The Sun.
London, England, 1822-07-17 00:00:00

who is seldom disposed to look on the favour-
able side of Irish affairs, voluntarily acknow-
ledged that, according to his opinion, so great
a change has taken place in the feelings of
Parliament towards Ireland, he would now will-
ingly resign the entire concerns of that part of the
United Kingdom to the Representatives of Great
Britain. So far as good intentions
_are in ques-
tion, we would perhaps coincide with the Hon.
Member for Cork; but on the whole with a- view
to the benefit of Ireland, and to the very infu-
sion- into the Irish Gentry of a practical know-
ledge of our inestimable Constitution, and the
application of that knowledge among their own
countrymen afterwards, we rather .regret that
so very few Irish lembers atten Parlia-
ment at all, and most of those who do for so
short a period of the Session. In noticing this cir-
cumstance we are not.in reality digressing from our
main object of remarking upon the general state
of the Sister Country. . We know of nothing more
sure to improve both the minds and the condition
of the people of Ireland than to have them con-
stantly looking up to .the Legislature as the un-
failing source of redress for all their grievances,
and as the impartial tribunal before which all
their wishes will be satisfactorily discussed.—
Need we say, then, when the population,
extent, and situation of that island, compared
with this, are borne in mind, how amply employ-
ed the whole 100 Irish Members ought „to be
in faithfully discharging the duty due to their
constituents. We fear, however, that at present
the habitual absence of those Gentlemen tells
against the real state of their, country, as well as
against themselves. But they' should recollect
that it is their duty to attend Parliament, and
that upon their co-operation and conduct the
immediate and future happiness of millions of their
fellow-countrymen essentially depends. With re-,
gard to the course which the discussion took on
Monday night, we agree, with IVlr.Trench that the
amelioration of Ireland divides itself under two
heads ; the one comprising the objects of Legisla-
tion, and the other not. The latter we are most
disposed to dwell, upon, both because they are the
most difficult to accomplish, and at the same time
the most. important.. We have no doubt, in short,
that whatever Legislation can do will be done,
and if any thing does retard. its progress, the
cause must be found in the non-accomplisliment
of those improvements in the state of the peoPle
not depending upon the Legislature. Mr. TrenCh's
sent4..nents upon the details of these subjects ap-
peared to us judicious, as they were well and
lucidly-expressed. Rack rents, and all the other
private dealings of individuals with individuals,
together with the argument -of, better habits
among the lower orders, and the ambition to en-
joy more of the substantial comforts of life, do
not (as this Hon.- Gentleman observed) Come, ek-
cent remotely and indirectly, within the province
of Parliament. We are, therefore, once more
obliged to seek the causes of the present la-.
mentable situation of Ireland in the state, of
society prevailing there, and in an altera:.
.tion of that state of society only, to -hope
for 'the improvement. of the country. Upon.
the latter point, judging from what passed in the
House of Commons on Monday, we think there
is one error into which many persons seem likely
to fall with_respect to the usual food of the poor
Irish. They appear to think that there is some-
thing in the easy and cheap production, and
sustentatioua properties- of- the .potatoe, which
renders it a principal cause of. the abject condi,
tiori of the lower classes in Ireland. We cannot
go this length with them. As a general principle
it is perhaps true that when the mass of any po-
pulation are reduced to be content with the vilest
desCription of. mere food, the more cheap: and
,abundant that food is,: the worse for the people.
But in our opinion you might eradicate, the
pothtoe from Ireland, and, withalrif the state of
society were not otherwise improved, the poor,
would remain as wretched as before. Alter the
state of society, however, and then we think this
vegetable, instead of being supposed a curse to
the country, would be proved its greatest bless-
ing;i But we once again repeat the opinion. of
Lord Liverpool, that the state of society never
will be improved till persons of property adopt
a more kind and liberal course of conduct to-
wards those under them.

gome well-executed counterfeit shillings have
found their way into circulation. They are of
the. date of 1.89.0, and are to be detected'by their
sound.
SHOCKING CATASTROPHE.—OnThursdayznorn..
ing, last, (11th inst.) as Mr. GILBERT HAYES,
with his son, Park-keepers to E. P. MEADOWS,
Esq. of Conholt Park, were shooting deer, the
former had just killed one, when his son went to
him for the purpose of stabbing, the animal., ,In
giving his gun to his father to hold, the but .3 n d
pitched on the ground ; the piece immediately
went off, and lodged its contents in the body of
the father, who fell down and expired instantly.
The deceased was between 50 and 60 years of
age, and has left.a wife and young family to de-
plore his loss.—( Winchester Journal.)
SINGULAR PHENOMENON.—A. few days ago the
perfect bodies of a cat and a rat, the former in a
watchful position over the rat, which was cring-
ing in a corner, fearful of being seized by its ene-
my, were found in a hollow part of ,one of the
buttresses of St. Olave's Church, in Southwark,
which is now repairing, in the highest state of
preservation. They are supposed to have been
there some centuries, from the aperture where
they must have entered into the buttress having
been stopped up when that part of the edifice last
underwent repair. Both the cat and rat are now
in the possession of Mr. Roberts, the architect,
and ,are considered a great curiosity.
Monday last as Mr. THOMAS FRENCH', of Iken-
Hall, Suffolk, was passing through Tunstall, a swarm of bees
alighted on him, and rolled into his coat pocket. Mr. FRENCH
threw off his coat, and the bees were hived from it without
doing him any harm.
The workmen employed in digging the foun-
dation for the new Gaol at Morpeth, lately found,
at the depth of 13 feet from the surface, an oak
tree, measuring 38. feet in length and 9 in cir-
cumference, and perfectly sound. The skeleton
of a deer's head, with fine branching horns, was
also lately found at the same place," about 15
feet below the surface.