The Sun.
London, England, 1852-06-12 00:00:00

THE SUN,

The Cork Exhibition has opened under the most
favourable auspices. The most sanguine anticipations
of its projectors and promoters have been fully and
completely verified. The experiment has, indeed,
been eminently successful, and there can be but little
doubt that the results will be very beneficial, not
only to the metropolis of the south and the adjoining
counties, but even to the entire of Ireland. The
gentlemen who embarked hand and heart in the un-
dertaking, sparing neither time, trouble, or expense,
have ample cause for self-gratulation at the matured
fruits of their labours. The invitations which they
addressed to the community were promptly and libe-
rally responded to. Handsome contributions flowed
in even from unexpected quarters, and ample funds
were Chi's provided. Nor were ample contributions
of another description wanting. Specimens of Irish
productions, Irish manufactures, and Irish :art, were
obtained in great abundance, and to an extent re-
quiring the erection of a spacious building for their
suitable reception. This also was provided with ex-
traordinary celerity. Two gentlemen of great archi-
tecturall experience and ability devoted their entire
time to the labour of love. Within little more than
eix weeks, Sir THOMAS DEANE and Mr. BENSON had
designed and superintended the construction of a
building admirably suited for the various purposes for
which it was required, and containing suites of spa..
cious apartments that reflected the greatest credit on
all parties engaged in their erection and decoration.
There was no flagging or procrastination. Every,
man, even to the humblest labourer employed, ap-
peared to feel as if the entire matter depended on his
individual exertions, and that the itionour of his
country was involved in the issue, and they have
hnaddeetdheir reward. Thursday, the 10th of June, was
i
" a great day for Ireland," and more espe-
cially so for the inhabitants and natives of the " beau-
tiful city" which has taken the lead in this pecu-
liarly felicitous national movement.
We have said that contributions flowed in from
many
,unexpected quarters. Mr. C. P. RONBY (for-
merly the respected secretary of the Eastern Counties
Railway Company), a gentleman who has acquired
an European reputation for his thorough practical
knowledge of the railway system, and ability
in developing traffic to toe utmost ex-
tent, lent his valuable assistance. He can-
vassed his extensive connexions earnestly end ef-
fectively, and thus obtained large pecuniary aid. But
this was by no means all or even the most valuable
portion of his exertions. Through his influence the
various railway companies in England, as well as in
Ireland, afforded every encouragement to the pro.
ject. Not only were articles intended for ex.
bibition conveyed gratuitously over the different
lines, but a system of cheap fares were prot
,jected calculated to tempt persons to visit
Ireland, and behold its natural prod actions and na-
tural beauties under the most favourable auspices.
Toe steam-packet companies co-operated in a similar
spirit. None, indeed, who could advance the great
national object were idle or apathetic. Many earned
for themselves the thanks and gratitude of the people
of Ireland, and perhaps none more so than Mr.
ittneey, to whose energetic exertions we have above
alluded.

It would be impossible to over-estimate the many
advantages that must follow from the carrying out of
tbis
cope
.culiarly felicitous ides, which was originally
""P"gl and
and his
QOll.. promulgated by Mr. :DANIEL COBETT
highly
respeln-laW, Mr. JOHN SHEA, ex-mayor, two
only excite 4 feeling and patriotic citizens. It will not
ng of emulation among Irishmen, and
tend to the fan
truer
of developmenttheir magnificent
of the wonderful natural
t capabilities
remove
country, but it will
materially serve to
the prejudices that have
heretofore existed au tmh.ove.
s side of St. Georg.A Chan-
nel, und to impress
-auties6wonf
on English notions of " Ireland and
minds.
The tourists, tempted
Leapness of tb, excur .
bthyetlhreisch"
, will view with
the harbour and
wonder and delight the ;s-
-up to its very source.
They will probably
Gieugari,fi:a lor experiment
the river,
teat the virtues of the celebrated „
Stone,"
and b3nbelors may try by ac,
Foci, will return
whether they have obtained
p ersuesive
powers said to be conferred by that highly
witbou t visiting
acending
prizA talisman.
V 7
Ireland
the magnificent scenery
the Tiepin:ire river and with th
unequalled and varied charms of Kin
' —anle Y. The
month allowed for the tc,ur will also p‘rizit av. isit to the
wild majestic mountain scenery of thelVest
and to the shores of the broad Atlantic, wht re they
will obtain views of th: mighty ocean such as bad
nEwr previously entered into their nonce ptions.
Thence they may return through the tamer bo ttutie,
ofte,gstin
thentihrleaeryneeact.
of the Shannon, and, • 1L so minde;', make a pil _
griinage to St. Patrick's purgatory in I Lough

was last evening under the consideration of the House
of Lords in Committee, and upon its bearing and
probable operation thereupon took place a somewhat
interesting discussion. Naturally enough the Peers
who spoke yesterday upon the subject expressed,
we may say unanimously, their solicitude that no in•
terference with the generous course hitherto pursued
in this respect towards foreigners by England should
be permitted, so as to prejudice the interest of those
morally guiltless unfortunates who flew to this island
from the pursuit of a relentless enemy. The anxiety
felt is that none but actual and recognised criminals
may ever be surrendered to the demand of a foreign
power after they have once eaten of our salt, and
otherwise enjoyed the privilege of our hospitality.
According to the original terms of the measure now
before the Legislature every Frenchman in this
country, as Lord CAMPBELL very justly
observed yesterday, would have been placed uncondi-
tionally at the mercy of the French Government. An
alteration, however, has been determined upon by the
as may mitigate the severity,
present Cabinet such
and possibly guard against the injustice of the pro-
posed enactment, by requiring that no party whatso-
ever shall be. given up to the authorities of the
neighbouring Republic until a certificate has been re-
ceived from
a juge d'instruction. Acknowledging
that so far the amendment, was judicious and accept-
able, the Chief Justice of England expressed
considerable hesitation in giving implicit
credence to any such certificate. Al-
though,
he said, he could not require
evidence against the party accused strictly and tech-
nically equivalent to what would be sufficient in our
law to justify his commitment, still, " unless the
Secretary of State took care to exact satisfactory
evidence that the party was one who ought to be
surrendered, England would lose its distinctive cha-
racter as affording a safe asylum for the political
refugees of all nations." An impressive warning,
coming as it does from one of the highest and one of
the most sagacious of our legal dignitaries ! An-
other remark made last evening by Lord CAMPBELL
upon the proposed measure, even when im-
proved by the suggested alteration, is eminently
entitled i,to notice, :as one illustrative in a re-
markable manner of the probable and startling ope-
ration of the Bill when transformed into an enact-
ment. " Why," said the Noble and Learned Lord,
"if the proposed convention was agreed to, and a
change of Government hereafter took place in France,
the PRINCE PRESIDENT if he took refuge in England,
might himself be given up upon a mere modal
d'arrgt, and the certificate of a juge d'instruction."
This observation of Lord CAMPBELL we take to be
one of sufficient importance to influence the ultimate
decision arrived at in this matter by the present
chieftain of the French Republican Government. The
subject is one of a character so peculiar—affecting
as it must necessarily do the future reputation
of this country for hospitality and magnanimity—
that it is most earnestly to be hoped that in the
future stages of the measure it will be subjected to a
3 et more searching examination than it has hitherto ex-
perienced. Otherwise England may possibly find,in the
end, to her dismay, that while hurrying this Surrender
of Criminals (Convention with Prance) Bill through
Parliament, she has boat the brightest jewel in her
crown, the prerogative of mercy. She may dis-
cover that she has deprived herself, through this
precipitate enactment, of the otherwise inalienable
privilege of extending the hand of clemency to the
political fugitives from the rest of the nations of
Christendom. She may perceive that through the
unexpected operation of this measure she may be
actually decoying the unfortunate into a trap by
holding out the hand of magnanimity, as she did to
NAPOLEON, and then, as in that lamentable instance,
repaying the confidence of the guest by his virtual
immolation.