The Sun.
London, England, 1839-10-18 00:00:00

RELAN

' REPEAL OF THE UNION.—At the weekly meetine.
•'f the Trades' Union' last Wednesday evening, M. S.
i'Crawford's answer to the address of that body was read.
1 As the length of the document precludes its publica-
tion in our columns, we will take respectively from the
Pilot and the Mail such remarks on the reply as will
suffice to indicate its character. We gather from Mr.
f. Crawford's letter this—
He admits that no justice can be obtained for Ire-
land from a British Parliament. Well, this is a good
I admission to begin with. Mr. Crawford admits the
I basis of the Repeal agitation. He admits the pre-
mises, and though he wanders into much extraneous
!matter, yet his conclusion, and the conclusion of the
Irish nation is, after all—domestic legislation. As to
titheprecise point at which domestic legislation shall end,
ti
and imperial legislation commence—that, we think, is
the only question to be settled between Sharman Craw-
ford and the Trades, who, in point of fact, represent at
present the Repealers of Ireland.
We arrive, then, at this conclusion—that Mr. Sher-
r man Crawford will join the people in seeking for some
sort of domestic legislation; if so, we arc agreed. All
1 classes of Irishmen can go tor that ; and it will be easy
to settle in the " painted chamber" the detail of the
question. Mind this : we do not compromise our de-
mand for the full measure of Repeal, should we agree
to give Mr. Crawford's plan a trial. We are, for a
feth.ral union with England, bound together by the
r.,lden link of the Crown, but allowing us complete
• power over our own resources. This, and whatever is
necessary to this, we shall never swerve from. We
shall assist in supporting her Majesty, and her Ma-
jesty's army and navy, from -our own resources ; but
improving and encouraging our own trade and under-
tak;:ngs—deepening our rivers—improving our harbours
--aiding our fisheries—supporting our manufactories--
and, in short, employing our peopla—these a local
' Parliament can or will effect ; and these no British Par-
liament ever will accomplish.—Pilot.
Mr. CRAWFORD confines himself in his reply (in
which, as we expected, he positively declines to have
anything to do with the Repeal or the repealers) to
the question of a domestie legisiatoce, and declares him-
self opposed to any measure, hr.vina, for its object the
restoration of the Irish Parliatuent, for these reasons :
Ist. Because a Repeal of the Union would lead to
legislative collision with Great Britain.
2d. Because the Roman Catholics would seek as-
cendancy.
3d. Because an Irish Parliament could never bold
its own with the Imperial one.
For these reasons—Mr. Crawford disapproves of the
repeal; but he has nevertheless a substitute croteLet
of his own, %%hid] he submits to the Trades', proposing
that a sort of preliminary parliament, or parliamentary
grand jury should be held in Dublin, previous to each
session of the Imperial Parliament, to decide on
sending forward such bills as they approve of, for the
consideration of the legislature ; but van'ty is his be-
setting sin, and has here led him to take a very false
and dangerous step—false in itself, and infinitely dan-
gerous as regards its effect on his own character for
discretion.

Having thus rejected O'Connell's crotchet, and
proposed his own, he goes on to the gist of his letter.
He will have nothing to do either with repeal or re-
peaters, with agitation or with agitators :
" Even if the measure of repeal were in itself expe-
dient, I ask my countrymen to look back to the results
of Irish agitation for the last nine years ; and from the
experience of the past, to estimate their chance of suc-
cess for the future."
He then derides and denounces the various associa-
tions, pours unutterable contempt on the Precursors,
and tells the patriots of the Trades that they and their
party are little better than hypocrites and place-hunters.
‘Vhat., a pity that Sharman Crawford should be the
prapnatical and crotchetty character he is! He has
horaesty, ability, great powers of expression in writing,
as this letter proves, and he is also one of the valuable
tlass of " frightened Protestants." But his greatest
merit in his sovereign contempt far the shuffling, crin-
g;ng, Jesuitical policy of O'Connell, which he de-
nounces, once more, to‘sards the end of his letter.—
Mail.

HAMBURG AND FLANDERS

EVEN ING EDITION.