The Sun.
London, England, 1837-08-26 00:00:00

very easy for Mr. Peel now to give back to the University
that mark of distinction which originally created opportu
pity and advantage to his very moderate talents!' I shelf
ecad only another passage, couched in terms of singular
-ancourr:—`r According to the laws of society, Mr. Peel i
leraconvicted of insincerity, treachery, nod deception. -of
ictraying the friends to whom, Be a publio•rnan, he owes,
svery thing 1 and of fastaeserting the cause, hut la-
bouring to ruin it in the most cowardly and disgraceful
manner." I read this, not because I agree in its jmnioo-___
I have always held the conduct of Peel on
the'
-occasion
as an. extraordinary sacrifice at the fibrin.
public service
It was a sacral", the effects, as far as they re-
-I'44ceased. Ido not tt • - ensett, have not vet
pis conduct to the vulgar and paltry motive of retaining
power for the sake of patronage and emolument. No, l
wish to do every justice to that Right Hon. Gentleman,
and I do so more freely as I cannot be suspected of inter-
ested flattery. I have quoted these remarks to show that
if such severity of censure did not prevent the party froni
which it proceeded from coalescing with that of Sir Ro-
bert Peel, and actually from forming a prominent part of
his Ministry, that there was nothing in O'Connell's letters
Lord Duncannon to exclude that co-operation which
O'Connell afforded the Ministry of Lord Melbourne.
O'Connell's support was quite independent, and did not.
prevent' him -from voting freely on all general questions.
But admitting that by O'Connell's support the Ministry
have been retained in power, what have been the results ?
First, to Ireland, tranquillity and peace, in a degree very
remarkable in the history of that distracted country. And
how is this tranquillity and decrease of crime proved ? By
documents of the highest authority ; by charges delivered
on the circuit, and at the quarter sessions by the Judges
and Assistant Barristers.—(Cheers.) On the 7th of
February last, Lord John Russell, in moving 'for leave
to bring in the Irish Municipal Corporation Bill, made a
most interesting statement to the House, confirmed by a
reference to the judge's charges delivered at the summer
assizes of 1836. He quotes the charges of nine different
Judges in different parts of the country, comprehending
those counties which have usually been the most disturbed..
He also referred to statements which he had directed to be
Tech: respecting the comparative•incresse or diminution of
crime at recent periods. These show a very deeidad di-
minution of offences, particularly of serious CoffenCeS, dur-
ing the government of Lord Mulgrave. ; I mention this,
as showing, afrom the most authentic documents, the evi-
dence of that improvement, which, I assert, has takes
place -in Ireland. during Lord Mulgrave's govenment,
and wh;ch alone, would forM a sufficient vindication of
that co-operation which Ministers have accepted from Mr.
O'Connell. Tile charges recently delivered by the judges
have been in complete accordance with those of last year,
as every gentleman must havo observed who is in the
uabit of reading the public papers. What better evidence
there can be of the improved state of the country, I am, I
own, unable to conceive. The Judges have been taken
principally from that party which has not been remarkable
for attributing merit to Lord Mulgrave ; but men executing
their functions in the face of the public, and under the
sanctity of an oath, must restrain theit political partiality
even supposing them to be actuated by it. I can, be-
lieve, explain sonic of the improvements recently intro-
duced into the administration of justice, in a way that
will be intelligible to most of the present company. In
striking juries, a very pernicious practice formerly pre-
vailed. The crown had the power of setting aside without
cause stated, any juryman who might be distasteful to
the public apiosecutor. This power was frequently ex-
erted in a capricious manner. Jurymen were set aside not
because they had any personal connection with the psis
soners—not because they had any known interest in their
acquittal, but merely on account of their religious creed,
or of their political opinions. This practice must obviously
hare excited great distrust in the administration of jus-
tice ; and Mr. O'Loghlen, when Attorney-General, com-
pletely altered it. The effects of this alteration have been
beneficial in diffusing confidence in the' administration of
justice, on which so much of public happiness depends.
It is well known that one of the great evils of Ireland
consists in -conflicts, not of Catholic with Protestant, hot
Catholic against Cathelle. Factions in many counties exist,
arising front causes often very obscure, which lead to dis-
turbances of a very dreadful nature. Fights often take
place at fairs and races, in which not only are lives fre-
quently lost; but personal injuries of a very grievous nature
are frequently inflicted. To suppress these and other enor-
mities, by speedily bringing those concerned in them-to trial,
Crown solieitors, analogous to our procurators fiscal, have
been appointed. The effect has been :t decided diminu-
tion of faction fights, and fair murders.—(Loud cheers.)
Obvious as this improvement has been, beneficial as every
gentleman ia this room must perceive this appointment,
it has not escaped the censure of the Osange party. The
results, however, have amply justified, and for obvious
reasons must continue to justify the wisdom of Government.
The last great change has been the addition to the number
of stipaodiary Magistrates, Connected with their appoint-
ment, an assertion was hazarded that all the patronage in
the gift of the Castle was bestowed on Roman Catholics,
This Of cause produced an (artery, and I doubt not,
lstst many were credulous enough to believe it. The truth
is, however, that of fifteen appointments rise are Pro-
testants, the remaining six being filled up with Catholics.
I cannot but eoasider the appointment of stipendiary
Magistrates as an essential element in diffusing a confi-
dence in the administration of justice throughout Ireland.
Having been for some time a member of the Committee
to which the sheet of Orange Lodges in Ireland was re-
ferred, j farmed a settled opinion, that an extension of the
system of stipendiary Magistrates was of pressing necessity
in the north of Ireland especially. To that opinion I ad-
here, having heard nothing which has shaken my estimation
of its sauadeeaa,—(Cheers.) Respecting the calumnies
directed against Lord Mulgrave's government, were I in
• Ireland I should say, « Si refutationenn qureris circum-
spice." Before quitting the subject of the administrative
improvement of Ireland under Lord Mulgrave, I shall take
the liberty of reading a very important document
Whitehall, July 18, 1837.

" MY Loan—ln confiding again to your hxeelleney the
important charge of administering the affairs of Ireland in
her Majesty's name, the Queen has commanded me to ex-
press to your Excellency her Majesty's entire approbation
of your past conduct, and her desire that you should con-
. •
Mae to be guided by the same principles in which you have
hitherto acted.

" The Queen willingly recognizes in her Irish subjects a
spirit of loyalty and devotion towards her person and Go-
vernment.

" Her. Majesty is desirous to see them in the full enjoy-
meat of that civil and political equality to which, by recent
statutes, they are fully entitled ; and her Majesty is per-
suaded that when invidious distinctions are altogether
obliterated, her throne will be still more secure, and her
people more truly united.
" Tho Quoen has seen with satisfaction the tranquillity
which has lately prevailed in Ireland, and has learned with
pleasure that the general habits of the people are in a state
of progressive improvement, arising from their confidence
in the just administration of the powers of Government.
• "I am commanded to express to you her Majesty's cordial
wishes for the continued success of your Administration,
and your Excellency may be assured that your efforts will
meet with firrn support from her Majesty. .
" Tho Qaccu further .desires that you will assure her
Irish subjects of her impartial protection.—l have, Ste.
. • (Signed) "J. 'RUSSELL.
" His ExCellency the Lord Lieutenant, 54e. Sze
Now, I contend, that unless her 'Majesty's Government had
been perfectly satisfied of the truth of the facts on which
this testimony to the merits of Lord Muigrave's Govern-
ment is founded, they would not have dared to have advised
her Majesty to permh her name to be introduced into this
despatch, To advise her Majesty to give this personal
trilmte a praise to the conduct of we of her distinguished
servants, was incurring a serious responsibility—a respon-
sibility which the Govanment would not have incurred,
had they not he. .n. fully convinced of the solidity of the
grounds on which they stood.—(Cheers.) The Legislative
improvetrient of
.Ireland has not, owing to the obstructions
opposed in the House of Peers to the measures of Go-
vernment, kept pace with the Admitsistrative improvement,
But this is a subject into which 1 cannot permit myself
to enter, owing to the length of time during which 1 have
already trespassed on your patience. I have, however, I
think, 4,0 enough to prove the benefits that have resulted
from, the so much condemned support of O'Connell, ac.
cepted by Lord Melbourne. There is one topic, pole,
men, to which I am very anxious shortly to, 4tiv•etk before
concluding—it is, the means by vA•iii,'.l, the Tories succeed
at elections.—( Hear, hem.), pearl the speech of Sir Ro-
bert Peel at cilaagnw. How plausible are the reav,ni.ngs,
8,,n4 how pure the sentiment ; he appears, q ke4ec. worthy
of a party imbued with the intiopoo clx tth,,.cioittivi Age.
The meeting, like Sir Vt..teT *lva zr.14,, wow wonderfully de-
lighted, with, thOr Afro (j' Sentiment. But what is the
praetioe of the party in whose cause all this transcendental
political :morality was uttered? Before answering this
question, I beg shortly to refer to a passage in the speech
itself. Sir Robert alludes to the subject of corruption, in a