The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-06 00:00:00

Malan *int

LONDON. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6. 1844.

Notwithstanding Mr. O'CoxraLie apparent ear•
nestness in the cause of Repeal, and the prominen
manner in which he has put it forward at every public
meeting that has been held in Ireland for the last ten
years and upwards, we have always entertained an
impression that, being convinced at heart of
the utter impossibility of his ever being able
to carry it, he merely agitated the measure with a
view to drive the English Government into doing
justice to the sister country, by showing them how
thoroughly awakened the Irish mind was to a sense of'
its wrongs, and how resolved it was no longer tamely
and sulkily to submit to them. That many others
were of the same opinion as ourselves on this subject, is
evident from the circumstance that Mr. O'CoNNELL
has at length deemed it expedient publicly to disclaim
his having been influenced by any such motives, and
to insist that in his agitation of Repeal he is as sincere,
as sanguine, and as enthusiastic as ever he was in his
agitation of the Catholic Emancipation question. At
the last meeting of the repeaters in the Dublin Con-
ciliation Hall, the Hon. and Learned Gentleman thus
emphatically expressed himself :—" The English
newspaper of the Dissenters,lthe Patriot, alleged that
he was looking for repeal, not in order to obtain it,
but in order to coerce England to do some-
thing in the way of concession or justice to Ire-
land. That was a total mistake, and he wished the
people of England now clearly to understand that
there was nothing equivocal in his looking for Repeal,
and that England could offer nothing short of Repeal
which he would accept." This language is explicit
enough. As the Duke of WIELLINGTON told Mr.
Ilussussorr, " there is no mistake here." Mr. O'Com-
weer. really is sincere in his repeal agitation ; and not
only this, but he will take nothing short of it from
the English Government ! Was there ever such an
instance of arrant infatuation, to use the mildest
term ? With the QUEEN—the two Houses of
Parliament—the majority of the English people, and
no small portion of Irishmen of the snore respectable
and influential class with all these various
powers warmly opposed to a Repeal of the Union,
what earthly chance has Mr. O'Cormeet. of ever
being able to carry it ? He deprecates, we see, all
idea of having recourse to physical force, and the
current of public opinion has set in strongly against
his crotchet. How, then, is lie to bring it to a suc-
cessful issue ? We almost doubt whether he has
ever thought of seriously putting this question to
himself, or he would not persevere so strenuously in
the agitation of a measure, which, in the first place,
is impracticable ; and, secondly, if practicable, would
be attended with the most ruinous results to both coun-
tries. That Repeal is popular amongthe lower classes in
Ireland is natural enough, for it is placed before them
in the most specious garb, and their profound igno•
ranee prevents them from detecting the real nature of
the humbug. They dream—alas, how idly !—that
it will supply all their wants; remedy all their
llrlßya ms
wrongs ; pay all their taxes ; give them as much to
y
eat and drink as they could desire; render them in-
eaeeTt'sin Cg
AorifAL this oCClVormAlipaTn.T wllca'sedunezdlttytthhee
ch
iatlyf -
endent of their landlords ; and enable each, and
rr
eo
al
dd basin,,
soimn ,
riMhri.chß
tthaupnpee
airne
dthteh chair atihre,
:ffhaeinrsaurfstphoeretavvnaas de l p
were in a prnsprous state, and the business at the new all of them, to live like gentlemen, working just
wharfs atiimehouse dock had advanced considerably when they please, and making holiday v hen they
pie's.. Such are the agreeable expectations which
the thoughtless, masses of Irishpeasantry
only to the strike of the pitmea of the north, the trade
in the half-year ending the 30th September amounted to
hangunie
only 478,124 tons, yielding 18,8211. The profit fur the
half-year amounted to 9,8381. Ils. 50.. out of which entertain from a Repeal of the Union with Eng-
-4911. 18s. 6d. was transferred to the reserve fund, leaving land ; and in these flattering delusions they
suffici. at for a dividend of 9s. per share. After a feW are artfully encouraged by their leaders, who-
observations from various proprietors the report was
never p
adopted, and thanks were voted to the chairman, wwhet'l
the wonderful benefits that would accrue to them
let ass an opportunity.
the business terminated. of insisting on

THE REV. MR. WARD AND THE
VICE-CHANCELLOR of OXFORD.
The following was issued in Oxford on Wednesday :
" Balliol College, Dec. 3.

tt Mr. Vice-Chancellor,—False impressions seem to
have gone abroad Li to what passed on Saturday, when I
appeared before you on the subject of a work entitled
The Ideal of a Christian Church considered, &c.,' which
bears my name in its title-page ; and as impressions
equally false may possibly prevail in respect to the pro-
ceedings of this day on the same subject, it seems the
simple and right course to address you thus publicly
at once.
I was summoned on Saturday, not as before a tribunal
which claimed the power of authoritatively putting ques-
tions, but merely that I might have the opportunity, if I
so wished, of disavowing certain opinions, previously to
the Hebdomadal Board proceeding further against nee.
The questions I was asked accordingly were these :-
1. Whether I wished to disavow the authorship of
the above-mentioned work ?-2. Whether I wished to
disavow the sentiments contained in certain propo-
sitions selected from it ? which were then read
to me. My answer was, that in a matter so
important to myself, I wished to take no step whatever
without the advantage of consulting with my friends,
and taking, if necessary, legal advice ; accordingly, I
asked to postpone my answer till to-day. You replied
that nothing could be more reasonable than such a re-
quest, and kindly suggested that even a later day might
be preferable; an offer, however, of which I did not wish
to avail myself.
" On appearing before you to day, I stated that, act-
ing under legal advice, I must decline answering any
questions whatever, until I should know mots definitely
the course which it was intended to adopt against me.
" From this statement it will appear, I think, that I
have adopted no unworthy subterfuge, but rather pro-
ceeded on the acknowledged principles of justice. When-
ever I am authoritatively informed of the whole method
of proceeding which it is intended to pursue against me
there shall be no want of perfect openness on my side
also; but nothing surely could be more unreasonable
than to expect that, so long as strict secrecy is preserved
on that head, I should volunteer any statement, however
unimportant, or make any admission, however appa-
rently insignificant.
"I should not do justice to my own feelings, if I did
not conclude by expressing my strong sense of the cour-
tesy with which I was trea:ed on each occasion of ap-
pearing before you.
"I remain, Mr. Vice-Chancellor, your faithful servant,
" W. G. WARD."