The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-03 00:00:00

I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
A CONVEYANCER,

Lincoln's Inn, Oct. 29.

IRELAND.
!REPEAL ASSOCIATION.—MR. SMITH O'BRIEN.
Dunr.m, OCT. 31.—The Nation of this day conteiw
'the following important letter from Mr. Smith O'Brien,
ddressed to Mr. Duffy, the proprietor of that journal:-
- Cahirmoyle, Oct. 29, 1846.
" My dear Mr. Duffy,—Notwithstanding the deep in-
terest which I felt in the discussions occasioned by the
;recent proceedings of the Repeal Association, I have pur-
posely abstained, as long as possible, from mingling in
She controversy as a partisan, in the hope that I might
thereby be enabled to assist in restoring union amongst
`the repealers of Ireland. Since, however, the events of
each succeeding day appear to interpose new obstacles to
'uch a re-union, Ido not feel myself at liberty any longer
pa shrink from an explicit declaration of my opinions
with respect to the questions at issue. Forbearance is,
indeed, a virtue; but so long as our country continues in
bondage, inaction is a crime. We who have devoted our-
selves to its emancipation are not entitled to rest from
fur labours until our mission shall be fulfilled.
" I do not think it necessary to repudiate the many
absurd imputations which have been cast upon me; but
neither have I any desire to shield myself from animad-
oegreispwaletairttßsilivureat;iaein from such a con tin-
version by concealing my real sentiments with regard to
the rights and duties of Irishmen. In the following ex-
position of my opinions I am disposed to believe that no
inconsiderable portion of my fellow countrymen concur.
" We conceive that duty to our country is our highest
political obligation, aud that our primary allegiance is
due to Ireland. We honour the Queen as our sovereign,
riot because she is descended from a race of kings who
throughout many centuries wronged and afflicted the
Eteople of this land, but because we believe that if our
interests and liberties were protected by a national
lbgislature, the Irish nation would enjoy happiness and
security under her sway. We do
reiddneoptthedanetdseilorreoeolt
aoonfsdelvrweerol
Ireland
wouldseparation be hereafter produced by
nnexion between Ireland and thmeariersitteonfaatohee eomf pthiraet.
f
the British Parlia-
itsth misgovernment,il
1:
Th
Parlia-
ment, I rnnenpeeni Yrebe,xi nbfl iei
eoueccinvVaehyue buttslhoeeesbaossmyuit hthaeahentlablelobedienceaws
is bnecessary to the main-
tenance of social order ; but, remembering that the Act
Act of
which can tend
of Union never received the sanction of the Irish people,
u_Wneiohnolbdyopueracseelvfuels
and that it was conceived in perfidy and brought forth
it crime, we deny the moral right of the British legisla-
pt
er
de floerogfiot
the
ea
legitimate
to procure domestic legislation for Ireland. We desire
gtoedintoaksep
nattaancsh,ibeevleievainrgeptehaalt such means are more desirable and
alraewns
more efficacious than any other ; but we decline to ab-
jure, under every possible contingency, the right of re-
sistance which is the last resort of the oppressed--a right
inherent in the natives of every country, but especially
the inheritance of the subjects of a dynasty which owes
its sceptre to a successful effort to achieve political ame-
liorations by means of the sword.
" It is not easy to understand what is the orthodox
creed of the Repeal Association ; I confess that I was
unable to comprehend the subtle distinctions and con-
tradictory definitions with which the ' moral force' doc-
trine has been enunciated ; but I infer from the pro-
ceedings of the Repeal Association in the case of others,
that the foregoing avowal of my opinions disqualifies me
from continuing a member of that body.
" The regret which I naturally feel upon finding my-
self excluded from an association with which, under very
trying circumstances, I acted, on terms of perfect cor-
diality, for nearly three years, is greatly diminished
when I remember that many of those whose abilities,
patriotism, and disinterestedness shed lustre upon that
confederacy, and won the admiration even of its oppo-
nents, have been contumeliously expelled from it. Nor
would it have been possible to avoid collisions of opinions
upon other questions connected with the policy of the
repeal movement. The support given by the associa-
tion to an anti-repeal Ministry, accompanied, as it has
been by open encouragement of the solicitation of patron-
age, the pursuit of which tends to render repealers the
creatures and dependents of the English Government,
must have occasioned perpetual remonstrance on the part
of those who spurn the blandishments of English cor-
ruption. Under these circumstances, no practical ad-
vantage could arise from an attempt to bring together
persons who, though professing to seek a common end,
yet differ widely as to the means by which it may be
attained. It is true, indeed, that the value of a power-
ful organisation, such as that which the Repeal Associa
tion maintained during the years ,1844 and 1845, can
scarcely b© too highly appreciated. It embodied the
sentiments of millions, and through many ramifications
gave strength to the cause which it sustained. Those,
therefore, who have been excluded from the Repeal
Association are now deprived of many favourable
opprtunities of advancing. the interests of their
country. Men who are really in earnest, how-
ever, create opportunities of action for themselves, and
are not the mere slaves of circumstance. It is to be
hoped, therefore, that a field for useful exertion in the
cause of Ireland will ere long be presented to those who
have dedicated themselves to the sacred task of redeem-
ing; their native land. In the meantime, it is a fortu-
nate circumstance that your journal offers itself us an
org•in through which their voice may be heard. The
young men of Ireland—what more cheering denomina-
tion could they covet than that of " Yonng Ireland ?"
the legion of ardent and accomlished men who proudly
accept this title, may, by yours instrumentality, be
en-
abled to train their fellow-countrymen to that
intel-
lectual and moral discipline which best fits men for fre
and, in so training others, will discipline ti iem-
sell ei to become the leaders of a peaceful revolution—
the guides of an emancipated people.
" I do not hesitate to believe that you will gladly
place an assigned portion of your journal at the disposal
of those who are qualified to prepare their countrymeni for liberty, and who are not ashamed to avow, by the