The Sun.
London, England, 1834-04-30 00:00:00

LONDON,
WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 30, 1834.

After six nights' protracted debate the ques-
tion of the Repeal of the Union has been
brought to a close. The majority against it
was 523. The minority in its favour 381 We
predicted, months since, some such result,
though we thought it not impossible that the
Repealers might catch a few stray English votes,
and thus swell their numbers to about forty
odd. But instead of this, they have been
unable, with all their industry, to scrape toge-
ther more than 38 votes, which is just 37 more
than such a question deserves. Repeal merits
but one advocate, and that as a matter of course
should be O'CONNELL. We defy the whole
world to produce such a question and such an
advocate, so happily suited, each to the other.
Whatever complaints she may have had to urge
against England in former times, Ireland can
now in common justice say nothing against
the way in which her interests have been
attended to in a Reformed House of Com-
mons. The absurd question of repeal has
actually been made the subject of more
attentive consideration than even the corn
laws, which have truth and justice to re-
commend them. It has been heard fully—fairly
out, from the beginning to the end. The dis-
cussion will have this good effect, that it will
open the eyes of even Ireland herself, to the
tricky sophistry of Mr. O'CoNNELL's re-
peal arguments. They have been weighed in
a just balance and found wanting. In a word,
the question has received its death-blow, and
(to borrow one of the great agitator's favourite
tropes) we trust no Repealer will attempt to
" sound the trumpet of its resurrection."

The great cause of the agitation and wretched
state of Ireland is to be found in the poverty
and dependence of the Catholic priesthood, and,
till some provision be mad Nor them, and in-
ducements held out to persons in the better
classes of society to enter the service of the
Church, we may hope in vain for either peace,
security, -or improvement in that country. From
the very situation in which they are placed they
must naturally be opposed to the British Go-
vernment, and encourage any change that holds
out a prospect of recovering any of the church
property, or regaining any of that vast
power which they formerly possessed. They
profess, in their own opinion, the only
true religion. The tithes and other ecclesias-
tical property were originally granted for the
support of that religion, but plundered from
them by the English Church ; and though they
have nearly all the Irish population under their
spiritual guidance, they receive not a farthing
of these tithes, or any grant whatever from the
state, for the performance of such responsible and
varied duties. Now, is it possible that a church
placed in such a peculiar situation, and so neg-
lected by the Government, can have any sym-
pathy with British feelings, any wish to support
British connexion, or instil into the minds of
their flocks regard for Protestant authorities ?
Every circumstance in their condition tends the
contrary way ; and the Government may rest
assured that till the Irish Catholic church is
placed on a more independent and equitable
footing, discontent and disturbances will
continue to afflict that country. If Mr.
O'CONNELL were to retire from the field
of agitation to-morrow, other agitators would