Lord KingPre- 679 sented a Petition from the Landed Proprietors, Householders, and Inhabitants of the county of Carlow, praying that the Yeomanry force of Ireland should be disbanded, and another force substituted to preserve the peace. The petitioners stated, that the Yeomanry of the county of Carlow were men of the lowest ranks, and the employing such men to preserve the peace was itself a cause of much violence and disturbance, and therefore on that account they were anxious that their Lordships should adopt some measure to dispense with the Yeomanry force. It might, perhaps, be difficult to dispense with that force at present, but he agreed with the petitioners, that another force would answer the purpose better. During the Administration of Lord Cornwallis, the Yeomanry were kept in the back ground, and it was improper to employ them at all, except in times of great difficulty and danger. They could not be employed in ordinary times, without perpetuating the evils of animosity and dissension, which were too prevalent in Ireland. He took this occasion to present the petition, as he saw several noble Lords connected with Ireland on the opposite bench.
The Earl of Rodenthanked the noble Lord for presenting the petition when they were in attendance, and could give an answer as to the charges against the Yeomanry. The noble Lord was totally mistaken when he stated that the Irish Yeomanry were men of the lowest rank. They were a body of substantial men, and remarkably well adapted for effectually putting down disturbances, and they were men attached to the best interests of Ireland. As to their being men of the lowest order, he could answer that by a direct negative. He was himself a Captain of one of these corps, and could answer for their general good conduct.
Lord Kingsaid, that he himself knew little of Ireland, and had, therefore, only expressed the opinion of the petitioners, when he stated, that the Yeomanry of the county of Carlow were of the lowest description. He did not dispute the devotion of the Yeomanry to their country, but he was of opinion, that they ought to be employed only in times of difficulty and danger, and at present they might well be dispensed with.
Viscount Lortonbegged to confirm in the strongest manner what had been so well said by the noble Earl, with respect 680 to the efficiency of the Yeomanry of Ireland. The noble Baron, who professed to know so little of the country, was misinformed by interested persons, and he had also to be told, that he was not correct in his observations with respect to what he said of the system pursued during the government of the Marquis Cornwallis.
The Marquis of Westmeathwas himself an Officer of the Yeomanry, and could speak to their general good conduct. Some unhappy occurrences had lately taken place, to which the attention of Government had been directed; Ministers had done everything to repress and restrain such occurrences,
§ Petition to lie on the Table.