The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-21 00:00:00

LONDON, 7IIUJ?SDAY, FEB. 21, 1867.

Under the circumstances of the case no one can be
surprised to hear that Lord NAAS has obtained
leave to bring in a Bill to renew for a short time
the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act (Ireland). To-
day the second reading will take place, when the

.
noble lord will state more particularly his reason
for the request on the part of herMEsEsTY's Govern-
ment. Nothing more clearly shows the want of
consistency that characterises some of these dis-
affected persons than the fact that these outbreaks
should be renewed just when the Govern-
ment had accorded an act of grace in the lapse
of the Suspension Act so bitterly complained of in
some quarters. Dr. BRADY made some remarks on
the subject before the House, which were very much
to the point. He said that he did not support the
13i11 because he believed that the people of Ireland
were disloyal, but many circumstances of their
social conditio❑ caused their discontent. We fully
concur with the hon. member that the chief reason
for supporting 414 Bill is that the Government may
have power to deal with t!ie officers who are des-
patched here from America, and are the agents
of designing and corrupt men. They have, in fumte
instances, unfortunately succeeded in raising a
spirit of discontent, and it is of the greatest
consequence that the most restrictive measures
should be adopted in regard to them. We hope
with pr. BRADY that " if any of these emissaries
from abroad are found committing any act contrary
to the law of this country they will be taught such
a lesson as will not easily be forgotten." When
this present excitement is over the best thing that
all well-wishers to Ireland can do will be to con-
centrate their efforts and energies in the advance-
ment of such measures as may tend to improve
generally the condition of the country. The Bill
that was lately brought in for the improve-
ment of the land in Ireland is a step in the
right direction, and we hope that Irish members
will support it, instead of following their too fre-
quent course of complaining of everything, and
approving of nothing which any Ministry may pro-
pose.
It is fortunate that at this critical juncture the
Marquis of ABERCORN should prove so popular a
Viceroy. His speech at the Lord Mayor's annual
banquet at Dublin, on Tuesday, was a great suc-
cess, and that is saying a great deal under the
peculiar circumstances of the case. The Lord
Lieutenant appeared to satisfy every one present
by his comprehensive views, and the generous
spirit he displayed in touching upon various matters.
In reference to the Fenian outbreak his Excellency
made some impressive remarks. After alluding to
the decline of two fatal pestilences of the past year,
he said he must advert to a " moral pestilence, which
at the same period had proved itself a more dreaded
enemy to the peace, prosperity, and advancement of
Ireland than any dispensation which nature could
have inflicted." The Lord-Lieutenant took as hope-
ful a view as he possibly could of the state of affairs
in Ireland just now, and even went so far as
to say that he believed late events were but
the shadows of clouds passing away, or as the
galvanic spasm that convulses the corpse iu the
throes of dissolution. The hope of a better state
of things being in prospect may well be indulged
in for many reasons. The influential and intelli-
, gent classes have done a great deal to contribute to
the feeling of security that prevails by their unani-
mous action ; the clergy of all denominations have
evidenced remarkable decision, and some who had
been actually misled on a former occasion have
in this last affair shown that good sense
has prevailed over their previous folly. Great
applause followed the emphatic declaration
of the Lord Lieutenant that he, for one, did not be-
lieve " in the disloyalty and disaffection of the Irish
people ;" and we are quite willing to agree with him
in this satisfactory estimate of things at this critical
juncture. We also concur with his Excellency in
his opinion that it " will be more against the ag-
gressors and invaders from without than against
the deluded population of the country of Ireland
itself that the hand of justice will have to be
aimed." No language can be too strong to con-
demn the cpurso pursued by those who trade on the
excitement and ignorance of the lower portion of
the community, and we should rejoice to see them
brought to justice. At any rate, it is reassuring to
know that one in so responsible a position as the
Lord Lieutenant should entertain such confidence
in the loyalty and goodwill of the great bulk of the
Irish people, for without confidence no real influ-
ence can be exercised, and the chief secret of power
is lost. Mere force will never succeed at a time like
this in maintaining authority in such a state as it
, should be iu Ireland

The American public, which has been so busy
during the last few mouths in criticising and censur-
ing the couduct of the PRESIDENT, more especially
with regard to the exercise of the veto power, is
now anxiously hoping for another assertion of Pre-
sidential supremacy. The new Tariff Bill is making
rapid progress, and having passed the Senate by
more than a two-third vote, has been referred, in
the Lower House, to the Committee of Ways and
Means. The Senate, it will be remembered, made
considerable alterations in the bill while it was be-
fore them—all the amendments being for
the worse rather than the better. One of
the principal changes was the provision that
the bill should come into effect immediately
upon it becoming law instead of on the let of April,
as originally fixed, so that it is possible that even
the cargoes now being shipped in Europe may, when
they arrive in American ports, be subjected to these
almost prohibitory duties ! It appears, at first, ex-
traordinary that so unpopular and impolitic a mea-
sure should have even a chance of success, but the
various methods of influencing members have been
tried unsparingly by the parties interested in its
passage. The lobbies of both Houses have been
thronged by such persons and their agents,
and the effect of their assiduous endea-
vours has been only too plainly perceptible
in the increased amount of the several duties.
The Western States will of course suffer heavily by
this measure, and the Eastern States have been
most unwise in forcing it upon them. The country
at large will now suffer for the injustice with which
the Southern States have been treated. Ilad the
ten excluded States sent each their two Senators to
vote upon it the bill would never have passed the
Upper House. As it is, all that can be hoped for
is a Presidential veto, which is most likely to come,
but which it is more than probable may be over-
ridden.

This redoubtable measure is the twentieth tariff
during forty years—an additional reason for its
unpopularity, since the unsettled state of the
revenue laws operates, of course, most unfavourably
upon commerce. We lutist add that eleven of the
nineteen bills hitherto passed have been passed
within the last five years, each adding to the bur-
dens imposed upon commercial enterprise. The
imports under the tariff now under discussion ave-
rage 90 per cent. The energy of the American
people, and the almost boundless resources of the
soil and climate, have prevented the mischievous
nature of these measures from becoming more per-
ceptible, but Congress should remember that it is
possible to overweight a winning horse ; and
why should the advantages so liberally be-
stowed by nature and fortune be neutralised, if
not altogether: counteracted, by such reckless and
suicidal legislation ?

By their conduct respecting this obnoxious tariff
the Radical party are doing them,e4ves immense