The National Register.
London, England, 1814-08-28 00:00:00

IRELAND.

A long charge by Justice Fletcher to the Grand Jttry ot the t. onnty
published. In adverting to the
of Wexford, in Ireland, has been
causes of the real evils of that country, he says—
" First—The extraordinary rise: of I Ind, oec.ssioned by the great and
increasing demand 'or the necessaries of life, and by producing Loge
prollis to the possessors of farms, excited a proportionate avidity tot
acquiring or renting lands. H-nce extravagant rents have been bid tot
landa, without any great consideration ; and I have ',elm these two cir-
cum•tances operating upon each other like cause and eff rt—t he c use
producing the elkct ; and the elffct, by re-action, producing the cause.
Next—the country has been deluged ha an enormous paler currency,
which has generated a new crime, now prominent upon the list, in
every calendar—the crime of making and uttering torgel Bank-notes.
In every province we have seen private Banks failing, and ruining
modes, and thus have fresh mischiefs flowed from this paper circula-
tion. In the next place, the country hasaecna magistracy, over Active
in some instances, and quite supi! e h oth rs. This circumstance has
materially affected the administration of the laws in Ireland In this
respect I have found that those societies. called Orange Societies, hive
produced most mischievous effects; and particularly in the North of
I relan.i. They poison the very fountains of justice ; and even soma
Magistrates, tinder their influence, have, in too many instances, viola.
ted their duty and their oaths. Ido not hesitate to say, that all As-
sociations, of every description In this country, whether of Orangemen
or Ribboninen— whether distinguished by tiie colour of Orange or of
Crean—all combinations or persons, bound to each other (by th.- obli-
gation of an oath) in a league for a common pttrp endmgering t Iv!
peace of the country. 17protiounce them to be contrary to law : and
should it ever come before me to decide upon the question, 1 snail nut
hesitate to eti.l up bills of indictment to A Grand Jury against the in.
dividuala, members of such •an association, wherever I can find the
charge property sustained. In the north of Ireland, these listurbera
of the public peace, who assume filename of Orange Yecrn-n, frequent
the fairs and markets, with atolls in their hands, under the prete,a:e
self-defence, or of protecting the public peace, but with the lurking
view ot inviting the attacks from Or,: kibbonmen, conflden! that, armed
as they ate, the) must overcome defenceless opponents, and put them
down. Mordera have be.Nireptatedly perpetrated upon such occa-
sions; ant though legal proiecittions have ensued, yet, such have
been tltchaneful conaequencea f. 4 those factious associations, that, un.
der their influence, P ity juries have declined (upon !Mile ociehion,)
to do their duty. These facts 'lapie fallen under my own view. It
was sufficient to say, such a man displayed such a colour, to proliKe
an otier dishclief of his testimony ; or, when anoliter.has brood with
his hand at the bar, the display of his party badge has mitigated the
murder into manslaogliter. 1 do emphatically state it as my settled
opinion, that until those associations are tactually put down, and the
arms takeu trout their hands, in vain will the north of I rclical expect
tranquillity or peace.

" Gentlemen—That moderate pittance which the MO rents !eave
to the poor peasantry, the large county assessments nearly take font
them : roads are frequently planned and made, not for the ~eneral ad-
vAntage of the county., but to suit the particular views ot a neighbour-
iug landholder, at the public expenee. Such abuses :hake the very
foundation of. the 14w—they ought to be checked Super:at-I,lrd to
thole chiefs, are the permanent and occasional absentee landlords,
resining in -Another counts, not known to their tenantry, but by their
a eats, who exact the uttermost penny of the value ot the land. If a
lease happens to fill in, they let the farm by public auction to the
highest bidder. No gratitnde tnr past services—no preference of the
'fair othr—no predilection for the ancient tenantry, (be they ever so
deserving), hut, it the highest price be not acceded to. the depooulation
of au entire tract of country ensues. What, then, is the wr.stclied
peasant to do ? Chased from the spot where he had first driiwn his
breath, where he had first seen the light of Heaven, incapable of pro.
curing any other mans of existence ; vexed with tho•e ex:4o os I
have enumerated, and harrassed by the payment of tithes, can we be
surprised that a peasant, ot unenlightened mind, i t uneduca:ed habits,
should rush upon the erpetration of crimes, fulowed by ti.e pueish-
mew oft he rolie, and the gibbet ? Nothing (as the peasant' in line)
r..tmains for them. thus harr.issed, and thusdestitute, hut w ithii strong
Ilan.: to deter the strange, f.oin intruding up n the farm- ; t
tort from tiv! weakness and terrors of their landloros (tr m wit se gra-
t tude or good feelings they have failed to win it) a kind of preference
fi r their ancient tenantry. To tln.se scv,!ral causes of dth urnancc, we
may add ctrtain moral causes. There has existed an ancient con exion,
solitary m its nature, between the Ca! noiic pastor and his ck.
Thts connexion ha• been often, with cry little retlection.invoglnd
cainst by t•.,, se who Lail themselves friends to the Consult:coon la
Church and State."

Here his Lord'strio remarked, that this connexion had lately been
near!) flet.truyed, alit! tit ,t an abandottiltent of all religious tecliiig was
followed by a total disregard tor the sd:ictiq st oaths, whkh had'
. .
ceav d to be bindiug, except whore they
(ot the tames.

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Klministercd to tlw passions
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