§ Mr. Portmanpresented a Petition from Blandford Forum, against any further concessions to the Roman Catholics. The hon. gentleman observed, that it could not be necessary for him to say that he differed from the petitioners. It was to him a matter of concern that he could not agree on this important subject with a large body of his constituents, for whom he entertained the greatest respect. Without pretending to go again into the general question, he would merely say, that he quite concurred with the great writer who had said, that "when gentleness and harshness gambled for a kingdom, gentleness was sure to be the winner." He was desirous to put a question to the right hon. Secretary for the Home Department on a subject of no common importance. It might appear presumptuous in him; but, as an English country gentleman, as a representative of the people, called upon to raise taxes for the purpose of supporting a system which the hon. member for Londonderry had characterised to be such, that in his opinion Ireland was in a state which could not possibly last, he felt it to be his duty to ask the right hon. gentleman, if he had any measure in contemplation to propose to that House, calculated to ameliorate the condition of Ireland; which condition had been described by every hon. member acquainted with that unhappy country, as the most miserable that it was possible to conceive? He addressed the right hon. gentleman, because he believed that he was the organ of that part of his majesty's government which corresponded more especially with the executive government of Ireland. He hoped it would not be supposed that, because he differed from the right hon. gentleman on one great question, he could entertain towards him any hostile feeling, which would induce him to make any inquiry of an embarrassing nature: but it was in the discharge of an imperative duty that he now asked him whether he had in con- 1164 templation any measure for the purpose of removing the evils by which Ireland was afflicted?
Mr. Secretary Peel, in answer to the hon. gentleman, begged leave first to state, that although his hon. friend, who represented a populous and prosperous county in Ireland, was connected with him in his official duties, as well as allied to him in private life, yet that these did not make him responsible for what his hon. friend had said in that House; nor must it be supposed that he took all his hon. friend's statements for granted. He begged that his own opinions might be judged of by his own speeches. When the hon. gentleman asked him, whether he had any specific measure in contemplation for ameliorating the state of Ireland, and removing the evils under which that country laboured, he thought the hon. gentleman's own good sense must have induced him to anticipate the answer which he would receive to his question. He certainly had not in contemplation, at the present moment, any specific plan by which he hoped to be able to remove the evils in Ireland. Respecting the nature and extent of those evils he had recently taken an opportunity of stating his sentiments; and he did not think it necessary to repeat them. He trusted it would not be supposed that, in the opinion which he had given on the occasion alluded to, he was not actuated by the warmest feeling for the welfare and prosperity of that country. His opinion might be erroneous; but it was dictated by the most sincere anxiety for the happiness of the country to which it related. In the last and in the preceding session of parliament, the state and condition of Ireland had undergone the fullest investigation before a committee of that House, he had attended throughout the whole of those inquiries, and had listened with the greatest interest to all that had taken place. Some of the evils pointed out by those committees had been remedied; to others he should be most willing, if possible, to apply a cure. If he had any measure to propose, such as that which the hon. gentleman described, the hon. gentleman would have no right to call upon him to disclose its nature. He would of course, in that case give full notice of his intention, in order that the subject might be deliberately considered. If he had any such plan, no better mode could be devised of defeating it, than by making a pre- 1165 mature disclosure of its character. But the fact was, that he had no such plan; although he looked upon Ireland with the same anxiety to remedy evils existing in that country as he felt to remedy evils existing in this.
Lord Ebrington, in presenting a petition from certain parishes in the county of Waterford, in favour of Catholic emancipation, took that opportunity of stating, that, although the greater part of the individuals signing the petition were in the lower walks of life, they were nevertheless perfectly sensible of the importance of their claims. From his own personal knowledge, he was quite certain that the question was viewed in Ireland with the deepest anxiety. He could not forbear expressing a hope, that those who had taken upon themselves the responsibility of the rejection of that great measure, would come forward with some proposition for the purpose of allaying those irritated feelings which existed before the measure was thrown out, and which he feared now existed in a still stronger degree, and which could not fail of being exceedingly injurious. With every degree of deference to the opinions of those who differed from him on the question, he could not help believing, that, unless something were done, and speedily done, for Ireland, much evil would follow. It had been admitted, even by those who were averse to the claims of the Catholics, that things could not long continue in the state they were.
§ Ordered to lie on the table.