The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-07 00:00:00

fresh development of Fenianism is a matter of grave
regret, and it is evidently the result of an elaborate
organisation. Lord NAAS, in reply to a question
from Mr. MONSELL, read last night to the House
the telegrams which had been received from Sir
THOMAS LARCOM, the Under Secretary ; and from
Commander WILLIAMS, who is stationed at
Youghal. According to the first of these the wires
between Dublin and Cork, Dublin and Limerick,
and Dublin Junction were cut in the course of
the night before last, and all communication with
Cork, Limerick, and Tipperary was therefore cut
off. There was a general though not formidable
rising from Drogheda to Dundrum. The numbers
were variously estimated at from 1,000 to 4,000.
Several of the police stations had been attacked,
though without success. The line from Thurles
to Dublin was found to be blocked by Theprs,
and in one part the rails were torn up. tele-
gram from Youghal was briefer, and stated that
a body of Fenians had attacked the police-station
at Castlemartyr in the night. The troops had left
Youghal to assist the civil force, and the tele-
graph wires had been cut. Lord NAAS added, for
the satisfaction of the house, that most ample pre-
parations had been made, and that the military
authorities throughout the country were fully pre-
pared.
The news received in London last night fully
confirms the previous statements. Great excitement
prevails in Dublin, where large quantities of arms
and ammunition had been seized. Yesterday morn-
ing 1,000 Fenians took possession of ' the Market-
house, and fired on the police, who returned the fire.
A body of Fenians, 200 strong, had disarmed and
captured the constables at two suburban stations, and
carried them prisoners to Greenhills, near Tallaght,
where, it is said, they muster 5,000 or 6,000. The
military yesterday brought into D üblin 208 prisoners,
the main body of insurgents having gone north-
wards through the mountains. One hundred and
five young men are missing from the drapery esta-
blishments, and it is worth notice that half of the
insurgents who assembled in the vicinity of Dublin
on Tuesday night were said to be youths of 18 and
20. This is just the class from which Fenianism
gains its largest number of recruits, but the leaders
are evidently Irish-Americans. Two prominent
characters--JOHN MoRRISSEY, the prize-fighter, and
an individual giving the name of GODFREY MASSEY
—have been arrested ; and, no doubt, among the
other captures some will be found who know a good
deal of the origin of the outbreak.
The cutting of the telegraph wires and the de-
struction of the railway lines leave us very much in
the dark as to what is occurring in some parts. Late
last night the afternoon mail from Cork had not ar-
rived in Dublin, s) that great uncertainty was felt.
The attacks on the police stations have been in some
places attended with severe fighting, and there is no
doubt whatever that the Fenians are really in earnest
this time. What end they propose to themselves,
whether they really believe it possible for them to dis-
lodge the English and to establish an Irish Republic,
may well form matter of conjecture, but there can be
no uncertainty whatever as to the course to be pur-
sued by the Government. However much we may
pity the misguided youths who are enticed from
their employment by the specious professions of
mischievous impostors, no leniency can be shown in
dealing with the offenders. The erneute must be
crushed with a strong hand, not only in the inte-
rests of England, but of Ireland. The well-disposed
and peaceable citizens of Dublin have been sub-
jected to risk, annoyance, and alarm, while in
other parts of the country actual danger has
been incurred. If we are to keep up a form of
government at all, we cannot allow such outbreaks
to be committed with impunity, and must sum-
marily punish those who are concerned in them.
Fenianism has suddenly developed itself with un-
expected strength, but its career will be propor-
tionately short, and we can hope that the accounts
which we now publish will record the progress of
;he last of these dangerous and foolish exploits.

On Tuesday last a conference of delegates from
the principal trades' unions throughout the kingdom
was held at St. Martin's Hall, Long-acre. The

reason of the meeting being called was partly in
consequence of the judgment lately delivered in the
Court of Queen's Bench, and also to make arrange-
ments for the production of witnesses to give evi-
dence on behalf of tradts' unions before the Royal
Commission now about to commence its sittings.
Mr. GEORGE POTTER, the President of the Working
Men's Association, was in the chair, and explained

the reasons which had led them to call this confer-
ence. He said that the trades did not object to a
commission of inquiry, but they really desired that
investigation should take place. We are glad, at
any rate, to hear this straightforward statement,
although we doubt if the prediction that followed

will be realised in its entirety, namely, that " they
would come out of it with honour and credit." Mr.
PorrEß was appointed chairman of the conference,
and a secretary and treasurer were also chosen. A

representation was made by some one to the effect
that the Royal Commission were to sit with " closed
doors;" and he said, with great indignation, that "as
a trades' unionist, he protested against being dragged
before any secret tribunal." This is very absurd to

mission.

begin with, and quite out of character, when we
remember that all the proceedings of the trades'
unionists themselves are carried on secretly, and
that in the case of the outrages on those who differ
from them all is done in a mysterious manner. It
was suggested that the conference en masse should
wait on Mr. WALPOLE and represent the feeling of
the meeting, and to " claim that the inquiry should
be open to all." It is not settled whether the Com-
mission will sit with open or closed doors, but we
have no doubt that the latter alternative will not be
adopted without good reasons for so doing, and at
any rate, as we said before, so much fuss about the
matter is uncalled for, and we do not recognise the
right of those who have caused this inquiry to be made
at all through their outrageous and vexatious course
of action to dictate terms, and to claim that their
ways should be taken. The Royal Commission is
instituted to inquire into the undue exercise of
power wielded by those unions, and not to bow to
its behests and follow in its wake.
Yesterday another meeting was held, and a re-
port was brought up from the previous committee,
which advised that the conference should diicuss the
question of the committee of inquiry before the
legality of the trades' unions. It was arranged that
the secretary should write to Mr. WALrom: and
request that he receive a deputation. The secretary
of the Sheffield trades spoke very strongly about
the affair, and declare 1 that the indemnity proposed
by the bill was not well devised, for any man who
could commit such an outrage as the one referred to
would not hesitate to swear falsely before the com-
Mr. 111`DONALD seemed inclined to
infuse a wrong spirit into the matter ; and
the tone he adopted was quite unwarrantable
under the circumstances. He said that they
should not ask any favour from the Home Se-
cretary or the Commission. They should claim
as a " right for their Committee to be present,
and act as they thought fit in the interest of the
Trades' Societies." If this request were not com-
plied with, his advice would be for the trades to
have nothing to do with the Commission. Accord-