HC Deb 07 July 1873 vol 216 cc1890-1

Order read, for resuming Adjourned Debate on Question [17th June], "That the Bill be now read a second time."

Question again proposed.

Debate resumed.

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

said, that the same liberty of holding public meetings existed in Ireland as in England, but under an Act which the Bill proposed to repeal, meetings were not permitted of persons who professed to represent their fellow-subjects. It was probable that a Home Rule convention, or something of the kind—would if this Bill was allowed to pass—be convened in Dublin, and the question was whether it was desirable that a body of this nature should be allowed to assemble in Dublin, and represent themselves to the people as a sort of Irish Parliament. There were some objects of the Home Rule Convention with which he sympathized, and he hoped that they might be able to delegate to some local body both in Ireland and Scotland, matters of a peculiarly local character; but he thought that such an object would be more likely to be promoted by rejecting the present Bill. It would be much better that the Imperial Parliament should declare consistently that there were certain objects which Home Rulers could never obtain, instead of encouraging false hopes. He trusted that the House would reject the second reading.

MR. J. LOWTHER

said, he was gratified to hear the declaration just made by the noble Marquess, and the more so, because the House had seen an hon. Gentleman professing Home Rule principles led up to the Table in the early part of the evening by the noble Marquess. [Mr. BRUCE said a few words which were not heard.] He was glad to hear the right hon. Gentleman repudiate the election utterances of the hon. Gentleman who had taken his seat that evening.

MR. BUTT

said, that the Bill had been introduced by his hon. Friend the Member for Westmeath (Mr. Smyth), but as he was not in his place, he did not like to see the Order become a dropped Order. He entertained no doubt that he should one day see the noble Marquess, or some one in his position, bring in a Bill conceding everything that the Home Rulers asked. He had himself heard speeches at meetings in England which if made in Ireland would have made the assembly amenable to the law.

Question put, and negatived.