STATE OF IRELAND.

HC Deb 20 March 1832 vol 11 cc498-9

Mr. Shaw

presented a Petition from the resident Nobility, Gentry, and Magistrates of the county of Cork, imploring the most serious attention of the House to the efforts made to dissolve the Union between England and Ireland. The petitioners also alluded to the Reform Bill, and expressed their deep regret at the want of firmness displayed by his Majesty's Ministers, in yielding to the arbitrary demands of a factious and discontented mob; and they concluded by entreating the House, by strong measures, if necessary, to check the revolutionary and disloyal feeling which they regretted to observe so prevalent in Ireland.

Mr. Henry Grattan

denied that the people of Ireland were inclined either to revolution or disloyalty. He believed the hon. and learned Gentleman knew very little of the state of that country, and it would be much better if he attended to his judicial duties, as Recorder of Dublin, rather than attempt to perform the duties of a party Member of Parliament, to the neglect of them.

Mr. Lefroy

said, he would prefer the testimony of the Lord Lieutenants of several of the Irish counties to that of the hon. Member to confirm the prayer of the petition. From the statements of these authorities, it appeared that the counties of Westmeath, Kilkenny, and Cork were almost under the dominion of a lawless and ferocious mob. The Protestants in those counties were, at the present moment, in actual danger of their lives and properties, and it was notorious that the course of justice was wholly interrupted.

Mr. Shaw

said, the word "disloyalty" was not his, he found it in the petition, but he had no hesitation in adopting it, and he was prepared to defend the propriety of its application to the state of Ireland. With regard to the manner in which he performed his judicial duties, and his duties in that House, he did not hold himself accountable to the hon. and learned Member, but if the hon. and learned Member had any charge to bring against him in his former capacity, he was prepared to meet it. As to his duty as a Member of Parliament, he of course performed it as he himself and his constituents thought proper.

Petition to be printed.