Lords Sitting of 11 February 1841

MINUTES.
Petitions presented. By Lord Brougham, from Glasgow, for the Extension of he Suffrage, Repeal of the Property Qualification, and that the duration of Parliament may be Shortened.

TRIAL OF THE EARL OF CARDIGAN.
The Earl of Shaftesburybrought up a further Report of the Committee, and moved for an order for the attendance of certain witnesses on the trial of the Earl of Cardigan on Tuesday next. His Lordship also moved
"1. That notice be given forthwith to Thomas James Earl of Cardigan to appear at the bar of the House on Tuesday, the 16th day of this inst. February, at 11 of the clock in the forenoon, in order to answer to the indictment which has been found against him.
"2. That notice be forthwith given to the bail of the said Earl, to acquaint them with the said requisition.
"3. That upon the appearance of James
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Thomas Earl of Cardigan at the bar of this House on Tuesday, the 16th day of this instant February, the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod attending this House do forthwith take into his custody the body of the said James Thomas Earl of Cardigan.
"4. That in case the said trial shall last more than one day, the Earl of Cardigan shall remain in the custody of the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod."

IRELAND.
Lord Hawardenhaving moved for the production of certain returns relative to the working of the Poor-law in Ireland,
The Earl of Devonwished to ask of the noble Marquess (Normanby) whether he had received any information respecting the Surveyor of the Coleraine Union, in the county of Tipperary, having entered in the book from which the official returns were made against certain erasures in the list, the word "Tory," as he (the Earl of Devon) had received information that such was the case; and he thought that if the surveyors so far forgot their duty as to indulge in this manner their political feelings, it was a practice much to be deprecated. If the noble Marquess had received no information on the subject, he requested that he would make inquiries, and if he found that it was the case, express the disapprobation of the Government at the practice.
The Marquess of Normanbysaid, the statement of the noble Earl was the first he had heard of the subject, but he would certainly make the inquiries he desired; but from his knowledge of the character of the Assistant Commissioner, he did not believe he could have acted in a manner that would be so contrary to the spirit of his instructions.
Returns ordered.

SOCIALISM.—FREEDOM OF DISCUSSION.
Lord Broughampresented petitions from the members of the Universal Rational Religious Society, Reading, Glasgow, and Northampton, complaining that their doctrines had been misrepresented, and praying for an inquiry into them. He presented these petitions because they were respectfully worded, and because the parties complained of misrepresentation. He, therefore, deemed it his duty, as the petitions had been put into his hands, to submit them to their Lordships, although he was himself unacquainted with the subject and totally uninformed whether the

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charges alluded to were well founded or not. He wished, however, to take that opportunity of once more stating to their Lordships his firm belief—a belief which all his experience and observation had tended more and more to confirm—that if there were any absurdities so great as not to bear the testimony of calm inquiry for one instant; if there were anything so revolting to men's feelings in the principles of these parties that all must shrink from the consideration of them with abhorrence and disgust; if their doctrines were so profligate as had been stated, no mode more effectual to diminish the natural abhorrence which these doctrines might inspire could be devised than making those professing them the objects of persecution and punishment. He entertained that opinion still more strongly with regard to political opinions, however revolting they might be. His belief was, that any attempt to put down such principles by prosecution, and by checking the discussion of doctrines which, if left to themselves, would die a natural death, was a course fraught with inconvenience and danger. He applied that to all doctrines, as well religious as political, and he applied it to political heresies of the most revolting kind. He included under it the Repeal of the Union in Ireland, and his deliberate opinion was, that his noble Friends behind him had been ill-advised if they held out, as he understood they had, to parties in Ireland, that whoever took part in the discussion respecting the Repeal of the Union, must no longer look to the countenance or the patronage of her Majesty's Government in Ireland. He believed that was not the way to put down the repeal agitation, but that if left to itself it would die, like all others, a natural death.
Petition laid on the table.—Adjourned.