The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-08 00:00:00

DUBLIN, OCT. 5.
Mr. O'Connell has issued his third letter, which was
read at Conciliation Hall this day.
" Darrynane Abbey, Cahirciveen,
d October, 1846.
1846.
"My dear Ray,—l once again attempt excite
public
attention to the absolute necessity of furming in Dublin
2etlier ;
a cc ntral body, board, or association, from aino4 st the
landed proprit tors of Ireland, to take into considera-
tion the present state and futnre prcspects of the people,
in order to suggest and carry out means of meeting the
horrible emergency in which the country is involved.
" I am fully convinced that the individual applica-
tioni to Government, or to Parliament, will never la^
sufficiently efficacious. Such applications may produce
a mitigation in particular localities ; but they can never
produce anything like a universal remedy for the giant
evils by which we are surrounded, or for the still more
terrific calamities which must ensue from the total des-
truction of this ear's potato crop, unless full locel
knowledge of every pal t of Ireland, and perfect acquain-
tance with the nature of Irish tenures of land, and with
the disposition and character of the Irish people, be com-
bined in some one body entitled to the full respect of
the Government, and to the entire confidence of the
Irish nation.
"To some, nay, to many, my plan still appears
visionary and impracticable, but already I can assert that
an impression has been made in an influential way ; and
there are already persons canvassing the topic, with a
view to work out some plan like mine ; there also are
persons engaged in this matter who, twelve months ago,
would laugh to scorn the idea of an Irish national com-
mittee of landed proprietors, nobility, and gentry, sitting
in Dublin, to aid the people and the Government in the
management of Irish distress.
" For my part, I shall not conclude with this letter my
urgency to have some such body as I allude to formed in
Dublin. I will bring the subject again and again to the
attention of the public ; the motto of my political life has
been perseverance,' and I will persevere upon this sub
ject until the matter is distinctly understood by all classes
of Irishmen.
" The absolute necessity of a concentration of the Irish
landed proprietors appears to be quite obvious. Never
was the country involved in such a frightful calamity as
the present. Suppose that which is unhappily not quite
clear—namely, that the Irish people escape from the
total loss of this year's crop, and, with the aid of a pa-
ternal Government, are kept alive for the current year—
what is to be done for the next year ? and what for the
year after ?
"It is impossible to think that the calamity will end
with the current year. Suppose the crop next year shall
be untainted by blight—an event, alas ! not probable—
where are the means of procuring seed for the potatoes,
or for cultivating any grain on a sufficiently extensive
scale to feed the Irish people ?
" All these questions raise problems to be solved ex-
clusively by a central body of Irish landholders meeting
in Dublin, and conferring with all parts of Ireland, as
well as with the Government of the day.
" From such a body all irritating and party politics
should be carefully excluded, and religious differences be
never heard of—the safety of the people of Ireland to
be their sole and exclusive object.
" How fortunate it is that I am able to make such a
proposal as this, in the present awful crisis—and to men
who have hitherto considered political associations as
tending to revolution and bloodshed. It is true that I
disclaimed the tendency, but that disclaimer was not
believed until the Young Irelanders, luckily, gave us the
opprtunity of demonstrating that nothing could induce
the Repeal Association to seek for the alteration of any
law by forcible means, or by any other but peaceable
and moral means. We have given this guarantee in the
most unequivocal manner, and the association must take
the most perfect care not to allow our sincerity to be im-
peached or suspected.
" Our chance .of political salvation for Ireland depends
upon the perfect faith with which we are understood to
hold out the olive branch of peace and moral means alone
to those who hitherto have been apprehensive of force
and violence.
" Blessed be Heaven, the folly of the physical force
party has placed us, without any intention on their part,
in our present triumphant position.
"It may be asked why, under those circumstances, I
do not invite the landed proprietors to become members
of the Repeal Association ? The answer is obvious.
There are many amongst them, very many, who are as
yet non-Repealers, but whose assistance is as necessary
for the right management of the affairs in Ireland, in
these tremendous times, as if they had been actual Re

waters.
" Besides, there is the letter just published by Mr.
O'Neill Daunt, addressed to the landlords of Ireland,
It is a most admirable letter—a most powerful letter,
The association ought to circulate it throughout the
country. When will the under-growlers of the Young
Irelanders produce such a document in favour of Repeal?
No; they are more suitably employed in joining the
Mail, the Packet, and the ,Standard, in attacking the
Repeal Association. Be it so.
"To return to Mr. Daunt's letter; no dispassionate
landed proprietor can read it without conviction. It dis-
closes Lou •.auu,o vC 41. •11,•••I•uus•••-• • • •
people of Ireland unable to extricate themselves from
the consequences of the failure of a single crop; it points
out also the sources of prosperity derivable from the
Irish people having the management of their own affairs.
" Bul, alas! the evils of famine and pestilence are
thickening upon us. I however, know the intentions of
the Government are excellent, and their exertions are
in general judicious. It is most desirable that the Lord
Lieutenant should have increased powers. There never
was a Chief Governor in this country better able to
work out these powers judiciously and usefully.
"In the meantime we should one and all, in our
humble sphere, labour to procure food for the people
and to preserve the peace of the country. But as food
becomes dear, wages must be higher. Everything must
be done to preserve the health and strength of the
people, and this, in truth, is so all•absorbing a subject
as to banish all politics unconnected with the distrpss.
" But the Repeal is not to be lost sight of. The
effects of the union have caused the permanency of
distress among the Irish people, which leaves them
always (in language now familiar to Parliament) on
the verge of starvation,' and renders it difficult to provide
for a sudden and casual emergency, such as the present
awful times exhibit.
"It is, therefore, our duty never to forget the sole
remedy for all our evils—the repeal of the union.
"Faithfully yours,
"DANIEL O'CONNELL.

" To M. Ray, Esq."
The amount of the week's rent was 1261.
MEETING OF WESTMEATH MAGISTRATES.
The meeting, convened on the requisition of the Mar-
quis of Westmeath, was held at Mullingar on Friday.
There was a large and influential muster of the nobility
and gentry, including Lords Westmeath, Kilmaine, and
Castlemaine, Sir Richard Levinge, Sir Percy Nugent,
Sir John Nugent, the Roman Catholic Bishop of the
diocese (Dr. Cantwell), &c. A long string of resolutions
were put and carried, the following being the most nota-

ble of the series :
" Proposed by Lord CASTLEMAINE ; seconded by the
Rev. Dr. CANTWELL—
" Resolved,—That the expenditure upon unproductive
and comparatively useless works, under the present Act,
formidably increases the future difficulties of our position,
and would eventually ruin the landowner by exhausting
his capital, and by expending, with the profusion of pro-
digality, enormous sums, borrowed in the vain hope in-
dulged in by many that repayment may never be re-
quired, and that it would also not only materially inter-
fere with the farmer in crippling his useful undertakings,
and in preventing the profitable expenditure of his means
in the adequate cultivation of the soil ; but, furthermore,
would likewise totally demoralise the habits of a patient,
sober, and hard-working population.
" Proposed by Lord KILMAINE : seconded by H. M.
MITE, Esq., M.P.—
" Resolved—That whereas several plans for securing
for profitable undertakings the expenditure of the Labour
Fund, which in our several localities we have either
levied, or are about to levy by presentment, have from
time to time been laid before the Irish Government ; and
whereas no adequate steps, on the part of the Adminis-
tration, have been, apparently, taken to meet the gene-
rally expressed wishes of this country, it has become, in
our opinion, just and necessary that a meeting of the
Irish gentry be forthwith held in Dublin, to remonstrate
with Government upon its seeming inaction, and to lay
before it, in feeling terms, the awful condition to which
this country is now reduced, and the ruin which their
measures, if unreasonably persisted in, will undoubtedly
bring upon all classes of its inhabitants.
" Proposed by Mr. T. J. FETHERSTON H. ; seconded
by Mr. J. H. SHIEL :
" Resolved,—lnasmuch as a considerable portion

the property of Ireland is so situated that it is impos-
sible to obtain for it its adequate share of the burdens
which, under the present emergency, must heavily press
upon the ostensible proprietor, who stands responsible
for the whole, we are of opinion that all who receive
incomes derivable from land should bear their share of
the burden equally with those persons who are, in fact,
in such cases, but the agents to the creditors, and an-
nuitants on those properties.
" Proposed by the Hon. CHARLES HANDCOCK ; se-
conded by Mr. R. 11. KELLY :
" Resolved,—That absentees who have left to the
resident landlords the duty of meeting the crying dis-
tress of the present period, be called upon by the Relief
Committee of this county to supply, by pecuniary
grants liberally afforded, the loss which is sustained by
the want of their presence on their estates, and that the
absentee proprietors be applied to furnish such grants."
The Evening Mail estimates that the sum of 8,640,0001.
will be required to meet the present emergency. The
calculation is thus arrived at :
By the Government returns, the quantity of land
under potatoes has been arrived at accurately, through
the police—they calculate the value only at from 121.
to 15/. per acre, and it amounts to the enormous sum in
value of thirteen millions and a half. They calculate
that three millions and a half of this crop is available—
consequently the loss to the agriculturist is ten millions.
With this loss ascertained, they are called upon to tax
themselves to the same amount I There are about 320
baronies in Ireland generally—the Government officers
calculate that it will require 3,0001. a month to employ
the poor in each barony at 10d. a day-24 working days
in the month—multiply this by nine, and the bill to be