The Marquess of Westmeathpresented a Petition from the Reverend Sir Harcourt Lees, stating, that he had discovered a plot for the massacre of all the Protestant Clergy of Ireland, which was to be followed by a general rising of the Papists of Ireland, directed by the Jesuits, by which rising, 814 the possession of Ireland was to be transferred to the Catholics. The petitioner complained of the House for inattention to his warning, which he said he now gave for the last time, and prayed to be heard at the Bar of the House in support of the statement contained in the petition. The noble Marquess said, that at the time when he was a well-meaning dupe upon the subject of the Roman Catholic Emancipation, he had thought the reverend Baronet was an enthusiast. He now believed that there was more reason in the hon. and reverend Baronet's opinion than he had then supposed. Their Lordships appeared to be of the same opinion that he had formerly been; but that arose from an infirmity of human nature; they were not willing to entertain a belief, that the security and the repose which they now enjoyed could possibly be disturbed. A most unnatural union had taken place between the Dissenters and the Roman Catholic party of Ireland. The feelings of the Dissenters overcame their principles, and they were ready to do anything rather than not attack the Church which professed almost the same religious principles with them, and was, in fact, the foundation on which they built their doctrines. He was afraid that it was now too late in the Session to move for an inquiry into the facts which were stated in the petition of his hon. and reverend friend; but that there was some ground for the opinion expressed in that petition, he thought could not be doubted by those who observed what were the sentiments now expressed by the Catholic party. He wished, upon this subject, to refer their Lordships to a speech which had been delivered yesterday at a public dinner, and which to his mind fully proved the assertion in the petition, that the subversion not only of the Church, but also of the Government of Ireland was intended. The noble Marquess said, that he was almost ashamed of reaching such a passage, but that be thought their Lordships ought to be aware of it, when they would be convinced that the petition was perfectly dispassionate in its statements. He then read from The Morning Chronicle the following passage from Mr. O'Connell's speech delivered at the dinner given on the day before to Mr. Duncombe: 'The great evil was, that these Lords stood between the people and their liberties. They put their long spoons into 815 the people's plates, and took away with them the benefits of the people's industry. Let the people be up and stirring. The hereditary Legislative body ought to be done away with. Both Houses ought to be the Representatives of the people. Two Houses of Parliament elected by the people, were necessary to give fixity to the liberties of the people.' Such language could only be interpreted to mean an excitement for the people to overturn the Houses of Parliament. Connecting that language with the argument in the petition, he was convinced that there was some justification for apprehension; and if it had been earlier in the Session, he should have moved their Lordships to call on the reverend Baronet to substantiate the statements in his petition—statements, which, as an honourable man, the reverend gentleman would never have made, if he had not the means of proving them.
§ Petition laid on the Table.