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Article REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT. ← Page 4 of 4 Article HOUSE OF COMMONS. Page 1 of 5 →
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Report Of The Proceedings Of The British Parliament.
ttier any thing could be more strongly convincing that it was the king ' s parliament . The Marquis of TotVnsend differed a " , to the House of Commons , which was at least nominally the parliament of the people . Lord Oxford pressed for a division on his motion , when there were—Content t—Non-contents 50—Majority + 9 . While the strangers were excluded , a resolution was adopted , that the proceedings of that evening should not be entered Upon the journals . Friday 31 . The ordinary business of that day being gone through , the House adjourned till Monday .
House Of Commons.
HOUSE OF COMMONS .
THURSDAY , March 23 , Mr . Fox ' s speech continued . BUT it is our duty to enquire , how it has happened that a great part of Irelanl is at this moment in a condition of such discontent and disturbance . Many , t believe , will be found to be the causes ; the principal point is , how far , by the concessions granted by this country , Ireland having in form an independent Legislature , has had in fact and substance the benefits of an independent Legislature . There are other points nearly as important ; \ ve all know that a great portion of
Ireland , five-sixths at least , profess the Roman Catholic religion . In the first petition presented by them , they prayed for considerable indigencies ; the House of Commons , however , not contented with doing nothing , chose to insult the petitioners by a vote of absolute rejection , in which every Member , known to be attached to the Executive Government , concurred . When the war was on the eve of taking place , another Petition was presented , and with a very different effect . The Crown recommended the Petition , and immediately those ministers and servants who had proposed the rejection of the first Petitioninfluenced the
Parlia-, ment to pass a Bill including concessions much more extensive than those which the first Petition praved for . I mention these facts , in order to shew that the Parliament of Ireland is not an independent . Parliament , but is moved by the breath , and acts at the will , of his Majesty ' s Ministers ! The sale ofPeerages , which was offered to be proved by an Hon . Member of the Irish Parliament , clearly evinces that the Legislature of the sister country is under the influence of our Executive Government . There are other grounds of discontent , wholly unconnected with
the grievances I have just alluded to . The discontents in the north arise from two causes ; one of them is a temporary one , and proceeds from the government ' s involving the country in a war , in which the interests of the State are supposed not to be concerned ; from the effects which that war bas produced , and from the constitu'ional grievances to which it has given birth . The second cause results from an opinion , that their Constitution does not resemble that which England has , orought to have ; that Ireland has not a Legislature , not only not actually , but not even virtually , nor any thing like it , representing the people ; fhat the
people of Ireland , in point of power , are as little sharers in the government of the country , as the people who live under any monarchy whose forms are more despotic and tyrannical . I come now to the discontents of the Protestants , I mean the Presbvterians of Ireland . What are their grievances ? Their grievances are , that thev have a Government full of abuses , which they . have no means of redressing . That there are abuses , very many abuses here , we all admit ; but if you can reconcile the people of England to them by the view of greater abuses , I know of rio better way than to place before them the abuses of Ireland . In arguing the
s-tbject of reform in this House , some have contended for an actual , but all have admitted the necessity of a virtual representation . But will any man tell me that Ireland possesses even a virtual representation , when we see it conducted upon s-ich jobbing and vernal principles , as not to be endured ? To suppose , therefore , that you can govern an . able , intelligent , and activa people against their opinion , if
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Report Of The Proceedings Of The British Parliament.
ttier any thing could be more strongly convincing that it was the king ' s parliament . The Marquis of TotVnsend differed a " , to the House of Commons , which was at least nominally the parliament of the people . Lord Oxford pressed for a division on his motion , when there were—Content t—Non-contents 50—Majority + 9 . While the strangers were excluded , a resolution was adopted , that the proceedings of that evening should not be entered Upon the journals . Friday 31 . The ordinary business of that day being gone through , the House adjourned till Monday .
House Of Commons.
HOUSE OF COMMONS .
THURSDAY , March 23 , Mr . Fox ' s speech continued . BUT it is our duty to enquire , how it has happened that a great part of Irelanl is at this moment in a condition of such discontent and disturbance . Many , t believe , will be found to be the causes ; the principal point is , how far , by the concessions granted by this country , Ireland having in form an independent Legislature , has had in fact and substance the benefits of an independent Legislature . There are other points nearly as important ; \ ve all know that a great portion of
Ireland , five-sixths at least , profess the Roman Catholic religion . In the first petition presented by them , they prayed for considerable indigencies ; the House of Commons , however , not contented with doing nothing , chose to insult the petitioners by a vote of absolute rejection , in which every Member , known to be attached to the Executive Government , concurred . When the war was on the eve of taking place , another Petition was presented , and with a very different effect . The Crown recommended the Petition , and immediately those ministers and servants who had proposed the rejection of the first Petitioninfluenced the
Parlia-, ment to pass a Bill including concessions much more extensive than those which the first Petition praved for . I mention these facts , in order to shew that the Parliament of Ireland is not an independent . Parliament , but is moved by the breath , and acts at the will , of his Majesty ' s Ministers ! The sale ofPeerages , which was offered to be proved by an Hon . Member of the Irish Parliament , clearly evinces that the Legislature of the sister country is under the influence of our Executive Government . There are other grounds of discontent , wholly unconnected with
the grievances I have just alluded to . The discontents in the north arise from two causes ; one of them is a temporary one , and proceeds from the government ' s involving the country in a war , in which the interests of the State are supposed not to be concerned ; from the effects which that war bas produced , and from the constitu'ional grievances to which it has given birth . The second cause results from an opinion , that their Constitution does not resemble that which England has , orought to have ; that Ireland has not a Legislature , not only not actually , but not even virtually , nor any thing like it , representing the people ; fhat the
people of Ireland , in point of power , are as little sharers in the government of the country , as the people who live under any monarchy whose forms are more despotic and tyrannical . I come now to the discontents of the Protestants , I mean the Presbvterians of Ireland . What are their grievances ? Their grievances are , that thev have a Government full of abuses , which they . have no means of redressing . That there are abuses , very many abuses here , we all admit ; but if you can reconcile the people of England to them by the view of greater abuses , I know of rio better way than to place before them the abuses of Ireland . In arguing the
s-tbject of reform in this House , some have contended for an actual , but all have admitted the necessity of a virtual representation . But will any man tell me that Ireland possesses even a virtual representation , when we see it conducted upon s-ich jobbing and vernal principles , as not to be endured ? To suppose , therefore , that you can govern an . able , intelligent , and activa people against their opinion , if