The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-30 00:00:00

..:..) -
(From the Nation.)
. ~ .-:.: iiiii
....)
efi The-blow with which it has pleased an All-Wise God
_N K` to strike us is too fresh, and has been too stunning, to
allow of anything like a free and worthy utterance of
our feeling fur him whom we have lost. He is laid in
the earth, and yet we cannot scarcely bring ourselves to
believe that he is gone—that all his deep affections, his
mounting hopes, his manly labours, his earnest life, are
ended in this world for evermore ! The change seems
still unreal, like a dark dream which we struggle to put
e,say. We have no power to speak of him as we
o,.ght. Cure leres loquuntur— ingentes stupent. But,
• painfully and weakly as we may, we must say a few
broken words of one of the truest and purest and
no'olest men whom friend ever honoured, or country ever
mourned
Thoinias Davis has died in his youth; before his me-
tered understanding and his ripened knowledge had
poured their wealth upon the world. But, whilst he
lived, he was a faithful worker, and the few years which
were given to him were rich enough in wise and generous
action, to win him lasting honour from the land which
he loved with a love that had no bounds, and served
with a dsvotion which never knew the taint of sel-
fishne a.
Of his powers—as an intellectual man, a thinker, and
a writer—it were idle, in this place, to speak. Widely
and well have the people recognised the vigour of his
coacep:iens and the magic of his- style, and they need
no one to tell them of the mental strength of him who so
imprt ssed himself upon their understandings, and so
commanded the passage to their hearts.
Within a short period he wrote much in politics and
literature, as a poet and as a critic, and wherever his
genius was exercised, its mastery was felt. Men differ
as to the political opinions which he held; but they can
• have no difference as to the large resources, the capacity
of reasoning, the affluence of illustration, the untiring
energy, and the heart-sprung eloquence with which he
enf ,re d them.
His poetry was the spontaneous expression of a soul
ins,inet with high impulses and kindly feelings, and full
of affection for all goodness and beauty in art, in nature,
and in human life. What he did was a mere promise of
the thin:es to come, had he been spared to inform the
mind and lift up the spirit of his countrymen ; but even
so, he has left behind bim abounding proofs of the great
qualities of his intellect, which will live whilst Ireland
has a life:.
Of his acquirements, it were almost as vain to speak
as of his genius. They ranged through all the walks of
li unless thought and speculation, and they were as pro-
f ,und as they were various. But of his own people—of
their annahe their statistics, their topography, their lite-
rature— his knowledge was especially remarkable. No
man of his years—we believe, no man of his generation—
Lad achieved so full an insight into these things. He
toiled to gain it with the most strenuous industry and
the most unflinching resolution.
Oar antiquities—the story of our later days—the lives
of our great men—the resources of our island—he
s••ught to understand at once with the patient devoted-
ness of the scholar, and the fiery passion of the
rariot. Of his eminent success he gave proof, as well
an these pages, as in those masterly and most learned
papers which he contributed to the reports of the Re-
peal Association ; but it was only in private intercourse
that the vastness of his accomplishments could be at all
Appreciated. And all these faculties, and all these en-
dowments—all the gifts of his nature, and all the trea-
sures of his rnemery—ware valued by him only as they
were available for the advancement of his life's great
purpose—the exaltation of Ireland. The love of her
gloried at the core of his heart. It was with him no
psesine phantasy of youth, fading in the "common day"
of a selfish and sordid world—it was the principle of
his being--the spring of his efforts—the abiding inspire
lion of his hopes.
The ex tent of his loss, as a public man, it is not easy
to comprehend. Perhaps, his most striking characteristic
was the unceasing energy with which he pursued the
coerse he had chlen for himself. Difficulty could not
flishearten., or opposition subdue, or failure depress him.
Ile always sti"iggled on to his object ; and those who
came within the range of his influence were heartened to
do their part bravely by his example. His spirit lent its
fire to the spirit of other men, and it was bard for those
around him to indulge sluggishoess of thought or apathy
of feeling.
.But great as was his value to the society, in which he
liven for the reasons we have noted, the peculiar cir•
cumstaaces of Ireland make his loss even more de-
plorable on another ground. In such a community as
ours, miserably broken into sections by political and
religious feuds, it is difficult to draw together the true
. .
men who exist in every party, and combine them for
the good of all. Eire qualities are needed in him who
would attempt to harmonise the struggling elements of
such a community, and bring those who have held
themselves apart, in mutual distrust because in mutual
ignorance, to look each other kindly in the face ; to
know that they have common thoughts, and wishes, and
aspirations; to recognise theircommon interests and their
common duties ; and recollect that they are not only 'mem-
bers of the brothood of humanity, but men who have a
ejrnmon country to love, to serve, and to be proud of.
Lam qualities must be his who, without compromise of
his owitopmions—nay, whilst he asserts them with peculiar
strength and boldness—can fulfil a mission such as this
and, whilst he softens bitter asperities and conquers
ancient prejudices, can command the love and confidence
of his political foes. And such were the qualities of
Thomas Davit. Taking his stand in the front of his
party and proclaiming its doctrines fearlessly and de-
lyingly, he went amongst the men whose intellect and
attainments adorn our metropolis, and won from those of
them, to whom his political sentiments were most dis-
tillate:ll, cordial attachment and generous admiration.
In every effort to exalt Irish art and create an Irish
literature, he was found working side by side with them,
and they are foremost now in speaking his praises, and
lamenting his early loss. He has established, to a large
extent, a fate and friendly understanding between the
best Amongst us of all creeds and parties and he was
peculiarly fitted to carry en the good work of union,
and create sentiments of trust and charity where jealousy
and division h.A dwelt before. For he was a man of
large sympathies, r,...4whing intellectual persons of various
accomplishments and s•eziotts pursuits. He had a for-
bearing and entirely toleraSst nature. The transparent
sincerity of his soul no one cc'dd question ; and his
childlike guileless and simplicity of heart made him
trusted as soon as he was known. Thus := was, that he
had amongst all parties warm and devoted Merles, who
looked to his genius with pride, and to his life with hope;
and thus it was, that he was enabled to promote, more
than aiiv other, the junction for national objects of
those whis cherish national feeling and national spirit,
whether they are called Conservatives or Repealers.
Of the most culLi sated in Ireland, there are many,
indeed, who bear to her a true attachment—who are
anxious to improve her condition, and raise her cha-
racter—who would give her a history, and a literature,
and make art, with all its glories, native to her
soil, but who stand apart from the great movement
of the people. Between such men and Thomas
Davis political antagonism could not prevent a close
alliance ; they knew and honoured him ; and he was pre
paring the way for a combination, fruitful of the highest
benefit to the country.
Of his services to the awakening literature of Ireland,
no estimate can well be exaggerated. It is net too much
to say, that whatever of vitality and progress it has
shown in latter days, is largely to be ascribed to his con-
tinual prompting and endeavours.
His mind never reeted, or spent itself idly in mere en-
joyment. He was al,s7ays projecting and planning—
acting himself and stirring other men to action ; and
almost all the undertakings which have done so much
within the last few years to rouse the intellect of the
people, and to give them higher tastes and wider know-
ledge, were begun on his suggestion, or carried forward
with his constant and ever ready aid. Hereafter, when
we shall have a literature " racy of the soil," and ex.
pressing truly the spirit of the country, and when men
shall come and tell how it was planted, and how it sprung
to vigorous life, what Thomas Davis thought and did for
it when it needed helpers will be held in grateful and
affectionate remembrance.
Of his public worth and his public services we have
poori s
'IT spoken; but of his relation to those who were
hound in him, by nearer ties, we can hardly venture to
speak at all. By his family and friends he was fondly
and proudly loved. No one could know him without
loving him. No one could look into his clear, brave
spirit, • ' and note the wealth of goodness which adorned
it, and fail to beet* him deep attachment. His earnest
:simplicity, and almt;st 'womanly tenderness of nature,
were beautiful in their tunion with the severe integrity
of Isis principles, his masculine understanding, his high
entlitesiasm, his marvellous energy, and his unconquer-
able perseverance. It was no wonder that, abounding
in all truth and gentleness, trusty in every extremity,
and faithful in every trial, he was cherished by those
who knew him with thorough knowledge, as a man
worthy to be worn in one's heart of hearts.
it is vain to attempt description of the suffering
which his untimely fate has brought on those who were
his friends. We shall not speak of it; but of the public
demonstrations of respect in which the people have been
so prodigal, we are bound to say a grateful word.
John O'Connell has acted with a manly and generous
promptitude that does him lasting honour. He led the
'way in testifying to the magnitude of the loss which has
!befallen the country ; and he was nobly followed by the
'worthiest and the best in Dublin. Of the funeral there
is something said in another place ; and here we shall
only add, that the intellect of Ireland—its art—its com-
merce, were fitly represented there. Men of every class
,of opinion crowded to offer the tribute of their tears at
the early grave of him in whose goodness they all had faith
--for whose genius they all had reverence. The homage
was worthy of the man and of the nation. It was the
triumph of single-hearted honesty, and proved powers
of mind over all the inveterate prejudices of party, even
in the land which it has most deeply cursed.
The people have done their cit) ; nor has the press
been wanting. Sadly, yet proudly, we point to the evi-
ilt.nee which journals the most hostile in their views,
_have combined to bear to the moral and mental great-
Lissa of one with whom few of them had full communion
c,f sentiment whilst he lived and laboured.
''hen such things can be, there is hope for Ireland •
fo
end whilst we humbly bow bere the chastening d
perisatk'n of Providence, which has startled us to a coins-1
keit times:, of our mortalit • and taught us to reflect on
the utter instability of all 'world]
y fiole us to think that, even in death,things' it may con.
our dear friend has
which
diolhat the Lin-
t signalised
not ceased to serve the land of his love,
woe ted combination of hearts and hands
the memory of his virtues whilst he was bornesised
t to his
cold home, is at once the proof that his effor
t s
Ms countrymen have not been vain, and the inspiring
irunitete
premise that Ireland shall yet achieve the wisdom and
the happiness to the promotion of which he had dedi-
e.ated his life.
Among his earliest verses—for he had never published,
sotto• belieye never written, a line of poetry before the
esesitiod of The .Nation—was his touching piece, entitled

THE BOARD OF ORDNANCE AND
THE PARISH OF WOOLWICH.
For the last two or three years a dispute llas existed
between the authorities of the Ordnance and the Com-
missioners or the town of Woolwich acting as guardians
of the town under the Local Act, relative to the right of
way across the Barrack-field, by a footpath leading from
Mulgrave-place to the " White-gate" on Woolwich-
common. The claim of the parish is founded on an Act
of Parliament passed about fifty years since, for autho-
rising the sale of part of Woolwich-common to the
Board of Ordnance, in which Act is an especial reserva-
tion as a footpath of the road in question. Between two
and three years since, after a lengthened correspond-
ence on the subject, Mr. Hignett, the then solicitor to
the Ordnance, addressed a letter to Mr. Nukes, the legal
adviser of the Board of Commissioners, admitting the
full right of the parish to the footpath in question. Not-
withstanding this admission, the authorities of the gar-
rison have from time to time interrupted the public in
passing through the " White-gate," thereby occasioning
great inconvenience to persons crossing the Barrack-
field. About two months since, on the ordinary annual
occasion of perambulating the Ordnance boundaries, the
sentry on duty at the gate refused to allow the public
to pass, and on that occasion, in consequence of a remon-
strance from Mr. Nokes, Major Sandilands, the Deputy-
Assistant Quartermaster-General, addressed a letter to
that gentleman, stating that the sentry, in opposing
the passing of foot-passengers, acted under a mistake,
and that care would be taken that the mistake should
not occur again. On Sunday morning last Alt Cann,
an undertaker, proceeded with the funeral of the body of
a boy named Leonard who perished by the explosion in
the Royal Arsenal, and whose parents resided in Bar-
rack-court, to the White-gate, where the mourners were
refused admission by the sentry. After some remon-
strance he was allowed to pass, and the funeral ceremony
having been concluded, the mourners were returning
through the White-gate, when they were again stoppel
by another sentinel, who peremptorily refused to allow
them to pass. Mr. Cann remonstrated with the sentry,
and told him that it was a public way ; but the re-
ply was, that the sentry who had allowed them to
pass before had been placed iniconfinement for allowing
them to do so, and that they could not be allowed to pass.
Mr. Cann then asked whether, if the mourners took off
their cloaks and hoods, they would bo allowed to pass as
other passengers ; and no direct denial being given, he
proceeded to remove the scarfs and hoods of the females,
and sent over to their house, only a few yards oft; for
coloured bonnets. In the meantime a non-commissioned
officer came running up from the barracks, and said, in
reply to the remonstrances of Mr. Cann, " I don't care
what you say, I want none of your law, you shan't pass
here." The consequence was, that the afflicted mourners
had to return by a road at least half a mile in length,
when they were within a few yards of their own re-
sidence. All these facts were brought under the notice
of the Commiasioners at their usual meeting, on Tues-
day evening, when, after a strong expression of feeling
from all the gentlemen present, it was unanimously re-
solved to appoint a Committee with full powers, to lay
tbo whole of the circumstances and the correspondence
before the Master-General, and in the event of his
decision being unsatisfactory, to demand from Lord
Bloomfield, the Commandant of the Garrison, the names
of all the parties connected with the outrage, in order
that legal proceedings may be instituted against them
The affair has caused an extraordinary sensation amongst
the inhabitants of the town.