The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-06 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, WEDNESDA Y.—The Belfast Mercury, a
thoroughly Liberal journal, in the course of some re-
marks, deprecating the interference of the Romsn Ca-
tholic clergy at the late elections, points to ether panics
who were by no means free from blame upon the same
score:--

" If we are called," says the Mercury, " to notice in
terms of condemnation the political interference of the
priests in other parts of Ireland, let us not overlook the
tact that we have had some of our clergymen in the
north enacting no inconsiderable part in the struggle
through which we have passed. Let us not forget, that
we have had appeals, again and again, to Presbyterian
feeling and Presbyterian prejudice; and, if rev. men,
who have been active in the electioneering contest, exer-
cised their spiritual influence less than their Roman
Catholic brethren in the south, we will perhaps not err
very much in supposing that this may be safely at-
tributed to the fact, that their powers are more cir-
cumscribed. We have all heard or read of the exhibi-
tion of Dr. Cooke, the paid distributor of the Royal
largess among his brethren, and the endowed lecturer
upon that new science invented for his peculiar
advantage, and called by the name of " Sacred
Rhetoric' that exhibition which the well-pen-
sioned divine made, when he was brought forward, on
the occasion of the late election for Antrim, and when
he perverted the hustings into' a sectarian platform, stir-
ring up the passions of his auditors. If the bolts which
that meek apostle hurls are less dreaded than those of
the thundering Jupiter of Tuam, the fault is not his.
If the lightnings of his wrath are less blighting than
those of Dr. M'Hale, his weakness, not his will, is the
cause; and if he does not carry his terrors so freely into
the next world, it is not assuredly from any disinclina•
tion to play the spiritual ruler to the uttermost. But,
he does all he can; and even when there was no oppo-
sition, and appeals to sectarian animosity and factious
rancour were quite needless for any purpose in band, the
political divine did not the less indulge his sectarian and
Party feelings. Such performances, no matter on what
aide they
duct on
appear, were better dispensed with; and, it
People Protest against the doings of one set of clergy
men, they should be careful not to overlook similar con-
theae part of another. We have had too many
agitating clergymen in the
d
snoornathu,chantdhethbeotsteeorneforrththeey
learn to modes.-
e their ardour and confine themselves
more to their own appropriate duties, so much the
better for themselves
country.
There are few impartial"
persons who would venture
remarkable admission is made by to dispute the truth of the
thatthe Romanere43
c but a much more
wChaol,l34oleiercedaevory side, has as
t;ls,hieh truly and fear-
lessly states the case es regards' etposition of the poor
much to say to the choice of a e. as he has
to the decisions of her Majesty's V • rxvy Council. Hear
the Cork Reporter—
voorgteaur offf
~ The right to vote for a Parliamentary
representa-
tiveneither
is assuredly honourable nor agreeable, if
the possessor is to be escorted to the polling-place by a
brace of bludgeon•men, in opposite interests, that he
his suffrage to the gentleman of whom he is
may give '
t this is precisely th
most afraid. Ie
.. . e state of things at
present. Tim Sullivan is a registered elector of the
: but Tim hss no more the power of
doing as he thincounty of ----'ks proper with his vote, unmolested, than
he has the power Of electing the whole Parliament. 'Tim,'
eels the landlor:e.l Yo u'll y u'll vote for the Hon. Mr. Noodle,
roof over your head th" day
month: is
a
or you'll rot have
the priest, 'lf you sell your
month.' ' Tim,' eaTs ,
e a vote for -that persecu-
tor Noodle, the sworn enemy
~...emple before too whole con. j
I'll hold you up as an t-... 6.