The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-23 00:00:00

VOLUNTEERING IN IRELAND.

A portion of the Irish press continues to call out
for the extension of the volunteer movement to Ire-
land, and in discussing the subject the Belfast Mer-
cury makes the following sensible remarks :
" We cannot deny the fact that the loyal inhabi-
tants of Ireland consider it a slur upon their loyalty
in not being enabled to chime in with the English
mania and establish rifle corps. At present, as we
already explained, the law does not authorise, but
prohibitS, the voluntary association of armed men,
even for loyal purposes. We consider the law a
good one, in the present condition of the country.
Take Belfast for example—we are now compara-
tively quiet because we are a proclaimed district,
but allow a general arming for volunteer purposes,
and would you not practically arm two hostile forces,
one against the other. No doubt about it. You
would have the Sandy-row Williamites against the
Pound-street Greens, and the arms you would put
into their hands would be only potent in a warfare
of contending factions. Even supposing an enemy
landed, at Carrickfergus, who among us would place
confidence in such defenders ? It is not unlikely,
however, thata movement will be made next session
to repeal or modify the law as regards voluntary
arming in Ireland. We admit that many good and
loyal men feel the exceptional legislation under which
we live as a degradation. It is galling to' them that
they cannot associate together for purposes of na-
tional defence, as Englishmen are doing. They feel
this an impeachment on their loyalty, and
desire to have the legal impediment removed.
Now, in considering the question calmly, it must
be admitted that there is a vast difference between
England and Ireland., In England we have no
Arms Act—no proclaimed districts. The people
are loyal to the back bone—submissive to the law,
and would rally as one man to uphold the throne
and defend the constitution. In Ireland we have

a different state of affairs entirely. We have in-
cendiaries, whose ' chief delight appears to be to
harbour dreams of a French invasion—miscreants
who hate the British constitution and the un-
bounded liberty it affords—a liberty they only use
for evil purposes. We have also intense sectarian
strife—old and justifiable party notions, which are
hereditary heir-looms, and glorious ones too—we
have the animosities of faction among us, and now,
since Rome has assumed the offensive, we have the
religious element becoming every day more de-
veloped, and separating the country into two hos-
tile- camps, above which the rival flags wave—
loyalty and disloyalty. There is no mistake
about this. Every man of intelligence knows
that we are only stating the simple truth.
We saY, therefore, that it would be utterly
destructive of the peace of Ireland to repeal
the existing law, and allow us to arm as we please,
as membeis of rifle corps. Deprecating with all
sincerity such a repeal of the law, we do not say
that a modification might not be made, if you pro-
vided a high test. In discussing the question the
other day, the cavalry test was proposed, and we
really think it an cic..,ellently good one. Any per-
son whO car; mount himself and appear on parade
as an independent man may fairly be taken as a
loyal subject. We would have no objeJtion to see
such a cavalry corps established among us. If we
have a semi-military population among onr young
bloods, 'or middle-aged bloods, by all means let
them indulge their fancy, but preserve us from a
general armament."