The Sun.
London, England, 1822-02-05 00:00:00

FR r.scu FUNDi;.

Jan. 31, Five per Cents.
Feb. 1; Five per Cents.
Feb. 2, Five per Cents.
Bank Stock 1540'1. c.

We have received this morning a Jamaica
Mail and Papers to the 18th December. The
following are extracts :

[From the Royal Gazette, Dec. 1.1
" Two battles are said to ha se been fought
near Porto Cabello, and a third in Quayaquil,
in all of which the Independents are reported to
have been victorious; and in the latter made
600 prisoners, with their arms, baggage, and
ammunition.
PARLIAMENT OF LOWER CANADA.
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, DEC. 20.

It was proposed to resolve, that the Legisla-
ture of this Province ought to have an authorised
Agent in the United Kingdom, to watch over the
interest of this Colony, and to communicate with
his MAJ ESTY'S Ministers on all points relating to
the same, according to the instructions he might
receive or the occasion demand.—Ordered, that
the said motion be referred to a Committee of
the whole House on Saturday next.
DEC. 21.—1 t was resolved, that his Excellency
the Governor in Chief's Speech, at the opening
of the present Session, should be taken into con-
sideration on the 4th January ; and that, on the
sth January, the House will consider the expe-
diency of restricting the importation of American
horses, horned and other neat cattle.

IRELAND.-The accounts continue to be fa-
vourable, though they are still far from satis-
factory. If a part of the peasantry have been
terror-struck, another part continue their out-
rages, though certainly on a reduced scale, both
as to number and • atrocity. In the neighbour-
hood of Macroom and Newmarket, a consider-
able quantity of arms has been delivered up.
Within a few miles of Newcastle, in the County
of Limerick, on the other hand, the Insurgents
have succeeded in capturing thirty Stand of
arms, which were sent for security into Drumcol-
liher. The Insurgents of Limerick had become
very bold, in consequence of the 40th regiment
having been marched into Cork.—The verdict of
the Coroner's Inquest on BUCKLEY, the man
killed in the affair of the Clonakilty Yeomanry,
has not yet reached us.

Hereditary bondsmen, know ye not,
Who would be free, themselves must strike the blow ?

Such is the heading of a letter which occupies
more than a fourth part of the Cork Mercantile
Chronicle, for Friday, the 25th of January. Our
readers, of course, anticipate that the epistle
itself is an invocation to the White-boys of the
neighbourhood, whose exploits at Macroom and
elsewhere occupy a large portion of the same
paper. By no means ;—it is an address to the
Catholics of Ireland, put forth by Mr. DANIEL
O'CoNNELL, in pursuance of his MAJESTY'S late
gracious recommendations to peace and unanimity.
The pressure of matter more immediately im-
portant, from the same country, has prevented
our hitherto noticing that which appears to us the
most injudicious and intemperate composition
that ever took its birth from the violence or
the weakness of man. To call it ill-timed would
be superfluous, for we cannot imagine n conjunc-
ture of national affairs, when such a publication
would be seasonable.

The principal topics of this letter are, the ne-
cessity of immediately enforcing the Catholic
Claims ; the inexpediency of allowing either a
Veto, or any other security, inconsistent (ac-
cording to Mr. O'CoxsELL's opinion) with the
religious rights of the Catholics; and the pro-
priety of establishing a Board, or Committee, to
take measures and make arrangements in con-
formity with these views. The epistle opens
with the usual assertions. respecting the violation
of the Treaty of Limerick, and the alleged ser-
vitude of Ireland since that time. It declares,
that the Irish Catholics still continue an op-
pressed and inferior class in their native soil,
aliens and outcasts in the land of their
fathers ; and it affirms, what has been al-
ready so solemnly pronounced on so many
different occasions, that there is, under present
circumstances, ," but one mode of salvation for
the British Empire," namely, to grant the Ca-
tholics " that liberty," says Mr. O'CONNELL,
44 Wr iCh we know to be our right, but which we
are ready to receive with all the affectionate gra-
titude due to the most gratuitous boon." It is

time, we think, that the advocates of Catholic
emancipation should discard this favourite style
of profession, which every one must perceive to
be either unmeaning or insincere. If the Irish
Catholics have really been enslaved, defrauded
and treated as aliens in the land of their fathers,
—if they indeed consider the granting of their
Claims to be no more than a right,—and if they
proudly feel, that upon the recognition of that
right depends the salvation of Great Britain, it
cannot he true, it is insulting them to declare on
their behalf, that they are ready to receive this

I art or enforced justice With CC affectionate grati-
tude" or like " a gratuitous boon."
Mr. O'Coslvrr.:: claims much credit for the
good-humour and conciliatory spirit which the
Catholics have displayed since the KING'S part-
ing admonition, but he declares that this good-
humour " cannot last, unless the causes of irrita-
tion and resentment be removed; that if Eman-
cipation he not granted, his MAJESTY'S letter is
" a mockery and a cruel mockery ;" and that in
this case the Catholics will only have to abide
the march of events, and " wish for that great
tide of National Reform which, we are told, is,
though repulsed for a moment, gaining ground I
with every breaker." This is speaking in para-
bles, but, at any rate, not obscurely. If Mr.
O'CoNNEnr.'s language is a fair specimen of that
which has prevailed among his countrymen since
the KING'S departure, we cannot altogether agree
in his praises of their good-humour and pacific
dispositions ; if he is the first who has raised his
voice in this tone, he must stand self-condemned
for his impatience to disturb the general harmony.
Let us, however, inquire, with that anxiety
which befits the alleged importance of the crisis,
what it is that the Catholics now demand. The
Bill of last year, Mr. O'CosNer.r. thinks, would
have given them every thing they could desire,
in point of civil rights: but the ecclesiastical
provisions, which would have enabled his MA-.
J ESTY'S Government to controul, by a rejecting
power, the appointment of Deans-and Bishops,
were alarming, execrable, and a " tremendous in-
novation on Catholic di.cipline." In permitting
these enactments to be introduced, the Catholics
of Dublin, it is said, acted in a manner " which
does them no credit either as men or as Chris-
tians." Mr. O'CoNNELL sighs over the conduct
of the Clergy, and the acquiescence of the Laity
was " inexcusable, and in every point of view
criminal."

To us, who look with the abhorrence natural

to Britons upon the very possibility of a foreign

power, ecclesiastical or civil, acquiring any kind
of purchase upon the political affairs of this king.
dom, the Veto itself, however odious and fatal
it may be deemed by Mr. O'CoNNEr.r, and other
violent Catholics, appears an insufficient' barrier
against Papal influence, in the event of civil fran-
chises being laid open to the extent demanded:
The argument which is urged against the grant-
ing of such a security is among the most forcible
that could be adduced in its favour, namely, that,
under a Veto, the Catholic Clergy would lose all
their political influence ! That influence, we are
told, has been most beneficially exerted in check-
ing the late disturbances. We are happy to learn
this ; we had indeed heard of two or three instances
in which the Priests have exerted themselves man-
fully to restrain the spirit of insurrection, but consi-
dering the genera I course of recent events, the wide
extent to which insubordination has prevailed, its
long duration, and the unmitigated ferocity with
which it has raged, we should have thought.that the
clergy of the disturbed districts either possessed
no political influence, or had used it to no good
purpose. If, however, a Popish Priesthood does
enjoy such influence, we think there cannot be a
stronger reason, with a Protestant Government,
for adopting such precautions as may either an-
nihilate the power, (if we can suppose with Mr.
O'CONNELt, that this is really passible) or may
prevent its being exercised under foreign direc-
tion. Such would, in some measure, be the
operation of the proposed Veto in case of new
concessions to the Catholics ; but the true and
effectual safeguard is, to withhold the concessions
themselves.

The differences which have prevailed, and
still exist, among Irish Catholics, on the subject
of a Veto or other security, afford a most instruc-
tive warning to those who think that limits should
at any time be set to what is called the concilia-
tion of that body. The schism between Vetoists
and Antivetoists is not yet adjusted ; Mr. PLUN-
KETT, however, has conferred with Mr. O'CON-•
NELL and the Catholic Bishops, and the result of
these debates has been, that the " unlimited
negative" is from henceforth not to be thought
of, but 44 a limited and defined right of rejec-
tion" is ti, he marked out if possible. If possible;
for " the nature and precise extent of such
limited ' power of rejection, as well as the
question of whether it can be practicable at all
without a violation of Catholic principles, are still
in discussion." And will that discussion termi-
nate in universal agreement ? Who is romantic
enough to suppose it ? Let the securities pro-
posed in Parliament be as ample or as slender
as human thought can make them, some dissatis-
fied minority will still be left among the Catho-
lics, protesting, execrating, and disclaiming.—
Where then, after all our concessions, will be
that noble coalition of " all classes and descrip-
tions of men, whatever may be their colour or
their creed," which was to end the long servitude
of Ireland, and which alone could bring salvation
to the British Empire? Alas! it " flies us like
enchanted ground," and never, let the Protestant
be well assured, newer will this glorious union be
atchieved by the wav of Emancipation, while
any security is exacted, any restriction imposed,
or any disability continued, which any handfu
of Catholics may deem inconsistent with their
civil liberties or derogatory to the honour of
their religion. Mr. O'CoNNELL tells us now,
that things cannot remain as they are. " There
may be one ; but are there two instances in the
world," he asks, " of sober folly that could dream
of our remaining as we are? No, I repeat it,
things cannot remain as they are." Perhaps
this Gentleman would be satisfied if things were
carried to the point which he at present contem-
plates ; but supposing his views accomplished,
other persons would of course be ready to take up
his cry. " Things cannot remain as they are" would
be the exclamation of some, while Catholics were
excluded from the vice regal power ; " things
cannot remain as they are" would he re-echoed
by numbers, till the Protestant church in Ireland
should give place to a Catholic establishment ;
and while the Crown itself continued to be with-

held from Catholic aspirants there would always
be individuals found to keep alive the note of
denunciation, " things cannot remain as they are."
For the purpose of making arrangements pre-
paratory to an application in Parliament, Mr.
O'CONNELL proposes the establishing of a Board

lor Committee, simUar to the Catholiciloliet
Their proceedings, he-says, should have no more
publicity than " just enough to prevent their
acting in contradiction to the public judgment or
public feeling."—" We might easily cashier " the
Board "at once," he adds,- " if it deviated from
its intended objects." Ile dOes not inform us
who would condescend to enrol himself in a
body which would have no discretion of its own,
would act in the eye and under the controul of
the " public," and be liable to instant ,dismissal
at their pleasure. It is evident that, such
an assemblage must be either the • intriguing
managers, or the humble creatures, of a party
out of doors ; in either case, Parliarrwnt must,
doubtless, have vast expectations from the steadi-
ness, moderation, and independence of their coun-
cils ! But as the settlement of Catholic demands
and concessions would afford too little or too
easy employment to so grave and potent a body,
it is suggested that the Board " would not only
be of great utility in forwarding the claims of the
Catholics, but it might be easily turned by the
Government to the great object of restoring tran-
quillity to Ireland." A very happy thought,
we must own ; but we doubt if his Majesty's Irish
Government be yet so weary of administering the
Affairs of that Country as to encourage the esta-
blishment of a Committee in Dublin, empowered
on the one hand to arrange the Catholic Claims,
and, on the other, to mediate between the Crown
and the White-boys ; pursuing these objects
under the immediate conttoul and supervision of
" the public," and holding their existence as a
body, by the sufferance of Mr. O'CONNELL and
his party.
The restoration of tranquillity to Ireland must
be effected by persons less engrossed than these
Gentlemen by the business of Emancipation, and
possessing sufficient good sense and real patriotism
to perceive, the absurdity of wrangling for ho-
nours and offices, while their countrymen are plun-
dering, maiming, burning, and shooting one
another, and aggravating, the evils of poverty by
the worst violences of (WI War. To propose a
Catholic Board for Ireland in her present situa.,
tion, is as if a man who saw his friend fall down
in an epileptic fit should send him an attorney.