The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-26 00:00:00

put forward, it is right that the real facts of the case
should be simply stated, in order that the public might
judge the degree of credence to which twenty-three
gentlemen of property, selected from the most re-
spectable inhabitants of the county, and forming its
grand inquest, are entitled. _ _

When towards the close of the last session of
Parliament the existence of the mysterious disease,
the sad calamity which involved Ireland in such
misery and wretchedness, became known, although
its full extent could not then be even guessed
at, the Ministry, with the most praiseworthy
promptitude and decision, brought forward and ob-
tained the legislative sanction to a measure by which
the Lord-Lieutenant was authorised to appoint
special sessions to be held in any district where
distress existed. These sessions were enabled
to approve of, and to pass presentments
for such public works, as might appear to be of local
or national utility, and the money required to carry
the same into execution was to be provided by the
national exchequer ; but the whole of these advances
were to be charged upon the several districts, and to
be repaid by instalments, spread over a period of ten
years. Fortunately it was provided that the works
so presented for should receive the sanction of the
Board of Works before they should be commenced.
It was distinctly and clearly expressed, that every
shilling of the expenditure should be provided for, and
ultimately defrayed by the property in the districts,
and stringent provisions were inserted for the sum-
mary sale of the property of defaulters. Not the
slightest hope or expectation was held out
that any portion thereof would be remitted or
borne by the State. It is almost unnecessary to say,
in how different a spirit that statute (the Labour-rate
Act) was acted on from that contemplated by the
Legislature. It was immediately regarded as the
sole means by which the able-bodied labourers of
the country were to be supported. Private individuals
suspended the undertakings they had previously
been carrying on. Labourers were discharged
who had usually received permanent employment ;
that which was intended as, and would have proved
a most valuable auxiliary was, in a great degree, de-
prived of its efficiency and value by being made the
only means. A general congratulation ran through
the country because no limitation was placed on the
amount to be provided. Every proposition
was hailed with boisterous acclamation, and
carried without a semblance of opposition,
the slightest vestige of which was at once over-
whelmed by clamour, violence, and every species of
intimidation. A day of reckoning was wholly for-
gotten in the joy and exultation of getting English
money into the country. In some districts present-
ments were passed to the extent of five or six times
the annual value of the property out of which the
advances therefor were to be repaid. The Board of
Works happily pared down and reduced this wanton
extravagance to the utmost limits ; but still, when
760,000 able-bodied labourers were driven to road-
making, as the only way of obtaining a means of live-
lihood in the absence of their usual mode of employ-
ment, a large expenditure was unavoidable. After
a time the landlords began to find out that
it would be much pleasanter for themselves if that
labour was employed on their lands—if they were to
be drained, cultivated, and cropped by the nation,
while they stood by with folded arms and reaped all
the benefit. This was, of course, too absurd ; but
the late estimable Lord-Lieutenant, anxious to take
away the slightest ground of complaint, on his respon-
sibility and trusting to a Parliamentary indemnity,
enabled presentments to be made for the improvement
of private property, whereon the owner undertook to
repay the entire amount of these presentments. This,
however, did not suit the gentlemen complaining, who
wished to get everything without any return. It is
well known how few availed themselves of the privilege
thus accorded, or made application for presentments.
On the meeting of Parliament, when detailing the un-
fortunate manner in which the tabour-rate had been
carried into execution, and the enormous expenditure
in consequence, the Secretary for Ireland stated
that to a certain extent the Irish famine should be

regarded as a national calamity, and that the Mi-
nistry had therefore decided on recommending the
T.peislature to remit one-half the amount, and only
to charge the remaining moiety on the several dis-
tricts; and this is the declaration that is now at-
tempted to be tortured into a totally different meaning
by the veracious grand jury of the county of Clare.
We regret to find that any Irish gentleman can be
found to act in such a manner as to justify an unwil-
lingness in this country again to interfere in their
behalf, or to make advances which the recipients of
their bounty are so unwilling to repay.

The debate on the Sonderhund, or Catholic League,
was resumed at Berne on the 20,h, at nine in the
morning, and lasted with great animation till six in
the evening. The Liberal party obtained the ma-
jority. It was resolved by 42 states and two half
states—first, to declare the Sonderhund dissolved—.
and secondly, that this decision shall be obligatory
on the Cantons of the League. The Cantons which
voted in favour of these resolutions were Zurich
Soleure, Schaffhousen, Argau, Tessino, Genevit,
Vaud, Thurgau, Grisons, Appenzell-Interior, Bale-
Country, Glaris, and Berne. St. Gall and the C-ri
sons, which had reserved their decisions, also gave
their assent. Lucerne, the Valais, and Zug inserted
a protest on the minutes.

We learn from Rome that Cardinal FERETTI, the
PorE's new Secretary of ;•tate, arrived there on the
14th Mgr. RuscoNt is nominated Under-Secretary
ut State in the room of M. CORBOLI Bnsst. Prince
Rosricuost is made Commander-in Chief of the
National Guard of Rome. Prince ORSINI is con-
firmed as senator. On the 11th there was another
marked demonstration of the popular feeling, on the
occasion of transporting the statue of Pius IX. to
the Piazza del Polopo, where it is to be erected.
The enthusiasm was even greater than on the anni-
versary of the accession.

A letter from Rome, dated the 18th, says—" There
is a most extraordinary report current at Rome which
has excited great agitation. It states nothing less
than the discovery of a conspiracy, at the head of
which was a Cardinal held in great suspicion by the
people. I dare not mention the projects attributed to
the conspirators until they are in some degree
officially made public. It is affirmed that at this
moment several great personages are being arrested,
and that they will be sent in the course of the day to
the Castle of St. Angelo."

Intelligence from Lisbon to the 19th, and from
uporto to the 21st, has been received by the Penin-
,ular and Oriental Company's steam-ship Iberia,
which arrived this morning at Southampton.
The Algarve battalion of Queen's troops have been
behavin in such an outrageous manner to the officers
of DAs AtiTAS, who were released from Fort St.
Julian on the 10th, that the British Minister has
called upon the QUEEN to have the Algarve Battalion
instantly removed from the capital.

bLiiNsbAosl,
wThhoe yplawc ereplaced
a met oatnh tohfe
A part of SALDANHA'S army have returned to
way
e by
tn hien gcolours
of the-regiment. A more •
appropnate mode of re-
warding the valour of these who did
not take Oporto
could scarcely be imagined. KingF
ERDMAN') is
the worthy who at St. Übes (like the King of FRANCE
at the head of 20,000 men), " rode up a hill and then
rode down again," the said riding down again taking
place before the troops of SA DA BANDLIRA fisd ad-
vanced within "long shot" distance.
General CONCHA and his staff arrived in Lisbon on
the 14th, and after-a stay of a few days returned to
his army.
The following proclamation has been issued by
SALDANIIA
Cocuradk-s! the authority of her Majesty is now re-
established throughout the entire kingdom. The faith-
tul troops aild loyal subjects of her ;Majesty, in
col-junction with the pow( rlul and efficacious co-opera-
tion of_ her allies, have clearly demonstrated, even
to the most incredulous, that her throne is equally
,h'elded from the assaults of republicans and the attacks
of despotism.
" pacification of the country is complex, and
order is no longer likely to be disturbed, for a loyal
army, constant in its dt votedi,siss to her Majesty the
Queen, guarantees to the
authorities a force necessary to
maintain it.
" Comrades I my graLitude to you will be eternal: for
the confidencr, for the willing spirit with which you have
served with me.
_ Betore we separate, and with the enthusiasm which
has ever animated us, let us once more make the welkin
ring with our vuvas for her Majesty the Queen and the
coustitutional charter. Vi7as, then, for her ldajeopy