The Sun.
London, England, 1829-04-17 00:00:00

MLETING AT THE CORN EXCHANGE.

(From the Dublin Freeman's Journal of Wednesday.)
Yesterday a very respectable meeting of the
friends of civil and religious liberty was held pur-
suant to requisition, at the Corn-Exchange great
room, for the purpose of considering the propriety
of preventing any manifestation of triumph at the
success of the Catholic Relief Bill, which might
possibly give any offence to any class of persons, or
tend to the slightest breach of the peace. At a few
minutes past two o'clock
Sir THOMAS ESMONDE, Bart., was unanimously
called to the Chair.

Mr. J. MURPHY having been requested to act as
Secretary, read the requisition.
Mr. FINN rose to propose some resolutions which
he wished to submit to the consideration of the meet-
ing. Every person whom he had spoken to upon
the subject concurred in the opinion he had formed,
that it would be improper to have any illumination
or other manifestation of public feeling upon the oc-
casion of the Catholic Relief Bill having received
the royal assent.—(Hear, hear, hear.)—The gene-
ral opinion was entirely against any such display ;
and he would therefore move the first resolution,
which, he conceived, embodied the unanimous de-
sire of the friends of civil and religious freedom.—
(Cheers.)—The Learned Gentleman then read the
resolutions. He also read an extract of a letter from
Mr. O'Connell to a friend in town, strongly depre-
cating the idea of an illumination.
The CHAIRMAN said, he was glad to have it in
his power to inform the Meeting that the Catholic
Archbishop and Clergy of Dublin entertained the
same views.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. M. D. BELLEW—I rise, Sir Thomas Esmonde
and Gentlemen, to second the motion'of my Learned
Friend, Mr. Finn.—(Cheers.)
The resolution passed unanimously.
Mr. DAVID LYNCH moved the adoption of the
second resolution, which expressed the sense of the
meeting as adverse to any public display of feeling
that might give offence to some who had perhaps
conscientiously opposed the concession of the Ca•
tholie rights.
Mr. J. DWYER seconded the motion.

Mr. SIIEIL said—As yet we have not received in-
telligence that the King has given to the determina-
tion of Parliament the Royal " le vent," but that
ere this his Majesty has attached to the great act of
his immortal Minister the expression of his gracious
volition, little doubt can be entertained. It is pro-
bable that to-morrow we shall learn that a glorious
consummation has been given to the noblest enter-
prise in which a British statesman ever adventured,
and that the new era of Irish liberty is begun.
What part does it become us to act ? what course
did we pursue in adverse circumstances ?

" CEquarn memento rebus in arduis
Servare sentem,"
was the precept to which we undeviatingly adhered.
When we were encompassed with difficulties—when
obstacles apparently insuperable, and which could be
only overcome by matchless and united energies
stood in our way, we did not sink under the weight
of national calamity, but persevered, with that
dauntless determination which has been crowned at
last with a surpassing success. We, who have en-
dured adversity, have now to to bear with what it is
sometimes difficult to sustain—a great and unex-
pected prosperity ; and as we encountered our evil
fortunes with a noble fearlessness, let us meet our
better destinies with an equally lofty moderation.--
(Loud cheers.)—Let us embody the rest of the
aphorism in our conduct, and obey the wise moral
injunction—

" nec secus in bonis,
Ab insolenti temporatum,
Letitia."
Let there be no offensive ostentation—let there be
no vulgar and tumultuous ovations—let there be
no effort to humiliate our former antagonists, in
whom we may expect yet to find our firmest friends.
(Loud clieers.)—A victory, indeed, has been won,
but God forbid that we should disgrace it by mak-
ing our opponents pass beneath the yoke. In my
judgment no class of Irishmen have sustained a de-
feat. The spirit of 'faction, indeed, has been sub-
dued, and long and deeply arrayed prejudices have
been put to flight, hut so far from thinking that our
former adversaries (for I trust that they are so no
longer) have been ignominiously conquered, I am
convinced that they will ultimately share the benefits
of the great measure of national equalization with
ourselves, and before many months shall have
elapsed, that they will, convinced by the demon-
strative power of events (reasoners who cannot be
withstood), participate in the feeling of deep na-
tional exultation which already prevails through the
country.—(Loud cheers.)—The great result of
Catholic emancipation will be national tranquil-
lity and the union of the Irish people. It be-
comes us to accelerate them. The great measure
is teeming with glorious consequences,let us hasten to
bring them forth, and with that vie w let us studiously
avoid any proceeding which could, in the least de-
gree, tend to excite any painful or humiliating recol-
lection. In so doing we shall only act in conformity
with the principles which have hitherto charac-
terised our conduct. It cannot be questioned that
the Catholic body has manifested the best disposi-
tion. I have lately sojourned in several counties in
the south, and in districts peculiarly Catholic. So
far from there being any demonstrations of arrogance
or of galling triumph, the greatest solicitude was
every where exhibited to reconcile the prejudices of
the Protestant population to the great boon which
has been conferred upon us. 'I he effect has been,
that through the south of Ireland Catholics and Pro-
testants are already brought into coalition; a kindly
intercourse is beginning to be cultivated, and those
social ties which had been torn and lacerated are
about to be renewed. It is not exaggeration to say
that the very physiognimies of men have undergone
a change, and they who formerly passed each other
with a scowl, met in tie public way with that
kindness and cordiality of look which speak more
than words, and is better than any thing which
mere phrases could convey.—(Cheers.)—lt behoves
us, then, to hold out in the metropolis a useful ex-
ample, which may contribute to promote the feel-
ings that have begun to spring up amongst us.
(Hear, hear.) There can be no doubt, that if illu-
minations did take place, many individuals would
be wounded by such a celebration—their eyes
would be pained by the glare of such a triumph.
Is it not wise upon our part to avoid giving the
least annoyance. (Hear, hear, hear, and loud
cheers ?) Surely our victory is one which does not
stand in need of midnight clamour in our streets to
set it off, and it does not want any nocturnal blaze
from the windows of our city to throw light upon
it. (Hear, hear.) The great event should not be
prophaned by such vulgar exultation. A transitory
incident may be thus commemorated, and lamps
mai be kindled in order to give lustre to what will
be forgotten almost as soon as the oil that feeds the
flame is wasted. But that which bath befallen Ire.
land is inextinguishable and shall not pass away. It
will leave a track of light which shall endure through
tune. (Hear, hear.) It is like that streak in the
heavens on which men will for ever gaze ; it is bright
and everlasting, I may, perhaps, be deemed to use
a ild and extravagant diction in speaking of this
great incident—but am I not to be excused ?—Where
is the man that does not feel his heart beat more
rapidly within him at the thought of it ? Where is
he who does not burst out in expressions of mingled
astonishment and delight at this most marvellous
and most: thrilling event `? It is indeed, a new epoch ;
;t jg 4 )ii4d of Hegira; it is from the day on which
this great measure reached its consummation that
the years of Ireland should henceforth be counted,
Sir, I regard this magnificent concession with an
unmodified and unmingled gratitude. True it is
that a collateral expedient is its companion, which I
cp4hl desire to see apart from it; but though I re-
gret tyre fort}-shilling freeholders have been immo-
lated, let us remember the altar at which the sacri-
fice was performed and the god-like principle of
freedom to which it was offered tip. Abstractedly
considered, the rights of the Irish peasantry 'had the
greatest weight—and when the great scales were