Lord Lortonpresented a petition in support of the Union between England and Ireland from the town of Sligo, a place that had, he said, been visited by that intolerable faction who were now agitating with a view of dismembering the British empire. Those persons declared that the Union was to be repealed in the year 1843. Since this subject had been last before 1225 their Lordships, and which had been so satisfactorily observed upon by the noble Duke near him, although they had not yet heard what steps the Government was about to take, as necessary to put an end to the present state of things; but since that time there had been various meetings of that vast conspiracy, and amongst the rest there was the meeting at Mullingar, of which their Lordships had heard so much. At that meeting statements were made that he considered most valuable. That meeting was presided over by one in the highest authority; one who was infallible—a Roman Catholic bishop; and there was present, too, a large body of the lower clergy. Of course, the most violent speeches were delivered, and the most rev. divine who was there said, that all the bishops and clergy of the Church of Rome were determined to repeal the Union; and at the same time that this was said, and that they issued their orders, there were well paid tools in attendance to act according as they were desired, This certainly appeared alarming; but, for his part, he rejoiced at it; for, to use a vulgar expression, it was " letting the cat out of the bag." That which was most necessary was to know the situation of Ireland, and there, the most extraordinary ignorance prevailed on the subject. It was most astonishing what an effect this had in Ireland, and he did not think that effect would be improved by the various opinions which had lately been uttered in that House. As to "conciliation" and "concession," and the effects they had produced, so much had been said by a noble and learned Lord, who he did not then see in his place, that be did not think it necessary to add one word of his own on these points. He hoped he might be pardoned, however, if, after having resided so long in Ireland, and being so well acquainted with it, if he ventured to suggest what he considered would be the best mode of restoring tranquillity, and of checking that Jesuit conspiracy which was spreading over the entire empire. He should say, without hesitation, that the most sure way of restoring tranquillity would be by calling out the yeomanry of the north nnd of some other places, distributed throughout the country. That, in a moral point of view, would have an extraordinary and favourable effect. He was convinced it would have a good effect upon the loyal and disloyal; and as to the government of the country, it must be well aware which of her Majesty's sub- 1226 jects were to be relied upon. He ventured to say that the moral effect throughout the country would be most extraordinary. It would not only do that, but he ventured to say that it would prevent an effusion of blood, and it would be the means of keeping all in their proper places. At the commencement of the rebellion in 1798, and during the whole of the progress of that sanguinary time, up to the battle of Vine-gar Hill, there was not a single regiment of the line in Ireland. The force consisted of the Irish militia, with the English and Scotch. These with the loyal yeomanry, composed the whole of the military array. In Ireland very happily at this time there was a strong force, and the regular troops, and the troops were fully competent to preserve the peace; but if the loyal men were called forth, they would he found to be a body of men most useful, and that would save the regular troops from being harassed, in a way that it would be otherwise necessary to harass them. He considered it his duty to express his sentiments as he had been so long a resident in Ireland, and he should now conclude by reading the three last lines of the petition from Sligo. They ran thus:—
Your petitioners therefore pray, that you may take such steps as will maintan the legislative Union between the two kingdoms inviolable, and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
§ Petition laid on the Table.