f its being bestowed exclusively on one, which only
comprehended about a third of the population. It was admitted at the
same time that it was right to relieve the clergy who were suffering;
but it was asserted that the resolutions held out no hope of any
substantial amendment of the existing state of things. Mr. Shiel argued
that the last resolution did not pledge the house not to appropriate
church property as it might deem fit, and insinuated that this was
what the ministry meant, though they could not venture to speak it
out plainly. Sir Robert Peel supported the plan of the ministry, for,
although hostile, he said, on general principles, to pledges that
the house would do something at a future period, he thought that the
interests of religion and the Protestant church required that the
present case should be made an exception. As to the proposal to delay
the question till the committee should have given a full report, he
deemed it unnecessary and mischievous. If the spirit of combination was
to be checked, it should be so at once; it would be true mercy to
check it as soon as possible, for any delay would only add wings to
its already rapid progress. The first resolution was agreed to finally
without a division. On the second, Mr. Hunt divided the house, as he did
not think the distress of the clergy in Ireland was such as to warrant
money being taken out of the pockets of the people of this country for
their relief. He was, however, only supported by eleven members, while
eighty-six voted for the resolution. The third then passed without a
division, and an amendment on the fourth was negatived without being put
to the vote, so that the whole were carried. The bill was brought in
to be read a second time on the 6th of April, when the Irish opposition
pressed for a delay on the ground that it was inconsistent with sound
policy to carry through this coercive measure before introducing the
other measure for the change or extinction of tithes; that if the
arrangements regarding the latter were complicated and required delay,
that was the best reason for delaying the former, and that Mr. Stanley,
the Irish secretary, ought to take advantage of the Easter recess, then
approaching, to pay a visit to Ireland. Ministers resisted all delay,
however, and the second reading was carried by a majority of one hundred
and nineteen against twenty-one. It was read a third time, without much
discussion, on the 16th of April; and in the