THE EARL OF MILLTOWN, in rising to call attention to the systematic misdescription of this Kingdom in State Papers, especially those relating to foreign affairs, in which it is given the name of Great Britain instead of its proper title the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; and to ask the Prime Minister, Whether he will give instructions to have this error corrected in the future, as it is one which is calculated to lead to misconception and wound the just susceptibilities of the people of Ireland? said, that nothing had tended more to make the Irish peo- 1529 ple discontented with their lot, and Great Britain odious in their eyes, than the thought that they were not like England and Scotland, a self-ruling Power, but were ruled by a foreign and malignant Power, as they called England. Nothing could be more absurd than such a notion; but it was entertained by the majority of those in Ireland who had lately been admitted to the franchise. They were perfectly convinced that, were it not for the malign influence of England, they would be what they were firmly persuaded they were once—a great, powerful, and contented people. Of course, their Lordships all knew that that was very far from being correct. So far from being governed by England, the Irish people had absolutely the same rights and privileges as their fellow-subjects of the United Kingdom. They were fully represented in the Imperial Parliament, for they sent a somewhat larger number of Representatives to the other Chamber than they were strictly entitled to. But, as long as they entertained their present belief, it was impossible for them to be content with the Union or loyally to cooperate with their fellow-subjects in the other Island, and nothing was more calculated to foster this delusion than the constant practice of ignoring Ireland when describing this Kingdom and its Possessions. Great Britain was only a part of the United Kingdom, a larger part than Ireland certainly, but still only a part; and if a part were put for the whole, the correspondence he held in his hand might just as rightly have been intituled "Correspondence with Ireland" as with "Great Britain." For himself, he could not imagine what difficulty there could be in using the correct appellation "the United Kingdom." "Great Britain" was a false description, and for that reason alone the Government ought to set the matter right, because it tended to make foreigners think that Ireland was a kind of English Poland, instead of its being, as it really was, on a footing of perfect equality with England, and invested with many privileges which England did not possess. If only the people of Ireland could understand their true position in this great Empire, which the genius of Irish statesmen and the valour of Irish soldiers had so much aided in creating, Ireland would become in 1530 heart, as it had long been in right, an integral portion of the United Kingdom.
After some remarks from Lord WAVENEY,
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYThis is a very difficult Question to answer, because I do not entertain the views which my noble Friend (the Earl of Milltown) has expressed with regard to the facility with which an alteration in the vocabulary respecting this title could be carried out. On the contrary, I see very great difficulties in it. "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland" is not a term which lends itself to literary manipulation. For example, if we wanted to convert it into an adjective, would the adjective be constructed by the termination "ish;" and, if so, where would the "ish" come in? Should we have to say "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Irelandish?"
THE EARL OF MILLTOWNsaid, he did not ask for an adjectivial alteration; it was the alteration of the substantive which he wished to bring about.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYBut in constructing sentences you will always find one expression for the adjective, and another wholly different for the substantive; and in this case, of course, it would be difficult to have one expression for the adjective and another for the substantive. That, however, is not a new difficulty. We had it many years ago with respect to Scotland, when we were forbidden to use the word "England" only, because that was a reflection on that great country; but the Scotch, I believe, have been set at ease by the consideration that it is they who annexed England, and not England who annexed Scotland, and that they have acquired the right to use the word "England," and make it their property. But whether Ireland has annexed England or not as yet I do not know at present, and will not say; but I believe that that annexation has not yet taken place, and, therefore, there is some difficulty in consenting to the alteration proposed by my noble Friend, to whom I would point out that if we yielded to his demand and made the change he suggests we should be opening the sluices—letting in the thin end of the wedge—to a great variety of similar things. By agreeing to it we should only expose ourselves to 1531 still larger demands from more powerful populations—demands which it will be even still more difficult to resist. After all, India, the Colonies, Australia, and Canada are all bound up by every Act of this "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland;" and if we wish to be accurate we ought to include every one of those places in every inscription of that compound adjective. On the whole, I think my noble Friend ought to have addressed his Question to the head of the Education Office, for I am wholly incompetent to deal with the difficulties it raises. If that Department will furnish me with the necessary substantives and adjectives in the English language which are suitable for the expression of my noble Friend's ideas it will give me great pleasure to consider them. I will only say that if anything would reconcile us to the literary difficulties which he threatens to introduce and impose upon us in the art of writing despatches it would be the prospect he holds out that we should, by making the change, avoid injuring the just susceptibilities of the people of Ireland. There would also be the hope that anything we can do in the matter would lessen the difficulties of government in Ireland, as to which there is no object which the Government have more at heart; and if my noble Friend will aid us with his linguistic and grammatical acquirements' in that great enterprize he will deserve the thanks of us all.
THE EARL OF MILLTOWNsaid, that "Great Britain" was wrong, and "the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland" was right, according to the Act of Union. That was the form he desired should be used, instead of the former.