The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-12 00:00:00

SECOND EDITION

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LONDON, MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 1846.

It appears from the Irish papers that the ATTOR-
NEY-GENERAL, rather notorious for a breach of the
law, had instituted proceedings against the Nation,
a journal regarded, we believe, as the organ of the
party called " Young Ireland." The article on
which the information is founded appeared some
months since, and certainly is highly objectionable,
If we remember correctly, its object was to show
that railroads, so far from being an advantage in
putting down resistance to lawful authority, or in
repelling an invasion, might turn out the very
reverse, and then showed how they might
be broken up, and not only all passage
along them obstructed, but how the rails, and
other materials employed in their construction,
might be used against her MAJESTY'S troops, should
young Irelend, in some extraordinary fit of excite-
ment, think proper to raise the standardof rebellion.
The Irish ATTORNEY-GENERAL probably infers that the
violent language in which the article is written is put
forth as a feeler, or as a preparative to ulterior pro-
ceedings. Possibly he may be right in his inference,
but whether he is right in prosecuting the indiscreet
writer is another question. In the first place, by in-
stituting a Government, prosecution, he raises the
editor to great importance ; he makes him the
leader of the party, an object which of all others,
probably, he had most in view; he encourages the
sale of his paper, and should a conviction be obtained,
and a severe punishment follow, he will be regarded
as a martyr and the only undaunted friend of the op-
pressed in Ireland. But he does a great deal more.
The obnoxious article was circulated only partially,
and admitting that it was read by thousands, and that
it was of an inflammatory character, will the
prosecution remedy the evil ? Before the pro-
secution it was entirely forgotten ; it was
read and little more thought of except, perhaps,
by a very few readers of a certain class, and, with-
out the ATTORNEY- GENERAL'S interference, would
have sunk into oblivion. Now it will be blazoned
forth in every journal throughout the United Empire.
Every reader of a newspaper in Ireland, Scotland,
and England, and France too, will study Mr.
DUFFY'S theory of resistance, and he will thus be-
come a nine-days'-wonder to many millions who
never even had heard of " Young Ireland," or knew
that such a redoubtable gentleman was in existence,
The evil will thus be increased a hundred fold, and
for what purpose ? To punish the traitor, and deter
others from following his example. But punishment
has no salutary effect upon enthusiasts, it only rouses
them to higher deeds ; and the more severe the
punishment, the greater sympr.thy is excited among
the sect of which the victim is the leader, and also
among unconcerned spectators. It is admitted on all
hands that the Reformation was more promoted by
prosecutions or persecutions than by any other
means. Christianity owed much to the same im-
politic and cruel system, and in modern times no
sectarian, whether political or religious, was ever
pursued by the satellites of the Government, without
having his votaries increased ten per cent. Many of
these fanatics, when their game was all but up, have
made renewed efforts by violence to attract persecu-
tion,
and would have rather sacrificed themselves in the
cause, than eee their favourite system of regeneration
die a natural death ; but all wise Governments have
prudently kept aloof, knowing that extreme excite-
ment soon wears itself eut, and that the most cruel
punishment that can be inflicted on visionaries and
schemers is contempt. The Whig Government, to
its honour, first showed how such men should be
treated. The Tory parsons and squires, mad with
vengeance for the long exclusion of their party from
office, had recourse to language infinitely more
daring than that used by Mr. DUEFY, and did not
even spare the feelings, the honour, and the integrity
of the QUEEN herself; but they could find no
prosecutors, and in a very few weeks were over-
powered by silent contempt, and by the uni-
versal indignation of all upright and loyal men.
The Conservative party have hitherto followed the
good example. We are not aware that either Sir
WILLIAM FOLLETT or Sir FREDERICK POLLOCK
instituted one Government prosecution for libel, and
why the practice should be changed now we cannot
divine. Ireland never was more qui et. Conciliation
Hall is the most dull place of meeting in Europe;
and the Catholics are beginning to see that
Sir ROBERT PEEL really means to act seriously in
their behalf. They are waiting further results. The
only association likely to be troublesome is formed
by his own party, and the Irish ATTORNEY..GEZIERAL
would be much more
. usefully employed
rotestan checking
the seditious vagaries of the r
than in hunting: down such smelt gum as Mr.
Dvrrr.

Among the numerous attempts of the agricultu-
rists to cope with, and in some measure to counte-
ract the agitation of the free-trade movement, there
are many circumstances of a ludicrou3, and some
few also of A frivolous and utterly prmposterous