proclamation to that effect, under penalties.
This also was evaded, for as soon as a district was proclaimed, the arms
disappeared into a neighbouring district, not so situated, from whence
incursions were made into the proclaimed district, where the force
was generally too feeble to protect the numerous points upon which the
depredators fell. The police had power to call upon all males between
sixteen and sixty, in any district where a murder was committed, to join
in pursuit of the murderer; and any one who refused, was held guilty of
misdemeanour. This clause alarmed the disaffected more than any other.

The bill was received with loud cheers. Mr. John O'Connell, who had
declared that he would "die on the floor of the house" rather than
allow a coercion bill to pass, admitted the necessity of some provision
against the outrages which had prevailed, and that Sir George Grey's
bill was moderate and just; but he strangely added that he would oppose
it at every stage, unless government passed such a bill regulating the
law of landlord and tenant as he and his party approved. Mr. Fergus
O'Connor bantered Mr. John O'Connell for his subservience to ministers,
which ill accorded with his loud demonstrations of ministerial hostility
in Conciliation Hall. Mr. O'Connor opposed the bill, even in its first
stage. That gentleman wished the Irish repealers to join the chartist
movement, and to place himself at the head of both. Mr. Horsman sensibly
observed that the most appalling thing to him was that the government
had allowed these murders to go on ever since, by the union, the
imperial parliament had undertaken to govern Ireland. Mr. Maurice
O'Connell did not oppose the bill. He also had been a man of fiery words
in Ireland, and paltry deeds in the presence of the government and the
legislature in England. Mr. Disraeli satirised the great outcry about
suppressing outrage, if the addition of two hundred constables were
sufficient. When the second reading was moved on the 6th of December,
Mr. John O'Connell opposed it, and moved "that the orders of the day be
read." The honourable member had been so pressed by Conciliation Hall,
and the Young Irelanders had raised such an outcry against the measure,
that although he approved of the bill, and took care to let the house
see that he did, yet he was obliged to oppose it, or forfeit his
leadership of "Old Ireland." His opposition, however, influenced the
people of England against the O