MOTION FOR AN ADDRESS. (Hansard, 13 April 1886)

LORD ORANMORE AND BROWNE
, in moving— That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty for a Return, from 1830 to the present time, of all coercion Bills (by whatever title they may be called) passed by Parliament, and by whom they were proposed: Also, a Return of agrarian crime committed 18 months previous to, and 18 months after, the passing of the said Acts, said, that the term "coercion" had become detested in Ireland, though he hardly knew why such should be the case, because coercion merely affected those who joined in unlawful combinations. The Executive Government existed for the purpose of enforcing the law; and if the law could not be enforced in one way, it must be enforced in another, and Coercion Acts enabled the Executive to enforce the law more effectually than could be done without them. These Acts did not affect law-abiding people in Ireland, but only those who engaged in illegal acts. He hoped that these Returns would be granted.

§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Earl SPENCER)
said, he hoped their Lordships would not think he was reluctant to give any information on this important subject with regard to any matters which required elucidation; but he confessed he was under some difficulty in this instance. He thought almost all the information which the noble Lord wished for could be obtained by himself or his secretary from the Papers laid before Parliament. Besides, this Return would throw an enormous amount of work upon the Department. He considered that some distinction should be made between these two classes of information. The term "coercion" might apply to some laws passed for England; it was, therefore, extremely difficult to know where they were to stop in the preparation of so elaborate a Return. With regard to agrarian crime since 1844, the information asked for had been supplied by a Return moved for by Mr. Forster, and this Return was complete down to 1881, and since then Reports had been furnished monthly.

§ LORD ASHBOURNE
said, he was disposed to think, owing to the stress laid on the subject by the Prime Minister a few nights ago, that it would be convenient if they had these figures in an authoritative form, and with something like historical continuity. He must, however, object to the term "coercion;" he would rather describe the legislation as special measures of a repressive character with regard to criminal acts. He suggested that the Motion should be postponed until Thursday; and the noble Lord in the meantime could consider the matter, and ask for the information in a more clear and succinct form.

§ THE EARL OF NORTHBROOK
also suggested that the term "coercion" should not be used, and complained that the noble and learned Lord himself had used the word.

§ LORD ASHBOURNE
I never used it; on the contrary, I suggested that the 1423 word "coercion" was inapplicable and should not be used.

§ THE EARL OF NORTHBROOK
said, he was glad he was mistaken. They could not describe Acts to protect life and property as Coercion Acts. It was a misnomer. They all knew the result of giving a dog a bad name.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (The Earl of KIMBERLEY)
said, these Acts ought not to be called Coercion Acts. The Return moved for seemed to apply to those Acts directed against agrarian crime; but when he was Lord Lieutenant the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act was not directed against that class of crime, which was not particularly rife at the time, but against Fenianism.

LORD ORANMORE AND BROWNE
said, he would explain more fully upon Thursday evening what information he desired to obtain.

THE EARL OF MILLTOWN
suggested that the Return should include all similar Acts passed in the last century by the Irish Parliament.