HL Deb 22 February 1841 vol 56 cc763-4
Lord Brougham

presented a petition from the National Charter Association at Bloomsbury, praying for the recall of Frost, Williams, and Jones. Formerly, in presenting a petition from the same association for the release of persons confined for mere opinions and not acts, he had taken occasion to refer to the unfortunate conduct pursued by her Majesty's Ministers with regard to the repeal agitation in Ireland; but he had since heard that the Government hail put a sort of mark upon every person who took part in this question. He was told that a gentleman named Roche, who stood first on the list selected by the judge for persons to fill the office of high sheriff for the county of Cork, had been rejected on the ground that he was favourable to the repeal of the union. He was told that that gentleman had been asked whether, in case of his being selected to fill the office, he would pledge himself to abstain from giving any opinion on the subject. Mr. Roche refused to do so, and on that ground he was rejected. He (Lord Brougham) now wished to ask his noble Friend (the Marquess of Normanby) whether that statement was true or not.

The Marquess of Normanby

had had no direct communication on the subject with his noble Friend the Lord Lieutenant for Ireland; but from what he had heard he had no hesitation in saying that a correspondence did take place with Mr. Roche, in consequence of which his noble Friend the Lord Lieutenant had selected for the office of sheriff the gentleman whose name was second on the list.

Lord Brougham—

I believe, my Lords, that no one will think that I hold different opinions on the subject of the repeal of the union from those of my noble Friend, or of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. But I must say again that I do not think this the way to expose the error, or to put down the discussion of that question. I cannot see why the repeal of the union is to be excepted from other questions, and why men should be prevented from taking part in the discussion upon it just as much as upon any other, the discussion being no offence known to the law.