this
evening was Serjeant Jackson, who maintained that by almost every
single exercise of patronage, and especially by the appointment of
Lord Ebrington to the viceroyalty, government had favoured the cause of
agitation. The debate was resumed on the 11th of March, when the house
was addressed by Messrs. Lefroy, French, and Sir Charles Styles. As
the latter gentleman was speaking the house was counted out, and the
discussion, which had little reference to the motion, therefore dropped.
The subject of the state of Ireland was introduced in the upper house
on the 21st of March by Lord Roden, who moved for a select committee
of inquiry into the state of Ireland since 1835, with respect to the
commission of crime. His lordship, indeed, adopted the most inculpatory
view of the question, and every circumstance in his delineation of the
matter--the deeply-rooted ribbon conspiracy; the unredressed grievances
of the persecuted Protestants at Achill, and the general insecurity of
life and property, were, in his opinion, either created by the conduct
of Lord Normanby, or had acquired an aggravated character under his
auspices. In reply Lord Normanby vindicated his administration with very
great ability. Lord Melbourne also ably defended the noble marquis. The
Duke of Wellington and Lord Brougham offered an earnest and eloquent
support to Lord Roden's motion. The two noble lords spoke as if they had
had a previous concert and arrangement. This alliance of Lord Brougham
with the Duke of Wellington did not silence Lord Plunkett. He begged to
know what course Lord Brougham would pursue in the event of the motion
being carried. Had he any measure of his own to propose, or was he
willing to adopt the propositions of others? Was he willing to commit
all the friends with whom he had hitherto acted, and to surrender all
the principles and opinions which he had advocated throughout life? On a
division, Lord Boden's motion was carried by a majority of sixty-three
against fifty-eight: a result which gave great dissatisfaction to the
ministers. On the day following, indeed, Lord John Russell gave notice
of his intention to take the opinion of the house of commons on the
government of Ireland in late years in the very first week after the
Easter recess.

The vote of the house of lords also alarmed and gave umbrage to
Ireland's agitators. Incensed by it, Mr. O'Con-nell crossed St. George's
Channel as soon as the houses had arisen, in order to i