GENERAL HISTORY. 



[159 



CHAPTER XIV. 



Bill for the better Execution of the Laws in Ireland.— Discussion of 

 the Treaty of Peace with France. — Priiice Regent's Speech, and 

 Prorogation of Parliament. 



ON June 23rd, Mr. Peel (chief 

 secretary for Ireland) rose in 

 the House of Commons to submit 

 a motion for a bill for the better 

 execution of the laws in Ireland. 

 He said, the state of that countiy 

 had for some time past been such 

 as to call for the adoption of addi- 

 tional measures for securing the 

 public tranquillity, and he had 

 been prepared at a much earlier 

 period to propose them to the 

 consideration of parliament, but 

 the hope of some good effects from 

 the general pacification of Europe 

 had induced him to delay. Such 

 hopes had, however, been frus- 

 trated, and he could not, consist- 

 ently with his duty, protract any 

 longer the production of his plan. 



The disturbances, for which he 

 was to propose a remedy, originat- 

 ed in different causes. The first 

 he should mention was of a politi- 

 cal nature, and arose from combi- 

 nations of idle infatuated people, 

 who were made the dupes of per- 

 sons of superior information. Their 

 object was to overthrow the exist- 

 ing government, and transfer the 

 allegiance of the people to foreign 

 powers ; an intention which was 

 proved by the tenor of an oath 

 brought in evidence against several 

 persons at the last assizes in Ire- 

 land, and which Mr. P. now read. 

 It bound the taker to suffer death 



rather than give information against 

 his companions ; to join the French 

 on their landing, &c. A second 

 class of combinations were those 

 which were formed on the pre- 

 tence of redressing local griev- 

 ances ; and though the objects 

 were various, the general mode of 

 carrying them into effect was the 

 same, namely, inflicting punish- 

 ment upon the persons who dis- 

 obeyed their orders. As a proof of 

 the accuracy of this statement, 

 Mr. P. referred to the proceedings 

 at the last assizes of Roscommon, 

 and to a letter from a magistrate 

 who had been sent into West- 

 meath for the purpose of making 

 enquiries. These combinations, 

 he observed, were not only mis- 

 chievous in their present effects, 

 but were formidable from their ac- 

 customing the persons combining 

 to habits of great caution and strict 

 discipline, which might render 

 them dangerous engines in the 

 hands of designing men. Another 

 unfortunate source of disturbance 

 was religious animosity, and the 

 pains that had been taken by 

 means of the press and inflam- 

 matory speeches to induce the 

 Irish Catholics to believe that the 

 government was not disposed to 

 administer the same justice to 

 them as to their Protestant fel- 

 low-subjects. He hoped, however, 



