ave heard this story a
thousand times repeated, and as often refuted, 'that the starving
peasantry of Ireland are purchasing arms with which to commence an
outbreak in that country.' Sir, I do not believe one word of any such
representation. I can only express my great surprise that, with the
people starving by thousands--with such accounts as we have read during
the last two days, of ten dead bodies out of eleven found lying unburied
in one cabin; of seven putrid corpses in another; of dogs and swine
quarreling over, and fighting for the dead carcasses of Christians; of
the poor consigned coffinless to their graves, and denied the decencies
of Christian burial, that the price of the coffin saved might prolong
for a few days the sufferings of the dying, I, Sir, for one, _look with
amazement at the patience of the Irish people_."

He solemnly promised the House, that if they allowed this Bill to pass,
and that the Irish people could have good food and good clothing, he
would answer for their loyalty. "I, the Saxon," concluded the noble
lord, "with my head, will answer for the loyalty and the honour of the
Irish people. Yes, Sir, I, the Saxon, will lead them, through their
wants fulfilled--their wishes gratified--their warm sympathies and
grateful hearts--not to sever but to cement the union with England."
Loud and prolonged cheering greeted this peroration.

When Lord George had concluded his masterly statement, the Prime
Minister rose and complimented him on his zealous desire to benefit the
people of Ireland, but at the same time declared that the Government did
not think employment on the construction of railways the best suited to
meet the general distress in that country; he did not deny that there
would be a permanent benefit, but with such extreme destitution
existing, he did not think it wise to devote L16,000,000 to the
promotion of railways, as such an expenditure would check the outlay
that was, at the moment, necessary for the support of the people. He
would not oppose the first reading of the bill, but announced his
determination to resist its further progress. After an animated
discussion, in which Mr. Bernal Osborne, Mr. Roebuck, Alderman Thompson,
Mr. Hume, Smith O'Brien, Mr. John O'Connell and Henry Grattan took a
part, the bill was read a first time, and the 11th of February fixed for
the second reading.

The Government had made up their mind to oppose Lord George Bentinck's
bill. But seeing that he