The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-03 00:00:00

trenius .-,-'-znit

LONDON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1845.

The resolution to which the Irish Repeal Members
have come of absenting themselves from Parliament
during the session, is not likely to lead to any useful
result, and, at the present time, is peculiarly inju-
dicious. Secessions of this kind have generally,
perhaps always, proved failures, even when there ap-
peared to the defeated party no other chance -of
rousing public opinion or placing their oppressors in
the wrong. The secession of Fox and his friends,
when they had good reason to rebel against the tyrant
majority of PITT, and had tried in vain every expe-
dient to arrest the progress of fatal measures, had no
result. It was a nine days' wonder, soon forgotten
by the public ; and the seceders, too, would soon have
been forgotten, had they not repented of the rash act
and returned to their duty. When Tory hatred of
Irishmen was most rampant ; when the Catholic
Church and her priests were abused and stig-
matised by the Tory press ; when the Lords
threw out or mutilated every good measure car-
ried by the Commons for the relief of the sister island,
and scarcely a ray of hope was left for that afflicted
country, did Mr. O'CONNELL believe that, by de-
serting his post, the oppressors would have halted ?
His whole conduct—his noble resolution to stand by
his country and meet her enemies face to face—
showed a contrary conviction. What chance, then,
has he now, by following a different course, and at a
time when there are so many favourable symptoms
on the part of the Government of a wish to redress
grievances ? An obnoxious Lord-Lieutenant has
been removed—another appointed, who could join in
the liberal policy of Lord ELIOT. The Prime Minis-
ter himself has announced some important measures
for Ireland, and will bring them under the considera-
tion of Parliament during the session. Tory hatred
has abated, the vagaries of the English Church have
shamed the bigots to silence, and there is every pros-
pect that attempts will be fairly and conscientiously
made, if not to place the Irish on a footing with her
more powerful and more fortunate neighbours, at
least to pave the way for an event which
Sir Ronmyr PEEL knows can alone give peace to Ire-
land and security to England. This is not a time,
therefore, for Mr. O'CoNNELL to hang back. His ac-
curate knowledge of the wants of his countrymen, his
eloquence and legal skill in framing enactments, would
at such a juncture be of the greatest service ; his
stirring speeches, too, would be read by Englishmen
and Scotchmen, while he might speak in the Repeal-
hall till the day of his death, and his most eloquent
orations would be scattered by the winds of the
Channel and driven from our shores. 'We tell him, as
friends, that the speeches made in the Association are
utterly useless for their purpose. There is no de•
bating, no opposition, no rivalry, between conflicting
orators—there is only the soporific monotony of a
" Hole and Corner" meeting. He ought to re-
member, too, that others will fill up his place.
The proverb, " Vixere fortes ante Aganzemnona,"
does not tell the whole truth. Great men
lived after him, and the history of the world
turns to scorn the vanity of a leader who prides him-
self in the belief that, when he withdraws from the
scene, universal confusion will follow. Next day the
sun still shines as brightly, events follow one another
in their usual course, !new combinations are formed,
a new leader springs into view, and the fertility of
nature, in a wonderfully short :space of time, fills up
the gap which vain and ignorant men conceived to
be irreparable. There are yet in Parliament great
men—lrishmen, too—who have not bowed to the idol
of Repeal, who will assert the cause of the oppressed,
and only be excited to greater exertions by the seces-
sion of those who should have led the way. In one
great point their advocacy will exceed that of Mr.
O'ComiaLt. Repeal has no supporters in Great
Britain ; those who profess it address unwilling audi-
tors ; and either Mr. SHEIL, or Lord Howicx, or
Mr. MACAULAY, would produce more effect in Par-
liament, and throughout the country, than the great
Liberator himself. Public opinion here is not de-
, spised with impunity, for no great and lasting mea-
sure can be carried without it. On grounds like
these, among others, we regard the new secession as
inexpedient, but confidently hope that it will not
throw obstacles in the way of reform, nor, in the end,
be injurious to the best interests of Ireland.

Madrid papers of the 26th ult. have been received.
On the 25th the Senate resumed the discussion of the
Bill for the conversion of certain claims of Govern-
ment contractors into Three per Cent. Stock, in the
course of which Senor CORASCO, formerly Finance
Minister, said it never was the intention of the Ca-
binet with which he was connected to restore Church
property, or suspend its sale. The proposed measure
relative to that point he considered prejudicial to the
interests of the country. Senor MON, tho present
Finance Minister, said the Cabinet regarded that
measure as absolutely necessary, and were fully per-
suaded that a due maintenance ought to be provided
for the clergy. It could in no way injure public
credit. The Chamber of Deputies was engaged in
discussing the Bill for the maintenance of nunneries.
In allusion to the sale of national property, the Mi-
nister of the Interior said the Government had pro-
posed to itself a system embodying two principles—
respect for existing interests, and reparation as far as
it was just and practicable. This seemed to be the
general feeling of the Chamber.
On the 26th the Three per Cents. were done at 211
for cash, and 321 at 60 days ; the Five per Cents. at
24 at 60 days, and the Coupons at 27 at 60 days.

The French Opposition show a determination to
adhere to their new system of tactics—to avoid not
only talking, but also voting, and hold up the Cham-
ber of Deputies to the people as a useless incum-
brance, and, under present circumstances, not entitled
to the slightest authority. By adhering to this plan,
they believe that the business of the session will be
brought to a stand, and that the Government will be
compelled either to resign or dissolve the Chamber,
Either alternative would, in their estimation, be
equally favourable to what one of their journals calls
the "friends of peace and order, and the I•onour of
France," meaning, of course, the TIMES' party,
because a dissolution of Parliament would be as good
as a resignation of Ministers, at a time when the out-
cry against the Pritchardites is fresh and vigorous.
Their plan is this—the Chamber consists of 459 Mem-
bers, and, according to the constitution, at least 260
Members, or one-half, must be present to render a
vote effective. The Ministry on the last
great division could not muster more than
213 supporters, and cannot reckon on more,
so that if the whole Opposition were to absent them-
selves no business whatever could be transacted.
This passive resistance is to be extended even to
words, for the mouths of DUPIN, BARROT, BILLAULT,
and the other Opposition orators are to be shut, and
the attention and indignation too of the public are to
be roused by silence. This wild scheme which can-
not be possibly carried into effect is declared feasable,
and recommended for adoption by one of the promi-
nent Opposition journals. " It is confidently asserted,"
says the Courrier Francais, " that the adversaries of
the Cabinet intend abstaining from taking any part
in the approaching discussion on the Secret Service
Money Bill. We cannot say if this measure has been
concerted between the heads of the various opposing
fractions of the Chamber ; it is spoken of, and we
shall express our opinion on it freely. This conduct
appears tow commanded by that which was