COBBETT'S WEEKLY POLITICAL REGISTER. [Price Is. 2d. rage against all professions of " kindness and generosity" coming from those who approve of this unheard-of and undreamed-of measure. VOL. 80.-No. 1.] LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 6TH, 1833. I had no desire to do anything more than to send this bill off marked with my last word of disapprobation. The bill had been modified in the committee: it had taken away some of the powers of the courts-martial: the committee had taken the crime of libel away Westminster, 3. April, 1833. IRISH COURT-MARTIAL BILL. from being tried by these red-coat courts: it had done several other things; but still it was too hateful to me to be suffered to pass without a last blow against it. My motion, which was, as I said before, a stinger, concluding with a proposition to read the bill a third time that day six months. I did not say a great deal; and what I did say was not very good-natured; and, therefore, 88 I had set out with saying, that I did not care a straw whether anybody divided with me, except my honourable colleague, and I was, sure that he would. This was, however, the very thing upon which to put the House to the test with regard to this bill. All that had passed before might admit of explanation; but, we had now got it to be such as it would be, when it became a law, and, therefore, it was now necessary to ascertain who those members were, who approved of a law like this; and who were those who did not. The question was, who were the men that approved of courts-martial instead of judges and juries; and who were the men that disapproved of this. After this preface, I give the list of the minoand not being ready to suffocate with rity of eighty-eight; dividing them THIS bill was read a third time, and passed, last Friday night, 29. March. But it was not passed without a last effort to prevent its passing. When the motion was made for reading the bill a third time, Mr. CLAY, one of the members for the Tower Hamlets, made a speech against it; and declared his in-I will insert no part of it here, being extention to oppose the passing of the tremely unwilling to do anything calcubill; but having made no motion upon lated to sour the temper of my readers, the subject, I thought it my duty or to make them discontented with his to make one, which I did in the Majesty's amiable servants. At the end words, the very stinging words, which of this lively debate we came to a divihave been reported in all the newspa- sion, when there appeared pers, which ought to be upon record; but which, for reasons too numerous and too tedious to mention, I by no means think it necessary to insert in this Register. Before this agitating motion was made, we seemed to have got into too tranquil a state to suit me. I began to think that the thing was to end by a few complimentary words pronounced across the table; but I was extremely happy to perceive that my motion put an end to all compliments. The debate became one of the most lively that I had witnessed; and it ended with a speech from Mr. O'CONNELL, well worth all the time that we had taken in listening to others. It was the finest speech I ever heard in my life; and I really did wonder how it was possible for any man to hear that speech, and not feel indignant at the treatment which Ireland has received; B For the third reading....345 .... |