§ Mr. Huntpresented a Petition from certain Trades people in Dublin, praying for a Repeal of the Legislative Union between Great Britain and Ireland. The hon. member observed, that the people of Ireland were the best judges of their own grievances; and if he found them unanimous in praying for a Repeal of the Union, he, for one, would not oppose them.
§ O'Gorman Mahon, in supporting the petition, took occasion to thank the hon. Member (Mr. Hunt) for expressing a fair and just opinion towards Ireland. The hon. Member truly said, the Irish were the best judges of their own grievances, and he hoped that hereafter the House would see reason for concurring in the sentiments which they had just heard. He proceeded to say, that he was anxious, if not out of order, to take that opportunity of stating, that his countrymen had no 489 idea of obtaining any measure from that House except by peaceable and constitutional proceedings. They had no idea of making an appeal to force of arms. He was sorry to perceive that the observations he had made the other night were misunderstood. He most positively disclaimed a connexion with any secret society, formed for the purpose of obtaining a Repeal of the Union. In what he had said the other evening, he was merely anxious to state, that he was a member of a Society, or of a Club, consisting, with the exception of himself and one other person, of Protestants and Dissenters, which, long before the passing of the Catholic Relief bill, had one and all expressed an opinion in favour of a Repeal of the Union. But never had they agreed to any steps of a secret, forcible, or even a political nature. The House, therefore, he trusted, would understand, that he was not. in any degree connected with a society of Roman Catholics, combined for the purpose of obtaining a Repeal of the Union. In the club to which he had alluded (as he had before stated), he and another gentleman were the only Roman Catholics.
General Kingwas extremely happy to hear the hon. Gentleman's explanation; and hoped that he would also take the opportunity of correcting a misrepresentation he had made with regard to the state of public feeling in the county of Sligo, respecting the Repeal of the Union. He, as Member for that county, could take upon him to declare that the people there were almost universally in favour of a continuance of the connexion between the two countries. The hon. Member had also argued that the county of Roscommon was decidedly in favour of Repeal, in consequence of the resolutions passed at a county meeting; but he (General King-) could assure the House, that the landed proprietors, and the respectable inhabitants of the county were not present.
O'Gorman Mahonsaid, that he never, since he had entered that House, had alluded to the county of Sligo. The hon. Member attributed to him the words used by some other person. As to what had been said by the hon. Member about the meeting in Roscommon, he had only to observe, that it was, to use the gentlest words, rather harsh and discourteous to say that the respectable inhabitants of the county were not present at a meeting at which the High Sheriff presided, and one 490 of the Members of the county attended. He hoped, accordingly, the hon. Member would withdraw these expressions.
§ Petition to be printed.