The Sun.
London, England, 1835-10-31 00:00:00

DUBLIN.

—Qucd optanti Divum promittere nomo
Auderet ; volven 'a dies en attestit ultro."—Vine.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
It is now admitted on all sides, that a part of the
Irish community, hitherto much opposed to a liberal
Policy, are becoming sensible of its inevitable progress,
and final establishment. Even those partisans, on
whom the torpor of the approaching change has not
se:zed, and who yet retain elasticity of spirits enough
to speak freely their sentiments, begin to say, that the
future condition of this country must be very different
from what it ever has been. While the Liberals, who
have struggled to put down the ascendancy by steady
constitutional means, are enjoying a sort of ovation,
preparatory to the true solid enjoyments of national
triumph. Indeed, everything seems to favour this
expectation, as will appear from the facts adduced in
tins epistle—not to mention the more numerous in-
stances to be found in the newspapers of the country.
And though, as stated in a former communication,
there are some difficulties to be overcome before the
consummation of our happiness can be effected, still
the resources available to a well di'sposed Government,
are numerous enough to insure its final triumph.
In the first place, every man, no matter what his
Prejudices may be, who is capable of understanding
the real state Of society in this country, will join in
asserting that Toryism is overthrown, and nearly an-
nihilated I By which I mean to say, that those prin-
ciples acted-upon by the Tory faction are condemned
ai,d abandoned by the great mass of the nation, and
deemed untenable even by the few who hitherto bat-
tened on their existence. •

Again I assert with equal confidence, that an
11nnest Ministry has the opportunity of establishing
v'hig principles, in despite of the difficulties arising
out of the deteriorated condition of the community,
during a long period of misgovernment.
I shall illustrate both these propositions by a few
kcts, selected from passing events. Mr. Shaw, Re-
eohier of Dublin, and one of the Members for our
University, a man possessing too much intellect and
feeling to allow himself to be dragged the whole length
of the ,c,‘Tbonian bog—to the very bottom of which
his more heavy and brazen partisans are determined to
sink._-has put the strongest section of his party com-
pletely in the't:lrona. He has done this in such a
way as to show, drat, not only all those who have
followed the example of the Dublin Corporation since
Earl Mulgrave-',' arrival in this country, have been
guilty of something like the crimen lcesce Majestates,
out that those who p,,,,,ued a different course are " in
the right." His apology, presenting the new Lord
Mayor to his Excellency, for t.lie " omission" on the
Part of the late Mayor and the C„.rporation, was a full
confeision of the allegation just stlated. It speaks
trumpet-tongued to both parties—to iJte Orangemen
and irreclaimable Tories it announces a serious mis-
take from their " omission"—while to the Liberals it
Proclaims the possession of the vantage-ground on
Which they stand. Surely six millions of his Ma-
J,esty's loyal subjects will not forget this inciaent ?
unly think of bodies politic that used to boast of their
elelusive loyalty, declining to pay the usual homagc
,t? that King's representative who landed on our shores
the harbinger of conciliation, peace, and prosperity
Can
it be that they have already thrown off the mask,
keeping to the letter the Orangeman's oath, which pro-
mised allegiance to the descendants of George the 111.
only so long as they sustained the ascendancy ? Is
the banner of rebellion already unfurled ; and will the
respectable Protestants of Ireland, having legal expec-
tations and interests at stake, longer support a faction
who, but for the mitigated code under which we now
have
the happiness to live, might be found guilty of
more than constructive treason ? They will not do so:
..defection is already in the camp, and if Government
wilt but pursue the even tenor of its way, with the
firmness exhibited during the last Session of Parlia-
the next will have established the happiest
change for the United Kingdom which can be recorded
in her history.
Mready has the county of Westmeath shown symp-
toms uf convalescence from that " maturity of corrup-
tion whis"th ceases to be contagious." The High She-
tiff' had been respectfully solicited to convoke a meeting
Of the county-, for the purpose of framing an Address
tei the Lord Lieutenant. But this sapient functionary
I;cf.tried-a request of the respectable inhabitants of his
bailiwick—as likely-, forsooth, to interfere with public
tranquillity.
Now mark the consequence upwards of
',eventy gentlemen signed a requisition for a meeting,
0 do that which the first local officer of the Executive
lead
declined. " What I seventy gentlemen," says a
Conservative hireling I " Do they represent the wealth,
ii telligence, and influence of the majority of the county ?"
Verily, Mr. Sciolist, we arc not so much acquainted
with the statistics of Meath as to be able to answer
Your question more categorically than by stating, that
she requisition contained the names of mile Noblemen,
Jive Baronets, two Honourables,four Members of Par-
tatnent, and one Bishop, besides twenty. other g-ritle-
hen, whose knowledge, property, and mfluence,• a:e
iVe Jess than those of their titled and honourable fel-
thw"replisitionists. If these altogether do not possess
',tangible matters and moral influence you require,
of Yours
you can furnish a counter-list of those friends
de Yours who do. Here, then, are two notorious inci-
ilts clearly demonstrative of the declining state of
Tory faction. Mr. Shaw's testimony is invaluable ;
Itiligh at the Sheriff's dinner lately in Dublin, he
tills taken some pains to assure his friends that his con-
htlet, on this occasion, evinces no vacillation in his
t'ofelitics, much less is it to be construed into a symptom
41. the possibility of his ever deserting his party. Nor
e the Westmeath requisition just mentioned, and the
metingr held in consequence yesterday, less strong in
,‘
°vitig the altered tone of society in Ireland.
, come now to the consideration of the resoureo
to an honest Ministry in working out the true
Pilkiples of Reform. It may be well, however, to
Mate what these irinciples are, as regards Ireland, be-
fore, I enumerate the means of carrying them into effect.
I snall do so, in the language used by the late Doctor
j) Ve, ten years ago, in his ninth letter to " A Gen-
"an in England," because it is more eloquent and
authoritative than any at my command,—and because
the compliance with a part of his suggestions within
the
poliPelicd just mentioned, is some proof of the good
icy of immediate compliance with the whole. In
hewering the arguments of those who seemed to fear
ir consequences of innovation, lie says—" But then,
Si Sou change the system, you begin to make conces-
sto us ; and where can you stop ? I answer, you may
the l'' as you stop in England, when you have satisfied
4,.enlightened portion of the community ; when you
aye satisfied the good sense of the country ; when you
sto done what, the public interest requires, you may
youP then, and not before. You cannot stop whilst
lutolcave six millions of men clamorous for clear and
ille"alnental rights ; rights founded on the law of na-
---on the law of the Gospel—on positive treaty.
hal. Cannot stop whilst intestine wars are suppressed by
Rh 'Lary force alone : you cannot stop whilst the In-
-1,4 ,-Lion Act is the common law of the country [hap-
), Y "t so uh-der the present Government] : you can-
tietoo whilst n,.;llions are in an habitual state of famine
4 nakedness •
and whilst capital whilst
~property on that account is in-
cure '
tat and industry can find no
Place : you cannot .stop whilst a quarter of a
li nof men are the lords and masters of seven mil-
s, and the exclusive possessors of ,Flours and emolu-
ents:
(Nits You cannot stop rryhilst the absura of prepos-
Ons,-o,and unjust system prevails, of compelling one
4J6 religionists to bear, almost exclusively, the im-
thegee things (2/ two Churches : you cannot stop whilst
the
remain undone ; but only begin with sin-
-I,6ii! the work of reformation, and if a demagogue or
4;14)2' i.nterrupt you, however slowly you proceed,
on the earth will be so quick or zealous in
m~ug.to the support of its Government, as Ireland will
her best assistance to your endeavours.'
the la dark the tri.en and efficacy of this instruction :
-141,11;i fact anticipated or alluded to in the climax
444:Y verified,. Daniel O'Connell, the mightiest
W,ait rig" and agitator of modern times, does not
th' e admonition of his countrymen to desist from
oic, se ec,
lilt
which might excite uneasiness, but the
-s.Btty"," lie finds Government " beginning with sin-
-4c-4 the work of reformation," he lends--liis power-
‘Prevaill:tanee, and unites all his energies to theirs ; he
their vrouPon agitators of every grade to relinquish
"edings—to adjourn the Trades' Unions—to