The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-04 00:00:00

ARMING THE IRISH.

It is announced, without any circumlocution, that
a GoVernment circular has reached Cork authoris-
ing the formation of a volunteer corps, to be com-
posed of the civil servants in the employment of the
Crown, such as Custom-house, Excise, and Post-
office officials. It is added that invitations have
been given to parties in public employment, such as
those of telegraph and railway companies and banks,
either to associate themselves in a corps, or if not
sufficiently numerous, to join such a body as might
be formed by the civil servants.

INDEPENDENT OPPOSITION.
A curious correspondence is published between
Mr. M'Mahon, M.P. for Wexford County, and
Archdeacon Fitzgerald, parish priest, in reference
to the late acceptance by the former of the junior
briefs of the 'Woods and Forests Department. Mr.
M' Mahon, as a leading light of independent oppo-
sition, thus explains :

" Temple, Dec. 23, 1859.
" My' dear Archdeacon,—Lest your Christmas-
day's enjoyment might be diminished by having
a thought lurking in your mind that I de-
ceived you, and sold the country for the consi-
deration of the chance of a few briefs for the
Woods and Forests, I sit down to set your mind at
ease. Wolverhampton is a town in Staffordshire,
which has the laudable custom of returning, free of
expense, two very decided and advanced Liberals.
At the last election it invited Sir Richard Bethell
down, and returned him free of expense. A client
and friend of mine took an active part in his re-
turn, and Sir R. Bethell professed himself greatly
obliged to him. When the vacancy in the post of
Counsel to the Woods and Forests arose, my friend
wrote to the Attorney-General, asked it for me, and
got it by return of post—expressly and entirely in
compliment to himself, and without:the slightest re-
ference to my political position. I got it—not be-
cause I was connected with Wexford—but because
I was connected with Wolverhampton ; and there is
not a shadow of a ground for suggesting that it in
any way compromises my political position and in-
dependence, or that the Solicitor to the Woods and
Forests could have any more claim to direct my
votes than any other solicitor who chose to give me
a brief. If he were to do so, I should at once de-
cline his business. Now, do you think that in
reason or common sense I was bound to reject an
advantage thus honourably acquired? But I will
not argue it with you—l leave myself entirely in
your hands, and if you decide against me I will at
once inform the solicitor that his briefs must be
taken elsewhere. Wishing you a happy Christmas
and merry New Year, and many pleasant returns of
both, I 'am yours devotedly,

"P. M'MAHON.
" Ven. Archdeacon Fitzgerald, P.P., &c."
The following is the concluding portion of the
Archdeacon's letter in reply :
" There has been, since the death of Primate
Crolly in 1849, so much of treachery and false-
hood, of perfidy and political corruption, on the
part of the Irish representatives, that all trust in
public men seems nearly extinct in the minds of the
masses of our people. The men of Wexford know
you too well to dare to doubt you. Honest Tom
O'Shea will not doubt you, nor will the good Arch-
deacon, his brother, nor Aylward, nor Cahill, his
fellow-labourers in the good cause. George Henry
Moore will not doubt you, nor will John Dwyer of
Doon. But to the masses of the people, to tens of
thousands, your explanation of your casual connec-
tion with the Woods and Forests will never reach.
The error will go abroad, that you have accepted
office under circumstances tending to compromise
your Parliamentary independence ; and the popular
faith in public men, and in the policy of indepen-
dent opposition, will be weakened. It was your
undoubted right, as I said before, to accept the
briefs in question, since they did not in the slightest
degree touch on your Parliamentary independence.
In the full consciousness of upright meaning and
choice,libert
intention, in all the bona ides of stainless integrity
and honour, you exercised your right of free action,
free
and unfettered judgment. But the
Apostle pronounced—' Take heed lest by
any means
that
of yours become a stumbling-block to
them that3are weak ;' and again he says—' If meat
make my brother to offend, I will never eat meat
while the world standeth? Hence it is, in the
spirit of the Apostle, with great diffidence, indeed,
of my own judgment, but after most careful consi-
&ration, that I beg to suggest to you, since you left
me the option, that you refuse to accept those briefs,
which must be, after all, to one in your long prac-
tice, matter of little importance. By so doing you
will compel even the malignant and the base to sur-
cease their vile and venal slanders, and all will ac-
knowledge you in your true character and under
your true colours, as the sternly honest patriot
Patrick M'Mahon, the trusted representative of
Wexford, or rather of Ireland—with all the caution
and wisdom, with all the information and ability

needful to the sustainment of that high and proud
position."

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC LAITY.

The Wexford pro-Papal demonstration, which
came off on Sunday, was attended by a fair sprinkling
of the respectable Roman Catholics. Among the
speakers were Mr. Redmond, the borough member,
and a supporter of the Derby Government ; Mr.
Anthony Cliffe, justice of the ;peace and deputy-
lieutenant ; and Sir James Power.