The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-18 00:00:00

Mr. SNITLI O'BRIEN; M.P., handed in the following
,urns from America :—llochester, United States, 201. ;
tfaryland, 221. ; Cumberland, Allegany, 221. ; and
tVihnington, 191. Also different sums from various parts
,f Ireland.

Mr. O'CosxELL rcad a letter from Mr. John Mama-
nara Cantwell, one of the traversers' attorneys in the
!ate Government prosecution, handing in his sub,crip-

tion, and declaring his adhesion to the—Association as a
'ederalist. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman movi d
,he insertion of the letter on the minutes, and said, that
though Mr. Cantwell joined the Association'merely as a
federalist, he was fully entitle-1 to join their ranks on that
footing. He was gratified at having that opportunity :of
leclaring their readiness to concur with Irishmen of
,very shade and party in politics, who went the length
with them of giving to Ireland and to Irishmen the pro-
tection of a native Parliament. Without a Parliament
which would give 'lrishmen protection—which would
-ive Ireland to the Irish—there could be no security
(or the continuance of any protection or prosperity that
they might acquire. Taking it in that view, they would
embrace federalism, and heartily concur with those whom
they could not induce to accompany them further.
Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN would take that public oppor-
tunity of stating, that, at the great national banquet, to
be given on Thursday next, the " Repeal of the Union"
was one of the toasts that it was intended should be
proposed.—(Hear, hear.) He made that announcement
because some doubt seemed to be entertained in certain
quarters on the subject. As far as ha was personally
concerned, he certainly would not, at the present crisis
if Irish affairs, assent to take the chair at any public
dinner at which the repeal of the unien would not be a
recognised toast ; and he believed he was justified in
saying, on the part of Mr. O'Connell and the other ex-
prisoners, that they would not attend at any dinner at
which that toast was not intended to be drunk.—(" Hear,
hear," from Mr. O'Connell, and cheers.) lie should at
the same time say that every true federalist was at
perfect liberty, consistently with his principles, to drink
the toast of—the repeal of the union. They had many
gentlemen of that class in the Association who were ad-
mitted merely as federalists ; and the same fooling
which prompted them to join the Association, ought to
enable them to attend the national banquet to be given
in commemoration of the liberation of Mr. O'Connell.
—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. O'CoNzuteL said, though it was rather irregular
for him to speak again at that moment, he trusted that
he would be allovved.to express his entire concurrence in
what his esteemed .friend by his side (Mr. S. O'Brien)
had just stated. He ivould not receive the highest com-
pliment that could be paid to man (and there could be no
compliment higher 'than the invitation to the national
banquet, to be given on Thursday), that would compro-
mise for a moment the repeal of the union.—(Cheers.)
The repeal of the 'union meant a repeal of an Act of
Parliament passed in.the year 1800, by which the Irish
Parliament had been annihilated, and, therefore, he
should say that a fetteral Parliament, giving the manage-
ment of their national affairs to Irishmen, was one that
he was quite ready to receive. He was convinced that a
Parliament would work well for Irelaud, and if it did
not he was convinced it would give them the means of
working better.—(Hear, hear.) . Mr. O'Connell con-
cluded by handing in 25/. from Liverpool.
Mr. T. M'NENEN (barrister) handed in a sum of
money, and then proceeded to address the meetiag. He
regretted illness alone prevented him from taking any
part in the proceedings of the Association since the oc-
currence of that event, which had filled the hearts of
Irishmen with joy and exultation. Had it been the lot
of Mr. O'Connell to remain in gaol, the accession of
such men as their chairman, and the many concurring
circumstances which were daily inspiring them with hope
end confidence, would have been the source of consola-
tion to him, but he was happy to say they were the
brightest ornaments of his triumph.—(Cheers.) This
triumph was not one over a party or a faction but over
that monstrous unmeaning document which they called
an indictment, and by which they thought to crush the
liberties of this country. They had restored the trial by
jury, that noble institution which was the palladium of
heir political liberty. • But for the liberality of the Irish
people, which enabled them to bring their case be-
fore the highest tribunal, a precedent would have
been established, which might have proved more fatal
to the liberties of the two countries than standing armies
or coercion b:lls.—(cheers.) Their triumph would in
future prevent Government from cramming their jury
boxes with convenient consciences to swear away the
liberties of Irishmen. He believed they possessed the
materials for the formation of a country, and it re-
mained but for Irishmen to call them into existence.
The Learned Gentleman concluded amidst loud cheering.
Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN rose and read the following
notice :

" The Committee of the Loyal National Repeal Asso-
ciation propose to award the following sums as prizes for
the best essays written in support of repeal of the Act
of Union :
For the best essay £loo
Second best
Third best

"The essays are to be sent to the Secretary of the
Repeal Association before the Ist of January, 1845 ; the
name of the author not to be 'attached to his essay, but
to be sent in a sealed envelope, bearing some fictitious
signature corresponding to a similar signature attached
to the essay.
" The Committee will not examine the letters of the
unsuccessful competitors.

" The Committee will not hold themselves bound to
award the prizes, or any of them, unless the essays sent
in by competitors shall be of such a character as to
render their publication advisable, with a view to the ad-
vancement of the cause of repeal. The Committee re-
serve the right of publishing the prize essays at the ex-
pense of the Association, without the interference of any
claims of copyright.
" It is suggested that the authors should state and re-
fute the arguments which may be advanced against the
establishment of a domestic legislature for Ireland; that
they should state fully the arguments for repeal; that
they should develops a form of executive and legislative
cI
or ins
sht
iten t people,p aarntds
otof
tphreo muor ti et i
suini ietlyn e
that
bt
he te;esehdo the
constitution calculated to secure the happiness of the
of
fe;
illustrate the international relations which they propose
shall hereafter subsist between Great Britain and Ire-
land, by examples taken from the existing institutions of
other countries; and, in particular, that they should
examine how far the constitution of Norway, and its
connexion with Sweden, nay serve as a model for the
new constitution of Ireland; that they should describe
the probable consequences which may be expected to
result from a repeal of the union—pointing out the
dangers to be apprehended, and the means by which
those dangers may he averted.
" N.B. These suggestions are not obligatory, and are
meant only to intimate the sort of essay which the Com-
mittee consider would be most useful.
" The essays are not to exceed in length 200 pages of
the ordinary size 'and print used in the reports of the
Repeal Association.
" The Committee, in awarding these prizes according
to the comparative excellence of the essays, will not hold
themselves responsible for the sentiments which they
contain.

" Judges appointed:—Mr. John O'Connell, M.P.; Mr.
Thomas Davis; and Mr. Wm. Smith O'Brien, M.P."
Mr. O'BRIEN then said that the object of the Associa-
tion in giving the notice he had just read was for the
purpose of directing the attention of the intelligent
minds of this country to all that could be said for and
against the repeal of the union. They were satisfied
they had truth on their side, and were confident that any
thinking man who weighed the subject with philosophical
impartiality would arrive at the conclusion that the
union should be repealed.—(Hear.) The people bad
been listening to arguments why the existing union
should be repealed, but they had not as yet heard what
was to be said on the contrary side, and their object was
to enlighten the people of this country. The question
was an open one, whether they should have a separate
Legislature or a federal Parliament ; whether they
should stand in the same relation to England as Sweden
to Norway. He was glad the leaders of the Association
had not pressed any particular form of Government on
the attention of the people ; their sole object was to
secure that which would be to ensure the happiness and
prosperity of the country.—(Hear, hear.) In England
it was received as an axiom that repeal meant separa-
tion; but he would assert, on the other hand, that repeal
was essential to the integrity of the empire.—(Cheers.)
It mattered little, however, what they thought, as the
event could he accomplished, not through the interven-
tion of English opinion, but by the exertions of Irish-
men. There was a vast difference between the Catholic
question and the repeal. Many had great and selfish
reasons for opposing the former, but every man who had
any regard for their mutual welfare should support the
latter.—(Hear, bear.) The Honourable Gentleman
then proceeded to point out the many advantages which
a resident Legislature would confer on Ireland—
dwelling on the evils of absenteeism, the constant drain
of money from this country, the removal of the public
offices, and the monopolisation of those offices by Eng-
lish and Scotch, and the unequal representation of the
two countries. He then contended that the fear of losing
these advantages was the sole reason of the hostility of
Englishmen to the repeal, and should, consequently
prove as an argument for Irishmen to seek for it. He
then proceeded to say that the time would shortly come
when the alternative would be proposed to English states-
men—Repeal or Separation.—(Cheers.) For his part, he
would certain!y. oppose anything having a tendency to
separation, but in spite of the efforts of an O'Connell,
O'Brien, and other leaders, the alternative would come
—Repeal or Separation. Under these circumstances,
-he would contend that the advocates of repeal were the
true friends of the connexion between the countries.—
(Cheers.) It was, therefore for the purpose of enlight-
ening the people that the Committee had come to the
conclusion of disseminating the essays he had alluded
to ; and he would be surprised, indeed, if the prizes that
were propos2d did not call forth an amount of talent
that would do credit to the national genius. The lion.
I Gentleman then concluded by submitting his motion to
the meeting.

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