JB/137/048/001

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1820 Feb 11

Radicalism not dangerous

II Experience
II Ireland
Corruption several

Plowd. II. 524. Ao 1795. April "The ready apotion and support
"what the majority in parliament had in the first days of
"Lord Fitzwilliams administration given to his proposed system of
"measures, and this unsteadiness and instant forgiversation upon the
"change of " (Marquis the Earl Camden being Vice Roy in the
"room of Earl Fitzwilliam recalled) "filled the people of Ireland with
"mostnest and jelousness, that have never completely subdued to the
"present hour"[+]

[+] "Extravagancy and violence
"were pushed to
"such excess, that grave
"senators did not scruple
"to assert, that the
"peasantry was so
"brutal, as to mean
"and understand by
"Catholic emancipation,
"a total liberation
"from taxes and
"rent, and an agrarian
"division of property.
"The meanest
"labourer could and
"did understand that
"by emancipation
"the Catholic lord, esquire,
merchant, mechanic
or labourer,
"was to be put upon
"an exact level with
"the Protestant in those
"same degrees: and
the versatility of the
"same men voting for
"and against the measure
"within the space
"of a month, was obviously
"to be traced
"to the true source
"by the most illiterate*

Note* Some questions said in the before quoted memoire to have
"been put to Mr. Arthur O'Connor in his examination before the
"secret committee of the House of Commons on the 10th of August
"1790, and his answers to them, seem to throne strong
"light upon this subject. (p.55.)

"Committee. Why, what opinion have the lower classes
"of the people of political subjects?

"O'Connor. The lowest societies of the union conversed
"freely of the corruption, the usurpation, and the venality of
"parliament. While I was a member of the House of Commons,
" you know the frequent conversation amongst the members
"was, how much has such an one given for his seat? From
"whom did he purchase? Has not such an one sold his brought
"Has not each lord bought it? Has not a peer so many
"Members in this House? Was not such a member with the
"lord lieutenant's secretary, to insist on some greater place or
"pension? Did not the Secretary refuse it? Has he not gone
"into the opposition? These, and such like facts, are as well
"known to the lowest classes of the union as yourselves.

"A Member of the Committee. Mr O'Connor is perfectly
"right: I have heard the lowest classes of the people talk in
"that style.

"O'Connor. The people are conscious that you are self constituted
"and not their delegates; men who have no other object
"in view but to advance your own individual interest.
"And pensioners?

"O'Connor. Exactly so

.

"Committee. What is the object of the people have in view at present.

"O'Connor. I believe they have laid by for the instant all
"idea of speculative politics, and think only how they shall
"annihilate the insupportable usurpation and cruelly of the
"British and Irish Government, and how they shall best avenge
"the blood which has been shed, and the tortures which have been
"inflicted, to support a government they detest."

Identifier: | JB/137/048/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 137.
Date_1	1820-02-14	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	137	Main Headings	radicalism not dangerous
Folio number	048	Info in main headings field	radicalism not dangerous
Image	001	Titles
Category	collectanea	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering
Penner	jeremy bentham; john flowerdew colls	Watermarks	[[watermarks::[prince of wales feathers] i&m 1818]]
Marginals		Paper Producer	arthur wellesley, duke of wellington
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1818
Notes public		ID Number	46765
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