The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-06 00:00:00

Prospects of the Fenians.

There are in Ireland to-day about six millions of peo-
ple. They are not all identified with the Fenian move-
meat, and some, for instance the remnant of o,:anz,eism,
do not wish it to succeed. Of such, however, there are
not perhaps twenty thous•md, and in revolutionary times
these would be absorbed by the national army. At all
events the anti-nationalists in Ireland are not more num-
erous proportionately than were the revolutionary Tories
in America or similar retrwzressionists in other countries
striking for freedom and new institutions.

As for opposition of other kinds, it will necessarily dis-
appear as soon as the initiation of the war leaves but two
sides to the question. The opposition of the Roman
Catholic clergy, next to that of o,angoism the strongest,
founded as it is for the most part on a matter of policy,
will eventually merge into acquiescence when it is seen
that a trial of strength on the battle-field is now inevit-
able. If there are any clergymen whose opposition to
the Irish republican body proceeds upon an apprehen-
sion that the contagion of revolution in Ireland would
spread through the Continent and agitate the uneasy
spirits of Italy, they would assuredly be left alone in their
position ; for once a war rages between the native re-
publicans and the foreign monarchists, no possible out-
side consideration could stay a single Celtic arm. The
war cry would then be, "Ireland a republic, or the world
in a blaze !"

Another class who stand aloof as yet from the national
movement are the capitalists. But capital has always
the privilege of waiting till the revolutionary workers de-
monstrate a determination, skill, and power beattiag, on
the part of the body of the people, the objects they pro-
pose to themselves and the country. Theso men will ac-
cept the now government as soon as it has a de feet°
existence, and should any refuse allegiance they would,
of course, experience in property, at least, at the hands of
the national government, the usual treatment of refractory
citizens.

It is the organised minority that generally effects revo-
lution, its combinations, if worth anything, eventually
embracing the whole people in their operation. The
Fenian movement has already the bone and sinew of the
land ; its numbers aro as large as the projectors desire, and
its system of plans is of the most elaborate and consum-
mate character. The whole six millions, then, are to be
included in any c.dculation as to the strength of Ireland
within her own shores. Six millions of an Irish popula-
tion, according to the usual estimate (ten per cent. of the
aggregate,) yield six hundred thousand fighting men.
England's chequered population could not yield that many,
and she cannot, at any ono time, devote to Ireland moer
than half her strength, for the other half will largely
counteract demonstrations inci.ed in other lands by the
suffering and disaffect ion of the subjugated, encouraged,
as they will be, if not directly incited, by Fenian branch
movements.

Tho reside-at population of Ireland, which we have thus
seen would prove a power:ul and possibly victorious an-
tagonist to British rulo in Ireland, is only ono portion, and
scarcely the larger one, of the Irish race. That race is
located as follows:

Ireland
America
Canada
England
Scotland 1,000,000 Total
So closely are all these portions of the Irish race allied
in a love and ardent de:-..,ire for the opportunity to enable
the parent nation to resume its independent functions that
they will vie with each other in forwarding the C.A.1130 tine.
the flag is raised. The 17,000,000, then, for all possible
revolutionary purposes, form one people. More, such is
the a-2dent faith all have in the justice and final triumph
of the cause of independence at home that the respective
peoples among whom they live have become more or les3
impregnated with their ideaq, and in every country there
are millions of non-Irish population earnest advocates of
Irish independence. These may be made available for
many practical purposes, and it is no exagge:Ation to place
the Irish population in favor of expelling English rule
and instituting a fro; republican government in Ireland
at 20,000,000. We have seen that England has virtually
a counter population of not more than one-half that
number.—New York Herald.

SOUTHERN EMIGRATION TO BRAZIL.—When the
war cloned (says the New Orleans Delta) there wr.s a
strong desire amongst retu -nod Confederates to emigrate
from the United States, and Brazl was the point of attraction.
Luckily, sober second thought to!d the adventurous spLits
who were dissatisfied with the idea of being vanquished
that there were opportunities in the land of their birth
which had not bean taken advantage of, and fields open to
iodustry which had not been cultivated. The desire for
expatriation sprung from a feeling of mortification and
sensitiveness, engendered by defeat. A great many
thought that they would meet with no sympathy, not
even with mercy, at the hands of the victors, and that
exile was necessary for their personal security. The
example of the leading minds of the South has taught
them differently. The cheeiful alacrity with which
Robert E. Len and General Beauregard, and other great
leaders, have accepted the situation, has encouraged the
late Confederates to cherish the Union of the States.
Everybody is willing to follow blindly where such men
lead. 11..azil and exile aro fo,•2;oLten, and honest toil recon-
ciles the laborer to the vicissitudes and poverty which
four years of war have entailed upon him. There is a
sincere and hearty impulse in the Southern heart which
ought to convince the Northern people of the soundness
of our reconciliation. Men who had sacrificed everything
in aiding a cause which they honestly believed to be a
just one, nowthat they can reflect dispassionately, and find
that the Government of the United States is the best go-
vernment for the country, aro willing to venture their own
welfare, and that of their children, in sustaining the
Union.