The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-27 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Dec. 26.

Her Majesty the Queen, their Royal Highnesses
Prineess Helena, Prince Arthur, Prince Leoputu,
and his Serene Highness Prince Leningen, attended
D:vine service at Whippingham Church yesterday
afternoon, attended by the D3vviger Countess of
Mount•Edgeutrbe, the Hon. Lucy Kerr, and Major.,
G:.n,ral the Hon. A, Hood.

Prince L?ningen arrived at Osborne on Saturday
on a visit to her Majesty.

The D ;chess (Dowager) of Grafton is not going
to Cannes, as was erroneously announced.

The Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury have
a small and select party staying at Hatfield House, Herts.
The Earl and Countess of Lichfield are entertain-
ing a select family party at Shugburgh Park, Staffordshire.

The Earl of Beverley, accompanied by Lady
Louisa Percy, has arrived at Ditton, Torquay.

The Countess Dalawarr (Baroness Buckhurst)
has been detained in town from indisposition, which has
prevented the noble earl and her ladyship going to Buck-
hurst Park for the Christmas, as was arranged, The Mar-
chioness of Salisbury came to town at the end of the past
week to visit h3r ladyship.

Baroness Biome gave birth to a son on Sunday
morning, at the Hanoverian Legation in Grosvenor-place.
The baroness and infant are progressing favourably.

New Agitation in Ireland.

The following remarkable article appears in the
Irish Times of Friday 23d December
" A formidable looking requisition addressed to
the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor is the prelude to
that new organisation for creating division among
the Irish people, which the Irish Times was the
first to notice and to condemn. The requisition
called upon the Lord Mayor to convene an aggregate
meeting to inaugurate an agitation for " the aboli-
tion of the Established Church," for a measure of
tenant right, and for free education—whatever may
be understood under those terms. The Lord Mayor
signalises the last days of his office by undertaking
to preside at the meeting for such objects. This
agitation, however, has not even the merit of
being indigenous. It is an importation from
England, transferred to Irish soil by wire-
pullers who fear to let their names appear.
It originated with the Radical Dillwyns of
the House of Commons, who have by their
votes emphaticaliy marked their hostility to
Ireland. One of her Majesty's Secretaries of State
very recently adopted the theories of the West-
minster Review, and urged the Chartists and Radi-
cals of England to join with parties believed to have
influence in Ireland, and to combine for the special
purpose of maintaining the Whigs in their possess
sion of power. The abolition of the Established
Church, the destruction of the territorial rights of
landowners, the division of the people of Ireland
into two hostile camps, the setting class against
class and creed against creed, are the worthy
means about to be adopted—that Ireland may be
misgoverned as she has been. Ireland peaceful
and united is thought to be dangerous. Division
is the least costly, and the most effective means
of keeping a nation depressed, for the strength
which should be consecrated to the elevation of
our common country can be employed in tearing
her asunder, while character is lost and sympathy
alienated by the furious, though futile acerbity of
political and polemical feuds.
" To the requisition is appended a long list of
names, but infinitely shorter than what might reae
sonably be expected. At the head of the list are the
names of some who, no doubt, do possess influence
in the proper sphere. The great majority of the
signatures have no address attached, and this is a
sufficient indication of the position of the parties.
It must at once strike every one, including those
who promoted the requisition, that there is not any
name there of a payer of rentcharge. Yet the abo.
lition of the Established Church is demanded as it
all the signatories suffered grievously from that
ancient charge upon property. We do not see
amidst the names that of any great landed proprie-
tor who patriotically is ready to surrender the right
of property, and to make the tenant the real owner
of the soil. However influential some of the signa-
tories may be in their own sphere, even they must
COLIN4a ti"ttAley have not been able to command the
support of any powerful party. The public voice
has already decided that the more respectable per•
sons in the list are not those who should
properly take the lead in a political agitation of
this kind.

"It is with very great regret we witness this re.
vival of old organisations for the old motives. An
association, formed of all classes and creeds for the
advancement of cur common country and the social
benefit of every man in it, would have commanded
universal approval and support. But this organi-
sation, taken up in anticipation of the dissolution of
Parliament, is but a Whig Radical artifice to de-
stroy the Irish vote in the omit Parliament by
sowing dissension through the people, and creating
several parties in the Irish representation, so that
unity or unanimity on any Irish question would be
impossible. Such organisations have been tried in
Ireland whenever the exigencies of a ministry set
their instruments at work. They ended always in
breaking up the ties which should exist between the
different classes of our countrymen, and gained no-
toriety, tsnd eventually a place for a few who had not
the courage to place themselves at the head of
movements, though they clutched eagerly at the
sordid advantage to be gained. This organisation
will be fomented, carried on, and will collapse like
all the rest. It is plain, from the list of names,
that the intellectual and independent Roman Ca-
tholic laity do not sympathise with it. These are
well aware that previous associations were got up'
and managed,' not for the benefit of those who
were induced to take a prominent part in them,
but for the advancement of a few who remained in
the background at first, and only came forward
when promotion was in view, to make pledges and
to break them. But, by such agitations industry
is paralysed, agriculture neglected, dissensions,
often deadly, are excited, and Ireland is
powerless. A Minister may smile in derision
upon all efforts to raise Ireland to the posi-
tion she has a right to enjoy, when he
beholds one-half of the people arrayed in religious
feud against the other.

" The aggregate meeting is declared to be open
to the citizens of Dublin and others. It would be
an easy thing to collect a vast number of persons
who are opposed to the objects of the movement to
express their dissent and opposition to the proceed-
ings. Such a course has actually been proposed ;
but we would earnestly recommend all dissentients
to stand aloof from the proceedings, and let the
agitation and excitement be confined to those who
find pleasure in them. The resolutions passed at a
meeting got up as this has been can have no possi-
ble influence or weight to further the objets desired
by the requisition. It would be a very false step
indeed to take notice of the meeting by attending,
or recognising the platform ab the suitable place to
discuss the abolition of the church or the destruction
of the rights of property.'

The Gloucester Journal con tuins the following let-
ter from Lord Fitzhardinge :—" To the Gentlemen
.nd Farmers Residing within the Limits of the Country
Hunted by Lord Filzhardinge.—Berkeley Castle, Dec. 22,
1864.—Gentlemen,—The Rev. Sir E. Colt has a small
farm surrounded by my fox coverts; his tenant, James
Cox, of Wandsell, has shot several foxes lately and avews
that he will destroy every fcx that he can get at, and the
small covert belonging to Sir E. Colt is full of
trays set for the hounds. I have done all I pos-
sibly can to induce the rev. baronet to interfere to
prevent his tenant from adopting such a selfish pro-
ceeding. He will not state his grievance, neglects
to answer my letters, and ends by writing so discourteously
that further attempts at conciliation on my part are pre•
eluded. Under these circumstances I shall be forced to
give up the country, unless by your united endeavours you
can induce the rev. baronet to prevent the said James Cox
from pursuing this unneighbourly and selfish course of
proceeding. I will ask the favour of all hunting gentle-
men and farmers, within the limits of my hunting country,
to meet here and discuss this affair on Thursday, the 29th
of this month, at eleven o'clock. The hounds will meet at
twelve o'clock on that day, in the Castle meadow.—Yours
truly, FITZHARDINGE:I,