The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-19 00:00:00

trusts. If any legislative attempt was made to im-
prove her condition, to elevate her social state, to
educate the masses, and prepare them for a better
position, it was met with the most inveterate hostility
by her own children, save of that party which it was
supposed it would benefit. Every person who did
not enrol himself in some of the factions by which the
kingdom was disturbed was regarded as a common
enemy, against whom every hand should be raised.
" Those who are not with us are against us" was
universally felt, and the man who agreed with either
side in the majority of points, if he conscientiously
differed on any, was regarded with greater suspicion
and dislike than the thorough and unflinching op-
ponent. It was sufficient that a measure should
emanate from one of opposite political sentiments to
ensure its condemnation. It might bear the closest
examination, nothing injurious might be detected in
its provisions ; it might be calculated to remove an
universally admitted evil, or to attain some great
national object, but the- support of the other party
was alone a fatal objection to its reception. Happily
that feeling has been gradually subsiding ; a complete
change has come over the scene within the last few
months'; dire necessity has at length dissolved the pre-
judices and appeased the mutual animosities of all
classes, and has led to the formation of what has been
so long and so anxiously desired by the more moderate
Irishmen of "an Irish party." Already more than
seventy-five Peers and Members of. Parliament have
given in their adhesion, and affixed their signatures, to
the resolutions to associate together for the purpose of
protecting and watching over Irish interests in the
Imperial Legislature. Men hitherto the most opposed
to each other are now, side by side, engaging them-
selves to co-operate on behalf of their common
country, to fight her battles, to elevate her in the scale
of nations, to make Ireland indeed what she ought to
be. The sufferings of the country, the vast loss and
heavy expenditure that has taken place, will not
,be
without some good effect. Nothing-of less consequence
or less threatening aspect could have led to this happy
oblivion of former feuds. It is the great strength and
power of the common enemy menacing a common
ruin to all that alone could effect it. Sincerely do
we hope that the union and friendship thus created
will not be dissolved on the termination of the danger
that called it into existence, but that the good effects
that will be found to result therefrom will cement and
bind together all in future, harmony and concord.
The resolutions candidly confess the grievous error
of which all parties have hitherto been guilty ; the
subscribers acknowledge,their fault and its injurious
consequences, and declare their firm determination no
longer to be guilty of such conduct. They state
"that they feel deeply convinced that their own
divisions have been the leading causes of their own
misfortunes, and by weakening their influence in the
councils of the empire, have deprived them of their
share of the general prosperity, and that it is by
union alone that they can repair the evils that dissen-
sion has created, and they acknowledge that the first
duty of every Irishmen is to devote his undivided
effort to the interests of Ireland, and that neither
politics, parties, nor personal prejudices should in-
fluence his mind in the discharge of such a duty." It
is impossible not to augur favourably for a country
whose leading and most influential ions are animated
Ay such feelings, if the motives that have led to the
formatitin—Orthe party be duly and properly -carried
out, if there be- no attempt to abuse the great power
that must be placed in the hands of a party so united,
if it be not used for purposes other than those which
have called it into existence, so as to lead to the
formation of an opposing party; if it seek only that
which is equitable and just, a full and perfect equality
for their country, and do not aim at the possession of
extraordinary advantages or privileges, they must
succeed. They will possess gigantic strength—they
must use that strength with caution and discrimina-
tion ; they must abstain from joint action on ques-
tions with which Ireland is wholly unconnected ;
they must not seek as a body to advance party
interests or party questions, to sustain or
pull down a Ministry, to elevate or depress
any particular class, or the professors of any
pe
particular creed, but must confine themselves
to such questions as apply exclusively to Ireland, and
are calculated to raise the social, material, and moral
expressed
resolution
respecting
n Reprtheo
dcounedtiivtieoncoomf
mhietrtepeeoin l
theiras
Irish party. Let them co-operate together to obtain
a perfect equality in every solid benefit, every im-
perial advantage, and every British right ; but there
let them pause. So far they can act with propriety,
with justice—so far will their efforts be respected,
and their exertions approved
o f by every right-
thinking man, but when they pass that boundary,
when they seek anything further, • l
they
will bring
hostile combinations into existence, and their own
power and efficiency will be taken away and
wholly destroyed. We do not, however, fear
any such] attempt by the Irish party. The
conflicting.:
nature of its elements, the differences of
religion and politics that exist among its members—
the holy cause for which they have given up, or at
least suspended their several prejudices, forbid the
supposition that they will apply their union to any
improper purpose. We repose unbounded confidence
in their honour and integrity. We wish them full
success in the objects for which they are associated,
and fervently pray that Ireland, happy and pros-
perous, may long have cause to laud and bless those
who gave up their own differences for the welfare
s. and advantage of their fatherland.

" Plagn e, pestilence, 'and famine"—such are the in-
flictions from which we:pray to be delivered. It would
be more appropriate, perhaps, to locate them thus—
Famine, plague, and pestilence, inasmuch as the last two
generally follow in the train or the first. But although
plague anl pestilence are always consequences of famine,
of plague and pestilence. Filth is as
•itby no means follows that famine should invariably
the antecedent
potent a generator of disease as famine ; arid,therefore,
it behoves us to guard against filth. One of the most
prolific sources of filth, and consequently pf disease, is
mthaettearc,mainnduinaotitohninginso tends~large masses of pntrid animal
to produce a magazine of
pestilence as the holding of large cattle markets and the
slaughtering of animals in large towns. pf all large
cattle markets, the, market of Smithfield is,the largest,
and as all cattle markets in towns are great puisances, it
is, of consequence, of all existing nuisancesqhe greatest
The committee of the HOUSO of Commons appointed to
consider the state of the Smithfield markLt"reported,
" That the passing of lire stock to and froM Smithfield
is a nuisance to the inhabitants tg the nchlibciurhood
and to the public at large, and that the present size and
arrangement of the market does not afford sufficient ac-
commodation, are propositions which your committee
are prepared to maintain; and that the site of a live-
stock market in a thickly-inhabited part of the' metro-
polls, is highly objectionable, your Committee: cannot
reasonably doubt."
As a proof , f the highly objectionable nature of a
live stock cattle market in a thickly inhabited part of the
metropolis,
we need only refer to 'the weekly record of
accidents, not 'infrequently attended 'vith loss
,of life,
which occur in the metropolis, from the onslaught upon
passengers of bullocks, goaded to a state of 'madness by
the cruelty with which they have been treated, and by
the terror which they have suffered in thPir progress
to and-from this market, situated in the centre of the me-
tropolis. Thole over-driven and fevered beasts are taken
from the market to slatighter-houses, situated in dense-
ly-populated districts, slaughtered: there while in a
state of fever, in places where blood and ani-
mal offal, in a state of nutrescence are ;allowed to
accumulate, and in these magazines Of peOtilence the
carcasses of the slaughtered beasts hang for t. o or` three
days, imbibing all sorts of noxious gases beft;re they are ,
exposed on the shambles of the butcher for sale; and this-
is the case with the best and most costly meat--the meat
which is furnished to the tables of the rich and luxurious.
This is not a thing done in a corner—it is open,