The Sun.
London, England, 1837-05-27 00:00:00

DUBLIN-THURSDAY.

(YRONI A CORRESPONDENT.)
" Nequo ego hortor, quod smpe majores vestri fecere, uti
contra injuries armati eatis. Nihil vi, nihil secessione opus ;
necesse est suoinet ipsi more pracipites cant."—SALLUST.

I stated in a former communication, that notwithstanding
the impediments to the improvement of this country, pro-
ceeding from the still remaining polity of ascendancy, and
the tardiness of the Legislature in removing them, Ireland
was at this moment more tranquil and happy than at any
period for many centuries past ; and I promised to give in
detail the more immediate causes of this state of things.
This promise might, perhaps, be satisfactorily redeemed
by this single sentence : there is an universal confidence
that the present Ministry are endeavouring to ameliorate
the condition of Ireland ; but it may be necessary to point
to the more prominent grounds on which such confidence
has been founded. Among them are—the conduct of the
Executive for the last two years ; the formation of the
Registry Association early in the year 1836 ; and of the
General Association subsequently, emanating from that
most laudable, liberal Institution.
It is, beyond all doubt or controversy, established in the
minds of every rational man acquainted with the occur-
rences of this country, that the question of " Repeal" has
been abandoned or postponed, only in consideration of the
liberal policy and pledges of Reform held forth by the
present Government. This is become so notorious by the
numerous publications of the daily and periodical press
within the last twelve months, that it would be supelfluoUs
to advert to tha, subject more particularly. Now, the re-
linquishment of a question on which the majority of the
nation had fixed its heart, could not have taken place
without a very great revolution in the minds of Alen. That
revolution could not have been brought about so effectually
as it has been without very .cogent reasons. The first
reason for this change of public sentiment is, undoubtedly,
the confidence and hope inspired by the appointment of
Earl Mulgrave to the Viceroyalty, followed by his Excel-
ency's firm and explicit plan of government as developed
in his replies to the numerous addresses presented to him
from all parts of the country immediately after his arrival.
Next came the Registry Association, the founders of which
impressed upon the minds of a numerous and respectable
portion of the community, that had not previously inter-
meddled in politics, the propriety of seconding the efforts
of a well-disposed Government. The present Attorney-
General (Mr. Woulfe) and Mr. Pigott were amongst the
most efficient and influential in getting up this Association ;
and the Orange press only mistook and misrepresented the
occasion of the latter gentleman's energy and patriotism,
when they accused him of being the principal founder of
the General Association. It was the former Institution
that first enrolled amongst its members several men of
property and intellect, who thought, and still think, that
the elective franchise was a legitimate ground on which to
fight the battle of the Constitution. Much was gained for
the cause of Reform by this Institution, which is still in
existence. It must be admitted, however, that it did not
engage the sympathy and confidence. of all classes of Re-
formers in this country, many of the more active agitators,
who had triumphed over Peel and Wellington in former
days, as well as those whose subscriptions did not entitle
them to become members, keeping aloof, under the im-
pression that it was something of an aristocratic club.
Matters were in this position, when the " Lords," early in
the last, as in the present Session, declared themselves hos-
tile to Corporate Reform and a settlement of the Tithe
question. The great body of the people throughout Ire-
, land were roused, and became indignant at this intelligence.
Their first impulse was to petition and protest against the
injustice threatened to them by the Upper House, and a
Petition Committee was accordingly formed, and met at
the Corn Exchange, in this city, for the purpose. This
Committee, urged onwards by reclamations from all parts
of the country against the refusal of the Lords to bestow
on Ireland a full measure of Reform, were thus constrained
to call themselves the " General Association of Ireland ;"
and under this name they constructed a moral machinery
for rendering their body the centralisation; as it were, of
public opinion. How far it is likely to succeed in this
object, may be collected from the sums of money which
were immediately and voluntarily contributed to its funds,
and from the numbers of Protestant nobility and gentry, in
addition to the old materiel of the Catholic Association that
joined them. Here, then, we have an organization of
public opinion, firmly bent in obtaining for this country a
participation in all the blessings of Reform. Has any
thing occurred during the present Session to weaken or di-
minish the spirit of this organization ? The Tories say there
is reaction in England. It may be so : but how do matters
stand in this country, which must be for some time the object
of greatest solicitude to Government and the Legislation ?
The entire country from north to south is meditating a de-
monstration against the faction, by which legislation and
general improvement are retarded. It is only the suspense
created by the expected digression in Church-rates, and
the aspect that things may wear after said discusssion, that
has delayed several parts of Ireland this week past from fol-
lowing the example of the counties of Wexford and Dub-
lin. In the meantime the Orange party here are goading
the people on to madness. They are proceeding in their
Tithe campaigns with relentless and remorseless perseve-
rance. Nothing daunted by the ill success of all their
efforts heretofore, to recover an impost which the people
are determined never to pay voluntarily, they issue their
executions " coute qui coute." To them the peace of the
community, or the shedding of torrents of human blood,
are as nothing when compared to the upholding of ascen-
dancy. If they had no other object in view than the re-
covery of legal and vested rights, they need only state the
difficulties attending the recovery of tithe-money in Ireland,
and petition the Legislature for redress. Their petitions
joined to the efforts of the Ministiy, would soon set at rest
the Tithe question and give peace to this country. But
no : they had rather exhibit the symptoms of civil war,
by marching troops from one county to another in the
hopes of driving the people into distraction and rebellion.
The proceedings which have lately taken place in the county
of Wexford, where cattle worth 200/. were sold to a medical
student for 171., and which cattle are still in gaol guarded
by military and the posse cwnitatus, may give some idea of
the state to which Ireland must be brought, if the healing
measures of Government be much longer frustrated or
delayed.