§ Colonel Verner,in resuming the debate said, that having had the honour to present several petitions from Ireland, signed by Protestants, who pray that the Bill for the endowment of Maynooth may not pass into a law, since he last addressed the House, he felt called upon to say a few words in reference to those petitions; but, more particularly did he feel called upon to notice what had fallen from the right hon. Baronet at the head of the Government, in reply to an assertion made by him (Colonel Verner), that the Protestants of Ireland were unfavourable to the measure now before the House. The right hon. Baronet had inferred an acquiescence on the part of the Irish Protestants to this measure, because they did not petition against it in large numbers. It appeared to him that it would have been much more correct, had the right hon. Baronet argued the contrary. There was nothing to prevent their making known their wishes in favour of the Bill—there was much to 658 dissuade them from openly expressing their disapprobation of it. He would say nothing of the unwillingness of men to come forward against a measure which the Government had declared its determination to carry; but there was something to be said for the unwillingness of Protestants to petition against a Bill, like the present, in those parts of Ireland where they are few and scattered, and where the law affords them little protection. The right hon. Baronet drew a comparison between the north of Ireland and the south, and seemed to form his judgment of the real sentiments of the Protestants of Ireland from what they did in the south. Surely the right hon. Baronet must know that there are reasons which may prevent the Protestants of the southern and western parts of Ireland from joining in petitions against a measure such as that now before the House, which do not exist in the north; and that where Protestants have remained silent, it is because they dare not speak their sentiments without exposing themselves to danger. Even in the north of Ireland there have been objections to preparing petitions against Maynooth, differing from those in the south, but perhaps not less forcible: there are even there gentlemen of influence and authority who would not advise or take part in getting up petitions—and why? Because their petitions have heretofore been disregarded, and they would not expose the Protestants to the irritation of what they were satisfied would be another rejection. He would not weary the House by enumerating the outrages and murders which are of daily occurrence in many parts of Ireland; but he would mention one circumstance, in order to show the state of that distracted country which may not be known to many hon. Members. There has been established in Ireland, after the lapse of centuries, a manufactory where chain armour is made, and which is worn by the gentlemen in those parts from which the right hon. Baronet congratulates himself, few petitions have been sent forward against this measure. Is it to be wondered at, he would ask, that few petitions should come from those parts where the gentlemen of the country were obliged to have recourse to such means to protect them from the hand of the assassin? It was not easy for persons not resident in the north of Ireland to understand the difficulty with which the public peace in that part of the country is sometimes preserved—how insidious ef- 659 forts are made to raise discontent in the minds of Protestants against the Government and the laws, and how the indulgence with which the agitators for Repeal are favoured, and the severity with which the loyal demonstrations of those who love British connexion have been prohibited and suppressed, formed topics for discontent, and called, for the prudent admonition of those who would preserve Protestants in their attachment to the Constitution and the State, and in obedience to the laws. In corroboration of what he had stated, he would beg the attention of the House to opinions expressed by persons whose opinions he felt confident the House would, with him, consider deserving of every attention. The first was that of a gentleman of high character, one of the most eminent of the Presbyterian clergy, and who, he believed, might justly be considered as speaking the sentiments of the great body of Prebyterians in the North—the sentiments of the Rev. Doctor Cook. He would read to the House the opinion expressed by that gentleman at a meeting of the Presbytery, at Belfast, a few days back:—