The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-17 00:00:00

of England towards this country was.—(Near, hear.) He
had a species of unpleasant gratification in seeing verified
what he had often stated—that the people of England had
not the heart in the right place when they came to deal
with Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) He was once in the habit
of using the term " Saxon," when speaking of the English
people, and he had often accused them of illiberality and
bad feeling towards the people of this country, but lie was
told that it was the Government, and not the people of
England, which was adverse to Ireland. He had abandoned
the use of the obnoxious phrase, and tried the language of
conciliation, but what did they now see? They saw the
Government acting in a friendly manner towards this coun-
try, and the people of England rising in masses against.
them.—(Hear.) A friend who had just returned from Lon-
don told him he never remembered to have witnessed so
much excitement there as at present. "No Popery" pla-
cards and advertisements were encountered at every turn,
and the abuse of Irish Catholics which they contained was
read with applause by the groups of people attracted by
them.—(Hear, hear.) Yes, the people of England were
taking a strong part against this country. Who was not
aware, that if they had not been always hostile to Ire-
land, she could not have been left so long in her present
abject condition ; but, proud and bigoted as were their Eng-
lish neighbours (and they might well be proud of having
such a people as the Irish for their slaves), they would not
continue to be their slaves.—(Loud cheers.) He bad
been told that he ought not to accept money from Eng-
lish Protestants for Catholic purposes, and had been called
on to assert the principle of every denomination of Chris-
tians paying its own ministers. He was quite ready
to adopt the principle to the fullest extent, but he wanted
others to do so likewise. The Protestant clergy who opposed
the present Bill on the pretext of its being a violation of
principle, forgot that they were silent respecting the grant of
9,0001. a year, which they bad not opposed, and that they'
continue silent respecting the Regium donum of the Presby-
terians, and the grants to religious communities in Scotland.
Why were not these grants opposed, and why had such an
outcry been raised against the grant of a suitable endowment
for Maynooth ? The truth was, they hated them as Irish-
men, and were bigoted against them as Catholics.—(Hear,
hear.) The Times spent three years in abusing the Catholic
clergy and people, and raised the people of England to such
a pitch of exasperation against the Ministry for favouring the
Irish people, that they rose at length and turned out the
Whigs. It was idle, therefore, to talk of favour to this coun-
try from England, and he was not sorry for their hate. He
would run no race of petitions with them—if necessary, he
could have millions of signatures to one. He would ask
nothing, but he would take the boon gratefully as it was
given graciously.—(Hear, hear.) The lion. Gentleman
next proceeded to repel the charges recently made against
the College of Maynooth, and asserted that out of
15,000 students who since its foundation had been edu-
cated there, not a single one had been charged with an
offence of any kind. He next eulogised the presidents and
professors of the College, and enumerated several distin-
guished Roman Catholic clergymen who had filled those
situations. When there was no stain either on the students
or the professors it was too bad that the provision of a suit-
able maintenance for them should be the signal for an exhi-
bition of fiendish bigotry on the part of the English people.
Shame on them for envying Ireland sixpence in the pound
of her just debt. There was their conscience, their honour,
their honesty He was glad that he himself had taken the
offer in the spirit he had met it with. Of course, if the
Catholic clergy had condemned it, or refused it, he would
have joined them ; but as they had been silent he took it
for granted that they approved of it. Had they objected to
the Bill, he himself would have moved that it be kicked eut
of the House; but he was most happy in stating that Sir
Robert Peel had consulted the Catholic authorities in the
most open and generous manner on the subject. He had
been accused of a factious disposition to refuse everything
from the present Government, no matter how good the mea-
sure offered might be ; but he rejoiced that the present Bill
gave them an opportunity of showing what their true spirit
was. lie hoped it would be well received throughout Ire-
land ; but as to its being a bribe to the clergy, be defied those
who thought so, and equally so those who believed it would
have the effect of making them relax in their efforts to regain
natioual independence.—(Loud cheers.) The Hon. Gentle-
man concluded by moving that the report be adopted and
printed for circulation.
Mr. T. STEELE addressed the meeting on the same subject.
Mr. H. Gnitrrax, M.P., said, that the people of England
had declared war on the Irish people by their conduct in re-
ference to the Maynooth grant, and he had learnt a lesson
within the last forty-eight hours which he might forgive but
would never forget. He took his leave of the "gentlemen of
England ;" he wished them no ill, but so help him God he
would never willingly draw a sword in their behalf or give
them a guinea of his money.—(Loud cheers.) They had
covered their country, their cause, and their Parliament with
a disgrace which they could never remove.—(Cheers.)
The motion was then adopted, after a few remarks from
Mr. J. O'Connell, M.P.
Mr. O'CONNELL announced the receipt of 2501. from Bos-
ton, from Philadelphia 451., and from Illinois 100/.
Mr. G. PORTER addressed the meeting at considerable
lmenegndthedinthsueppoorttabolfishhims
epnetculoifarav
view
watioannald stronglymilitia irnecotrnhi;
country.
Mr. O'CONNELL agreed with Mr. Porter that a national
militia would be extremely advantageous, if sanctioned by
Parliament and constructed according to constitutional prin-
ciples. He then brought forward a long report on the sub-
ject of the tenant-right in Ulster, upon which he commented
at considerable length.
The rent for the week was stated to be 700/. 4s. 11d.
DUBLIN STOCK AND SHARE MARKET.
There was again a great deal of business in the scrip of
the new railways, with a decided advance in the Great
Southern and Western Extension. The following are the
closing prices :—Three per Cent. Consols, 984 6 ; Three and-
a-Quarter per Cent. Stock, 1016 ; Three-and -a-Half per
Cent. Debentures, 936 ; Grand Canal Debentures, 41. sterling
per annum, 71 ; Mining Company of Ireland, 134 ; Royal
Bank, 146 ; City of Dublin Steam of 1836, 52. Railways :
—Great Southern and Western, 17* ; Ditto Extension, 114
126; Dublin and Belfast Junction, 10*; Irish Great Western,
Dublin to Mullingar and Athlone, 3 6 ; Irish Great Western,
Dublin to Galway, 5 6; Belfast and Ballymena, 54; Dun-
dalk and Enniskillen, 44 6 ; Waterford and Limerick, 66 6 ;
Wexford and Carlow, 46 ; Kingstown and Bray, 104 6 ; Cork
and Bandon, 6 ; Londonderry and Enniskillen, 4 6.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN
SlR,—Amidst all the great schemes afloat for the im-
provement of railway communication throughout the
country, the public attention appears to have rather
overlooked the vast changes which are going on in the
important tract of country having Chester for its centre.
A new and powerful community is establishing itself on
the western shores of the river Mersey, whose rising
city " Birkenhead" is at once the wonder of the age and
the nucleus of a commercial revolution which has no
parallel even amosgst the enterprising people of the
United States. Birkenhead now comprises more popu-
lation, more wealth, and more elements of grandeur, than
most of our oldest and most favoured cities. With all
the advantages of Liverpool, as regards the commerce
of the world, it also possesses the same communication
with Manchester and Yorkshire, and a better commu-
nication with Birmingham and all the south, being
about 10 to 15 miles nearer, as far as land carriage is
concerned. This rising community of giants will soon
possess the most spacious docks in the kingdom, and it
is idle to doubt their success—the very constitution of
the company "ensures" success! Low charges, great
accommodation and facility, and an ultimate emancipa-
tion of all charges whatever, will and must eomnrand an
immense trade as long as the river Mersey bears on her
waters the commercial navies of the world! This, then,
is the keystone of the vast structure of traffic to which
your attention is called. This new port, and these new
docks of Birkenhead will ere long possess some of the
elements of the Liverpool greatness. The communica-
tion by the river is safer and more convenient than on
the Liverpool side, as it is sheltered from the westerly
gales, and possesses the best anchorages. An influential
body of Manchester manufacturers is interested in the
success of the scheme, and will transfer much of their
business thither, 0 escape the great expenses of cartage,
porterage, dock dues, and the exorbitant charges for fire
insurances now prevalent in Liverpool. Not that the
commerce of Liverpool is likely to be much affected by
such transfer, since the accumulating trade of the
Mersey is becoming more and more developed, and the
greater the facilities offered on its shores, no matter
whether on the eastern or western, must tend to the in-
crease and permanence of that flourishing commerce.
From Birkenhead there is a railway to Chester, and the
merchandise and passengers brought by the vessels and
steamers which will find accommodation in the docks
will be conveyed by rail through a tunnel to the main
line, without delay or expense, which is quite a new and
a most promising feature, whether as affecting the_pros-
perity of the docks or the railways concerned. Eight
miles from Birkenhead (at Hooton) the Manchester
railway will diverge from the Chester and Birkenhead
line, and a little further on (at Sutton) it is probable
that a short line will ere long be projected to Queen's
Ferry for the Welsh traffic. At Chester this important
little trunk joins a collection of other railways %hi&
are destined in a few years to be the tributaries to it,
and the natural channels fur the great flow of traffic
which this combination of facilities will create. On the
west is the great Holyhead line, which under the foster-
ing patronage of Government will have a large convey-
ance of troops, mails, passengers, &c., besides the pro-
bable accession of summer traffic by parties visiting the
beauties of Wales or the sea coast. Next to the Holy-
head line, though not inferior in importance, is the North
Wales Mineral Railway, which falls into the former at
a mile or two from Chester, and will bring on the Bir-
kenhead line an immense quantity of coals, minerals,
&c., the value of which is almost incalculable. In coal
alone it computed that an export trade will be rea-
lized, sufficient to pay a fair dividend on the different
railways concerned. The next important railway bear-
ing on Chester is the projected Shrewsbury, Oswestry,
and Cheshire Junction, one of the most promising little
lines in the kingdom. Its cost will be extremely small,
arid taking its rise at Shrewsbury with a branch at Os-
westry. it will join the Mineral Railway at or near
Wrexham, and thus bring the districts south of Shrews-
bury into direct communication with Chester. The
next line at Chester is the Chester and Crewe, a branch
of the Grand Junction falling into the main trunk at
Crewe. This line, however, is of secondary importance,
it having hitherto been kept virtually closed by the con-
servative policy of the Grand Junction Company, whose
desire has been to prevent any traffic leaving their main
line on the Lancashire side to swell the receipts of the
Cheshire Railways. It is said also that their policy has
been to depreciate the Birkenhead Railway as much as
possible, in order to acquire it on easy terms, but by a
mere fortuitous circumstance this object has been de-
feated.
Another line projected at Chester, is the Chester and
Preston Brook, which is only in embryo, but bears a
high premium in the market. Thus the converging of
so many railways at Chester bids fair to make that city
the keystone of the traffic with Ireland, North
Wales, Birkenhead, Birmingham, &c., and from the
great saving of distance, the cheapness of the lines, and
the great natural advantages of the country, there can
be no doubt that it will tend materially to the public
advantage.
Another similar knot of railways will, ere long, pro-
bably, converge at Shrewsbury, a town admirably situ-
ated for " through" traffic. The line already mentioned
(the Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Cheshire Junction) con-
nects that town with the North Wales Mineral Railway,
from which it will receive supplies of coal, &c., for the
South, and by its means will bring the Birkenhead,
North Wales, and Irish' traffic, in: a straight line to
Shrewsbury. From thence, a railway, already pro-
jected, and approved by the Board of Trade, will con-
tinue this important line of communication to Dudley,
Wolverhampton, and Birmingham. Thus a direct and
cheap communication will be formed between Birming-
ham and Liverpool, vin Shrewsbury, Chester, and Bir-
kenhead, the value of which can only be estimated by
regarding the value cf. the Grand Junction Railway.
Another line from Shrewsbury is projected by the Grand
Junction Company, but as it offers no public advan-
tages, and is evidently dictated by the spirit of Conser-
vatism, to preserve traffic which is seeking a more di-
rect and advantageous route, it is not likely to be per-
, severed in, and is discountenanced by the Board of
Trade. Other lines, however, will hereafter, no doubt,
be made south of Shrewsbury, to connect the important
traffic from Coalbrookdale, Shiffnell, Bridgnorth, Kid-
derminster, &c., with Ireland and Liverpool, and thus
the districts which surround Shrewsbury and Chester
will probably, ere long, acquire all the importance and
development which their position and natural advantage&
are capable of. There is, perhaps, no feature in the
present aspect of railway affairs of such paramount im-
portance as this one. A new state of things is dawning
on these districts, and a very few years will elapse, pea_
bably, before these vast schemes and expectation, ant
realised, in the creation of a new and lucrative traffic)
which will tend to enrich those parts of the country, be-
sides adding to the national wealth, as well as the public
convenience. _

I am yours, respectfully,

concourse of persons assembled at t►
le
RACING AT WALWORTH.-1‘10;
s lver cup. The
eehi
London Pet
11
ea_grvoeur;lydsslNarvaige.
worth, to witness the foot-rai!lng for the i
following well-known rulaTIN-s contended :---John Smith (tbs
), Seaward, Patterson, and E. Smith, of London,
Handley, and Maltpiece. The distance contested was a
quarter of a mile, and twelve hurdles, placed equi-distant.
were leaped in the course of the race, when, after a splendid
race, J. Smith came in first and E. Smith second. In betting
John Smith was the favourite. The cup was valued at 301.
The long-talked-of match between Seaward, the celebrated
pedestrian, and a horse belonging to Jem Burn, was decided.
the contesting distance was 440 yards, and to leap twelve
hurdles 4 feet 6 inches high. The stakes were 251. aside.
At the start Seaward took the lead, and cleared the hurdles
very admirably, closely pursued by his quadruped opponent,
when, after a strenuously contested race, Seaward came in
the winner.

FOOT-RACE AT WINDSOR.—A foot-race, for 101.
aside, came off' yesterday afternoon, in the sew-road, Windsor.
between a celebrated runner, named Morton, of the Royal Horst
Guards (Blue) and " Young Pridie," of provincial fame, ao
inhabitant of the town. The distance, 200 yards, was performed
in twenty.two seconds by Morton, who beat his opponent by only
three yards.

HER MAJESTY'S STAG llouNDs.—The celebrated
deer Young Richmond afforded an excellent run on Monday.
The meet, at which a large field, including Lord Sheffield, Sir J.
Burt, and several officers from Windsor, were present, taking
place at the Kennel, at Ascot. The stag, upon being uncarted
at No-mates-heath, between two and three miles from the kennel,
took away toward Warfield Sehool,:whereit doubled to the right to
Wink field, through Blanc's park to Fyfield, and thence to the
right, in the direction of New Lodge, where it made for the
forest. The stag then took towards Oakley-green, up to the man.
sion at St. Leonard's, crossing elewer-green and the gravel-pits, to
Clarence.crescent, Windsor, and thence along the New-road, into
the town, where It leaped the high wall, surrounding the site of the
old Royal Mews, in Sheet-street, and was taken in Spring-gardens,
where it had taken refuge in a cottage, close to the Bachelor's.
acre,Prom after a run, orceneaenrtlyrtai
wioisliou Thers. last n
The countryieet of the o
was inbeartiyt
order
stag hounds this season will take place on Friday next. !it
Knapp-hill.