The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-07 00:00:00

IRELAND.

ARREST OF MR. SMITH O'BRIEN.
TIIURLES, SATURDAY NIGHT.
This evening, at eight o'clock, Mr. Smith O'Brien
was arrested in the town of Thurles, just as he was
on the point of leaving for Limerick. The arrest
was made without the slightest resistance either on
the part of the prisoner or the people, and the infa
tuated rebel chief is now en his way to Dublin. He
was recognised in passing through the principal
street of Thurles by -- Hulme, a guard in the em-
ploy of the Great Southern and Western Railway
Company. Mr. O'Brien asked him the way to
the railway station, and Hulme having answered
the question, immediately sent a soldier off
for reinforcements. He himself followed Mr.
O'Brien to the station. On arriving there Mr.
O'Brien asked for a second-class ticket to Lime-
rick, the price of which he paid. His manner
was so embarrassed that the clerk noticed it, and
particularly the tremor of the hsnd. He did not,
however, recognise his face. Having given more
money than was sufficient to pay the fare, the clerk
returned him 6d. change, but he took no notice of
this, and was walking away, when the clerk called
him_back. On his return he asked which was the
right platform to go to, and being told that it was
that opposite where he stood he crossed the line to get
to it. There he was immediately arrested by Hulme,
who commanded him to surrender himself in the
Queen's name, and seized his arm to prevent any re-
sistance or the use of a weapon. Head-constable
Hanover, D, vshe held the warrant for his arrest, im-
mediately assisted Hulme, and Mr. O'Brien was at
once disarmed of a small pistol which he carried in
his waistcoat pocket, and which was the only weapon
he had about him. The reinforcement which
Hulme had the prudence to send for, and which
consisted partly of police and partly of sol-
diers, now arrived, and Mr. O'Brien was at once
conducted to the gaol, where arrangements were
made for his lodgment during the night. General
M'Donald, however, wisely determined to send the
prisoner without a moment's delay to Dublin, and
accordingly, in an incredibly short space of time, a
troop of dragoons and a detachment of infantry were
drawn out as an escort to the station. In the mean
time the people began to assemble in groups, the
voices of women were beard waxing eloquently
rebellious, and every moment increased the signs
of popular agitation. General M'Donald's arrange-
ments, however, were made and carried out with
the greatest expedition and precision. The entrance
to the gaol was cleared by the police, a strong
body of infantry held the station, and a troop
of cavalry swept the streets clear of the crowds
that had assembled there. The shopkeepers were
imperatively ordered to close their doors, and the
General himself entered one or two where a disposi•
tion was shown to disobey his orders, and struck
terror into the inmates. In consequence of these
vigorous measures, not the slightest difficulty was
experienced in conveying Mr. O'Brien from the gaol
to the station. He was taken there on a car, which
was also occupied by Mr. Gore Jones and Captain
Fitzmaurice, the resident magistrate, and by General
M'Donald. A strong escort of infantry and police
accompanied the prisoner, who was safely placed in a
special train previously prepared for the purpose of
conveying him to Dublin. Mr. O'Brien occupied the
centre seat in the carriage, and in the same compart-
ment were Lieutenant Alexander M'Donald, four
armed policemen, and the sub-inspector of constabu-
lary at Thurles. The train started on its way a few
minutes after ten o'clock.
DUBLIN, SUNDAY MORNING, SIX O'CLOCK.
Mr. O'Brien has arrived, and has been safely
lodged in the Royal Barracks here by Lieutenant
M'Donald, to whose care his father, the General, en-
trusted the prisoner. Mr. O'Brien was prohibited
from speaking or moving on the way on pain of
instant death. He therefore tried to sleep, but his
efforts were not successful. His manner during
the journey was upon the whole confident and
self-possessed, though the uneasiness of his mind
would occasionally betray itself in his face,
and in the restless manner in which he changed
his position from time to time. He yawned
frequently, as, I believe, to account for the
tears which came starting into his eyes, and I
could see that anxiety of mind and personal ex-
posure have left deep traces behind them on his
features. On reaching the Dublin terminus he
walked to the barracks, guarded by a party of thirty
policemen, who had accompanied him by the train.
This capture is decisive as to the fate of the Irish re-
bellion, and it is gratifying to think that it has been
effected so quietly. A report had for some hours
previously been industriously circulated in Thurles
that Mr. O'Brien had escaped to a sea-port in Galway,
and sailed for America.
Viscount Hardinge left town this day to take com-
mand of the troops at Clonmel.
I am this moment informed that Mr. O'Brien has
been sent to Kilmainham, under the same escort as
that which accompanied him to Dublin. Prince
George of Cambridge has thus lost no time in pro-
viding for his safe keeping.
The few provincial journals which reached this
morning are totally barren of intelligence. All seems
to be quiet in the south.
The news of Mr. O'Brien's arrest, although• ar-
riving at the untimely hour of two o'clock this morn-
ing by special engine from Thurles, flew like wild-
ct
oairrsttneiost
hpoitselth.e ept
phutareospeippvi
insurgent
fr
gpdaeinns eitcu
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eyk.
ea
nt
Eeavvtiedretyhn
etsee t rdfateis
-t
fire over the town. Even at this early hour the
osuf corner.b
theje leader
content,
nmgo n
feeling
es
lui
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adme ro
nwsi t
thhoeu t re-
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lower
classes.
Under
e the head of " Very important," the Water-
fordChroniclehasten
tohas
laythteh
e followingfoll
following
g inl
Wvery important letter
before our readers, which we received late yesterday
evening:—

7" Goff's•bridge, Thursday Night.
" Dear Sir,--I hasten to inform you that Mr. Smith
O'Brien, Devin Reilly, R. O'Gorman, and three French'
engineers, supped at Guff's• bridge last night. They
are accompanied into this county (Wexford) with about
2,000 men, armed with rifles, pikes, &c. Mr. Smith
O'Brien appeared in good health and the best spirits.—
I remain yours, " ARTHUR GOGARTY.
" P.S.—I forgot to mention that Mr. Smith O'rien
was joined by several clubs, numbering about 1B ,000
men."—limes.

CONDITION OF THE SOUT
IRELAND.
GALIZALLT, AUGUST 4.—After having traversed
the greater part of both ridings of the county Tip-
perary, I halt at this little village, situated at the foot
of the Galtee Mountains, and on the borders of the
county Limerick, to give you a brief abstract of the
result of my observations. Rebellion I found not.
I have said that I could not find rebellion ; that is
true. I did not see an army of insurgents, or any-
thing that gave indication of the actual existence of
civil war; nevertheless a rebellion does exist. If the
whole of the south of Ireland is not at this moment
plunged into all the horrors of a civil, or rather servile
war, the reason is to be attributed, not to the disin-
clination of the people to rise up in arms, but solely
to the want of a proper opportunity, and of
bold, able, and trusted leaders. This is no
hasty impression or idle guess-work; it is
a deliberate conviction founded on the moat
satisfactory evidence. Every mile I travelled
every person I conversed with every
fact bearing on the subject which has come under
my observation, all have served to impres indelibly
on my mind the truth of the statement I have made.
Let no man lay the flattering unction to his soul
,ttrhh
reaut
Governmente the i spiritistha t of
the
ev
ewisavedswise disaffection
antdh the
o hasu salutarynt r
ybef er oncrushed.
m precautions
convul-
sion
o
for the present; but the winter is fast approach •
ps
ithtspigrhei
aaoeesvoin—sei
:titehuhh
improbable—that
ruirslohdslebtoaautsibohbtrl n f o
eee
stated—and
towdaorttirr a
hena bivouac
damtwet—inrs n w
twinterill have
g passed—theuarters, and
in
will
s tt
hahatiaentvn
statement
ehl aine(ri3tr,
to
aosd'
reocrdee. I
does not
it
ne
tachshneeidtesf leaderst
satisfied, for the present, with harassing the soldiery
and frightening the Government, but that they are
steadily abiding their time. Much, however,
will depend upon circumstances. In the course
of my wanderings I have met with a great
many country gentlemen, and all of them agree in
thinking that the rebellion is not extinguished, that
it still smoulders, and they look with considerable
apprehension to the coming winter. Certainly it is
unreasonable to calculate that all the wild theories.
which have been propounded by the anarchists and
Jacobins—the visions of wealth, happineas, and:inde-
pendence which have been held out to the misguided
people—it is unreasonable to suppose that these con-
genial theories have taken no A oot, or that the people,
I after such golden dreams, will sink back, without a,
struggle of some nd, into their former position.