The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-15 00:00:00

DUBLIN, SA.TURAY MORNING.

MR. SMITH O'BRIEN ON IRISH POLITICS.

A pub lc diuuer Ratitkeale to Archdeac
Fitzgerald, an extremely ter.
-m
aged memb-r of ihe Young
an opporiunity to Mr.
before his countrymen an
p shi
O'Brienoaa
ot f his
u Irish afftirs and p to ti-
esl
xreim. andti y ,
h fora
v 4
laying aeltyt r
utiil
o
culatly tenant-right. Ina lett. r apoloiizing t T his
absence at the Rsthkeale festivities Mr. O'Brien
thus writes :

" Govirned by considerations that were founded upon
my past experience of Irish agitation, I formed a resolu-
tion before I return-d to Ireland that I would not j .in
n,i
sky political associations or attend any political meet-
ings,aebrreog to abrogate,
d,
a haver t
fro declined cli
thisne d r
u al :
politics an
tdo ttbhaet
this
hel myiix.mpdorini interference
ion,
which in I
Irish
have
r limit
ts s
ion of my own individua
oasplyneiotniounAd oenting upon
resion
tendance at several political meetings to which I have
been invited. N.'', it Ito
were
in the case of the R sthkeale dinner I should find it diffi-
cult to refuse similar invitations on future occasions. I
have no desire, however, to conceal my opinions on the
present state 01 public affairs, or to disavow my sympa-
thy with the objects of your meeting. I have already,
since my return from exile, taken °cos ion to declare that
I am more than ever convinced that Ireland requires a
national L.gisl,ture and a national Executive to give
this country full advantage of the resources which it po -
ceases. In the absence of such a domesoc Government
it seems to me that the national interests of Ireland can
b s best protected by sending to the British Par lament
a hidy of members who shall hold themselves entirely
independent of ad English parties, and avail themselves
of every opportunity that may present itself in the con-
flict of rival factions to secure for Ireland the enact-
ment of useful measures aid the attainment of our
national rights. Among the measures which are at
present considered most urgent by the public opinion
of this country is the bill for securing to tenants, in
case of eviction, compensation for profitable improve-
ments, which was prepared mane years ago by Mr. S.
Crawford, and I quite c incur in the propriety of requir-
ing that this measure shall be enacted without further
delay. It is to be regretted, indeed, that the number of
members returned at the late election on the principle of
"Independent Oppo iti " was not so great as might
have been expected, but we have at least the satisfaction
of knowing that many of those members who have
proved faithless to the pledges formerly made by them
in favour of tenant right have beau excluded from Par-
liament, and also that nearly all the candidates who bay,
been returned for popular c instituei,cies have promised
their advocacy of the first claims of the senaotry of Ire-
land. If the declarations made by Irish gentlemen at
the hustings be not why lly wcrthless, a large msjority
of the Irish members are ',mind by the sacred obligations
of public and private honour to apply themselves with
sincerity and earnestness to the accomplishmew of this
otject. Two additional considerations might lead us to
form a well-grounded hope that this question will be
speedily adjusted if any reliance could be placed upon
the disposi.ion of the British Parliament to legislate for
Ireland upon wise and just principles. The first is that
several of the clauses or former Bills which were con-
sidered oljectionable to landlords have b-en withdrawn
The second is that Lord Palmerstoo's Government can
no longer plead inabil.ly to give effect to a principle
which, in profession at least, they affect to approve ; for
it is the boast of the supporters of the present Govern-
ment that the recent elections have greatly increased the
Parliamentary strength of the patty by which Lord Pal
merston's Administration is upheld. For my own part,
I expect little good for Inland from the legislation of a
British-Parliament ; but the earnest and persevering
manifestation-of Irish opinion may have some influence
upon' BritiSh statesmen, and in this point of view the de-
monstration which is about to be wade at Rathkeaie
may be productive of advantage."

POST-OFFICE FINES.—The following caution to pr et-
masters has just beeitissued by Mr. Rowland Hill :
"The attention of thieNrepartment having been called to
the neglect of certain postmasters in failing to preserve
the printed instructions issued to them from time to
time, it l.as been decided, with a view to check each ir.
regularities and to defray the expense of fresh copies,
that for every instruction which may hereafter be lost a
fine of 2d , which will be charged as postage on the ad-
ditional copy, shall be paid by the person in fault. In
order to afford the means of more effectually preserving
the instructions a portfolio, constructed for the purpose
of containing them, will be supplied to each postmaster."
~retrace Gazette.

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