The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-31 00:00:00

of the populace and extensive plunder of flour cart
......... •
7;
the neighbourhood of Birr
" We stop the press to state that an attack was made.
on upwards of So loads of flour which left this town in
the morning on its way to Shannon Harbour, for ship-
ment to Dublin. Owing to the state of the country, an
escort of soldiers and police was granted the millers for
nroteetion ; but this force was found totally insuffi-
- neople collected in great multitudes and
so. ,r-
-' • cient, as tHe r have the flour at all hazards.
seemed determined w-e Rosse to that effect, he
News having reached the Bari _ --.d. as we now
iwinrimtee,dtihe eatlmyiloirtdary ereadrereminalorcrcht
eimg p
et tsas;.---
at We
the
h eeL: iia
• thatpe-
mills in order to render the road impassable
the people have broken down the bridget
whether the cars were enabled to
proceed or ; 0
twe
cannot but
e
cannot say. It is stated that the wocarrying
cut open
off a
several of the bags, and succeeded in
considerable quantity. Two entire bags were taken off
one of Mr. Lyster's cars, quite convenient to the town.
Time will not permit our giving further particulars, but
_
at this moment all is excitement and alarm.

" We have just heard that some cars were stopped on
the road near Cloneen, and three loads of meal taken,
which Mr. Darby, of Leap Castle, had imported for the
use of the poor on his estate."
A letter from Banagher, in the same paper, says—
" I am sorry to be obliged to state that matters are
assuming a very alarming appearance about this neigh-
bourhood; scarcely a day since my last communication
that come outrage or another on property has not been
committed. The plunder of Messrs. Robinson's flour,
at the Rape-mills, between here and Parsonstown, was
followed up by a similar attack on a number of persons
belonging to this town, mostly small dealers and others,
who were returning from Parsonstown with their pur-
chases of flour and oatmeal on Thursday evening last;
the cars were stopped at the Split Hill by a large crowd
of neArly 300 persons, composed of men, women, and
children, who in a very short time rifled every car cf its
contents, stating that they were famishing for the want
of food, and could not stand it any longer. Although
there was a considerable quantity of flour and meal,
yet, when divided amongst so many, it affOrded only
a small portion to each person. On Friday
night, the 23d instant, two sheep, the property
of Mr. B. Seymour, of Clonfert, within three miles of
this town, were killed on his land, and the carcases
taken away. Mr. Seymour has been always exceedingly
kind and obliging to the poor of this neighbourhood, and
did not deserve this treatment. One or two other per-
sons have also lost sheep in the same way. Nearly a
fortnight has elapsed since the presentment sessions
were held for this barony, and yet, strange to say, there
is not the slightest appearance of any work being com-
menced about here yet. lat told the engineer has not
had time even to report on the works in this locality ;
surely such delay, under the circumstances, is highly
reprehensible, and the Board of Works should at once
issue the necessary directions to their proper officers for
this district to have the works proceeded with as soon as
possible ; the officers cannot do anything without orders
from the board. A spirit of demoralization is spreading
rapidly amongst the lower orders, which, if not checked,
must soon obliterate every trace of honest or honourable
principle they have remaining."
The Tipperary Constitution draws a very alarming
sketch of affairs in the south riding of that county, as
thus :

" The peasantry of Tipperary are armed to the teeth ;
every man with his gun, blunderbuss, or pistol. It is
fearful to contemplate what may be the result, but
such is the fact. The people do not disguise their
possession of fire-arms; they walk about with them in
the noonday ; and it is a common expression amongst
the lower classes to say Here are the 'fowlers,' when
they see those desperad9es. traversing the country.
The Government, as we said in our last number, must
step forward—they must disarm the revolutionists of
Ireland before it is too late. Ireland requires, nay de-
mands, a stringent Arms Act. If strong measures are
not taken forthwith this country will present a scene of
bloodshed and rapine unparalleled in the annals of crime.
We use strong language, but the times require it. We
have information from many sources, and all combine in
stating that we are near a dreadful crisis. Then, in
God's name, let us endeavour to meet it as we ought to
do. Let the Government leave no stone unturned to
avert it; let them take measures commensurate with the
state of the country, and stay the stream of crime ere it
swells into a crimsoned flood. Poverty, to be sure, has
its excuses, but the Divine and human laws are not to
be violated to dissipate it. It is not by bloodshed and
robbery the condition of the people is to be ameliorated.
The people must be taught this. The gentry of Ireland
are doing everything for
them, even to the confiscation
of their properties; but it is of no avail, and will be of
no avail, unless the Government come to the rescue of
the country at once."