The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-29 00:00:00

Lord Aberco• n on the State of Ireland.

Lord Abercorn was presented on Saturday with an ad-
dress from the Corporation of Dublin, in which various
measures were urged for the improvement of Ireland. The
following is a report of the main portion of his Excellency's
reply :—" Tho absence of ordinary crime which was so
generally noticed at the recent assizes is most gratifying
and affords convincing proof of the steady improvement
that is taking place among the people. I deeply regret
the existence of the formidable conspiracy which in the
early part of this year rendered necessary the passing of a
bill for the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act. I
rejoice, however, to think that indications exist that the
treasonable movement which has inflicted such incal-
culable mischief upon Ireland is gradually declining.
It has never received countenance or encourage-
ment from any of the influential classes of the
country, and it is satisfactory to know that during
the whole time the Fenian Society had been
in existence, no man of rank, wealth, position, or public
character, has been enrolled amongst its members.
Denounced by the ministers of every religious creed,
condemned by all men of patriotism and knowledge,
supported almost entirely by funds contributed in foreign
lands, it can only influence those who seek disturbance,
riot, and plunder, or those whom ignorance and credulity
enable designing and unscrupulous agents by misrepre-
sentation and falsehood to mislead and betray. That a
movement so produced, and so supported, could exist for
any length of time was impossible, and it will be a matter
of groat satisfaction to me if, finding that treasonable prac-
tices are no longer attempted, I shall not bo compelled to
exercise those extreme powers which Parliament has placed
in the hands of the Government. The topics to which the
greater part of your address refers belong to the province of
legislation. They have been repeatedly discussed in Parlia-
ment, and much difference of opinion exists with regard to
each and all of them. It will be the duty of myself and col-

leagues fully to inform ourselves and carefully to deliberate
upon those most important subjects, and when the proper
time arrives to submit our views to the consideration of
the Legislature. The course which the Imperial Parliament
has taken with regard to Irish questions during the present
generation, the numerous beneficial laws that it has passed,
the generosity which in times of distress it has shown in
providing for the wants of the Irish people, the ability and
earnestness evinced by many of our representatives in regard
to public affairs, the freedom with which political subjects
_ _

are discussed, and the anxious desire expressed by men of

all parties to do justice to this country, induce me to believe
that measures proposed for the real benefit of Ireland will
always receive from the Legislature respectful considera-
tion, and can scarcely fail to be adopted if supported by
a preponderance of enlightened public opinion in this na-
tion at large. I can assure you that there exists amongst

her Majesty's present advisers the most earnest desire to

promote the welfare of Ireland, and they will consider
themselves ;indeed fortunate if any measure that they find
it possible to propose shall have the effect of securing to
the tenant compensation for bona fide improvements with-
out infringing on the right of property, of encouraging
manufacturing, railway, or commercial enterprise, of allay-

ing or softening sectarian differences, and of more fully ex-
tending to all classes the inestimable blessings of education

Trade with the Shans, Western Chinese:
Laotians, &c.

Referring to the notice in our issue of the 14th inst., of
the renewed efforts being made by the principal commer-
cial chambers and associations of the kingdom to bring the
Government to take the necessary measures to open up
commerce with the above populous and productive por-
tions of interior " Asia beyond tho Ganges," by tramway
from Rangoon, we stated that the Liverpool Chamber
of Commerce had recently sent up to her Majesty's Minis-
ters their fourth, and the Liverpool East India and
China Association their fifth, memorial, in earnest advo-
cacy of the peaceful project. We also then published,
in extenso, the third memorial to Government on the
same subject of the Huddersfield Chamber, and ex-
pressed the hope that such reiterated appeals from the
commercial community of the country would receive that
attention from the new Government which the late Ad-
ministration failed to extend to it. Witt much satisfaction,
therefore, we now state that the Manchester Chamber has
since forwarded to the Early of Derby, as the First Lord of
the Treasury, a no less energetic appeal (its third also) in
favour of this long-desired new Eastern trade; and that the
Halifax Chamber has passed a resolution pressing the pro-
ject on the earnest consideration of Ministers. We hope that
the other chambers throughout tho United Kingdom who
addressed the late Government in 1860 and 1863 in favour of
the scheme, as well as those which may not have yet shown
an active interest in the matter, will follow the example
thus again set by the chambers above named, and secure to
themselves the future satisfaction of having done their part
in assisting the ultimate realisation of what cannot fail to
prove an enduring benefit to the manufacturers, merchants,
and shipowners of the country generally. This—the pro-
posed new trade—must prove, both as regards the opening
up of new fields, wherefrom to draw large supplies of various
products in which the countries in question abound, and
which are daily becoming more and more necessary to
this country, including cotton, silk, dyes, gums, oils, wax,
tea, gold, silver, lac., and in which to dispose largely, in ex-
change for such products, of British goods of various de-
scriptions—cotton and woollen goods in particular. Not
any of these have yet found their way to the multitudinous
populations of the countries referred to, owing to theirtihne-
land positions, and to the fact that until we took from
and
King of Ava, in 1852, the maritime provinces ofi
noog
route
Martaban, on the east side of the Bay
portion of
was available to England by which her onifej3rc°llFinast's,
of India, could approach tho largo and
P°Pnuew British pro-
Asia situated to the north-east of those
oject to Govern-
vinces. The renewed submission odfitebseapsi or those
the chambers of
ment notice by such influential btho
e matter on the autho-
commerce now taking action
'received from India -if pro-
ritative information of
rlactheanibers, cannot fail, we think,
perly supported by
to ensure a careful conside-
ration Parliamentth li whole etgoatiin subject.mee