The Express.
London, England, 1846-12-02 00:00:00

REPEAL ASSOCIATION.

The usual weekly meeting of the association was held to-
day in Conciliation Hall. ANIIILOSE SULLIVAN, Esq.,
Solicitor, was called to the chair.
Mr. SULLIVAN, who has just been elected a member of
the Town Council, aide .weed the meeting upon the subject
of the recent Municipal Elections, and contended that con-
trary to the statement in the Nation, the influence of Mr.
O'Connell had proved paramount at those elections.
Mr. O'CONNELL noticed the same subject, and re-
ferred to the recent dinner at the Stephen's Green Club,
which had been urged as an evidence of his having given up
Repeal. The fact was, that he had refused to attend a
dinner at the club, which had been offered to himself as a
personal compliment, because repeal of the Union would not
be given, whereas the late dinner at that club was a house
dinner, and he could not assume to impose a toast on any
gentleman at a dinner of that nature. Mr. O'Connell then
read a letter from the Roman Catholic Dean of
Clonmel, bearing very heavily upon the Young
Ireland party, and he moved its insertion on the
minutes. He proceeded to say that he had no doubt the
people would adhere to him—to him who had never led
them into any peril or subjected them to any penalty. He
believed the people would not abandon him to join the United
Irish party—he meant the Irish Phalanx. He had called
them by mistake the former name; a term not quite as in-
applicable as it was inaccurate.
Ties AccouriTa.—Mr.O'Connell, referring to the accounts,
stated that they hadnow been audited for the tenth time. The
books, which were moot accurately kept, were open to the
inspection of anybody who chose. The vouchers were all
authenticated and signed, and the balance struck ; he was
sorry to say the balance was against the aksociation and in
his favour ; the association owed him the sum of 97/. 103 9d.
This, he repeated, was the tenth audit, and Mr. Ray was
prepared to open the books to any member of the association.
Mr. O'Connell again referred to the attack upon him in
the Times, and charged it with having suppressed a fact to
graft a lie upon it ; he had shown that the suppression on
which that lie was founded was its own—it kept out of its
report his contradiction, that the pauper tenantry were
and then charged him with not denying it. He had showed
by the reports that he had denied it. Well, did the Times
since make any reparation? Not at all ; there was still the
lie upon its pager-but that was quite worthy of the Times.
After a short discussion on other subjects, Mr. O'Connell
rose and said, their solemn and permanent duty was to do
something to work out the repeal. They were there as re-
pealers—as uncompromising rcpealers—and though circum-
stances had tended to divert them, still disregarding them,
they should direct themselves to working out the repeal.
Well ; what were their prospects, and what their resources
to work out repeal ? Their prospects were terrible—the cry of
famine was upon the wild winds of heaven. Why
were they so wretched? The crop failed last year in
Belgium, but now plenty smiled over the land. They opened
the ports there at once to every nation, for the importation of
corn. They ought to have done the same in Ire!and. And if it
should please Heaven to add to that affliction they now suf-
fered, the additional rigour of the continuance of the frost,
which had now set in at an unusually early period, it was
frightful to contemplate the consequences. How could he
account for the different prospects of Belgium and Ireland
under a similar infliction? He did so by the Union. He
didn't say the Union made the crops fall ; but he did say that
the Union left this country less remunerative power, and
less able to bear the infliction. Every year one-fourth of the
p
people were, for a ortion
Union of the year in waut—this
after forty-sm years of ; to this 'periodical want has
been added this infliction, and the whole country was a scene
of famine. Mr. O'Connell contended that this was an evi-
dence that the Union did not benefit Ireland. Then he had
the evidence of Mr. Pitt and Lord Clare, that Ireland
was prosperous before the Union, and had advanced so as no
other country had ever done. That was under a corrupt
parliament. How much more would it advance under an
Irish parliament? Was that the condition of the country
since the union ? What did Lord Devon say. [Here the
hon. gentleman quoted the description of the state of Ire-
land when famine was not abroad, and which is so well
known.) That was their own report—the report of their
own friends, and that the condition of the people after forty-
six years of union. The hon. and learned gentleman ad-
verted to other reports descriptive of the condition of Ire-
land made at various times, and to the struggle for political
privileges, and asked, was it not wonderful that the English
press, which was never tired of finding causes for the misery
of Ireland, should never once advert to the real cause, the
Union ? And what Irishman would refuse to joist for the
repeal of it ? But they could not ask any one to join
them unless they could point out to them the
means of success. They had made great advances
when dissensions broke out. It was the usual curse
of Ireland. They not only separated but abused them and
vilified them. Was it not an evidence that the opposition
was wrong when they had every Tory with them. Was
there a single Tory with old Ireland ? And then with the
Tories and Orangemen at their aide they ask the shrewd
people of Ireland to believe that they are the only true and
honest repeaters. (Laughter.) Dir. O'Connell then again
adverted to the principle involved in the secession, and the
different means by which old and young Ireland
sought Repeal. He read the resolutions on which the aro-
ciation was based, which repudiated violence, or any viola-
tion of any law of man or ordinance of God. The Young
Irelanders came in under that principle, and how could
they now pretend to justify their secession ? They could
not be justified. And were not peaceful and moral means
sufficient ? Was there not Catholic emancipation, Reform,
Abolitim of Slavery, the Repeal of the Corn-laws—and
how, then, could they pretend it was not sufficient ? But
when did physical force succeed ? Let them show him an
instance. So far were they from force or offence to any,
that they did not even illumine a single window at the time
they gamed Emancipation, or light a single bonfire. But
the Young Irelanders now bowed to what he deemed a
beastly idol ; for, in the last Nation, in an article headed
by a quotation from Sydney Smith, physical force hawed
avowed and the dissension was now complete and irrepar-
able. The people had to choose between the two. lie asked
nothing of sympathy for my years, or recollection of
my services ; but I ask you, as if I asked every
man in Ireland—Are you for physical or moral
force ? (Shouts of " For moral force.") You are right
nlpdaed

had pledged his legal reputation to that opialun ; had any
I
man put his name to a different opinion ? not one. MT-
' O'Connell then adverted to the assumed name of Phalanx.
stud to the assertion of the Nation that the French Ph.'hulx
had prepared the way ter " the three days of July, 185.1."
Well Is hat was that Phalanx ? Every man of them was
infidel; and the glorious mob of July celebrated their first
victory by burning the library of the Archbishop of Paris.
What an act for a literary Phalanx and its abettors ! (Cheers
and laughter.) But what chance had the Nation Phalanx
of obtaining the support of the people ? What chance of the
Catholic hishopsni treland ? They boasted that they had
two priests. Why 'they opposed the bishops ; they sup-
ported the Mortmain clause in the Bequest Act ;'they sup,
ported the Infidel Colleges Bill, which was condemned by
the resolutions of the bishops. So far were they front the
bishops' support. And for the second order of clergy,
would they join them ? Why nine-tenths of the
second order had subscribed sham the secession. There was
a story in Ossian of a man who was placed upon the roof of a
church at one end, with a sheaf of wheat at the other,
and a needle in the centre, condemned to live for seven years
on all the wheat blown from the sheaf through the eye of the
needle. The Young Irelanders would get no more priests
in seven years than that man would corn through the eye of
the needle. But would the shrewd Irish people join them?
(Cries of" No, no.") No they would not be shrewd if they
did. Would the Irish Protestant landlords join them?
Which of them wished to transfer hie estate to a writer in
the Nation? Yet physical force meant confiscation. They
would not bare the Protestant clergy with them ; and he
bore testimony to the anxious humanity of the Protestant
clergy of the south lin the present year and the last. They
would have difficulty enough to keep order. He saw with
alarm that the people were arming in the south; he could not
trace it to the Young Irelanders; but wee it not certain that
every man who listened to them would ge at once and buy a
musket? Be came there to inquire what was to Do done
for Ireland. In the first place, they would have a bill to
secure the tenants' improvement. There were eleven others
he would not go through. But what could they do for re-
peal? At the neat meeting of the corporatiou he would
move a discussion upon repeal in the corporation, as
was done four years ago. In the next session he was to
bring the question of the effects of the union upon Ireland
before parliament; and in every corporation he would en-
deavour to have discussions upon repeal before parliament
I assembled. Let each corporation notice the effect of the
union upon its own locality ; and he hoped they would rally
round them many men who now were opposed through igno-
rance or prejudice. The hon. gentleman concluded a speech
of unusual length by a peroration of considerable beauty,
and sat down amidst the loudest bursts of applause, after
moving that the committee take measures to have discussions
upon repeal in every Liberal corporation in Ireland.
Some subscriptions were then handed in, after which the
repeal rent wu announced to be 461. 14s. 5d., after which the
meeting adjourned.
Ma. Satin O'BRIEN ON IRISH TENURES. —We now
present extracts from Mr. Smith O'llrien's second letter
to the landed proprietors of Ireland :

In reviewing the Manifestations of opinion which the prevent exi-
gency has called forth, it appears to me that there has been too great
a disposition to place reliance upon none one specific remedy, instead
of seeking minty in a variety of remedial measures, all of which would
co-operate by converging influences to absorb the unemployed labour
of the country. It also seems to toe that the expedience co pre-
serving the labouring classes from the demoralisation attendant upon
the system of pauper labour has not been sufficiently appreciated
either by the government, or by those who guide public opinion.
Assuming that it be possible that a meeting of Irish lanelloniti may
take place early in January, and that to a committee of intelligent
men !hall be delegated, by such a meeting, the task of maturing, for
the consideration of parliament, measures appicable to the
present circumstances of Ireland, I shall venture, by way of
anticipation, to suggest • series of proposals, which, if sanc-
tioned by the legislature, would tend to atimuLete the em-
ployment of independent labour, and at the rime time greatly to
augment our national resources. I begin with the anhject of
tenure : • • • In nine cams out of ten the Irish landlord
is either unable or unwilling to apply capital to the improvement of
his estate. Hence, we perceive that in almost every part of Ireland
the land is only half cultivated, whilst the labouring.ci.ouca are only
halt employed. Yet it not unfrequently happens that the tenant who
occupies unimproved land, pommies money which in lying idle in •
bunk, or la lent to some neighbour upon very questionable security.
The improvement and cultivation of the roil would fully occupy the
whole population, if every acre were rendered productive to the ut-
most of its capability. Yet, ut the present moment, above 150,utre1
of the labouring dance are employed upon made, not a
few of which are unnecessary, by means of funds borrowed
upon the mortgage of your estates. • • • You let land
at a rent which represents its yearly value in a Plate of partial cultiva-
tion. If by meant' of draining, or other improvement, your tenant is
enabled to give an humped value to your state, nurely it is )(tat
that be should receive conipenriatiou fur such iniproseun nt in the
event of his removal, other/rim you take from him that u hich in
equity belongs not to you but to him. In reference to an eviltable
adjustment between landlord and tenant, a sense of interest reinforces
the claims of duty. • • • 1 will not deny that it is a task
of considerable difficulty to frame such an enactment as shell protect
at the same time the just rights both of landlord and tenant. Min
task has already Naffed the skill of two English statesmen. The bine
of Lord Stanley and of Lord Lincoln have been repudiated by
all parties as delusive and impracticable. • • • After
much consideration, I am inclined to give a pnit,..n...e to the plan of
a simple arbitration between landlord and tenant, enforced by a right
of proems In the court of the asaistant-barrister for the amount of
minimisation awarded by the arbitrators. • • • The
principle of a tenant's compensation bill may, with great advantage,
be extended to the relation between landlords who are tenants
for life, and those who are entitled to the reversion of their
estates. • .• • It is generady admitted that permanency
of tenure tends Went:mirage the application of melte' to the improve-
ment of land and of buildings. There are some, indeed, who have
been led to doubt the expediency of granting long leases, by having
observed that, in many cares, them who have obtained bene-
ficial teams daring the last century were induced to cub-
let their farms in small dlvialorsi, at an enormous profit,
to a wretched clam of nattier., and to live upon the profit
rent as indolent middlenien, rather than to betake theineelven
to the actual cultivation and improvement of the roil. I apprehend,
however, that the result would base been very different if the tenure
had been perpetual instead of terminable. • • • When the
tenure is perpetual, it is the intermit of the tenant, not only to main-
tain the inheritance unimpaired, but also to increase its permanent
value to the utmost • • • The laws of entail ut prevent in-
terpose impedimenta which greatly check the creation of such per-
manent tenures. • • • Many of you have reason to desire
that the policy of creating perpetual tenures should be carried into
effect to the greatest lorw4ilk, extent. A very large proportion of the
estates of Ireland are held upon lessee for liver renewable for ever.
Is there any posassor of this description of property who has
not felt the inconvenience and insecurity which is now con-
nected wit'. this deseription of tenure! • • • Another
session ought not to be allowed to elapse without the enactment of a
law framed with a view to effect this commutation of tenure.
• • • Much satisfaction and aceommodston would be

afforded to the proprietors of ma'am leas than fee Ample, if they
were allowed, with the sanction of a court of law, to make
exchanges of property under circunuttancee which render such u
thin; desirable. • • • The Last topic to which I chat
claim your attention in this letter is theexpediency of augmenting the
fe number of estates held in e simple. • • • Every per-
son who has thought or written upon our nodal condition, has
observed that great evil remits from the circumatance that the land
of Ireland is pomecied by a very small number of proprietors, and
that of these propriekim a very large proportion are
ro much crippled by ineurnbrances an to be ineapahle of
performing the duties which belong to the poavesion of
property. The occurrenm of the present year are about to bring
to a minis the condition of embarrawied proprietor,. If they continue
to cling tenaciously to the nominal poermaion of estates, the usufruct
of which belongs fur the wont part to others, they will inevitably km
the remnant which is now left to them. Taxation for the relief of the
poor moot nee/curtly lead to thin mutt. M ith reference to this sub-
*t, I may observe that, although a very earnest advocate of a good
cyutem of poor-laws, I have always contended that mortgagees, an-
nuitants, and other incinnbraneenx ought to be compelled to eantri-
bate their fair proportion to the alliesoment raised for the relief of the
poor. • • • Let on take an example whieli, I fear, will
represent the condition of a very large claw of the landW proprIMOIA
of Ireland. Out of a tents' of 3,000 f. per annum, 2,0001. in paid
annually to mortgagees and other incumbrantens. There remains,
therefore, only a surplus of 1,0001. per annum to the nominal
poreemor. This residue is at present subject to the expense of oollec-
lion, and to all the casualties which affect the whole estate.
Superadd to these deductions a hes' y amount of taxation calculated
not upon the nett, but upon the gtoto income of the proprietor, and
you will perceive that if he be not utterly ruined he will at leant pay
a very extravagant price for indulging in the vanity of calling himself
the landlord of an rotate of 3,0 W. per annum. }low much more
respectable would be his pmition if he were the actual nommen' of an
unencumbered estate of I,oooe per annum, subject to the liabilities of
such an income, rather than to avower an estate three times. eaten-
NOV. • • • liedead of the circuitous and capenaire pro-
cess by which an eatate cnow brought to sale for the discharge of
iocumbrances, the proprietor should be allowed to apply to a
court of law in the simplest piesible manner, for Items to
sell portions of hie mute sufficient to diecharge ineutn-
trances In the order of their priority. By bringing into
the market detached portions of large ',dates, under circumstances
favourable to their tole, opportunities will be afforded to those who
are povemed of a moderate amount of capital to become purchasers
of small sectiems of land. In some cases, the occupying tenantry
would become the purchasers; in others, flit. mortgagees; others,
again, the younger children of a family would accept sections of the
family estate in lieu of the respective charges upon it. By such a di-
vision of estates, many important sat ial benefits would be attained
without any violation of the rights of property; and even in those
eases in which the beetlon of land put up for sale may fall into the
hands of a wealthy purcharer,himaelf the proprietor of a large estate, a
greidadvantage will have been attained by transferring Its poweseion
from a proprietor who is unable to teeter its remounts, to one who
can command the capital necessary for improving ita cultivation, and
ameliorating the condition of its occupying tenantry. A abort bill
woo Introduced at the close of last session, by Mr. Morgan John
O'Connell, to (militate the sale of land for the discharge of imam-
brances. Ido not profess to be able to judge whether it la entirely
free from objectioe ; but its provisiona appear to me to be well calcu-
lated to serve as a bonds for a future act of parliament.