NEWS OF THE WEEK.
E curse of Ireland has again fallen heavy on our legislators. ree days have been spent in debating the entrance of the Sup- ssion Bill over the threshold of the House of Commons. How ny weeks may it remain there, to the complete stoppage of all eful business ! how many months may pass before the bitter- ss of spirit, the resentments, the wrathful prejudices, the gloomy trusts which this unhappy strife has put in motion, shall cease rankle !
Lord ALTHORP moved the first reading of the bill on Wednesday. e detailed at great length the outrages against life and property, ich had fearfully increased during the last year, and which in province of Leinster alone had reached the number of 1,513 ses during the last three months of 1832. He dwelt upon the .midation of magistrates and witnesses, and in some few in- aces of jurors also. He stated that a system of organized de- dation upon the property of persons of all parties was earned to an unexampled extent. Immense assemblages of the pea- ntry traversed the country by night and day, searching for arms,
d imposing illegal oaths upon all they met. He contended at the present laws were utterly inadequate to the suppression these outrages ; and endeavoured to satisfy the House that the °visions of the Suppression Bill would have the desired effect. STANLEY, in the course of the debate which ensued, entered 1 more at large into these sickening details, and laboured to nnect the crimes and disorders of the peasantry with the politi- agitation of Mr. O'CONNELL. He also professed to be con- ced that the powers which this bill would confer upon the Ex- utive would be sufficient to restore the country to a state of tran- 'llity. Here, however, lies the great point in dispute. The bill differs from others of the same arlaitrary nature, which ve been repeatedly passed for the suppression of Irish disturb- ces, principally in its being much more sweeping and severe. It s even a retrospective operation; which, in a measure so highly nal, must be considered as conferring a tremendous power upon e Government. Neither Lord ALTHORP nor Mr. STANLEY inted out a single instance of a similar measure having produced y lasting good. What particular magic may be found in the exampled severity of their new bill, remains to be seen. But, the experience of past times in Ireland affords any clue to the Lure, we may safely predict that the effects of this unprecedented retch of power will be seen in the increased hatred and exasper- tion of the Irish people towards their English rulers. There is o reason to believe that human nature in Ireland is different out what it is in other countries ; and the history of the world rnishes no example of a nation, in the circumstances of the Irish, ing tranquillized by such means. Something, perhaps a good 1, will depend upon the discretion with which the extraordinary wer it confers is exercised. Yet Lord ANGLESEY has not been mous for discretion ; Mr. STANLEY has not been considered din.
t. If the bill is used as an engine for the collection of tithes, d the punishment of those men who, although they nay be gaily guilty of offences against the Government, are neverthe- s regarded by the Irish as their best friends, then it is clear at we may in vain look forward to the day when it will be con- dered safe to repeal it. The necessity for its reenactment will every year more pressing, until perhaps an open rebellion pp), ender it and all our other laws for the pacification of Ireland a cad letter. We say that such may not improbably be the conse- uence of using this bill as an engine for the punishment of the rish political agitators. And it is not easy to see for what other urpose GoVcrPmPt CaKk require it, Wc STD told that the offences
against property are audacious and open—such as the existing laws punish with death. There is a large police force, backed by a regular army of thirty-six thousand men, already in Ireland; and the bill does not provide for any augmentation of this force, the Government having already the power to increase it to any ex- . tent. It may be said that in the proclaimed districts no person can legally leave home after sunset; but Lord ALTHORP declared, that many of the most atrocious crimes were committed in broad daylight. He said that witnesses would also be protected by the - same clause ; but how can that be, if his Lordship's account of noon-day outrages is to be relied upon ? For these reasons, we question the efficacy of this terrible measure to diminish crimes against property ; while, as an engine for the suppression of poli- tical discontent, it will, as we before suggested, be not only abor- tive, but its tendency will be to produce augmented disaffection.
Our business is at present with the bill now before Parliament : we shall not therefore proceed to discuss measures which, in our • opinion, would be likely to produce the effect which this bill will fail in producing. But it is right to observe, that we do not place much dependence on the projected reform of the Church Establishment, nor even in the abolition of the Vestry Cess, for the speedy pacification of Ireland. We should rather endeavour to secure to the peasant the necessary food and raiment, which by the sweat of his brow he is entitled to earn from the lords of the soil. In other words, we would have, in the first place, a compulsory deduction from rent in the shape of poor-rates,- enhanced enormously as rent in Ireland is by the excessive numbers of the poor, and their competition for land, which gives the landlords an interest in their very poverty. This is the first step, if we would have the peasantry to learn the advantage of obeying the laws of God and man: this first step our Government confess they do not intend to take.
Lord ALTHORP'S speech in introducing the bill was as mild as could be expected for such a measure, and its reasoning as incon- clusive. That of Mr. STANLEY was more effective, more copious in detail, more pointed against O'CONNELL, and was delivered with far greater physical energy and vivacity. Mr. GROTE was serious and argumentative : he gave weighty reasons for opposing the bill, and it was evident that the Ministerial orators felt their value the more as coming from the leading representative of the Metropolis. The speech of Mr. MEiC AUL AY, in reply to Slisit's sharp sentences, was a failure. It is very apparent that he stands in a false position when advocating the arbitrary measures of the Government : he is not easy in his present place, and the sooner he quits it, the better will it be for his reputation. Mr. EDWARD BULWER was impressive both in matter and manner. Lord JOHN RUSSELL was feeble and personal : could he be serious in stating his expectation that the Catholic Relief Bill should at once, and alone, have put an end to agitation and the influence of the Agi- tator? Sir ROBERT PEEL restated, in effect, but with far more skill, the arguments of Lord ALTHORP and Mr. STANLEY: he . made out clearly enough that atrocious outrages are of common occurrence in Ireland, and told a moving tale of a murder which was committed during his residence there. This was a fine story. for the House, and well acted; but it had no bearing on the Sup preSsion Bill. Like all the other speakers, Sir ROBERT failed ta show in what way it would meet the wills of the case in question.
The bill is not even yet allowed to be read a first time. Last night the debate was adjourned to Monday. Hitherto it has been. carried on chiefly among the English Members; few of the Irish have spoken. Mr. O'CONNELL,. orz Wednesday night, was called ta account by Mr. STANLEY for having applied to the members of the House of Commons the term "scoundrels or robbers," at a meeting of the working classes in Theobald's Road on Saturday last. He endea-• voured first to. explain the expression away; but blundered and shuffled about it most shamefully : he at last avowed and repeated the expression, amidst the jeers of the House. It is by suck. exhibitions that O'CONNELL ruins the influence which his great talents might command even in an assembly of prejudiced. Englishmen.
The Noon-day sittings of the House, far Petitions and Private Business, commenced on Wednesday ; awl the plan seems to work v.ery well. Plenty of members have attended; many petitions have been presented; and Some interesting conversation has arisen.. out of them; which—to the quieting of Mr. CalltBETT'S fears— has been duly reported either in the Newspapers of the same evening* or in those of the next morning, • Of the Evening Papers that we have seen, the tots In the Suit have been by many degrees the fullest and the hest.
