In the Speech from the throne, her Majesty was made to say, that she observed with deep regret the very frequent instances, in which the crime of deliberate assassination had been, of late, committed in Ireland; and that it would be the duty of Parliament to consider, whether any measure could be devised, to give increased protection to life in that country.  In accordance with this striking passage in the Royal Message, Lord St. Germans, Chief Secretary for Ireland, introduced in the House of Lords, on the 23rd of February, a bill for the protection of life in Ireland, better known by the title of Coercion Bill, given to it by the liberal Irish members, and by the Irish people.  Of course it passed without difficulty, Lord Bingham, as became one of his name and blood, making a furious speech in its favour.

Strong as the Peel Cabinet had been for years, the Premier’s newly announced policy on the Corn Law question led to such a disruption of party ties, that the progress of the Coercion Bill through the Commons could not be regarded by the Government without apprehension.  When it went down from the Lords, the unusual, though not unprecedented proceeding of opposing its first reading, was had recourse to by O’Connell and his supporters.  O’Connell led the opposition in a speech of two hours, which Mr. D’Israeli calls his last speech in the House of Commons; but this is a mistake.  He spoke on the 8th of February, 1847, nearly a year after, on the famine.  It is quite possible, that Mr. D’Israeli confounds the two occasions, for the account he gives of O’Connell on the 3rd of April, 1846, was far more applicable to him in February, 1847.  Of the speech delivered on the former occasion, against the first reading of the Coercion Bill, Mr D’Israeli says:  “It was understood that the House would adjourn for the Easter recess on the 8th instant.  There were, therefore, only two nights remaining for Government business, before the holidays.  On the first of these, (Friday, April the 3rd), Mr. O’Connell had announced, that he should state his views at length on the condition of Ireland, and the causes of these agrarian outrages.  Accordingly, when the order of the day for resuming the adjourned debate was read, he rose at once, to propose an amendment to the motion.  He sate in an unusual place—­in that generally occupied by the leader of the opposition, and spoke from the red box, convenient to him, from the number of documents to which he had to refer.  His appearance was of great debility, and the tones of his voice were very still.  His words, indeed, only reached those who were immediately around him, and the ministers sitting on the other side of the green table, and listening with that interest, and respectful attention which became the occasion.  It was a strange and touching spectacle, to those who remembered the form of colossal energy, and the clear and thrilling tones, that had once startled, disturbed, and controlled senates.