On
the present occasion, without being severe or unkind towards the
Government, he pointed out their shortcomings and mistakes with regard
to the Irish crisis. Speaking for himself and the party with whom he
acted, he said: "We shall be prepared to give our calmest and best
attention to any measures her Majesty's ministers may be prepared to
bring forward as remedies for that destitution which unhappily exists.
But, sir, at the same time, we must be expected to deal frankly with the
conduct of ministers, and whilst we are not disposed to say that
ministers acted wrongly in declining to call Parliament together, not
disposed to censure them for having overridden the law, and suspended
the duties of the legislature itself, we are disposed to say, that the
measures to which they have had recourse are not those to which we can
altogether agree. It is impossible to view the operation of their
poor-employment Act, and say that it has answered any good purpose." He
held strongly the opinion, that the Government should have supplied food
to the people, at least in remote districts, where it could not be
otherwise procured. On this point he thus expressed his sentiments:
"With respect to the supply of food to the people he, for one, cannot
agree altogether in those principles of political economy which had been
advanced by the Right Hon.
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