JB/109/166/001

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to be conducted. Did the House recollect what
were the provisions of the Insurrection Act? Did
they recollect, that it forbade every person to be absent
from his house from sun—set to sun—rise?
Did they recollect that it established a perpetual sessions,
to which person, apprehended for a violation
of the law, might be taken, and without a grand
jury or a petty jury, on the sole opinion of the Magistrates
at those sessions acting under the influence
of the passions and the feelings of the moment,
condemned to transportation for seven
years? Such was The Insurrection Act, and the
complaint was, that the Government of Ireland
were reluctant to re—enact it. Nay the meeting
Galway had declared, that if the Irish Government
did not propose its re—enactment, they
would forfeit the confidence of the people country.
Something however had been said of a mitigated
Insurrection Act, by which persons accused of violating
it, should be tried by a jury. Now, it was
his deliberate opinion, that under the peculiar
circumstances of Ireland, it would be better to favour
the Insurrection Act with all its enormities than
this modified Act; because if Parliament were to
adopt the severe measure they would guard
against its continuances; whereas he had little
doubt that the milder measure would be rendered
permanent.

"O! gently on thy suppliant's head,
Dread Goddess! lay thy chastening hand;
Not in thy Gorgon terrors clad."

In that "benign form" he had no doubt that an
attempt would be made to render the Insurrection
Act permanent. The Honourable Mover, in laying
the grounds for his motion had spoken much of the
disturbances in Ireland. He (Mr Grant) was not informed
to that effect. By the accounts which he
had received, it appeared that Ireland was in a
state of great Tranquillity. He was never disposed to
disgrace evils and dangers; but he felt that it was
his

Identifier: | JB/109/166/001"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 109.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	109	Main Headings	Parliamentary Reform
Folio number	166	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	Collectanea	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	C5
Penner		Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	35821
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