The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-11 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY. DECEMBER 11, 1847.

The Irish Outrage Bill has gone through Com-
mittee, and was ordered to be reported, and the re-
port to be this day brought up. Mr. JOHN
O'CONNELL thought it necessary to propose several
amendments, but he only once ventured to a division,
and then:obtained but four votes in support of his
proposition. The Bill may now be looked on as vir-
tually passed, and we are convinced that when ju-
dicioutly brought into operation it will be found
productive of the most beneficial results, There are
many points in which the new Bill possesses vast ad-
vantages over the more stringent enactments of
former days, which will render it far more
efficient in affording the desired protection
to life and property, while, at the same
time, the interference with the liberties of the
people is reduced to the minimum amount, and will
not be complained of by any well-disposed and peace-
able persons. It adopts the humane principle that
prevention is better than punishment, and it there-
fore enables the Lord-Lieutenant, with the assent of
the Privy Council, to proclaim a district even before
outrages have been committed, if those threatening
indications are observable that render it a matter of
perfect certainty that speedy disturbances will ensue.
The old Whiteboy Acts were open to this objection,
they could not come into operation until the or-
ganization was complete, and numerous outrages
had disgraced the locality. That which in the
earlier stages could easily have been repressed
was suffered to acquire strength, and to proceed
without let or hinderance until it had attained a cer-
tain pre-eminence in crime, and the great body of the
people had been involved in illegal confederacies,
from which they would gladly have remained free,
if fully protected against the nefarious designs of the
outlawed miscreants who originated the disturbuncus.
Lord CLARENDON has deservedly obtained the con-
fidence of all classes and grades in Ireland. We will
venture to assert that there is not a single person
throughout the entire nation who would suppose
it possible that he would abuse the power intrusted
his
hands. And while her MAJESTY is so for-
tunate as to possess so trustworthy a representative,
it would,
indeed, be a most unwise precaution if
be should
be ecompelled to disregard the clouds that
lower in the
horizon,ed and to await patiently the
coming storm before
preparations were made to en-
counter its violence Another admirable provisione of the present Bill is
the additional police I
the ca4ting the entire x
wohifsich their services are
force upon the locaditiels) nisne
ntohteto be postponed
required. The payment, too,
bzobable outlay, 1
to a future day, but an estimate of
for a perind of three months, is to
mediately levied, in like manner as th:(lee: and
it"-
upon the occupiers. Here, then, is a direetuinntCe ee*"l
to that Class who can alone effectually preserve the
peace of their respective neighbourhoods to act ener-
getically and zealously with the authorities in
represOng every species of disturbance, and banishing
the criminals who might attempt to come into their
vicinities ; it applies a certain penalty for that apa-
thetic indifference that has so justly been censored.
It will now be known that where the escape of an
offenderais connived at, and the people do not come
Ist EW S 1t01.;15:,,,,' ‘,deb vindicate the law, to capture its violators,
,1-7..9opss,i:gn them to condign punishment, the ,
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