ted proof of good
conduct and discretion, than was afforded by the assembled multitude on
this occasion."

DEBATES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON THE IRISH TITHE QUESTION.

On the 2nd of July the house of commons proceeded to take Lord John
Russell's tithe resolutions into consideration. On the motion for
going into committee, Mr. Ward condemned ministers for abandoning the
appropriation principle, and moved a series of resolutions for the
appropriation of the surplus revenues of the Irish church to the moral
and religious education of all classes. Mr. Hawes seconded and Mr. Hume
supported the motion. Mr. O'Connell, however, opposed it, contending
that it led to a deception and delusion: it offered to the Irish people
something as the purchase-money of a tithe bill, which bill they had
refused unanimously to take. Their determination was not to pay tithe;
and he required that provision should be made for the established church
of Ireland out of the consolidated fund, and that the tithe fund should
be applied to the maintenance of peace in the country. By converting
tithes into a rent-charge, they would turn landlords into tithe
proprietors; and would further throw many landlords into the ranks of
White-boys. Mr. Harvey said that three years ago he was denounced by Mr.
O'Connell for not supporting the motion which his learned friend was now
opposing. On a division Mr. Ward's motion was rejected by two hundred
and seventy against forty-six. On the house going into committee, Mr.
Shaw moved, as an amendment, that twenty-five instead of thirty per
cent, should be substituted. This amendment was carried by a majority of
one hundred and eighty-eight against one hundred and sixty-seven.

In a preceding year one million sterling had been voted by parliament
for the relief of tithe-owners who had been unable to pay their dues;
and out of this sum they had by this time actually received L640,000. At
the time of the grant it was intended that the advances should be repaid
as soon as the tenants should pay up their arrears. That event was not
likely to happen; for, since the grant had been made, a new arrear of
tithes had accrued. It was now generally agreed that repayment of the
money advanced should not be required; but it became a question how far
the fresh arrears were to be settled. Sir Robert Peel suggested that
a commission should be appointed to ascertain the entire amount of the
tithe, and the nature of each particular