omitted in the report of the commissioners of enquiry in Ireland, and therefore omitted in the bill brought in by him on that report. Mr. Herbert (of Kerry) said, that the river Kenmare lay principally in the county he had the honor to represent. Its course was forty miles long, and above five or six broad, with numberless creeks, and without a single revenue officer in its vicinity to controul the smuggling exercised upon it, till that office had been created. The smuggling had, shortly after that appointment, been greatly reduced. Lord Henry Petty was aware of the smuggling upon the river Kenmare: but that was a stronger reason for suppressing an useless sinecure, and substituting an active prevention. Sir Arthur Wellesley admitted, that the office appeared to be one of those, that ought to be regulated, rather than suppressed. It was, however, subject to the disposal of Parliament, as the vacancy created by the death of Sir Boyle Roche had not been filled up, unless it had been by the late ministers.

1807.

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Of all the acts affecting Ireland, which passed Insurrection. during the first session of this No Popery Parlia- act, and its ment, was the act to suppress insurrections and ces. to prevent the disturbances of the public peace in Ireland. The debates and conduct of certain members of the legislative body upon the passing of that act produced a stronger effect upon the

47 Geo. III. ch. xiii,

1807 public mind in Ireland than the enactment of the law, with all its insulting severity. On the 9th of July, Sir Arthur Wellesley moved, according to notice, for leave to bring in that bill. The

The most marked, and perhaps the most to be lamented sensation produced upon the Irish, by the passing of this act was the creation of very general diffidence and suspicion of their old friend and favourite, Mr. Grattan. It is not to justify but to represent faithfully what the popular feeling actually was upon the novel occurrence of Mr. Grattan's giving his sup port to so adverse an administration, in imposing that 'galling and degrading measure upon his unoffending country. Short publications were widely circulated at different times to explain and keep alive the sense of this change of conduct in the father of Irish freedom. One of them published (and actually circulated in thousands), at the distance even of eighteen months from the period holds this strong language. "The Whigs are "now succeeded by the very lees of Pitt's administration. The grim, desolating spectre of No Popery stalks around, and re"vives the dying embers of religious discord. The spirit of "Lord George Gordon had transmigrated into ministers. Yet, "in their worst measures they are supported by Henry Grat"tan! Whilst the heart strings of his country are torn asunder "at his fall. The nation stands appalled at the bare sound of "the deadly prescription issuing from the lips of such a doctor, "His consistency, however is preserved; for, in conjunction "with his friends late in power, he had himself generated "the hideous monster, contrary to the principles of his better days. But is Mr. Grattan now the man, in whom we can with safety place confidence? or does he really wish to regain his popularity, and be restored to his wonted state of exaltation? "Let him proclaim to the world his errors, into which he has "been seduced, and wipe away the degrading stain, with which " he has tarnished the national honor; let him, in the spirit of justice, move a repeal of his own bloody statutes, the arms "and insurrection acts, and he will become once more the idol "of his much injured country."

House would remember, said he, that the circumstances which preceded and attended the suppression of the late rebellion in Ireland, had rendered stronger measures than the established laws afforded, necessary in that country. An act was therefore passed by the Irish Parliament, in the year 1796, to prevent unlawful assemblies, and to authorize the Lord Lieutenant, on a report of the magistrates, to proclaim any county, where disturbances existed. That law required all persons in such counties to keep within their dwellings between sun setting and sun rising, and gave to the magistrates the power of sending persons, who should offend against it on board his Majesty's na- · vy. The act had proved effectual for the suppression of the insurrection, as appeared from the acknowledgment of the leaders of that insurrection before a committee of the Irish parliament. But, though such a law might be necessary, it was the duty of that House to guard against the abuse of the powers, which it gave. The bill he proposed to bring in contained the same provisions as the -insurrection act, with respect to the power of the Lord Lieutenant to proclaim disturbed counties, and the authority of the magistrates to arrest persons, who should be found out of their dwellings between sun setting and sun rising; but in order to prevent hardships to the subject, he should propose some alterations as to the trial of persons arrested. On a question from Sir John Newport as to the duration of the bill, Sir Arthur Wellesley

1

1807.

1807. proposed seven years.

Debates thereon.

Mr. Grat

tan supports

rection Bill.

Even the Chancellor of the Exchequer thought that too long a period.

Mr. Lyttleton thought it extraordinary, that such a measure should proceed from the gentleman, who charged his side of the house with exeiting ferment in the country, by reviving religious animosities, when the gentlemen opposite had laid so solid a foundation for the tranquillity of Ireland, by cutting off all, hope of an equal participation of rights, which was the strongest incentive to loyalty and good conduet. Upon that Colonel Vereker said, he was not surprized, that this bill should be opposed by gentlemen of the opposition, as their whole conduct, for some time back, had been directed to excite religious animosities amongst the people of Ireland: Lord Howick said, he had lately heard many speeches, that surprized him; but never one, that astonished him more, than that of the Hon. Gentleman, who had last spoken. He surely, could not have been a witness of what had been passing, when he charged the gentlemen on his side of the house, with exciting religious animosities. It was a similar misconception in the Hon. Gentleman, to suppose and state, that they were opposing a measure, which was in some degree their own measure.

Mr. Grattan said, he was sorry to find, that a the Insur bill of this kind was still necessary, but he really believed it to be so. He begged to observe, that the present bill was nearly the same with the original one and that, which was proposed last parliament; all violent measures certainly; and striking

against the principles of the constitution: but, at the same time, in a great degree necessary. With this conviction, he certainly did not mean to vote against them, provided they were limited to a certain extent. The present bill ought to be reversionary, or, as it were, to return upon the British constitution; the origin of them being a momentary and imperious necessity, they ought to cease, as soon as the danger was over. The Hon. Gentleman opposite (Colonel Vereker) mistook, if he meant to state, that those attached to the late administration are disposed to object totally to such a bill; it being so nearly the same, (viz. the Gunpowder and Arms Act) as that brought in by themselves. Their great object was to reconcile all parties; to unite both English and Irish to oppose the natural enemy of their country. He hoped that grand object would yet be effected; for he could assure the house, that the wisest way to defend the Empire, was to unite the people of this country with the people of Ireland.

1807.

dan singly

opposes it.

Mr. Sheridan viewed this question in a very dif- Mr. Sheriferent light from his friends on the bench near him. The Hon Gentleman opposite (Colonel Vereker), had only anticipated an opposition, which this measure from its nature ought to encounter. His Right Hon. Friend had said, that the measure could only be justified by an imperious necessity; now it was that necessity, which he wished to have clearly made out to exist, before the measure was resorted to. It was no answer to him, that the measure had been prepared by his friends. If it