The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-06 00:00:00

THE REPEAL MEETING.

This demonstration came off last night, according
to announcement, in the Round-room of the Ro-
tunda. The attendance was crowded, and the
platform, on which a number of Roman Catholic
priests were assembled, was occupied for the most
part by the overflow of the meeting. A green
banner, bearing the motto "Aid yourselves, and
God will aid. you," the staff terminating in the
form of a spear or pike-head, was placed in a con-
spicuous position, and was waved vigorously when-
ever the speakers made " a point," to stimulate and
increase the enthusiasm of the audience. The
O'Donoghue, M.P., presided.
The secretary, Mr. T. D. Sullivan, stated that
the signing of the national petition was progressing
through the country, and would receive, no doubt,
a great extension. Already it was signed by up-
wards of 300,000 'bona fide male adults of various
classes and of different creeds. (Cheers.) There
were a number of letters received from eminent
Irishmen, ecclesiastical and lay,
A Voice.—Viva la Fran shay.
Mr. Sullivan having read a letter from Dr.
M'Hale in his usual style,

The Secretary also read a letter from Mr. William
Smith O'Brien.

The CHAIRMAN, in addressing the meeting, said
—He could assure them that, notwithstanding the
distress of late years, the Irishmen of 1860 had not
degenerated. Although the question of repeal had
not occupied a very prominent position of late years,.
yet it had never passed away from the public mind,
and never could, unless the inhabitants of Ireland
became abject slaves—(" Never !") or unless they
•be turned into, or be removed to make way for
Englishmen. Might God preserve them from these
calamities ! (Cheers )
A Voice—No more English famine. (Cheers.)
CHAIRMAN—They all knew that the Union, as it
was called, was carried by the exercise of every
fraud. (Hisses.) Before it was carried the sense
of Ireland was not fairly taken, and since it had
been carried it had never met with national appro-
val. (" Never !") In the year 1800 the Irish Par-
liament might be said to have consisted of the
independent representatives of a small class of their
fellow-Countrymen—of the pensioners, placemen,
and nominees of the English Government.
A Voice—A groan for the Castle hacks. (Groans.)
The CHAIRMAN—Many good men sat in College-
green with Curran, Grattan, and Flood—(cheers)—
but the numerical superiority of the venial crew at
the disposal of the Minister overcame all oppo-
sition. On the 22d of January, 1799, the
union between Great Britain and Ireland was
first proposed in the Irish Parliament. The house
divided, and the numbers were—for the Union, 105 ;
against it, 106. There was a majority of one in
favour of Ireland. The attack was again renewed
on two subsequent occasions, and the friends of Irish
legislative independence were left in considerable
minorities. Once it was 115 to 160, and the next
time 108 to 152. When they remembered that the
Irish Parliament was Protestant, and that English
Ministers were obliged to resort to every species of
corruption in order to obtain these majorities, in
that Protestant Parliament, they might safely affirm
that the sound Protestant opinion of Ireland was
opposed to the Union. The object of the men of
1848 was the Repeal of the Union. They failed,
and were imprisoned, having been condemned by
packed juries—(hisses)—but he availed himself of
that, the first public demonstration in favour of
repeal since 1848, to tell the patriots of 1848 that
those who condemned them did not represent the
opinion of Ireland. (Cheers.) He had thus glanced
at the history of the last 50 years in order to show
that the Union was carried without the consent of
the Irish people, and had not since met with na-
tional approval. The longer it endured the more
insupportable it became. (Cheers.) The repre-
sentative of English power in this country, by
bringing brute force to bear down a disarmed
people.—(Uproar, which lasted a considerable time,
the chairman several times vainly endeavouring to
proceed).
Mr. T. O'SULLIVAN came forward and said—
Boys, will you not hear The O'Donoghue
(Cheers.) . _•

The CHAIRMAN then continued—They might be
able to imprison and banish Irish patriots, to sup-
press their meetings, but there was one thing they
never could suppress until they banished the Irish
race, and that was the spirit of patriotism, anti the
longing for self-government which was the inevit-
able result of that patriotism. They Row sought to
carry their object under circumstances more favour-
able than their predecessors, for the statesmen and
peers of England had recently declared that every
nation had a right to govern itself. Were they
satisfied to be governed by Englishmen ? (Cries
of " No.") They now came together for the pur-
pose of declaring in the name of Ireland, that Irish-
men could never rest satisfied or tranquil until they
had secured for themselves the blessing of a native
Parliament—a Parliament that would faithfully
represent the people, that would be guided by their
wishes, and would make the development of Ire-
land's prosperity its sole object. (Loud cheers.)
An Irishman had no business in the English House
of Commons.

A Voice—Unless he can speak. (Laughter.)
The CHAIRMAN—He could not second them
unless he agreed to forego the principles of his
race, and adopt the manners, customs, and feelings
of the English.
A Voice—" Deasy" (Loud hisses.)
After some observations as to the manner of
despatching Irish business in the House of Com-
mons the Chairman concluded amid loud cheers.

Mr. DAUNT moved . the first resolution, viz.,
"That we desire to obtain for our country her
ancient and rightful native Legislature."
The Rev. Mr. MULLEN, in seconding the resolu
tion, said he rejoiced at the awakening of national
feeling which bad taken place. He asked the
meeting were they satisfied that Ireland should
continue be robbed ? (Cries of "Nu r) He would
not ask them, Were they willing to be overtaxed
because England was afraid of invasion ? (Great
cheering and waving of hats, which lasted several
minutes.) They wanted to be united to England
by the golden link of the Crown, but to be
governed by Irishmen. (Hear, hear.)
The resolution was put and passed.
The CHAIRMAN said the meeting would next be
addressed by John Martin, one of the patriots of
1848. (Cheering.)
Mr. MARTIN, on rising, was received with
renewed cheering. He said the only claim he had
to political reputation was the part he took in the
sad affair of 1848. (Cheers.) He did not intend
to take any part in the conduct of the meeting, but
he took advantage of that opportunity to declare
publicly his unswerving loyalty to the national
cause. (Cheers.) He was not satisfied with the
rule of England over Ireland. He desired liberty
for all countries—he desired that for the Italians.
He sympathised with every people who were strug-
gling for liberty. lie rejoiced in the national
greatness of France and of the great republic of
the West that had shaken off the yoke of England
—(cheers)—but his first duty as an Irishman was
to strive for the liberty of his own country, which •
had suffered more from misrule than any other
country in the world. •The Union cost Ireland
£20,000,000 a year. The sacrifice of heart's blood
of as many Irishmen as would fall to obtain the
object they had in view would be well bestowed.
(Tremendous cheering.) He hoped to see the
day when the end of Ireland's toituro would
come, and it would come as sure as God was just.

Mr. JOHN FRANCIS MAGUIRE, M.P., moved the
following resolution :—"That British Ministers and
other influential persons in England having recog-
nised and supported the principle that people, who
are discontented with their Governments may
rightfully change or abolish those Governments by
violent means if they Cannot do so peaceably—and
in place of them set up rulers and Governments of
their own choice, we are now assembled, peaceably,
to inform our rulers that they and the existing
form of government for Ireland are not of our
choosing, and do not possess our confidence ' • and
that we earnestly desire the restoration of that
native Legislature of which our country was frau-
dulently deprived." He said he had no love for
agitation, but, being a nationalist, he felt bound in
honour as a public man to take a part in the present
movement. He believed that there was no real
safety, Progress, or prosperity for Ireland but in the
administration ofher affairs by men,sprung from the
soil—liv in g in the atmosphere of Ireland, and under-
st an din g the wants, interests, and necessities of their
country. What chance had they of the grand jury
laws being placed on a better footing by an English
Parliament ? [Mr. Maguire was here interrupted
by an individual in the gallery, who was instantly
treated by his neighbours on the physical force prin-
ciple, while loud cries ascended from the body of the
meeting to " Smash him," "Throw him over," and
" Fling him out of the window." The tumults con-
tinued for a considerable time.] Mr. Maguire con-
tinued to address the meeting at considerable length,
and impressed the necessity of following the advice