ordered to be com > mittod on _Tuejday st twelve o ' clock , the htnl 66 sitting specially at that hour for the purpose . The latter pare of tbe sitting was marked by great excitement , and the house did not ' rise till half-past one o ' clock . TUESDAY , Aiwt ll . HOUSE OP LORDS . _—FoBBlOMKlttlM Iombok . —tbe Dukoof Beaufort said , the neble Marquis { Lansdowne _^ bad called attention yesterday te the number of foreign « ersin London , and he was informed tbat persona in high official situations and other foreigners wera now in tbo metropolis . He hoped tbis country wonld ever main _, tain the character which she bad enjoyed as a refuge for those who were driven from thoir own country by misfortune He believed , however , that it waa perfocfcly notorious tbat during the riots _wfeioh . took place ac
Berlin emissaries from tbe Preach capital wire seen encouraging tbe _people , * and in Italy tbe same thing bad occurred . A strong opinion prevailed , moveovor , that such persons were in this country prior to the presentation of a cetain petition yesterday In tbo other house cf parliament , and he wished , therefore , to know whether , since the repeal of tbe Alien Aot , there was any power in the hands of tbe governmen t _enabling tho removal of foreigners , end if such power did not exist , whether it Was the intention ot tho government to take SDy _slepe hi reference , to the matter ? There was , also , a society called tbo _National Convention , which never bad b _? en , recognised by the _goveruaunt , bat _still the society existed , aad It appeared to him that tho _oristancoofthat _societyoufibt to betaken into consideration , and h » should like to know whether the government had any intention of taking _moasnres to put down tbat society $ ( Hear , hear . )
The Marqnis of L » , _ww > owke said , tbat with , _resiwsaa to the first question , he was desirous of giving the most satisfactory answer . There were no provisions at pre * sent , by _me » ns of which the conduct of all » ns in thia country could be controlled , otherwise than as her Mfl » _josty ' _s subjects ; but in answer tothe question whether it was the intention of her Majesty ' * government so take ) any _etep on tha _eur-jeet , be bold in bis hand a bill which he proposed laying on the table to obtain power for that purpose . _Although it was not necessary for bim to pre * face any application for laying such a bill on tbe tabic _,, he yet hoped , under the peculiar circumstances , and with a view to the expediency of passing that bill into a law as speedily as convenient , be might be permitted to make a very few observations . ( Hear , hear . ) Tbe nobis
marquis proceeded ; I am the last person to wish that there should exist any permanent law in this country prescribing the conduct , or prohibiting the residence of any foreigners , other than the usual laws which _exisfe with ro * pect to all her Majest y ' s subjects , and I hav © before bsen _iastrumontal in procuring a modifloatlen of tbe law on that subject ; butt certainly sua of opinion that , desirabloasit is that this oountry should , upon all occasions , afford ho . « pitolhy to all these _foreigners , whether monarc & fcaJ , _oonstitatfoaaf , or republican , who may visit these shares , and who como prepared to obey the laws and to aet the part of obedient _Bubjtete during tho residence thoy obtain under tbe favour of tbe law , —whilst I thiuk this desirable , I cannot conceal from myself , wben I see the causes sow in operation- *
when 1 sea tbe increases number of forsigners in London—when I regard the peculiar circumstances nnder which they have recently visited this country—when I know they come _undsr various influences , and those noil tbe accustomed _UBueacea ol pleasure or business , bat influences of a totally different description—I cannot but think it fit tbat the government should have _vested in them the power , for a limited time , in certain _casee _^ to compel tho departure of any such persons as they may think fit . ( Choers . ) lam authorised to state that such is the opinion of tbe _Lord-Lieutsnant of _Irtlftnd as wall as the rest of her Majesty's government ,, ( Cheers . ) Whoa I hear _U _proclainwd _avowtdly that there aro a number of these persons prepared te take a psrt in the iBternal affairs of tbis ceuntry—above all , when I hoar it proclaimed by a person who would be equally guilty if misleading bi » _fellow-tulijeots la thin
mpect , that there are forty or fifty thousand persona from a neighbouring foreign nation , prepared and de * 8 irom of taking aa opportunity ot upsetting tbe government of this country—whan I hear those assertions made , and don ' t know the extent to which thoy are true—but when I know there are crowds of persons resorting to this couatry , whoso motives oan ' e at this moment be ascertained , it is , I believe , the dttty of the government ! and the parliament to stand armod in this respect againBt any _exiganeies that may arise . ( Choere . ) I " desire merely to state the grounds on whioh I wish to lay this bill oa the table ; aad , if your iardshipa approve of it , I shall propose the reading of it a second time on Thursday next , and ask your lordships to proceed with it with a 9 little delay as possible . ( L » ud cheers ) The noble aiarquls was understood to decline answering tbe second question as to the _Kational _Canveatioa .
The E _* rl of _Malmesbbbt thought the time was coma When foreigners visiting this eountry should be uuder peculiar surveillance ; bat he knew that several foreignera in London , among whom wae Prince Louis Buonaparte , had offered their assistance to the government to preserve th e peaee yes terday . ( Hear . ) _Affaibs of Italy . —Lord _BBotranAH then moved fep the production of certain correspondence between th © British government aad that of Sardinia . The noble lord seized tbe opportunity top * 9 S _jn _review a portion of tbo recent events
which have agitated Europe , nnd especially _Blmtled out the King of Sardinia and the Pope as the _objects of his attack . He then passed on to Paris , _andl declared that he looked whb far more dread at what waa passing there than at the events which had taken placo in Italy . He entertained personally the greatest _respeea for several of thc illustrious men who formed part of tbe provisional government , but if he were asked _whether he had any confidence in thtm , governed as they are by tbe multitude , he must confess be felt no confidence ia them fit all .
The Marquis of Lansdowne would not attempt to follow the noble lord into tbe various details of hia speech , bat had no objeotlon to produce the papers ia question . Their lordships then adjourned . THE HOUSE OF COMMONS met at twelve o ' clock , for the special purpose of proceeding with the Crown anal _Government Soeurit y Bill , Previous to _prooseding to business , however , Mr Sf . _O'Bhiek wished to ask tbe right hou . gentleman thu Secretary for the Homo Department , _whsthsr he had gives _dfrectmae that tbe letters of Repealers passing through tbe Postof & ce should bs _opened , for he ( Mr O'Brien ) had that morning received a letter which had evidently _beenv opened !
Sir G . _Geev ; I can give the most _ucqualined contra * diction to any such _aBaortlon , ( Che 6 _rs . ) No order of tho kind has been given © a ia In contemplation . If the hon . gentleman haa _reoslvod a letter which has beea opened , I should _recommond him to apply to the _Poetmaflf « r . G , meral immodiatelr , and inquiry will be mette into tbe circumstance , Ckowh and _Goyebnment _SeonaiTY Bill . —Ou tha order of tbe day for going into committee on this bill , Mr F . O'Connor said , he had . already stated hia
intention , upon the introduction of thia bill , to give it all tho opposition whieh the forms of the howu would permit , and , ia pursuance of that notice , b e now rose to meet it in _Ua preaent Btage . He had already presented a petition , signed by thousands of the people of this metropolis , againBt the biil , and he knew very well that if time were afforded to tha _canntry at large to express an opinion npon it , the table of the house would be covered with similar petitions . ( Hear , hear . ) And although it had beea stated by some hon . membera that it was their in
_tentioa to look foe some modifications , and to _propose some alterations of this bill , he looked upon it aa bo unconstitutional iu ita principle , thatheshouldgive the house an opportunity of expressing ita opinion upon it ia every stage . It was notorious that for many years the principles of the right hon . baron efc the member fer Tamworth ( Sir R . Peel ) bad hee ° acted upon by the present government , yn ., that o _centralizing all power within the _Ili . _use of Commons ; and the effect of the centralisation of that power within t _* he House ef Commons waa to destroy the influence of public meetings , public writing _^ and public speaking outside the tlouae of Circa ns . ( Hear , hear . ) They were perfectly aware , tbat iu Spain , for instance , where the elective franchise wan limited to abont 96 . 000 of tho population ( which was vory hir _^) _tho cftBBtry was _con tinually j a siateof _eonvulsios ; and the emeutes which had taken place in _Franire were the result ofa similar eause . ( Hear , hear . ) Those emetdes were concerted in Beer « t clubs
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), April 15, 1848, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns4_15041848/page/3/
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