The National Register.
London, England, 1819-12-06 00:00:00

A POLITICAL IVARNING.

The Dallis Weekly Register contains an able Review
of the Political State of Ireland, for the last thirty years,
;oldressed as a warning to Englishmen :
The article is entitled " An Address to the Constitu-
tional Englishmen," to whom it is recommened at the
present momentous crisis, as en example replete with
warning and instruction. lu its detail of the inroads
made upon the newly acquired Constitution of Ireland
down to its final overthrow, the following passages de-
rive peculiar interest front the circumstances of the pre-
sent times. " Public meetings of the people." says the
writer, " constitutionally convened to deliberate upon
grievances the most notorions and intolerable, were held
so be treason in disguise, and were dispersed or
overawed by military farce. To be the friend of free-
dom, was to be marked for public dishonour—no rank
tom integrity could save the victim t—for instance, two
popular Noblemen, the Duke of Leinster, and the Earl
of Claremont, both of them venerable from their exalted
station their years, and their tried virtues, were degraded
from their offices of Lord. Lieutenant of Counties: the
first was dismissed. the other insulted into a resignation.
lilpott the subject of military violence, I can mention
elle or two examples, which at the present moment may
seem worthy of your attention.
The town of Belfast had long taken an honourable
part in the cause of National Reform, and was regarded
as our graat northern emporium of public spirit; it
therefore became expedient to terrify and humiliate it.
In looking over the records of those tunes, I find that
•on the 15th of March, 17y3 (at a season of profound
local tranquility), four troops of dragoons having arrived
in the vicinity by different routes, galloped iuto the
centre of the town by its two opportita extremities with
their swords drawn, as if in full charge.' The account
goes on to say, that • they proceeded to attack every per-
son of every age and sex, who happened to be in the
streets.'—Would you not have supposed (without the
Slate) that the writcr was here describing your Itith of
August ? This outrage was never brought befcre the
Parliament. It was well known that any demand of
enquiry into it wool I have been aswered by ' referring
the victims to the ordinary tribunals of the country.
" At a subsequent period, a meeting at which the
I)uke of Leinster was to have presided, was publicly en.
nounced to take place in the county of Kildare, to con-
sider a petitiou to the Throne on the redtessofgrievances.
The est:nitwit before the slay of the intended assembly, a
military force with field pieces, &e. appeared in the
neighbourhood ; the Comm: Aiding Officer, on being
questioned, candidly admitted that he had positive orcera
to fire upon the p..ople. if they should persist in their
design of assembling. No public caution to that effect
having been given, a Nobleman How in Ireland, who
was to have taken a No in the proceedings of the fol-
lowing day. waited mom Mr. Pelham, the Secretary, to
ascertain the truth of so extraordinary a measure. He
found the Secretary as candid as the officer, and, in eon-
s, quietic, announcing without hiss of time to the putsli-
the atolruce which awaited them, fortunately presence
an incalculable effusion rtf h ))))) au blood. limy memory
is correct, it was for Its inielllloll of pres;ding out this
occasion that tke Duke of Leinster was degraded from
the Lord Lieutenancy of the county.
These are a few specimen. of the working of the
Pitt o -in in Ireland. The hunts of a Newspaper do
not enable the to dweU nn all its parts; upon its mis-
chievous and unnecessary suspensions of the Constitu-
tion ; the et ))))) rents powers granted to Magistrates, and
(the Met suable consequence) their enormous abuses,
followed up in due order with acts rt 4 indemnity ; its
measures of smilistary vengeance on the popular press;
its cot owl team:net. on the athiiihtistraitiou of justice; its
open encouragement of venal Sheriffs, packed juries,
spies, and ittlormers. 'l'h coolol not last without pro-
ducing couserpietiees is inch a child might hate predicted.
The people, wearied and h fllcd m their constitutional
efftiris, became impressed wok the cons »lion that
lution was more attainable titan reform, and resorted to
• c. You know the Usite."
S.icli is the Intel summary related in a subdued
tone of the real history of Ireland, upon the moral of
which st was he worth your while in yonr leisure mo-
ments to re fleet. It rightly studied it will equally deter
you from any acts of illegal violence (let all the odious oh
that renialii with your enemies), and Oil the other hand
it will want suit against the datoters of unconstitutional
apathy, or of hit ph wit reliance 011 the wisdom and 1110.
tires of the present directors of ynur destinies. Upon
this lanes point (before 2 kite duns')- a single- word.—
Not only is she same system, which reduced Ireland to
what she is, at work upon Eng.land, but some of the
;Identical into who gave tier the dea.h.blow, and who
must in consequence be impressed with a horrid confi-
dence Mite powers of the sword, ate now rii.joying rank
end authority SOWN you; after having exhibited such ta-
lents for tragic scenes upon a provincial theatre. they
have now assumed the more ambitious task of drawing
sights and :ears front an imperial audience- It may lie
1/01th your %%bile to remember this. It nay be north
your while to ask yourselves, what claims they can
have upon your confidence Wmild you intrust your
byes to the pretender whose noxious omits had aril; a
brother or a friend to the grave ? Between you and
them what constitutional sympathies can subsist lit
• whatever twat' the present contest may mid, they feel
sure of tittir rewaut—what honourable interest then
can they he supposed to take in the event 2 the same that
the ha smug vulture takes iii the issue of a figln—lit tt.escull ix
tcomoscote as. it 'nay he still hare his feast. 1).
y-tu nut livseetve titan in such men.every feeling of cows try
must he .tead ? %Vnat sympathy did they slew Mr mem
own. wowu they devoured, sill its tot sass of satiating
then rapt lit were exhausted—or Cats you Inc a inomens
doubt ii.e they ttttt st have committed. Of {let
of their ettsignitlollt Ihe very appearance
oath birds of prey upon your shores, is the dearest I.ruoi
.eksi khan they' we cloven to tom abroad, the carcass