Sir J. Stewartmoved for leave to bring in a bill to repeal so much of an act of the 39th of the late king, for the suppressing of the illicit distillation of spirits in Ireland, and the imposing of fines for offences of that nature on townlands and baronies, as directed grand juries to present off counties half the expenses of the extraordinary police establishment required under the provisions of the same act.
§ General Hart,in seconding the motion, observed, that the excise officers of Ireland were now, by the existing laws, in-trusted with the management of a sort of extraordinary police. In consequence of the late acts to prevent illicit distillation, many districts of Ireland were reduced to 905 a worse condition than if martial law were established in the country. The excise officers were at present making seizures of property, forcing open houses, and indulging in all descriptions of violence, guided by nothing but the hope of rapine and plunder. With respect to the offence at which these extraordinary proceedings were levelled, he feared no end would be put to it, till ministers took the question seriously into consideration, and gave them the only bona fide remedy—the establishment of small stills throughout the country, for the consumption of its produce, in the same manner as in Scotland, and as was the case in Ireland before the present system had been adopted.
Lord Mountcharlesexpressed his readiness to assist in any bill for the getting rid of the military police introduced into many parts of Ireland by the existing excise laws. He adverted to the great number of informations for illicit distillation at the last assizes at Donegal; and was of opinion, that ministers were called upon to relieve Ireland from so great a burthen as was imposed on her by the present excise laws.
§ Leave was given.