The Sun.
London, England, 1837-03-29 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE GENERAL ASSO-
CIATION.

(Abridged from the Morning Advertiser.)
DUBLIN, SATURDAY, MARCH 25.
The news of Mr. O'Connell's arrival in town brought a
large assembly to the Corn Exchange-rooms this day. The
I-lon. and Learned Gentleman entered the Committee-
room a little before three o'clock, the hour appointed for
holding the meeting, where he was greeted by a large num-
ber of his personal friends, who were assembled to receive
him. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman looks rather
thin, but is in excellent health and spirits. A few minutes
after three o'clock Mr. O'Connell, accompanied by a great
number of gentlemen, proeceded from the Committee-room
to the place of meeting, and was greeted by the who!e as-
sembly in the most enthusiastic manner. Mr. Peter Purcell
was called to the chair.
When the minutes of the last day's proceedings were
read, Mr. O'Connell handed in 2/. I ls. 6d. Justice Rent,
which was giv'en him by Mr. John Childs, of Bungay, and
was about to address the meeting, when Mr. Film said
he begged leave to interrupt him for a moment, whilst
he proposed a vote of thanks to the two pacificators in
Kilkenny, who were instrumental in bringing Glennon, the
hired incendiary, to conviction. When Mr. Finn con-
cluded—
Mr. O'CONNELL rose and said—l am not sorry that I
was interrupted by my friend, and that I gave way to him,
as it gives me an opportunity of seconding his motion, and
of directing attention to the subject of illegal societies. It
is, in the internal management of our country, the most
important point for consideration.—(Hear.) The greatest
of all evils in a country is the prevalence of secret societies.
No community is safe in which they exist. All national
calamities and miseries originate and are pressed forward by
the originators of them.—(Hear, bear.) I have been for
some time aware of the existence of these secret societies in
our country—and I directed attention to them. I knew
where they originated, and whence, they came into Ireland.
They came from Manchester, and there they began with a
man whose principles were well known to be of the deepest
Orange dye, and they were brought over here by a person
who was no friend to our cause.—( Hear.) They spread fast
through the country. They prevailed in Meath, Kildare,
Louth, Kilkenny, Queen's County, and they even extended
over to the west, into Galway. I heard of the establishment
of a secret society there, I was consulted on the subject by
persons who were not let deeply into particulars, but who
were told, and who thought that it was established for the
benefit of trade. I showed them the mischief resulting from
such societies. I showed them that the persons with whom
they originated were not friends, and that -the objects they
had in view were bad, and I believe, for I do not positively
know, that the result was, that I placed considerable impe-
diments, if I did not entirely put a stop to the further
progress of illegal societies in part part of the country
Tr our pacificators had not detected Glennon in Kilkenn,

and brought him to justice, he would have gone abou,
among the simple country people and have succeeded in
swearing- numbers of them. He would call a general
meeting, and would then proceed to some Orange Magis-
trate—most probably- to a Clergyman of the Established
Church—lay before him informations of the whole plota--
tell him where he would find his dupes assembled—where
he would get the rules and regulations of the body, and then
the whole matter would be brought triumphantly before
Parliament, and would afford an excellent opportunity to
Sergeant Jackson for the use of his leather lungs. Re-
corder Shaw would feebly echo him, and Mr. West, too,
who banished all the Catholic tenantry from his father-in-
law's estate in Galway, would chime in, and ail would repeat
the barefaced falsehood that Orange lodges had been corn-
p!etely abolished, but that ribbon societies had sprung up
in their stead.—(Hear.) Any one who joins an illegal and
secret association puts his life into the hands of any in-
former. I have but two topics on which I will now remark.
The first is the advantage derived and derivable by the
country from the appointment of pacificators. If those men
in Kilkenny had not been specially appointed to that office,
it is most probable that neither they nor any others would
have given themselves any trouble in endeavouring to ap-
prehend Glennon. Prosperity to the plan of pacificators--
(Loud cheers)—to use a Kilkenny phrase—more power to
their elbows.—(Cheers and laughter.) It is an excellent
plan, and lam proud of it. It is a plan that is working
well--like the gallows, as Shakspeare says, " it works well
for those who do ill."—(Cheers and laughter.) Its only fruit
is not the bringing to panishment such a miscreant as Glen-
non—and, by the bye, I think it would be well not to hurry
on his punishment. Some hopes might be held out to him.
After a few months' imprisonment, and a few months in the
hulks, he will tell something. lam sure he has some dis-
closures to make.—(llear.) Suppose the pacificators were
to visit Glennon in his prison, and undertake to interfere
on his behalf with Government, if he would make a full
disclosure:
Mr. FRICNCH-There are persons engaged in that man-
ner already.
Mr. O'CONNELL—Very well, but they will not do their
duty a hit the worse, for having received a hint.from me.—
(Hear, hear.) The second thing that I have to observe
upon, is the wonderful unanimity that prevails between the
Association and Baron Foster, on the subject of the con-
duct of the pacificators, and the evil of secret societies. It
delights me to sse that we arc of one opinion. But it is
very odd he never discovered the evil of the thing before.
There were such things as Orange Lodges ; he never dis-
covered or proclaimed mischief of them.—(Cheers and
laughter.) When they existed, secret societies were not
so mischievous in his eyes, but now be has changed his
opinion.—( Hear, hear.) This change is a proof of the
Baron's increasing wisdom, and Heaven knows there was
great room for improvement in that respect.—(Laughter.)
As for his charges I know nothing of them, for I did not
hear either his, or those of any, of the other Judges, and
I do not believe one word imputed to them by the papers.
—(Much laughter.) These papers misrepreSent the
Judges most shockingly.—(Continued laughter.) One of
them states that Chief Justice Doherty threatened to fine
Mr. Keogh, the High Sheriff of Carlow, for driving to
the Court-house in his own carriage.—(Hear.) Who
would believe such a statement ? But whether he made
the threat or not, this I know, that Mr. Keogh is not
the man to be biow-beaten,—(Hear, and cheers.) At the
Carlow dinner I had the honour of sitting beside him.
He would have been one of my witnesses ; you, Mr.
Chairman, I believe, would have been another ; but Mr.
Keogh was much nearer—in case any of the Orange
miscreants of Carlow had been daring enough to swear to
the words of blood which they put into my mouth.—
(Hear, hear.) I will conclude as I began, by warning
my countrymen against all secret societies. I feel great
pleasure in seconding Mr. Finn's motion. The Learned
Gentleman then sat down.
The motion was put and carried.
Mr. O'CONNELL again presented himself, and was re-
ceived with repeated bursts of applause. When the cheer-
ing subsided, he proceeded as follows :—I rise sir, to pro-
pose a vote of thanks to Mr. John Childs, of Bungay, as a
mark of approbation of his conduct, and as a token of re-
spect to the Protestant Dissenters of England.—(Hear,
hear.) I left you with the thorough conviction that you
could not have lasting prosperity under any other auspices
but those of a domestic legislature.—(Cheers.) I left you
to make the experiment if we could have justice done, and
our country prosperous without a native Parliament,—that
experiment has and shall be patient, enduring, hearty, and
cordial. We are now in the third year of that experiment.
I do not despair ; we look for nothing but good govern-
ment ; and if the English wish to govern us well, we will
throw Repeal to the winds. Our object is good govern-
ment and equal laws for Ireland. Ido not wish for—l
cannot say the word—l cannot say that Ido not wish for
repeal (a voice in the crowd cried out," Oh, never say it") ;
well, I won't say it ; but I will act as if I wished the ques-
tion buried for ever in oblivion ; and I will continue to
make the experiment as heartily and as cordially as the
greatest enemy of repeal could desire ; and if ever I be
driven to the agitation of the question again, no man in
existence will be able to say that the fault was mine.—
(Cheers.) There is nothing idle or presumptuous in my
saying that I will make this experiment. I have already
made a similar experiment. For five years I have been en-
deavouring to conciliate the Orangemen of Ireland, and I
never gave up the task until I demonstrated to the world
that the Irish faction could not be conciliated. I struggled
for a union of hearts and hands--I made the experiment
cordially and honestly. I made it to an extent that caused
me to be laughed at in Parliament ; and passages of my
speeches were quoted to show that I was then courting the
Orangemen ; but I am glad of it, for I am now able to
proclaim, without fear of contradiction, that I made the
experiment honestly, and no man can now say that it is my
fault that Irishmen of all classes and creeds are not hear-
tily united.—(Loud cheers.) I come now to the impor-
tant question—what progress have we made since I last ad-
dressed you in this. room ?—( Hear.) What has occurred
since I was last among you ? Very little has been done by
the Parliament. But there is one feature in the aspect of
our affairs that is consoling in -the highest degree.—(Hear.)
We have Lord Mulgrave continuing to govern the country
with strict justice and true wisdom. He is acting as well
as if there was a Parliament in College-green.—(Loud
cheering.) We have this, and a Ministry determined to do
strict justice. So far we see the good side of the picture !
but alas ! how evanescent that may be ! If the spirit of bi-
gotry should be triumphant, and that the present Minis-
ters should be put out of office but for one week, the
light of hope which now beams upon us would be tran-
sient as the lightning flash, and leave the darkness which
followed more sorrowful and gloomy when compared with
the light which had passed away.—(Cheers.) But I have
hopes of better times. 'There is a better spirit abroad in
England upon Irish subjects. Sympathy towards Ireland
is far more widely diffused through England than I was
heretofore led to believe. The conduct of the House of

L•
Commons is pregnant with hypo. The majority of SO upon ,
the Irish Municipal Reform Bill was overwhelming; to be
sure there was a great deal of opposition and long speeches
in Committee and out of it. Shaw kept dociling and dodg-
ing with his drowsy talk for six or seven hours. Hoevever,
he could do nothing but talk, and he inflicted such pain :von
even his own friends by listening to him, that I would t: of
wonder if he actually turned some of them against him.--
( Laughter.) I here call upon the English people, and
implore of them in the name of my country to pour in pe-
titions Let them recollect what little hope they them-
selves have from the justice of the House of Lords ; that
that they must extort their rights from their fears by: a
manifestation of public opinion that cannot i':e resisted.
Is there any man who thinks the House of Lards; will pase
the Bill? If there be, he has more credulity Pia" I,
have ; for I have no hope that it will.—( Hear, 11,-ar.)
There was a great deal of quarrelling about details irr L."
House of Commons, and about measures which can neve.
be accomplished but by a reform of the House of Lords'
What noise and talk we had about tithes, and yet thew
has not been one word about them since the commence-.
ment of the present Session. I want to know is there any
man so ignorant of public affairs as not to know that a
sweeping vote for the total abolition of tithes might carry
with it a conflagration that would spread over the whole
country ? Who can believe that a total abolition of tithes
could he attempted while England is taking her stand be-
hind the question of Church-rates ?If you were to throw'
in the Irish tithes at such a moment, you would create a
revolution which would render even the throne unsafe, and
as 1 have said, would spread a conflagration throughout the
country. The animosities which would be enkindled in the
English mind would endanger the public tranquillity. Hete
let me do the Ministry justice—they have brought forward
two most excellent measures, the Irish Municipal Reform'
Bill and the Bill for the relief of the Dissenters. The first:
'of these measures is as extensive as it was possible to
carry through Parliament. I would have voted for Mr.
Sharman Crawford's amendment, but that I knew it wohld
be an additional reason for its rejection in the House of
Lords. The measure itself, however, is as practically
useful as it was possible for Government to make it.
therefore gave it my support. With respoot to the Bill
for the abolition of Church-rates, it is founded on that
principle of justice which we have been so long struggling
to establish—that no man is hound to pay for the sup-
port of a religion which he does not profess, and front which
he derives no benefit.—(Hear, hear.) No two measures
of greater public utility, or more sound in principle, could
have been brought forward by any Administration. X 2"P,
to hail the wisdom, indeed I may say the perfection, 0;
these two measures as a miracle in modern legislation.--'
(Hear, hear.) But even suppose the Dissenters' Bill to
pass the Commons, what hope is there of carrying it
through the Lords? There will be a fierce struggle there,.
and our just demands will be delayed while the conflict is:
going on. Here is a complete halt and stop in legislation;
brought on by this measure of Church-rates, which in'
justice and principle we concur in, and in gratitude to the'
Dissenters' support, butein which we ourselves have no'
further concern Whatever. Such is the position in which
we are placed. But do I despair? Do I tell you t°
stop short in the experiment ? No ; you, know what has
been ever my advice to you—
" Hereditary bondsmen know you not, •
Who would be free, themse.ves must strike the blow ?"
Let us look to ourselves. We possess resources which
will enable us to carry anything. When I was last here, I
spoke of the apathy of the people of the North. TheY
have given many and many a proof since that I was misa
taken in attributing to them anything like indifference.--
( Hear, hear.) We have hopes from the North. Orangeisnt
has, to be sure, a strong hold in Belfast, and is in every
respect worthy of the Representative whom it has sent to
Parliament (Mr. Emerson 'ferment). 1 demonstrated the
other night at least a dozen falsehoods in a statement which
he made. He attributed to 1836, that which happened
just two years before. As to the newspapers, I have stif'
fered consider_ ele annoyance from them since I was here
last. There is the atrocious and abominable rl'imes—
perfection of literary scoundrels.—(Laughter.) It actually
invented a speech liar me. It made me traduce a lady of
high rank and station in the most shocking manner ; and
when I complained of this, that do you think was the ex."
cute? why, that of a dry night the reporter's notes got
wet.—(Loud laughter.) This is the most extraordinary
process of wetting I ever heard of; for it not only blotted
out what was in it, but, it substituted half a column out of
the pure imagination of this wonderful wetting.—(Conti'
need laughter.) Now there is a paper claiming public
confidence-e-it is the organ of a powerful party, and it is
base enough to resort to such a vile fabrication as Jas.
But Emerson Tennent had no such excuse, he had no we-
t: ngto plead—(Laughter;— here was his own handwriting,
and he could not escape from it—what he so falsely stated
in Glasgow I contradicted in his presence, and with the
blefsing of God I will have him again before the House,
and depend upon it I will nail his ears to the
(Continued laughter and cheers.) 1 have spoken of our
prospects in time North, and every where I look affords me
a cheering anticipation of success. The county Donegal,
if the Marquis Conyngham assists us, is secure—London-
derry will have a representative who is friendly to the
liberties of the people. We will creep on in other cono"
tics. Cavan, which has alrrady shown the fruits or oar
exertions, will, I am confident, evince a further zeal
in
the good cause. As to Sligo, our letters to-day state th.,!!t
as soon as another registry comes into operation the lit-
berals will have an overwhelming majority there. 113°
Queen's county, I hope, is secure. The present electitiu
makes Carlow so safe that the most perjured Committee,
that ever existed (I do not speak of the present habits of
the Tories—(Cheers)—but of the old Tories, who nece,r
paid the least attention to the evidence) will not be able
to displac the sitting Member.—( Hear, hear, and low:
cheers.) The prospects of the South and West of Ireland
are excellent; With respect to Drogheda, Randal PlunkOfr
is only the representative of a ComMittee ; just as in COl
Longficld is the representative of Fear us O'Connor an
the Committee that tried that petition. Kinsale will 11
rescued,from the bonds in which it now is ; and Yough;
and Sligo towns arc perfectly secure. The Quaricr
if
Review says that Ireland must-be convertei again.
it means by this that they must publish fresh tracts, se-,
out new missions, and enter again the lists of controvers''..
we are ready to meet them. They tried that helnre.;
and I do not think they will be in a hurry to attempt ie
again.—(Laughter and cheers.) Converted ! how ? Jac
and Maclean tell you—by the strong arm of power Alie,
cruel persecution and tyranny. Is there a Catholic in '7*
land, who feels as he ought, that will not strain his Altai'
efforts to keep this bloodthirsty faction out of power
'They call us infidels and heathens. From this room I P:,
claim them tyrants, and set them at contemptuous defisnee,
—(Tremendous cheering.) We are working out the caste,
riment of repeal ; and that we are ready to give uP n‘he
gether the moment that justice is done to us.
meantime, let us assist'the genius and spirit of British ' lie
berty, and afford our aid to the English Dissenters in t j
struggle in which they are now engaged.—(Cheers.)lbe
confess that I have great confidence and much hope.
prospect becomes still brighter when I turn to 1-te
' land. There the progress of liberal opinions aM°,nfee
the operative classes has been greater than we could wija
anticipated. They have suffered much injustice. It is Scio
that property ought to he represented. There is one Veto
of property that has certainly a paramount claim in ja
respect, and that is the property which the labourer hashes
his bone and sinew.—(Hear, and cheers.) If a men be
a house worth ten pounds a year, and lives in idler bas
can exercise time franchise ; whereas the operative, vvl° t j 0
a property in his labour, is denied the privilege. "'lent'
unjust. It has accordingly excited a feeling of ,elisennbieh
ment and of inquiry amongst the operative classes, w, es
is rapidly spreading throughout England. Accord,inl'are
political information is diffusing itself among them, tueltbieS
casting aside their former prejudices, and their symPitoe,
are aroused in favour of Ireland. There is, to be der'
amongst them a little jealousy as to who should be 1e7040
but this will wear away ; the good workman has Ilb`ini 0
found his energies better directed by having over be Ad'
skilful engineer.—(Cheers.) They will find that t t°'
vice of persons of political experience should be listebneces.)
They are now looking for universal suffrage.---(Cereforni
I am- delighted at that. I once thought that lhe not.
Bill was sufficiently extensive—l now find that it 3%, to
In the agitation of this question of Church:l7d h:England I see much to rejoice at ; and in Irei ire
increasing energy and union of her people insFe pros:
with the most confident hopes as to her futurtvhat
tb
perity. It is for the Dissenters of England
Ine:oritiii,
small
S 1 on Ministers are now struggling with a
It is to relieve them from the tyranny and oPPressirpriett;
Establishment (and in my life I never knew a unneressed
ridden people than the English) that we have 'OOO, am.m.
press the consideration of our own claims. nsiaes!el;
Learned Gentleman concluded, amid the ,ntien
cheers of the assemblage, by proposing the resold
th 4
he had read. foe-
Mr. PURCELL then put Mr. O'Connell's the;
Mr. which was passed unanimously.
,Tuesday ne4the:
Mr. O'CONNELL gave notice that on at
should move that it be referred to the Committe ie eve
pacificatory
procure monthly returns from thea al
parish in,lreland. het " is
Mr. O'CONNELL again rose, and said t for the
pleasure to announce that the Justice Rent , aged '0
Hon Vet, cloy
week amounted to the sum of 1181. 9r. San
on
to remark that the Committee would meet -,r,,esuk•
two o'clock.—The meeting then adjourned to
motion

r
It is renortcd in the military circles that -II to 57,
Coloncl Burdett, only son of Sir F. Burdett, i 5 llcef th©
teed Lord Bingham in the Lieutenant-ColoneicY °
Lancers.