HC Deb 30 June 1845 vol 81 cc1348-50
Sir James Graham

having moved the Order of the Day for the House to go into Committee on the Colleges (Ireland) Bill,

Sir E. Hayes

rose, pursuant to notice, to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what course the Government intended to pursue with reference to the system of outrage, intimidation, and murder now prevailing in some of the counties in Ireland. He wished to know whether the Government were under a conviction that the powers which the Executive now possessed were sufficient to put down the system of which he complained, and which had been allowed to go on for a considerable time in a large portion of that country, creating fear, dismay, and, he might almost add, despair in the hearts of the peaceable inhabitants. If any power existed which had not been exercised, he should like to know what it was. He should also be glad to know whether, if the existing powers of the Executive were insufficient, the Government were prepared to ask for such further powers as would strengthen their hands to meet the present exigency, which he was happy to say did not arise either from political or religious differences?

Mr. B. Osborne

thought it would be as well, before the right hon. Gentleman answered the question which had just been put to him, for the hon. Gentleman to state the particular parts of Ireland to which he referred. It would otherwise be unfair that such a statement should go forth to the public.

Sir E. Hayes

said, that he of course alluded to those parts of Ireland in which it was well known that frightful scenes had lately been enacted.

Sir J. Graham

said, the Government had viewed with the deepest anxiety and regret the spirit of insubordination and crime which existed in certain portions of Ireland—in Leitrim, Cavan, and adjacent counties. Every effort had been made, and would continue to be made, by the Government, according to law, to repress those outrages. A large increase to the military and police force had already been made, and placed at the disposal of the local authorities, in aid of the civil power. His hon. Friend was correct in stating that neither politics nor religion had had anything to do with this unhappy state of affairs. On the contrary, he had been assured that on Wednesday next, in the county of Cavan, there would be a county meeting of the laity and clergy, without distinction of political parties or religious sects, for the purpose of considering the best means to be adopted for repressing the outrages complained of according to law. He hoped that every effort would be made to put an end to this unhappy state of affairs. As yet, he did not despair that the existing law, aided by the united effort to which he had referred, would be sufficient for checking the evil. It was the resolution of the Government to exhaust every means now in their power for obtaining that end; and at present he was not prepared to announce any other intention on the part of the Government.

Mr. Ross

wished to take that opportunity of denying the truth of a statement which had been made, to the effect that the Professor of Greek in the Belfast Institution had taken advantage of the position which he occupied in order to inculcate Arian doctrines.