The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-06 00:00:00

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

A vigorous but necessary step has been taken, a
severe but salutary example has been made. The
cautions, the warnings that have been held out to the
misguided peasantry, who attempted by violence and
intimidation to overawe and interfere with the officers
of the Board of Works, to dictate the manner of their
own employment, and the mode and quantum of re-
muneration, having failed in their effect, and proved
quite insufficient to restore peace, and bring the
people to a sense of their duty and of their real in-
terest, more active measures became inevitable. No
alternative remained for the Executive but to put
down with the strong arm the system of insubordina-
tion and outrage that endangered the lives of the
officers and overseers, and deterred the more
peaceably disposed from labouring at the
works provided for them. We have already
pointed out the dangerous effects of yielding
anything to violence, if it were once submitted to.
A reign of terror would commence, illegal confede-
racies would be formed, and neither person or pro-
perty would be safe within the disturbed districts.
Great mischief had been occasioned by the apparent
success of the outbreak at Youghal, the first of what
may be termed the food riots in Ireland; but there
some excuse existed for the people—their peaceful and
humble remonstrances were slighted, their pressing
exigencies disregarded. Neglect and apathy prevailed
amongst those whose especial duty it I,vas to provide
fur the wants of the people, who had funds in their
hands, and yet saw the people suffering the pangs of
hunger, without any effort for their relief being
made. The natural consequences followed such
proceedings. The people were exasperated to
the utmost degree. They took foreible pos-
session of the town, plundered the bread shop 3
and provision stores, and, after a scene of the greatest
turbulence and confusion, which continued for two
entire days, they were rewarded by an unconditional
submission. The works that should have been pre-
viously commenced were, at the eleventh hour, put
into operation. The necessary relief was wrung from
the fears of those who could not be acted on by mo-
tives of humanity.

What, however, could then be done ? No means
had previously existed by which the necessities of the
poor could be supplied; and although the danger of
the precedent was manifest, and it was morally cer-
tain that its success would lead to similar acts in
other districts, where no apology could be offered on
behalf of the rioters, we could not disapprove
of, or object to, the submission that was then
made. Had a refusal of employment been
persevered in, it would have involved the innocent in
one common punishment with the guilty, and help-
less women and :noffensive children would have expi-
ated the misdeeds of their husbands and:fathers. The
disttrbance, too, was occasioned by a want of any
means of subsistence or livelihood, and not by an
objection to the manner in which that subsistence
was to be earned and obtained. The event, however,
rendered it doubly incumbent on the Executive to
act with firmness and decision whenever any attempt
should be made, by persons more favourably circum-
stanced, to disturb the public peace and tranquillity.
In the barony of Upper Tulla, county of Clare, the
promptest relief had been administered. Large
presentments had been passed at the extraordinary
sessions, and an expenditure of more than 200,0001.
had already been sanctioned and approved of by the
Board of Works. Operations were commenced and
proceeded with, and it might well have been hoped
that the present employment and the prospect of con-
tinued support during the winter, would have secured
the thanks and gratitude of the labouring population,
and that all disturbance would be averted from the
locality. The hope, however, was vain ; the system
of task work, by which the industrious man, ready
and willing to give a fair day's work for a fair day's
wages, could earn larger wages than tuna], was
objected to by the idle and dissolute ; they obstructed
the officers, used the most threatening language, and
it was feared that the lives of those acting
for their benefit, and honestly discharging the duty
they owed to the public, would be seriously perilled.
Those disposed to work were compelled also to join
the disaffected, and nothing remained for the Execu-
tive but to suspend the works until the people should
be restored to their senses. This course Lord BES-
BOROUGH has adopted. his address to the inhabi-
tants of the barony will be perused with much in-
terest, and cordially acquiesced in by every unpre-
judiced and well-disposed person. In this instance
the people must emancipate themselves from the con-
trol of their turbulent leaders; they must offer an
immediate and unconditional submission, and a full
assurance that if their past errors be forgiven, and
pardon awarded, they will for the future pursue a
different line of conduct, submit to the regulations
imposed on them, and render in all things a ready
obedience. Should this be the case, it needs not the
promise given at the conclusion of the letter to satisfy
us that his Excellency would gladly direct the imme-
diate resumption of the works, and preserve the
people from the destitution and ruin 'which a perse-
verance in turbulence and outrage must inevitably
produce.

The Augsburgh Gaz.-itte publishes a letter from
Turin, dated the 26th of October, which contains the
following passage :
" I have the honour to inform you that the marriage
Contract between his Royal Highness the Duke de Bor-
deaux and Princess Theresa of Modena was signed a few
days ago. Their marriage will be solemnized on the
30th of this month."
A letter from Berlin, dated the 26th of October,
says—
On Sunday morning the Abl.S Ronge received
orders to return to Breslau immediately, and two gens-
darrnes were sent to conduct him to the railway station."
The Nuremberg Correspondent announces the dis-
covery of a new plot in Austrian Gallicia. The same
paper confirms the report that Russia had joined
England in its expression of disapprobation of the
conduct of the French Government in relation to the
Montpensier marriage.
An announcement that the railroad from Berlin to
Hamburgh will be opened throughout the whole