The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-07 00:00:00

States of America so much affection as is felt by the
Irish. They have not forgotten that they were
received and fostered by the Americans at a time
when they were driven from their homes by English
misgovernment, and when their death, prc scription,
and exile were hailed by England wit l a shout of
exultation, which was not confined to the preju-
diced masses for whom were written the memorable
words, ' The Celts are gone. Thank God, the Celts
are gone—gone with a vengeance !' They are even
still reminded that this exultation was shared, and
is shared, by the leading statesmen of England—
by Ministers and Viceroys, who are still in the
habit of finding in every decrease of the population
of Ireland a subject of congratulation.
" If you make peace with the South, there will be
no war with England. Some convenient and plausi-
ble pretext will be discovered for forbearing to resent
the affront which has been offered to the British
flag. England would not hesitate to assail you, as
she assailed the Chinese, ifyou were unable to defend
yourselves ; but when she shall find that the shores
of America are to be protected by a million of
armed men who have profited by the experience of
at least one campaign—when she shall find that every
harbour and every river from the frontier of Maine
to the extremity of Texas is about to send out priva-
teers which will intercept, even in Australia, the
gold-laden vessels of England—when she recollects
that if she places a regiment on the borders of
Canada a large portion of that regiment will desert
to the United States—when she reflects that if she
go to war with united America she will be met by
200,000 Irish soldiers who pant for an opportunity
of avenging the wrongs of their race—when she is
conscious that 5,000,000 of Irishmen inhabiting an
island which lies by her side will sympathise with
America rather than with England in such a struggle
—when she forbodes with gloomy forecast that the
glory of England will for ever pass away, and be-
come matter of history if ever France and America
shall unite in hostility to her—when she knows that
the ruler of France is watching like an eagle for an
opportunity to pounce upon his prey, and that
France will be supported by the sympathy of Spain,
and the gratitude of Italy, she will be slow to en-
counter those hazards, even in defence of the flag
that ' has braved a thousand years, the battle and
the breeze.'

" For myself, circumstances have rendered me for
the present a mere spectator of political events, and
I avow that the restoration of the legislative inde-
pendence of my country is the great object to which
the aspirations of my heart are directed. It is part
of the creed of my countrymen that England's dif-
ficulty is Ireland's opportunity,' and therefore I
ought perhaps to rejoice in the prospect of a war
between England and the North States of America,
in the hope that it may bring England into diffi-
culty; but much as I desire the restoration of the
legislative independence of Ireland, I would not pur-
chase it by encouraging one section of the people of
America to destroy the other.
" Earnestly, then, do I pray for a cessation of the
fratricidal war which now rages in America—and
I trust that the same kind Providence which shall
concede to you such a spirit of reconciliation will
hereafter yield to us also the blessings of self-go-
vernment, and render us worthy to enjoy those bles-
sings.—l have the honour to be, sir, yours very sin-
cerely, _ _

_
" WILLIAM S. O'BRIEN
"To the Hon. Mr. Seward, Secretary of
State, &c., Washington."