The Sun.
London, England, 1831-04-29 00:00:00

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TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND.

(From the Dublin Morning Register of Tuesday.)
London, 23d April, 1831.
Beloved Countrymen,—The period is come when you
can prove to the world that you deserve liberty. The
time is come to show that you appreciate and merit the
blessings of rational freedom.
The enemies of Ireland ; the old inveterate enemies of
Ireland, have, in their malignity and contempt, prophesied
that Ireland would be a scene of confusion and riot at the
now approaching elections. They have called for military
force, for violence, for blood. The miscreants ! Peop'e
of Ireland ! I know you well. You .will falsify their
prophecies. You will show the falsehood of these caltur.
nice. You will disappoint their sanguinary wishes. Y, u
will exercise what is left to you of your franchises with de-
termination, but with firm tranquillity—with devotion to
Ireland, but with peaceable demeanour with honesty, but
in quietude—fearlessly, disinterestedly, but inoffensively,
and without turbulence.
Our most gracious Monarch, the most popular King
that ever sat on the British throne, has wisely and bravely
determined that the representation of the people should be
purified—that bribery, perjury, and corruption shall be
terminated—that the boroughmongering faction, who have
long been as an incubus on the people, shall be scattered
for ever—that the people shall be heard in their own
House of Parliament, and that the peculating crew of job-
bers, who have voted the money of the people into their
own pockets, shall be crushed and degraded for ever.
God bless the King !—God bless him who designs to
do good to Ireland--to the people of Ireland. Let us
assist him and his manly 'and wise Ministers—let every
discord cease—let violence and turbulence and—let the
swearing of illegal oaths be put an end to—let every man
be considered as an enemy wiles will continue to be guilty
of any one breach of the law. We want redress—the
people want redress and relief—let them take my advice—
I never gave them advice but for their good—let them
assist me to enforce the law—!et them stand by the King,
and we will put down all the enemies of the King and the
people—we will put down all the real rebels against the
King and Ireland.
There ought, in my humble judgment, to be but one
principle of action throughout Ireland at this approaching
election. It is this—to return, free of expense or trouble,
every man who has voted for that great charter of liberty,
the Reform Bill. Make no inquiry beyond the one ques-
tion_., The Reform Bill." Whoever voted for that ought
to get the entire popular support—whoever voted against
it, ought to be loaded with the entire popular odium.
Let nobody deceive you, and say that I am abandoning
my principles of anti-Unionism. It is false—l am decid-
edly of opinion that the repeal of the Union is the only
means by which Irish prosperity and Irish freedom can be
secured. I will shortly publish my plan for such repeal,
which will, I think, prove to the people of England, as
well as of Ireland, that the objects I have in view will not
only secure content and comfort to the people of Ireland,
but place the connection between the two countries on a
basis of the most perfect security, and also of the utmost
utility to England. But it is only in a reformed Parlia-
liatnent that this question can be properly; coolly, and dis-
passionately discussed.
Let us, then, rally in favour of Reform. Let us rally
for the Reformers. Let us form in each county a
" Royal Reform Club," under the auspices of the revered
name of our beloved Sovereign, King William the Fourth.
Let the " Royal Reform Club" take special care that no
RefOrtner shall be disturbed in his re-election. Let the
people take care that no man who voted against the Re-
form Bill shall be returned.

People of Ireland, listen to my voice—listen to the
voice of an affectionate, a devoted friend. The Tory
faction, which support Peel and his party, desire to see
Ireland involved in confusion and blood. I desire to see
Ireland restored to peace, prosperity, content, and freedom.
I wish to see her people well fed, well clothed, merry,
and prosperous. People of Ireland, listen to me. Pro-
testants, Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, Dissenters—
Irishmen of every sect and persuasion, listen to me.
Behold your King—our King—our revered King—
standing forward to give constitutional freedom to his
people. To put down monopolizers and oligarchs, ane.
all that base and peculating crew that feed and fatten on
the vitals of the poor, and are the real causes of all the
misery of the peop!e. That faction which taxes, and
cesses, and tithes, and fleeces, and skins alive the people.
Let us, then, stand by the King. Let us return to Par-
liament the King's friends—the King's party—and the
party of the people—the Reformers.

How anxiously do I desire to have no other question
put at the ensuing election but this one--this only one:
Did you vote for the Reform Bill? Listen to no ex-
cuses—no hypocritical pretences—accept but one answer.
Whoever says, I did vote for the Reform Bill, vote for
him ; whoever cannot say he voted for it, reject him with
scorn and indignation.

People of Ireland —be tranquil_be quiet—cease from
all local disturbances; 1 advise you-1 implore you ; you
have often received my advice as if it were a command.
Why, then, I command you to obey the law—to be quiet
—to desist from outrage—to begin once again to hope for
protection and free4om. Be guided by your friends—
disappoint your enemies—confide in your King—and as-
sist me to obtain, without bloodshed or crime, the long-
lost liberties of Ireland.

So shall the brighter days smile on our beloved.native
land ; so shall sweet peace and cheering plenty smile over
Our green plains, and we shall be able to exclaim, with
truth—

Erin, oh Erin ! thy winter is past,
And the hope that lived through it shall blossom at last.
I am, beloved countrymen,
Your ever faithful and obedient servant,
DANIEL O'CONNELL.

We have reason to believe that Lord ANGLE-
SEA has written to the Government his assured conviction
that there is no cause whatever for alarm, with respect to
Ireland, at the approaching elections. This removes the
only ground of fear which cJuld possibly be entertained._
Brighton Gazette.

An agent of Mr. HUNT'S, who is now in
Dublin taking (driers for his " matchless," has declared,
that prior to Mr. Howes attack on O'Corizi ELL, he was
successful beyond his expectations in getting orders, but
that since he has completely failed.—Freenian's Journal

PUNISHMENT OF DEATH.-FORGERY

LAWS.

We cannot forbear returning to this subject.
The perusal of the admirable report submitted •
to the public meeting held on the 9th March,
the Lord Mayor in the chair, must carry
conviction to every unprejudiced mind. We
must admit that Sir Robert Peel appears to us,
to have been mistaken, or manifestly inconsistent
in the course he pursued on this question. In
the debate which took place in April, 1830, he
is reported to have said, " I shall remit the
capital punishment in various cases, where there
seems to prevail a serious difference of opinion
upon the propriety of its infliction"—and after
such avowal of " his rule of conduct," he
complacently opposes the abolition of capital
punishment " for the forgery of all documents
which represent money," by which he declares
he means bank bills and notes. How can Sir
Robert Peel maintain that no serious difference
of opinion exists upon this subject ? Has he
not petitions from bankers, merchants, and pro-
fessional men of all descriptions, for the abro-
gation of those cruel laws ? Has he not the
declared opinion of the most eminent men in
the Houses of Lords and Commons. It is
a fallacy, and will be said to be a pretence, to
uphold a system of paper credit at the expense of
civilization. We contend that the views of Sir
Robert on this subject are contradictory and nar-
row. If it be necessary to outrage the best feelings
of humanity to maintain the credit of the Bank of
England, that establishment cannot be on a
sound basis—but we assert, that other punish-
ment less than death would be more effectual,
not only for the protection of banks, but of so-
ciety. Criminals would not be permitted to
escape—and impunity (often through the ex-
treme severity of the present law) would not
lead to the commission of crime. We have that
opinion of Sir Robert Peel, that we anticipate
he will yield upon the subject, and not emulate
the Duke of Wellington upon the question of
Reform, by declaring against all Reform, in op-
position to the declared opinion of, we may say,
the entire people.—Dublin Morning Post.