§ Mr. O'Connellpresented a Petition from a Parish in Ireland, against the Irish Vestry Act, and took occasion to observe, that the new bill, introduced by the right hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Stanley), so far from being an improvement, was merely an alteration of details, which were a matter of indifference, while, in everything that was really important, it aggravated, to a most painful extent, the mischiefs which the Irish complained of, and which formed the continual source of uneasiness and discontent.
Mr. Stanleydenied that the bill was open to this imputation, as the hon. Member would find, when he had examined it attentively, for he could not believe that he had done so, when he heard such observations respecting it. He conceived, however, that the proper course would be, to discuss the principle when they came to the second reading, and he would not, therefore, enter into its details on the presentation of a petition.
Mr. S. Ricesaid, that the object of the bill was, to throw the burthen on the property of the landlords, and take it off the poor tenantry. That was the intention of the bill, and of its framers, and if they had not succeeded, the hon. Member could exert himself when the Bill came into Committee, to make it effective for that purpose.