The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-29 00:00:00

REPEAL ASSOCIATION.

The Association held the usual weekly meeting to-dad• at
the Conciliation Hall.

It being generally understood that this would in all proba-
bility be the last occasion on which Mr. O'Connell would be
present previous to the passing of the sentence, the hall was
densely crowded. At one o'clock the Hon. Gentleman en-
tered, and was received with enthusiastic cheering. When
the applause had subsided, he moved that Sir Samuel Brad-
street, Bart., should take the chair.
The SECRETARY then read the minutes of the last day's
proceedings. After some business had been gone through,
Mr. O'CoNxEu. again rose, and said he had to move that
an address to the people of Ireland, on the present position of
the public cause, be prepared for circulation against the pass-
ing of the sentence.. That sentence might, or might not be
carried into effect immediately. They intended appealing to the
House of Lords,tind. it was onlyjust that the execution should
be deferred until the result of that appeal was known., The
past, however, gave them little to hope from the lenieucy
of the Court of Queen's Bench.—(Hear, hear.) In any
event it was right that the people should be perfectly pre-
pared, find not be suffered to allow their feelings to over-
come their resolution to be peaceable. They would play the
game of the enemy by violating the law—they should be
made to understand that, and, moreover, that nothing would
be more desirable to" certain parties that an opportunity (,C
turning out the military and police on the unarmed people.
He was sure that tranquillity would be maintained. The
Catholic clergy had taken up the cause—they were the be,',;,
peace officers they could have--(Cheers.) The mauiP.,ent
contributions which he had that day handed in were hvidence
that they were heart and soul in the cause. T 1 Hon. Gen-
tleman continued to address the meeting at considerable
length. He showed that Ireland was in a worse condition
now than at the time of the union—that the testimony of all
travellers was, that there was more destitution in Ireland (a
country so blessed by nature), than in any other on the face
of the earth, and attributed all the evils of Ireland to the
want of a domestic legislature. He again implored of the
people to maintain peace and tranquillity, and concluded by
saying that shortening his life was not the way to lengthen
the connection between the two countries. The Hon. Gen-
tleman resumed his seat amidst the greatest applause.
Mr. S. O'Bnie-Ni seconded the adoption of the addrep4, and
then proceeded to observe, that the imprisonmelit of Mr.
O'Connell would sever the link which binds Ireland to Eng .
land, and he could not bring himself to believe that the
Government would have the madness to incarcerate him till
he should be summoned to accompany him (Mr. O'Connell)
to gaol. Much as they would deplore the absence of Mr.
O'Connell and his gifted son, yet it would be found that there
were men amongst the members of the Association capable ots
guiding the destinies of the countrv.—(Cheers.)
Amount of the rent for the week, 550/.

THE ETON MONTEM.
The celebration of this triennial festival of the scholars and
students of Eton College took place yesterday, under most
avourable auspices, her Majesty and her Royal Consort
having intimated their intention to encourage the Montem
by their presence, in imitation of her grandsire, who used
to enter heartily hate the amusements peculiar to this
day. Under the influence of Royal example, and prompted
by a curiosity necessarily repressed for the whole space
of three long years, the world of fashion exchanged at an
early and irksome hour their quiet downy couches for the
rude grating and unaccommodating railway, in order to
reach this festive spot by ten o'clock A.M., military time,
when, according-to the announcement in the order of the day,
her Majesty's Foot Guurds were to beleaguer these ancient
seats of learning, and possess themselves of the Court-yard
and approaches to the College. So great was the demand
upon the capabilities of the company, that it was found ne-
cessary to start at very short intervals throughout the whole
of the morning special trains to assist the ordinary ones in
transporting such an unusually great number of travellers to
their destination. Upon arriving at Salt-kill a pair of tall,
armed, feathered, and elegantly attired young masqueraders,
dropped, as it were, from some heaven-kissing hill in the
midst of the motley group descending from the carriages%
and with calm, aristocratic effrontery, demanded our money.
The ladies appeared to be peculiarly the objects of their
importunity, and whether it was through the force of costnnie
or custom, the fair capitulated, the fools followed.:and the
handsome brigands retreated without hue or cry', with kid
purses as large as nose-bags, filled with our ne;tesj, gold, and
silver. Several foreigners, we perceived, looked unutterable
things. Our national character for integrity and observance
of the law obviously suffered a depreciation.
The Prince Consort, descending from the castle, was stopped
on Windsor-bridge, and, though surrounded by the Royal
guards, surrenders a purse of thirty sovereigns, together with
one of one hundred on the past of the Quoin, to the captain
of the runners. His Royal Highness, having thus purchased
his preferment to office, rode to Eton College, in the inner
quadrangle of which lie called "Absence," as Etoniana
term it, that is, ascertained who were present, at locus a ?Lou
lucendo. The youths then formed their procession, the
captain taking the lead of the whole school, consisting of,
it is said, 739 boys, including foundation scholars
and oppidans. The bands of the ,Fusilier Guards, second
battalion, and of the Horse Guards, *ll into the procession,
and played alternately martial music until they had
thrice genet round the square, when the Prince appeared
at the window of the Election Chamber, and was re-
ceived with every 'demonstration of respect and regard.
The captain in this instance is a fine well-looking youth,
rejoicing in the homely name of Drake, being pecu-
liarly appropriate, however, to his present locality, which
consists of ponds, eyots, islands, and is surrounded—often
overflowed—by water. Being the senior scholar on the
foundation, and proceeding to finish his education at King's.
College, Cambridge, he was emphatically the hero of the day
and the performance may, in theatrical phrase, be truly saiq
to be got up for his benefit; and a bumper we may imaglaa
it proved, from the intrepidity and cool arrogance with wk.;eli,
his armed followers stopped her Majesty's lieges on live Ma-
jesty's highway and under the windows of her Roy palace,
and levied contributions, as in days past did tte Highland
freebooters, upon all her Majesty's subjects that happened to
be led to Eton through curiosity or business.
The waving of the flag being
.completed, a most ungrace-
ful exhibition of muscular exertion, partaking of something
like the broadsword exercise and the tricks of a juggler upon
a rural stage, followed—the:Prince bowed, and the chapel, a tine
old Gothic building, nine times re-echoed the sincere and loud,
acclamations of a crowd comprising as much of high rank,
gallantry and peerless beauty as perhaps ever graced the co-
ronation of a monarch. The procession to the Mount took
place according to the custom. The Prince soon after fol-
lowed in two carriages to witness again the waving of the
flag. He did not descond from his carriage, but, after being;
loudly cheered, proceeded to London by a special train ala
half-past two.
There were present on the interesting occasion the follow-
ing noblemen and gentlemen :—Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence,
Lord Lincoln, Lord Campbell, and Lady Stratheden ; the
Duke and Duchess of Buckingham ; Earls Nelson, Powis,
Sheffield, Camden ; Marquis Chandos ; the Duke of Lein-
ster ; Earl and Countess of Dartmouth; Lords Seaham, Re-
desdale, Fielding, Ingestre, Howe, Northland. and Eliot ;
the Rev. Mr. Peel and lady, Sir Geo. Wombwell, the Re-
corder of London and his lady, and the Judges Coleridge*
and Patteson. _

The festivitie.4 in the eyot, in which the captain ga.lo
dinner to his fellow-students, did not close till a latr., horn.;
and the public were admitted indiscriminately to
field, in which the Coldstream band perforined ',,,hre:ughout
the evening a variety of the choicest operatic an national
airs.

dentWereached u are happy. to record that not a report;f a single acci-
s

CALEDONIAN BALL.---Thl'
took place last night at `Fill: .s annual fancy dress ball
rously attended than on
ss Rooms. It was more nume-
r
Royal Family, and former occasion.
ton were Some of the
the n
eYlite of the haut present.
The costumes wi;:re chiefly Highland and milit'ary. Dancing,
which commenced shortly after ten, was keptfup N. ith un •
tiring Vt:Alr till an early hour. The band was relieved by
the P..i.ke of Sutherland's, Captain Charles Forbes's, and Cap -
11. Stewart's pipers playing strathspeys and reels.
COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.—THE MASQUERADE:
—The second masquerade given this season at this theatre,
came off on Monday night and the following morning. The.
numbers were not so great, perhaps; as at the first one, at;
least upon the platform, but the boxes and other parts of the
theatre were completely filled. It was perhaps no disadvan-
tage that the platform was not so crowded, and the nusag
especially by a class of persons who only confuse the dancia' g
and roll about in a semi-state of intoxication, to annoy and
interrupt. On Monday evening there was nothing of this
sort. The company on the platform was very numerous.
without being a mob, and the dancing and the other arrange-
ments were exceedingly wall sustained and conducted. Thee
supper was such as is generally seen at public occasions, the:
wines and the rest of the creature comforts were not, as usual,
the worst to be obtained. The band, under the direction of.
Mr. Weippert, who presided, and appeared with his har
high above the rest of the numerous musicians, was exce,,a_
ingly effective, and executed its task in the best man. Aer.
One great feature of the evening was, at least up to thrAate
hour at which we quitted the theatre, that decency aAd d
corum were olAerved. At things of this sort some a'4lowan:
must be made for exuberance of spirits and the eAritement
of the scene, but we saw little to be blamed, an,'
amusement a good deal to be spoken well of. for such ate.
vast number of persons in character There was a
P as it is called ; and it
would be much more amusing on these, ossasions if every-
body came in domino, or in some eketrAle different from the
dress of every day. The decoratioa s of the theatre were
very splindid, and in good taste,
There were chandeliera,.
banners, flags, looking-glasses, and everything to give the.: appearance of a joyous scene;.Altogether, the affair was w
got up and well condatcted
and if all masquerades be
ducted with simi4r
good taste, good judgment, and dezeney none but very fastidious persons can object to their occasional introduction amongst the amusements of the town. Dulln •
is the worst that is to be feared.
Tun OLD BANR.--We are glad to be, able to state
that the creditors of the Old Bank, Du:iley received
g
dividend of ss. in the pound on Wethiesday' last. This
is the second dividend, which, with the first, amounting
to 6s. Bd. in the pound, settles better than half the de-
mands upon the estate, which It is now confidently as
serted will pay ful 20s. in t),.'e" pound. That there must
be something substantially wrong in our monetary am:
commercial mattera, Piiien such an establishment as the:
Old Bank, possosshtg ample resources, was compelled t(4
stop paymcu IA t, is obvious. It is said, and e belie re,
truly, that if Mr. Dixon had retired from I. asi.
nets only a very short time ago, he could
hale done so upon 300,0001. ; with that spirit, however.
Of continuous enterprise which characterises the nation,.
and has raised it b.!, its present commercial superigrity, he:
continued extending accommodation to all around hill*
until overtaken by one of those periodical convnisions_ in
trade incident to dur defective monetary arrangements,
he was obliged to submit to the ordeal of tho.bankruptey
laws, and to which no man possessed of such ample means
of meeting all ordinary demands upoxi him ought to have
been subjected.—Birmingham Journal.
THE NATIONAL GALLERY:NEW PICTURES.
The National Gallery Dias, within the last few days, had ;""
new pictures added Wits collection of intrinsic worth.`s lt`reey
consist of " A Jewish Rabbi,"
by Rembrandt, formerly in
the collection of the Duke of Argyle, but purchased at the,
sale of the latesMr. pictur'es
Mr. Farrer. The " infant Christ embracing for
John4oo itnhe byeas,
p
tist," by Guido, sold to Mr. Seguier, at the same sale, for 3aii
guineas ; and a beautiful little portrait of " Gerard Dc ',
painted by himself, also formerly in Mr. Harman's collection.
little gem wstalotight for 121 guineas.