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    Untitled Article

    face . It is a painful and difficult question—whether , if a man-would do such an act after the warning he had just received , he can be a free agent . I should say that he is not . To call upon the hop . member to make another apology after what tookplace last night , really appears to be a waste of ti me , ( Hear , hear . ) Then again , supposing the hon . member should say that he will not appear in his place in obedience to our summons , what are we to do in , that case ? I am of opinion that it is necessary for the House to take decisive measures at once , not only for our ownsakes , but also for that of the hon . member himself , ( ffear . ) ' .. : .

    _ ' M r * B . 0 . Hir-DYAKD thought it would be a perfect farce to request the presence of Mr . O'Connor , and tell him he must make an apology ; and he therefore moved that Mr . Feargus O'Connor be committed for contempt to the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms . The Speakee .- —It is perfectly competent to the House to take the course suggested by the hon . member for Whitehaven . It is usual , when a charge of misconduct is

    made " against an hon . member , to hear any explanation which that member may offer . On that account I suggested that the hon . member for Nottingham should be ordered to attend in his place ; but if the House should be of opinion that the ^ offence which the hon . member has committed is flagrant and culpable , and admitting of no apology , it will be competent first , without directing him to attend in his place , to order him to be committed to the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms .

    Here Mr . O'Connor re-entered the house , and took his seat on the front Opposition bench , where he indulged in some irregularities , which elicited cries of " Order . " * Mr . Austey suggested that his seat should be sequestered . Mr . Agxionbt considered that Mr . O'Connor was not a free agent . * " If an order for the hon . member ' s commitment would have the effect of placing him under the care of medical attendants ( hear ) , and the protectionof his friends , I would not hesitate to assent to it ; but , if otherwise , it would be abhorrent from my feelings , believing as I do that the hon . member labours under an aberration of intellect j to consent to his being committed for contempt . I think that while providing for our own protection and the maintenance , of the dignity of the House , we should use our power with due regard to humanity . "

    Sonae further conversation followed , and , as Mr . WaxpoUe was speaking , Mr . O'Connor again entered , and , walking up the House , placed himself on the left of the . chair , and addressed the Speaker amid cries of " Order ! " and " Chair 1 " . " Under these circumstances , " said Mr . Walpole , "I think it ray duty , without further debate , to move that Mr . Feargus O'Connor be committed to the custody of the Sergeantat-Arms , for disorderly conduct and contempt of this House . " ( Hear , hear . ) Sir J . Pakington . —I have no hesitation in saying that I feel it my painful duty to second the motion .

    At this moment Mr . O'Connor escaped ; and the motion was instantly agreed to . But he liad the start of the Sergeant-at-Arms , and after drinking some brandy at the bar of the lobby , he went down into Westminster Hall , whither he was followed by a few gentlemen , some of whom were magistrates , known to the police . The constables on duty , therefore , acting upon the information which they then received , told Mr . O'Connor that his presence would soon be required in the House , and that he must not quit the Hall ; on receiving this intimation he began to howl so loudly and vehemently that a considerable crowd soon assembled . At this spot Mr . O'Connor remained for a few minutes , in the course of which the Speaker ' s warrant for his committal was made out . Armed with this

    authority , Mr . Clementson , the Deputy-Sergeant , accompanied , by several officers of the House , proceeded to Westminster-hall , took Mr . O'Connor into custody , and removed him without any resistance to the rooms of Mr . Gosset , the Assistant-Sergeant . In a little time those chambers became filled with members , anxious to learn the particulars of the arrest . Their presence seemed violently to excite Mr . O'Connor , who called them ruffians , villains , murderers ; at times shouting furiously , at others groaning most heavily , and occasionally giving expression to hits feelings in tones of triumph and rejoicing . Aftqr a short time the gentlemen who had crowded into 'Mr . Gossot ' s apartment wore induced to withdraw , and Mr . O'Connor was left in the enro of five officers . lint in less than an hour from that time , when Mr . O'Connor hud been

    somewbut calmed , ho wjih removed to tho prison rooms in the upper " story of tho building , towards tlie river front ; and tho wholo of thcuo proceedings were complctcd before tho adjournment of tho Houho . A largo proportion of tho Members , and almost all tho officers of tho House , believe , from tho extreme cunning which ho manifests , tlmt bin uhuIiichh in feigned , or at loust that ho is sufficiently sano to . bo considered a responsible agent ; while , on the otbor hand , those accustomed to persons of unsound mind are not surprised at his artfulness , and think the sooner bo is placed in a lunatic asylum the bolter . Two medical gentlemen wore , on Thursday , culled

    in to visit Mr . O'Connor . They both agree as to the state of his mind . His conduct during the interview led Dr . Tweedie " to infer unsoundness of mind , and to fear that , unless restrained , Mr . O'Connor may become dangerous to himself and others . " In like manner , Mr . Lawrence is " of opinion that Mr . O'Connor is of unsound mind , and not fit to be at liberty , nor capable of managing his own affairs . "

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    ELECTION MATTERS . ME . DISRAELI * S MANIFESTO . The Chancellor of the Exchequer has issued the following address to the electors of the county of Buckingham : — " Gentusmen , —I take the opportunity of returning to the county to inform you that , on the dissolution of Parliament , which may be shortly expected , I shall again solicit the distinguished office of being your member , an honour which you have twice unanimously conferred oh

    me . " The occasion is critical , and it ia as well to disentangle from the misrepresentations of ignorant or interested persons , what is really at stake . " In 1842 , Sir Robert Peel , at the head of theUonservative party , converted a considerable and co ntinuous Aeficiency in the public revenue into a surplus , by the imposition of an income tax , which also permitted him . greatly to mitigate our tariff . /~ i " These measures realized all the success which the

    Conservative party anticipated from them . In the course of four years 7 , 000 , 000 Z . of Customs-duties were . repealed , without materially diminishing the revenue derived from that branch , and no domestic interest in the country suffered from the change . " The principles on which these alterations were effected were the removal of all prohibitions , the reduction of duties to such a scale as admitted ¦ ' fair competition' with domestic produce , and the free admission of all raw materials . for these in

    "I had the satisfaction of voting measures company with those gentlemen who now honour the present Government with their support . " Since the four years , closing with 1846 , during . which the Conservative party carried these wise aiul-beneficial measures , two great changes in our commercial system have taken place—the free introduction of foreign corn and of slave-grown sugar . . . " The first of these arrangements was not originally contemplated in the commercial policy of Sir Robert Peel , for he opposed the repeal o f the Corn L aws within a . few months-previously to his abrogating them . When he

    recommended their repeal it was to meet an emergency ; and he stated to Lord George Bentinck , in my hearing , that he believed that repeal would not materially affect the prices of agricultural produce . " The admission of slave-grown sugar was not approved of by Sir Kobert Peel . , V . " These two measures , unlike the preceding ones , have occasioned severe suffering among the producing classes which they affect . The distress of the agricultural classes has been admitted , announced , and deplored from the Throne , under the advice of a " Whig Ministry ; and- the consequences of the alteration of the sugar duties were so

    disastrous to our free-producing colonies that , within two years after tho passing of the net of 1846 , a Whig Ministry also found it necessary to modify their own measure . " The sufferings of the agricultural and colonial classes have arisen from their being thrown into unlimited competition with the foreigner o n unequal terms with the rest of their fellow-subjects . Those unequal conditions result in great measure from the peculiar imposts and the vexatious regulations to which our agricultural and sugar-producing industries are subject . attended the of

    "Tho same precipitation which repeal the protective duties on corn and sugar accompanied tho repeal of the navigation laws . Even tho proposers of that measure now admit that' the shipping interest , exposed to severo rivalry , is subject to burdens and restrictions which impede its prosperity . ' " This is tho language of tho Minister who himself repealed tho navigation laws , and yet left the burdens and restrictions which impede- the prosperity of our mercantile marine . This opinion will be found in tho recent address of Lord . John ltussell to his constituents . That address

    deserves the attentive study of tho shipping interest . " Her Majesty ' s Ministers would consider these burdens and restrictions with a view to their removal . " Tho farmers hitherto havo boon tho persons who have bcon most injured by tho repeal of tho Corn Laws , but tho diminution of rent in Groat Britain is greater than is generally supposed . In preparing tho financial statement for this year , it was officially represented to ino , that I xnuat contemplate in estimating tho produce of tho Income Tax , a diminution of rent not much loss in amount than 5 , < X ) 0 , 000 Z . sterling . Practically speaking , in this country , ront has bocomo a return for tho capital invested in tho improvement of land . Laws to secure a return for such investment aro not for a inomont to bo tolerated , but laws

    which , by imposing u nequal taxes , discourage that investment , aro , irrespective of their injustice , highly impolitic ; for nothing contributes more to tho enduring prosperity of a country than tho natural deposit of its surplus capital in tho improvement ofi its soil . Justice to tho land , in all systems of finance , is equall y tho ihtorost of tho proprietor and tho farmer , but it is also equally tho intorost of tho community . " Thoro" is no portion of tho United Kingdom that has sufforod more from tho precipitate repeal oi tho corn laws than Ireland . Tho claim of that country to tho consideration of Parliament is irresistible .

    " Tho timo has gone by when tho injuries which tho groat producing interests onduro can bo alleviated or removed by a roourronco to tho lawa which , proyiously to

    1846 , protected them from such calamities . Tjie stnrit r the age tends to free intercourse , and no statesman can din regard with impunity the genius of the epoch in which h lives . _ But eveiy principleof abstract justice , and everv consideration of high policy , counsel that the producer should be treated as fairly as the consumer , and ultimate that , when the native producer is thrown into unrestricted ' competition with external rivals , it is the duty of the Wis lature in every way to diminish , certainly not to inorpLl the cost of production . teaser "It is the intention of Her Majesty ' s Ministers to recommend to Parliament , as soon as it is in their power * measures which may effect this end . '

    " One of the soundest means , among others , by which this result may be accomplished is a revision of our taxation The times are favourable to such an undertaking ; juster notions of taxation are more prevalent than heretofore powerful agencies are stirring , which have' introduced newphenomena into finance , and altered the complexion of the ' fiscal world ; and the possibility of greatly relieving theburdens of the community , both by adjustment and reduction , seems to loom in the future . " But nothing great can be effected by any Ministry

    unless they are supported by a powerful majority in Parliament . Our predecessors were men who , for personal honour and administrative ability , need not shrink from a com-Sarison with any body of individuals qualified to serve her lajesty , but they were neveje sure of a Parliamentary majority ; hence much of their unsatisfactory conduct . They were justified , from , the broken state of parties , m their continuance in office , which they _ never evinced any unworthy readiness to retain ; but it is far from desirable ' that such * indulgence should become a chronic weakness off our constitution .

    "In the brief period during whichwe have held the reinsj although placed in a position of great embarrassment , fromi the impossibility of at once appealing to the country , we have introduced three measures , which it is hoped will soon ' become the law of the land . One is a measure of internal defence , which , it is believed , will soon , prove both popular ,, economical , and efficient : the second would , confer on ant interesting and important colony a constitution founded on * the right principles which should govern dependencies ; the third will at length achieve a complete reform of the ' Court of Chancery . .

    " There was a fourth measure which we proposed . Two ' petty boroughs , long infamous for corruption , had beeni justly and wisely disfranchised . We recommended to Parliament that these forfeited seats should be transferred to > two of the most important communities of the country , distinguished not only for their vast wealth and teemingpopulation , but by all the enduring elements of national greatness , A combination of Parliamentary sections defeated , on a technical pretext , this wise and generous proposition , which would have added strength and lustreto the House of Commons , and have asserted the popular principle in a manner consistent with that maintenance of classes which becomes a free and ancient Monarchy , and . which is the best security for Order and liberty . 1

    " The time of the House of Commons has been much occupied of kite by a discussion , whether tho management ; of the Roman Catholic College of Maynooth requires investigation . Without prejudging the question , Her Majesty si Ministers have felt it their duty to support such an inquiry-We have been anxious to subdue the heat of religious controversy , and to deal impartially with all Her Majesty ' s ' subjects whether in communion with the Church of Rome or the Church of England ; but we cannot sanction am opinion now in vogue , that since the act of 1829 tho constitution of this country has ceased to bo Protestant . Ojthe Act of Settlement , our form of Government is that oB a Protestant monarchy ; and it is our belief that the peopiw of this country aro resolved so to maintain it , nob only w formbut in spirit .

    , " Various schemes have been devised for * fce extension and improvement of the education of the people ; awn among others , a measure was proposed by an intellig « ffl » community , during the present session of Parlianientf ,, to tho principles of which we conld not accede . Iho <* my principle in tho present diversity of religiousopinion vmwa seoms to bo just , is that of encouraging the voluntary olloris of tho several religious bodies by grants of public money m proportion to tho extent to which those efforts havo Deon made . In assorting for all this universal right , woolaim for tho Church , tho national depository of sacred truth , tmv tho freedom of her efforts in tho causo of education sltouia not bo fettered by regulations and restrictions wnieli aro not required to afford security for a duo application ot tno

    public funds . . ,, « I havo touched , gentlemen , on most of tho topics wnicH now engage tho attention of tho country . . } hey , , ?^ : , mean issues . The country will havo fo decide whether it will maintain a Ministry formed on tho principles oi ^ w sorvativo progress ; whether it will terminate for over , » y just and conciliatory measures , tho * ni sc < mcopjion * J ;" have too long prevailed between producer and ^»»™" j ; and extinguish tho fatal jealousy that rankles WJ ™ ; town and country ; whether our colonial ompiro shall p maintained and confirmed ; whether tho ™ ftto"ftl ' ^ ii mont of Ireland shall at length bo secured ; whotner su alterations aa time and circumstances may appear ^ toJ ™" J and require in the construction of tho Houso ot Cannmu shall bo made in that spirit of rovolution which Iiob »»«¦ . tho civilization of Europe , or in tho spirit ot our P" | ^ tlimmh noh riomooratia . institutions : whether . tlio ^ * . .

    of England shall still remain a national Church 5 w '"* "u tho Crown of England shall still bo a Protestant Crown-« I boliovo that tho county of Buckingham w ^ ° K ] h doubt on thoBo hoods , and thoroforo I appeal to you w confidence for your support . I cannot vio with «» ° I '"" ul and tho statesmen whom , for so many genoration « , j ^ havo sent up to Parliament , but I will P * oroia 0 n / t , lftfc ifl on my own part and on that of my colleagues , tn » publicI opinion ratify tho choice of our gracious bovotj y , > wo will earnestly ondoavour that tUo honour and W *»

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    S 54 ' "¦ , . ^ [ Sa ^ tjrd ^

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 12, 1852, page 554, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1939/page/6/