§ Mr. Brownlowpresented a petition from certain Protestants 900 of Ireland, praying inquiry into the institution, objects, signs, oaths, and passwords of the Orange Lodges of Ireland. The Orangemen were most anxious for inquiry, in order that they might relieve themselves from the malignant libels of interested parties. They were ready to make a disclosure of every thing connected with the existence of the societies, before the committee now sitting on the state of Ireland, as they had, in fact, nothing to conceal. He also made some remarks, on certain charges brought by Mr. O'Connell against the Orange Associations. One of these charges was with regard to the 68th psalm, verse 23, "That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same." It was imputed, that this text was used as a sign by the Orangemen, when the fact was, all that Orangemen had to do with the 6Sth psalm was the question, "Where do you come from, and where are you going to?" and the answer, "I am going to the high hill of Bashan." He did not apprehend, that, after the bill now before parliament should have passed, Orange Societies would continue in Ireland.
§ Lord Althorpremarked, that part of the information of which Mr. O'Connell had spoken, had turned out to be correct; and it was certainly singular, that the right psalm, though not perhaps the right verse, had been pitched upon.
Mr. Hutchinsonsaid, that if the Orange Lodges had been maligned as to their motives, the fault was attributable to themselves, since they had refused to make any disclosures.
Mr. Abercrombyexpressed the great gratification he felt at hearing that Orange Societies were extinct in Ireland. He was glad also that they had now no objection to the investigation of all their secret oaths and signs, and he hoped that the committee on the state of Ireland would enter into the subject. He was certainly surprised at this change, because he could not forget, that, two years ago, when he brought forward his motion, they had done all in their power to conceal what they now volunteered to disclose.
Mr. Secretary Peelsaid, he felt the utmost satisfaction at the intimation, that there was to be a complete end to Orange Societies in Ireland. He most cordially joined in the exhortation that these associations should yield to the repeated sense of parliament, and obey what would 901 soon, in all probability, become the law of the land. The petitioners referred to the testimony he had borne to their loyalty, in 1814. He was willing to bear the same testimony now. Indeed, no complimentary expressions he could use, would be stronger than those employed by the hon. baronet, the member for Westminster, in the late discussions on the Catholic claims. But no loyalty, on the part of the members of the lodges, could compensate for the evil of their existence. With regard to certain members of the Orange Associations, he was able to assert, that, although in public employments, they had continued to belong to them, for the sake of exercising a beneficial influence over the rest of the members, at once to dissolve all connexion.
§ Mr. Brownlowobserved, that, by saying the Orange Societies no longer existed, he meant to indicate to the House that, as soon as the bill now before the other House passed into a law, the Orange Associations would submit to that law.
§ Ordered to lie on the table.