The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-04 00:00:00

Olveninix rAtu/,

I.ONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1849.

In our publication of Tuesday last we hailed in
a spirit of kindliness and philanthropy the glad tidings
of a new and, as we believed, a practical project for
the amelioration of Ireland, introduced to the notice
of the House of Commons by the talented and pa-
triotic Member for Ennis, The OVonstast MAHON,
and strongly sustained by the high, character and
sound intelligence of the benevolent Lord ASHLEY.
Tilere is no exercise of our laborious duty more
gratifying to us than to give our active support to
any project or principle tending to the benefit or
happiness of our fellow-man. It was purely in this
spirit that we noticed and recommended the Irish
peat distillation project, as one calculated to confer an
unspeakable measure of good upon our suffering
fellow-subjects in Ireland. The project came before
us under such high auspices, and with a statement of
facts so strong and so accurately ascertained, that we
gladly availed ourselves of our position to give it all
the publicity and support in our power. In the
enthusiasm of our sympathy we almost wel-
comed it, at this critical moment, as a
providential intervention for the regeneration of that
afflicted land. We thought that in Ireland's own
bosom was at last found the panacea for her many
calamities. We thought we should soon see the
patriot, the philanthropist, the money-jobber, all
joining in a happy rivalry for the benefit of Ireland,
and that the lands of the Sacramento were never dug
with more aridity than would be the bogs of Conne-
mara. We were almost tempted to think witk the
high-minded and philanthropic Lord ASHLEY, " that
one hundred thousand acres of Irish peat would be
worth more than the whole region of California."
But, alas ! for poor Ireland, we believe it was a
wayward fate that wove her web. The moment a ray
of hope appears to brighten her horizon some evil ,
star arises to shed its malignant influence over the
dawning light, and to dispel any brightening prospects
of peace and hope that may for a moment beam out

on her.
We have been led into these remarks by the
Perusal of a letter, signed '6 HENRY SEAMAN," in
the columns of a morning Contemporary, not
certainly supposed to be overburdened with Irish
sympathies or predilections. He dates his
letter " Bedford-street, Plymouth." A natural
place enough, doubtless, for a "Seaman," but we
ea
nameot hlp noticing this little coincidence between
the
and the locality. We do not know whether
it will prove interesting to the generality of our read-
ers to learn the reasons whyoHENRYI SEAMAN, from
Plymouth, has troubled Contemporaryt on the
e
subject of Irish peat, but as some our mdodest cor-
respondents may occasionally require a go
for addressing us, we shall, for theirbenefiti apologyieve
them in his own words. He say., " Havieg been
many years a subscriber to your ably-conducted
journal, and reading your statements in reference to
our bankruptcy laws, railways, and other great com-
mercial matters, and your great desire to advocate
~ways what is correct and true on these important
points, I trouble you with this letter." To criticise
this specimen of epistolary excellence would be waste
of time, we shall at once let him corns to the sub-
stance of his letter. He adds, " A statement was
made in the House of Commons on Saturday
(it was made on Friday), sanctioned and sup-
ported by so good and great a man as Lord
ASHLEY, which, if not early contradicted, may
lead many into error. What he supports by his