The Sun.
London, England, 1831-01-04 00:00:00

REFORM-REPEAL OF THE UNION.

PUBLIC ENTRY of O'CONNELL into DROGHEDA.
(Abridged from the Dublin Morning Register of Friday.)
Mr. O'Connell, who, with Mr. Steele, Mr. NI.
O'Connell, Mr. Ronayne, and other friends to a
Repeal of the Union and Itidical Reform in Parlia-
ment, had been invited to Drogheda, to attend the
Reform Meeting and dinner, left Dublin on Wed-
nesday for that purpose. It was little more than
nine o'clock in the morning when Mr. O'Connell
was on the road to Drogheda, and as he passed
along the various groups that were collected toge-
ther, loud cheers burst from them as they recognised
him by the green and orange trappings which deco-
rated his horses' heads and the carriage. At a few
moments past eleven o'clock, Mr. O'Connell reached
Duleek, where a magnificent triumphal arch was
erected, which was surrounded by about two thou-
&aid persons. Mr. O'Connell was, however, reluct-
antly obliged to drive on, and in about half an hour
afterwards lie arrived at the hospitable mansion of
Mr. Mathews, of Mount-Hanover, where an elegant
breakfast had been prepared for him and his friends.
Upon quitting the house of Mr. Mathews, Mr.
O'Connell addressed a few words to the peasantry
collected round the house. He cautioned them,
particularly, against illegal oaths and secret societies,
and told them that no man but he who wished to
prevent a Repeal of the Union would endeavour to
entice the people into ribbon societies. The ad-
vice which Mr. O'Connell gave the people was lis-
tened to with the most marked attention, and he had
scarcely entered his carriage when the people on
horse and on foot began to gather on the road, and
before he had got a quarter of a mile front the house
of Mr. Mathews, he was surrounded by five thou.
sand persons, having in their hats orange and green
cockades. When within a mile and a half of Drog-
heda, the cortege of Mr. O'Connell came up with
the baud of Drogheda freeholders. At the rear of
the freeholders were to be even along the road, far
as the eye could reach, the hardy peasantry of Meath,
and of the neighbouring counties, and every man of
them having orange and green ribbons either on his
hat or in the breast of his coat. Here there could
not have been in view less than from forty to fifty
thousand individuals—it would be impossible to
give an adequate description of the enthu-iastic joy
of this vast namber of persons as soon as they de-
scried Mr. O'Connell, who was conspicuous by
wearinL, round his neck a broad orange and green
ribbon, to which was suspended the medal of the
" Order of Liberators," arid above which lie also
wore the medal of " King William the Third," at-
tached to the tri-colour of France. So dense became
the crowd from thence to Drogheda, that there was
not space sufficient to accommodate the population
collected, and hundreds had to betake themselves to
the fields, where they ran along with the procession.
At one place rather a ludicrous instance occurred—
about fifty young men were running for a quarter
of a mile upon a wall which was terminated by
two cabins—there was a pause for some time,
but perceiving Mr. O'Connell's carriage on a
line with them, and determined that they should

not be outstripped, they ran across the cabin
roofs to the great dismay of the inhabitants, and
dropped upon the other side, they continued their
course as before. As to hedges, ditches, and walk
they formed no obstacle to the people who traversed
the fields and who surmounted them instantane-
ously. To those who are tniacquainted with Drog-
heda, it may be necessary to state that the ap-
proaches to it on the Dublin side are encompassed
by steep acclivities, in some places so high as one
hundred feet. At those particular spots could best
be seen the immense crowds that assembled to wel-
come Mr. O'Connell, and thus to give expression
to the deep interest they take in the great question
of the repeal of the Union. In the hollow could
be viewed the Liberator, with the freeholders in
front, the trades of Drogheda with their orange and
green banners, an immense population before, be-
hind, and around him, while the hills and steeps
which encompassed the valley were like the area of
an expansive amphitheatre covered with thousands
rising gradually over each other to the very topmost
height. It was evident that such a body of people
could not gain entrance into the town, and many
abandoned the idea, while the more hardy and
strong pushed on with Mr. O'Connell to Drogheda.
In that town a fresh scene of enthusiasm presented
itself : with scarcely one exception every house was
decorated with laurels, intermixed with orange
rosettes; triumphal arches, too, were extended
across every street, and the windows and the very
roofs of the houses were crowded, while loud cries
of " O'Connell and Repeal of the Union" burst
from the mouth of every one who took a part or was
a spectator of this awful and magnificent exhibition
of popular enthusiasm.
Mr. O'Connell at length reached the main street;
he was obliged here to stop, and to address the im-
mense assemblage, to whom he expatiated upon
the advantages and beneficial consequences of a
Repeal of the Union—that great measure which, he
said, could be carried by those means only—the
people determ.ning cordially to unite with each
other—Orangemen and Catholics forgetting their
past feuds, and sinking the distinctive appellations
of former factions and parties in the common name
of Irishmen. When Mr. O'Connell had con-
cluded, it was determined at once to have the
Radical Reform Meeting, which it was previously
. . _ .

arranged should take place in the Linen Hall. To
that place the people betook themselves, but in a
few minutes it was crowded to excess—thousands
were striving to gain admittance, and Mr. Whit-
worth, finding that it would be impossible to ac-
commodate all, suggested that the meeting should
be held in the open air; this suggestion was re-
ceived f‘vith acclamation, and the people betook
themselves to the Mall.