The Sun.
London, England, 1827-03-22 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DINNER TO RICHARD SHEIL, EsQ., IN WEXFORD.
(Abridged from the Dublin Morning Register.)
Thursday, the Dinner given to Richard Sheil, Esq., by the in-
habitants of the town of Wexford, took place at the Lancasterian
School.

About seven o'clock, between fifty and sixty Gentlemen sac
down to table. L. E. Wntre, Esq. in the Chair.
After the cloth was 'removed, the following toasts were drank
The King—three times three.
The Duke of Clarence and the rest of the Royal Family—three
times three.
Ireland.as she should be—three times three.—(Loud and con-
tinued cheers.)
Our distinguished guest (Richard Sheil), the fearless exposer of
our country's wrongs, and the splendid advocate of our country's
rights—three times three.—(Thunders of applause.)
During which Mr. Sheil rose. Here the plaudits were in-
creased. When they subsided,
Mr. SHEII. said, that the peculiar situation in which he stood
rendered the honour which had been conferred upon him of high
value. It afforded evidence that the great body to which he be-
longed approved of his conduct, and set a proper estimate upon
his motives. His object had never been of the nature injuriously
attributed to him by men who might have found a vindication for
vehement feeling, and ardent expression in their own speeches. It
was his opinion that the stability of the empire required that Ire-
land should he reconciled, and he was equally convinced that the
happiness of Ireland could never be achieved, excepting by her
consolidation with the Empire.—(Loud cheers.)—But he should
say no more of himself, as every personal consideration ought to
he merged in the great event which has recently taken place. The
result of the debate in the House of Commons was then more pain=
ful in consequence of the expectation which had been previously
created. Ireland had been flung in an instant from the top of
Hope. For his own part, he participated at first in the general
dismay; but a little reflection had' contributed to raise his mind
from the depression which he had originally experienced. It was
deserving of remark, that although there was a majority of four
against this country, yet that a greater number of Members had
voted in our favour than on any previous occasion. This was a
proof that there had been no desertion upon our side. The troops
of the enemy had been augmented by a new levy, but ours had not
sustained any diminution.—(Cheers.)—This was not so much a
proof that we had alienated any of nut previous friends, as that
our opponents had made greater efforts against us. It was not
wonderful that they should. It was quite obvious that the object
of Mr. Peel was to fling Canning from his pre-eminence, and to
put himself in his place, and he omitted no exertion in order to
accomplish this important object. The Orange party had a pre-
ponderance 'in the Cabinet, and thus the leading influence of the
Government was brought into action against us. But he con-
ceived that this opposition must be, from its nature, transitory—
truth and justice would at last work their way. It were idle to
imagine that the question had been settled. Talk of a majority of
four as settling the question !—a majority of two hundred would
not settle it. Nothing but concession would allay the excited pas-
sions of the vast population of this country. Mr. Sheil then pro-
ceeded to point out the measures which he conceived it would be
proper for the Catholics to adopt. Ile said that the Irish Clergy
afforded the means of uniting the people in a vast, constitutional,
and pacific combination, for the legitimate Attainment of Emanci-
pation. In almost every parish in Ireland there was already an
individual, through whose instrumentality a general junction
might be established ; every Parish Priest in Ireland ought to
agree to act in correspondence with the leaders of the people. Thus
a system of regular and uniform action would be established. He
was convinced that the Catholic Hierarchy would assent to this
proposition, and that they were not so utterly destitute of the feel-
ings of men, as to be insensible to the studied scorn with which
their petition had been recently treated by the Orange part of the
Administration. Mr. Shea concluded by stating, that it must be
obvious to any man who gave the least consideration to the ques-
tion, that it was impossible for six millions of the Irish people,
whose wealth, intelligence, and public spirit, were every day in-
creasing, and at whose head there was placed a body of men, so
active, so intrepid, and so well united as the Priesthood of Ire-
land, should be long kept in a state of exasperating degradation ;
ond that he was convinced that their own legal and constitutional
efforts, aided by events, would speedily achieve the measure.
The next toast was—The Forty Shilling Freeholders of the
County of Louth—three times three.
Mr. SIMI. rose amid loud applause, and spoke as follows :
He said, that having been Counsel at the last election for the forty
shilling freeholders of the county of Louth, he considered it not
inapposite to say a few words upon that great and useful contest.
Mr. Sheil proceeded to describe the progress of the election, which
terminated with a majority of three hundred in favour of the po-
pular candidate. A noble example was held out to Wexford. He
implored the Catholics of Wexford to register their freeholders.—
Great remissness had been exhibited in this important particular.
Lord Stopford was member for this county ! How long shall he
continue so? How long will Wexford continue branded with
such a stigma ? Mr. Sheil concluded by recommending the
formation of a Club, after the mode of the Louth Club, which
should be composed of the Aristocracy and the middle classes. He
promised to tend to Wexford a Prospectus of the Club, which
-
ought to be immediately formed ; and sat down amidst loud cheers.
The CHAIRMAN then gave—Sir Francis Burdett, and the Mi-
nority in the House of Commons—three times three.
Thomas Moore, Esq.—three times three. —(Loud and long-
continued applause.)
Mr. SHELL, on Mr. Moore's health being proposed, stated,
that on no public occasion should the health of that celebrated
writer he omitted. As a great Poet (for to him belonged the
honour of that name), as a genuine patriot and an excellent man,
as one who united all the fine faculties of the mind and the best
qualities of the heart, Mr. Moore was deserving of the admiration
and affection of his country.—(Loud cheers.)
Here Mr. Sheil, the Chairman, and a few other gentlemen re-
tired •--THOS. BRENAN, Esq., was then called to the Chair, when
social harmony was resumed, and continued until a late hour.

STEALING NEWSPAPERS.—Thefollowing convic-
tion took place at the present Ennis Assizes :—John Lahiff, mail-
driver to the Post-masters-General on the line of road from Ennis
to Kildysart, was tried for opening the mail bags, and taking
therefrom several numbers of the Limerick Chronicle newspaper,
and selling them on his route. The prisoner, a boy, was prose-
cuted by Mr. Thompson, solicitor to the General Post-office, and
found guilty.—The Secretary to the Post-office deserves credit
for bringing this culprit to justice. Indeed it is high time that an
example should be made. The robbery of nexrspapers the been
almost made a system of—the frauds thus practised upon the pro-
prietors and subscribers of the Irish newspapers are almost incal-
culable. It is time that a stop, if possible,
species of plunder.--Cionrnel davertion should be put to this

•
'METING OF W
proOpnrieNtlyonodfapyetaitmioeneitnigngfowrai:lseltotod,di.tvesitortjt:r,;..l4:ta, afore
an equitable adjustment of contrackVf6 a reduelifir .f taxation,
.and for Reform in Parlianient. The number of persons present
was not so great as was anticipated, the exceeding wetness of the
day having prevented the people of Ashton, Rochdale, and the
many populous villages in the neighbourhood from attending....
At half-past two o'clock there were not snore than 500 persons
collected; but as soon as the chair was taken, rapid accessions to
the number took place, and in a short time there were at least
1,000 men present. -
The Chair was taken by a young man of the name of Mints,
who read the requisition calling the meeting, and briefiyexkortei
the people torbe orderly.
JOHN KNIGHT (an old reins-trier, who is now a school-master
in Oldham) then came forward. He said the country waninita
awful situation. The poor man's happiness was gone, and lift,
which ought to be a blessing, was to him a curse. . There was
something greatly wrong. A little light might perhaps be thrown
on the subject by the resolutions which he would propose to them.
It was remarkable, that though living in a land of plenty, soul
of the working people were starving. , This ought not to be.
The cause lay somewhere, . and it ought to be searched for.
It could be no want of wealth that produced the , gene-
ral distress, for there was even a redundancy of all kinds,
of property ; land was in a high state of cultivation --e
buildings of all kinds, factories, houses, churches, abounded,
till there were even too many of them all. Canals were. Ott,
and roads were made in every direction; and every thing. toy. .
dicated wealth ; yet, • notwithstanding,- many of those whose'
labour produced all this were in extreme misery. At dfirst view
every thing seemed working contrary to the production of poverty.
No nation ever made such progress in machinery, and machinery
tended greatly to increase the effect of labour. This ought to have
diminished the task of the labourer. If by mechanical aid he could •
do as much work in ene hour as he could do_ before in two, WO
daily task ought' to be only one half of what it was. But was this
' the fact? " No," said the speaker, " the daily task now imposed
is doubled," and Itriking with his wooden clogthe boatd 0111 *Ma,
he stood, with a force which made the 'Whale assembly start, he
added, with great emphasis, " yes ! double-what it was previous
to the introduction of machinery."—(Great applause, and cries of
"It is, it is.")—lt astonished him, and must astonish every body,
that contrivances which should have lessened :their tuki• to ono.
half, should not have prevented their being doubled. ButAltere
were many causes which had kept this -machinery moving, but
which had now ceased. Our great expenditure had not eeasedwitk
a war unparalleled in its expence of blood and. treasure.. Sines the
close of that war, our capitalists had, in 1923, lent-9,500,0001, to
Spain ; in 1924, nearly 5,000,000/. to different foreign states;
and in 1825, 3,000,000/. more. While these loans were making,
our manufactures flowed to the borrowing countries.; bid wheat
the loans ceased, the demand ceased, and then the astonished
masters brought their people to short hours and small wages.
Another cause operated to keep the rnachinery.moving, and this
was the plenty of money. Money could be got by any body, for
there were money manufacturers in every town. These makers
were not so numerous now, and it was more difficult of course-to
get money. The masters felt this, and they would feel it still
more, for there was a law soon to be in operation to prevent the
circulation of small notes, and the masters would find that as it
drew nearer to the time fixed for a return to a cash currency,
money would be more and more difficult to be got. So long as
preparation was making for this, so long would trade be a losing
concern. It was his impression, that times would be worse yet,
and that wages would be lower and profits still less; but as the
causes which were operating against them were fully pointed out
in the resolutions, he would not detain them by any further re-
marks. He then read several resolutions, and all of them were
adopted unanimously by the meeting.
After the resolutions were read, a person of the name of WAL-
K ER, from Ashton, addressed the Meeting, and exhorted the people
well-dressed of ' ' I t
young
is
j'ut
.m, he y should lookto persevere in a bold and manly manner.
firmly in the face of Parliament, and fear no man, while their cause
w u
a) le s x A
spPan of the name of
Bitoomixs, who took a part in the.meeting lately held at Man-
ePkieurse was' anda cries
cheater to petition against the grant to time Duke of Clarence. He
had often thought it would be well if there was no intermediate
body to stand between time 'Monarch and his people. They would
then have only one man to aggrandize, whereas, at present, they
had thousands, who had interests of their own to serve before
they attended to the interests of the people. Under an absolute-'
monarchy, with a liberal and kind-hearted King, such as his pie.
sent Majesty, who was well known to feel for the sufferings of hie
people, he would not allow his people to starve. He-would not
shut his ear against their cries, nor lay his own head on the pillow
till be had given them relief.—(Applause. )—With such a monarch,
they would be much better without a House of Commons.—(Load
cries of " Ay, we wild ! we dunnot want 'em.")—They must fol-
low up this day's work with perseverance. They must either sit
down and die, or come boldly forward and say they cannot longer
endure their distresses. - They must do either of these things,
for even the door of the workhouse was now shut against
them. But they ought to do nothing privately. All should
he done publicly. Every man ought to become a politician.
It was a part of his business, for his distress arose from-political
causes.—(Loud applause.)
Mr. KNIGHT again stood forward, with a Bible in his hand.--
lie said they would be astonished to see him with the weapons of
a clergyman, but he wished to read to them a portion of the Book
of Nehemiah, who bad described their state as appropriately as if
he had been now in England. lie then read a part of the fifth
chapter, where the poor relate their distress. Nehemiah, tien,
he said, consulted with himself, And what did this Prime Mi-
nister do? Why, he rebuked—who? the people? No ! he 1' re-
buked the nobles," and "set a great assembly against them."—
(This sentence, read with great emphasis, and accompanied with
a most emphatic application of Mr. Knight's wooden clogrto She
floor of the hustings, produced a great sensation.")--He then went
, on to read how Nehemiah redressed the wrongs of the poor; and
forced the usurers to return them their lands, and took an oath
of the priests that they should perform their promise. And now,
said Mr. Knight, can you find me a Prime Minister like Nehe-
miah, although this book, being part and parcel of the law of the
land, ought to teach them that his example should be followed ?
And what was it that induced him to take the part of the poor
against their oppressors? It was because he feared God.—
, (Great applause.)—Must it not follow that the rulers who refuse
to do as he did, fear not God ?—(Yes, said a man near the hus-
k tings, they fear not God, and regard not time sufferings of man.)—
. Nehemiah, continued Mr. Knight, refused to receive the provision
; he was entitled to in virtue of his office, and why, " Because the
I bondage was heavy on the people."—(Great applause.)
A man behind the hustings—cc Read the prophet Amos, Mr.
Knight. You know what there is there against the opprelsors."
Mr. Kxic irr—l know there is plenty of good matter all over
, this book, but I have read enough.
Five persons were then appointed a Committee, to prepare
Petition to both Houses of Parliament, and the meeting being
declared at an end, the people immediately dispersed.

MEMENTO MORI.-It happened lately that a certain
----- _____—
baker in the city—whether constitutionally irritable, or only tempo
rarily so, owing to the present provoking cheapness of " the staff of
life," we cannot tell, but so is the fact, as we have beard—on receiving
some slight provocation from his wife, determined to kneed the
soft dough of her breasts and sides, so as to make her better bred
in all time coming. Dire were the blows,—cleep the geath.
roans
which were heard over-night by the neighbours,--and the d
like silence which ensued, made some of them surmise that pro.
bably the valorous baker had rather overdone the thing, and that
an assize would likely have to be held upon his work of that night.
They, therefore, quietly took measures to ascertain the true state
of matters,--and, peeping through a back window, they happily
discovered the bJ-tr snoring in the arms of Morpheus, and his
unfortunate helpmate, with a brace of black eyes, busily preparing
the breakfast of the barbarian. A wag amongst them, after seeing
that things were not so bad as was feared, determined on a prat,,,
tical joke, which should have the effect at least of
frightening the
baker when he awoke, and perhaps of making him
curb his wicked •
pd •
and dangerous passions in future. Accordingly, ne Procured
s,black straighting board, and gently lifting the window
ontr need
it into the room, and left the grim concomitant of death
a situation as to be full in view of the baker,
la—ndbahla'e I when he shouldin such
his eyes ! By and bye, the drowsy god winged g
eyesh oirfloup
favouring the joke, gave the baker no intitnation ofigthht: and,
el
meant trick which was proposed for him. But
obed
excla m
f rich was :be -
treat, exquisite the emoptent, when the waiting
introduction
doifffitheoue
savadgneoltorbdee,
rubing spectators
eyes,
and withoutin a frantic
eircaii‘nhticetahli
redeynt,h the
mannert n at
jump I suddenly start up,
naginhtehwase bed-room
liAl473al"dwArhiuoys‘lvieasapinal—lethinaend g iting-board, was, in her turn,
was the real
his presence, and there stood murdered my Mary 1! ! '
equally alarmed for the nits of herovfery trembling
nin e lalegrhNovshtilte night-dgownour
bit
I tavt,raui-als
sincee atkheer, , u•il
before him convinced that the apperitlou
dered wife. she, • corporation, not the spirit of bis mur-
gave him, upon hiswlth the usual gentleness of her sex, freely kr-
and we hope they promising to be a.good boy for the future—.
—, Glasgow have since been, and will coatinueto be, happr,
Free Press.