The Press. — London, England, 1856-03-01 00:00:00

W i I I ■ 194 termination of Lord DERBY'S Cabinet. So dark a passage is not to be found in the poli tics of the last hundred years. We shall, aided by the revelations of JOHN SADLEIR, place upon record facts not to be forgoUsw Paths mentary history, interleaved with the Newgate Calendar, is a literary legacy bequeathed by the Coalition Cabinet. At the general election of 1847, two candi dates were returned for Carlow and Athlone, each destined to obtain invidious notoriety. One was Mr. JOHN SADLEIR, an attorney prac tieing at Dublin, and the other was Mr. WILLIAM KEOGH, now her Majesty's Attorney- General for Ireland. Little was known of either of them in England, but the Dublin correspondent of the Times of Thursday truly states that " long before Mr. SADLEIR left his " native country for England, his professional " character was cone of the highest." For the first three years of their political progress the Members for Carlow and Athlone hung loosely on the skirts of party. SADLEIR professed to be a "Liberal," but he attacked the Whig Cabinet, while he affected to despise the " agitators" of the Roman Catholic connection. Though both appeared to vacillate about their intentions, the Members for Carlow and Athlone gravitated towards each other by some law Of affinity. Each seemed to appreciate highly the qualities of the other, and they were often noticed together They attracted con siderable notice by their avowed intention to become " leaders " in Irish politics. Their 'apparent presumption gave great annoyance to older representatives from Ireland, and the late Mr. SHELL was foremost in deriding them. When asked what might be the supposed amount of their estates, Mr SHELL answered, " They are Irish estates in themselves, for " they have many encumbrances ; they are " openly for sale, and they can find no buyers " The saying was more pungent than prophetic. The twain found—patrons, and attained an in fluence, and reaped gains, beyond their wild est dreams. Up to the close of 1850 the Members for Carlow and Athlone had produced no positive effect; but after Lord Jons RUSSELL'S Durham Letter, the Whig Romanists were denounced in Ireland, and JOHN SADLEIR and Mr. WILLIAM KEOGH, by having seats in the House of Fom mons, turned the crisis to great personal ac count. SADLEtahad friends, also, in the " City." One of the Scully family, fifty years since, had married advantageously in England, and SAD LEIR, aided by his receiverships over several estates in Chancery, resolved to work his " City" connection. The chapter of accidents appeared to decide in their favour, and the adventurers determined to form " a party." The Brass Band was organised. Jons SAD LEIR became its financier and " capitalist; " Mr. WILLIAM KEOGH appointed himself its orator and auxiliary-general, and they chose Mr. EDMUND O'FLAHERTY for their " whip." They held meetings, set up newspapers, and, countenanced unfortunately by some influen tial persons, they pursued a course in the session of 1851 which made the "year of the Exhibition" far from creditable in Parlia mentary annals. Debates were turned into Irish riots. A club at the IVest-end was chosen for their place of private council. Sir JOHN DEAN PAUL (the coincidence is singular) had founded a club many years ago, and at one time JOHN SADLEIR was its only M.P. The Member for Athlone soon afterwards dignified it by his senatorial presence. and we see it stated in the current publications for the summer of 1851—" Last week sixteen Irish Members of the Sadleir-Keogh party were " admitted into the Erectile= Club." Under that infliction the club rapidly collapsed. P - founded i SADLEIR and his friends .851, there occurred a in the fortunes of xers. Them was a Cation of the county of RICE POWER," who sat Tests, spoke and voted the Birch debate of rewarded for his corn doted Governor of St. seat the Brass Band PAUL founded it; SADLf sunk it. in the same year, 18: •in qataxisna4able inciden eat' adventui i • Tepresentu '••••• • nEtor MAUR ,at:oof the prig , • WNDON in • gor he was r • .• v.; r r • 12,. appoi vacated • - THE PRESS. put up Mr. VINCENT SCULLY, the relative and intimate friend of JOHN SADLEIR; and Mr. WILLIAm KEOGH went to Cork to advocate his claims. A report of .11 those election pro ceedings is before tie, and we observe that it was wits difficulty tbst Mr. WILLIAM KEOOM could and a hearing. The Brass Band sought to crush the claims of Mr. ALEXANDER NPCARTRY, a kentlemaa of fortune and honour. The friends of Ur. WCARTHY made serious imputations on the political probity of the new " leaders." It was then that Mr. \VrLLiAM KEOGH made his awful declaration, " Until the " demands of the universal people of Ireland " 'Tenant Right and Religious Equality) be " conceded, so help me God. I never will take " Office." JOHN SADLEIR,Iso, was at that Cork election, and canvassed in all directions fur his kinsman Mr V. SCULLY, who had specu lated in land in that county, but was not con nected with it otherwise. The Brass Bund succeeded. They boasted that one of them selves was M.P. for the county of Cork, and they returned to the House of Commons more arrogant and insolent than before. In the meanwhile, it is right to state that the greatest distrust was shown in Ireland towards the Sadleir-Keogh connection. "Who " was JOHN SADLEIR ?" was often asked; and even to this day it is difficult to get any data where SADLEIR came from. The name is not Irish, and the Protestants of Tipperary dis claim any knowledge of the antecedents of his race. In the Roman Catholic politics of Ire land, for the last forty years, neither the name of SADLEIR nor KEOGH is seen. Neither the Whig Romanists, nor Mr. O'CONNELL and the Agitators, ever received help from them; and it is not surprising that such persons were often characterised in language which there is no necessity for reprinting. They had, however, up to a certain point made a show of success, and nothing contri buted to advance them more than the fatal patronage given to them by certain followers of the late Sir Reeetrt PEEL. It was a public calamity, and a grave political scandal, that politicians of long experience should have allowed themselves to be deceived by auda cious adventurers from Ireland. For it is vain to deny the complicity of certain persons with having given a most exaggerated Mau ence to JOHN SADLEIE, EDMUND O'FLAHERTY, and Mr. Wirusm KEOGH. Let us remind our readers of what is proved before Parliamentary committees to have actually taken place. Lord DERBY had dissolved Parliament in the summer of 1e52. So straitened even then for pecuniary resources were these Irish leaders, that EDMUND O'FLAHERTY had to write a "pri vate " circular letter to certain noblemen and gentlemen, soliciting their subscriptions towards the expenses of Mr. WILLIAM KEOGH'S election fur the small borough of Athlone I It was, indeed, a startling revelation of the credit of the new Irish leaders that Mr. WILLIAM KEOGH, a candidate for political office, could not pay his own expenses. Still more start hug is it that he should have selected En• MUND O'FLAHECTY for his " Solicitor-General," for he was even then calculating how soon he might become " her Majesty's " Second Law Officer in Ireland ! At the general election JOHN SADLEIR and Mr. WILLIAM KEOGH boasted loudly of their influence " with high people in England," and vilified the Whigs as much as Sir JAMES GRAHAM could have desired. SADLEIR Was returneti for Carlow borough, and he set up his own brother for the county of Tipperary. His relations, the Messrs. SCULLY, were also chosen for the counties of Tipperary and Cork ; and another of the fmily—Mr. ROBERT KEAT ING—was elected for the county of Waterford. EDMUND O'FLAHERTY tried for Dungarvon, and, luckily for the honour of the borough, it re• jected him. With the aid of the English money of his Peelite patrons Mr. WILLIAM KEOGH was chosen for Athlone. Still, even then. many of the Roman Catho lics of Ireland exhibited the greatest distrust of JOHN SADI.EIR and his allies. Another solemn declaration was Uxacted from them The late Mr. FREDERICK LUCAS went to Athlone specially to observe Mr KEOGH'S conduct Then and there, in the summer of 1852, Mr. WILLIAM KEOGH solemnly declared that, though all those of his party were to turn Whigs, he SATURDAY, would never cross the floor of the House until certain measures were made Cabinet ques tions. " I am perfectly satisfied nose," s a id Mr. LUCAS. Little did be know with whom he had to contend. It here deserves special notice that JOHN SADUEIH, at his election dieuer for Carlow, in July, Wit threw out the Int hints of a Coali tion. He said that he believed that " from " Irish popular member; an adequate official " representation of Ireland could easily be " secured." and he extolled the qualities of some of his allies. Then, again, alarm was taken by Roman Catholic prelates and priests, who feared that they would be " sold," and that the great " Irish Independent Party" would be decomposed. Their fears were laughed at. " Look," it was answered, "at " the solemn oath of Mr. KEOGH at Cork, and " his speech at Athlone, vowing that, he would " never cross the House to the Whigs." The hints of SADI.EIR, clearly expressed, are of more importance, as it was put about at that time that certain austere intriguers on this side of the Channel were secretly planning a coalition between the Peelites and the Whig families. The Peelites had official expe• rience, but few supporters. They resolved to use "the Irish Independent Party" as a reserve. Nothing was, however, said in public until Lord DERBY'S Parliament assembled, when it was whispered that the Coalition was already made between the Whigs, the Peelites, and the Sadleir-Keogh party from Ireland How it was possible to bring the latter into action was a theme for wonder, until the official list of Lord AsEnoEEs's Ministry was published. JoHN SADLEIR, the second-lass Dublin attorney, " whose professional reputation was " none of the highest," was made the patronage Lord of the Treasury. Mr. WILLIAM KEOGH, who could not afford to pay his expenses at Athlone, was appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland, and EDMUND OTLAHERTY was ap pointed one of the two Income-tax Commis sioners for Ireland ! The annuls of political scandal contain nothing like this simple record of facts, stated without colour, or without distortion. There is not a statement we have made that can be traversed. We wish that we could stop there. When the news went forth that Jolts SAD LIEIR and Mr. WILLIAM liEoon had drawn such splendid prizes, the astonishment was great. " What reliance," it was asked indignantly, " could be placed on the personal honour of " men who broke every pledge, violated every " assurance, and scoffed at every feeling of " political honour?" When SADLEIR showed himself at Carlow he was received with shouts of execration. Gold was lavished in vain, and the Roman Catholics chose in preference its present Member, a Conservative and Protes tant. He then stood for Sligo, and was returned in opposition to the nominee of Lord PALMERSTON. the proprietor of the town. "The Duke of NEWCASTLE'S candidate" won but Lord PALMERSTON gave a graphic descrip tion of the means taken to insure success by telling the House of Commons that the priest canvassed for SADLEIR with a double-barrelled gun and a great mob There is one characteristic fact which must not be omitted. The Peelites all went out of office together; Lord St. GER MANS resigned, together with Sir JAMYS GRAHAM, and Mr. BREWSTER gave up the Attorney-Generalship of Ireland. Mr. IN ILLIAM KEOGH, of "So help me God " notoriety , vaulted into the Attorney-Generalship of Ire land; and if venerable Irish judges be removed from the Bench, Mr. WILLIAM KEOGH IS to be appointed one of the Queen's judges! The fate of all these parties is singuln!'• O'FLAHERTY was a shameless forger. and !f caught would be a convict for life. SADLEIR own pen has recorded to " what a depth "t infamy" the Lord of the Treasury descended. STONoR, a client of the Duke of NEWCASTLE, was degraded from the AastraliAn Bench for his bribery in the borough of Sligo, rePre: rented by SADLEIR, and Mr. KEOGH still aspires to a seat on the Irish Bench. Such were the persons privileged to addresa , confidentially" my dear Duke of Newca stle. "my dear Sir James," and other eminent