The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-08 00:00:00

Denims', Serr. 6.—Mr. O'Connell has sent a subscription
of twenty guineas towards the relief of the friends and sur-
vivors of the persons who lost their lives in the unhappy eon-
Pict at Ballinhassig ; and in performing this act of humanity
the Liberator seises the opportunity of writing a long letter to
a namesake, Mr. P. O'Connell, of Cork. It runs as follows :
" Derrynane Abbey, Sept. 1.
"My dear Philip,—l enclose you the sum of twenty guineas,
my initividual subscription to the Ballinhassig Sufferers'
Fund_;' you will be so good as to transmit this money to who-
ever has the management of that fund.
" I have considered with the deepest attention the case of
the unhappy sufferers in the Ballinhassig affair, and I deeply
deplore the very preposterous, and I would add, cruel ver-
dict, given by the majority of the jurors at the coroner's in-
quest. Row they could have arrived at the conclusion of
Justifiable Homicide' exceeds my powers of belief. It is
really revolting to think of the flippancy with which they
brought themselves to consider that so much human blood was
innocently shed, and so many human lives innocently sacri-
ficed. If the opinion of the minority of the jury had been
adopted, the only consequence would be, that the matter
would be thus placed in a train for further investigation—and no
man would have been punished (fsr what I think were compli-
cated murders) unless found guilty before a judge of the land,
and by an undoubtedly impartial jury. The verdict, as it
stands, potentially prevents any further judicial inquiry.
It is not a positive estoppel, but it practically terrrenates
any hope of inflicting just punishment, or of obtaining any
kind of redress.
" The Government will of course continue to decline
any further examination into the matter—they are not likely
to be dizoontented with the esca;se of the instruments of their
power.
" What is then to he done ? Yon ask what I advise to be
done. Alas ! after the fullest consideration, I have arrived at
the result that nothing effectual can be suggested. There is
nut the least prospect of our procuring a bill of indictment to
be found for murder, ar even fir manslaughter—not the least;
and it is difficult to say that any other course could be open,
save that of presenting to the grand jury an indictment. At
present, therefore, I have no advice to give—and I say it with
bitter affliction of heart. I will, however, give you intimation
of the time when I can be in Cork on my way to Dublin—so
that we may arrange a consultation between me and the gentle-
men who so ably conducted the inquiry—in order to see whether
we could strike out any plan to satisfy the demands of justice
and humanity.
" 'Tis really shocking to think that the police should be
employed, with deadly weapons in their hands, to decide
upon the necessity of arresting persons not guilty of felo-
nious or capital offences. It is a bad system that sanctions
the use of murderous weapons upon occasions where,
even if the imputed crime of the slain were really proved,
the utmost' punishment could not exceed a small fine or a short
imprisonment. The origin of this Ballinhassig slaughter is to
be traced to so silly and trivial a cause as that of a man beating
his own horse on the head with his own hat.
" And yet, originating in so trifling a cause, the death-
dealing weapons were handled, and the corpses of the husband,
the father, the brother—ay, and of the wife—strewed the
ground, and their blood flowed ; but the earth has not covered
it, it remains crying to Heaven for vengeance, and to the all-
merciful hut all-just Providence we leave the vindication of the
crime committep in the face of Heaven—' Vengeance is mine,
saith the Lord, anoi I will repay.'
" This most melancholy slaughter reminds us, alas ! of many
other scenes of massacre, from Castlepollard to Skibbereen,
all distinctly traceable to the fatal policy of, I will say, un-
necessarily arming the police with murderous weapons.
Whenever it is necessary to use instruments of immediate
death, the military should be called out. The soldiers, under
the command of their officers, always in Ireland act with
humanity to the people. If there had been soldiers at Ballin-
hassig, instead of police, not a single life would have been lost,
and peace would have been perfectly preserved.
" I entertain no present hope (as you perceive) of any re-
dress; yet we will consider of it more attentively, with this
melancholy pressure on o•M- minds, that the slaughter at Ballin-
hassig is already fading from recollection, although as many
human beings were massacred and as much human bloodshed
as in the recent insurrectionary movement at Leipsic, which
convulses central Europe, and threatens overthrow and extinc-
tion to thrones and principalities.—Believe me to be, my
dear Philip, most faithfully yours,
" DANIEL O'CONNELL.
" Mr. Philip O'Connell, solicitor, 37, South-mall, Cork."
ORANGE DEMONSTRATION IN BELFAST.
%LEAST, THURSDAY NIGHT.—A soiree was held this
evening, for the purpose of expressing the public sympathy of
the Protestants of that portion of the north of Ireland in favour
of Mr. Watson, and their indignation at his dismissal from the
once of Deputy-Lieutenant, which he had filled so honourably
for upwards of a quarter of a century. The place selected for
this display of public feeling was the Music Hall, a large and
handsome building, situated in the neighbourhood of Donegal-
square. At the back of the chair was placed a crown, beau-
tifully made and tastefully decorated ; and before it a
small tag, en which was engraven, in letters of gold, the
words, " Tho Orangemen of Ireland." Other parts of the
room were also covered by similar flags with the words—
" The Protestant Operatives," and at the lower end was a
large circular flag, on which were ingeniously worked in
dahlias, " Watson for ever." At the lower end of the room
is a large gallery, which was also crowded by numbers.
The hour determined on for the commencement of the soiree
was half-past seven o'clock ; but long before it the streets in
the neighbourhood of the hall were crowded by thousands of
anxious spectators, while the doors of the building continued
closely blockaded by those who had purchased or obtained
tickets of admission. The price of each ticket was five shil-
lings, but so great was the anxiety to obtain them, that the
number which the building could contain was sold in a few
hours. Shortly before half-past seven, James Rose Cleland,
Esq., entered the hall, and was received with the most rap-
turous cheering, and rounds of the Kentish fire; but the en-
thusiastic reception of the evening was reserved for the Earl of
Roden, Colonel Verner, and Mr. Watson, whose entrance
was marked by so enthusiastic a welcome, as to be absolutely
deafening in its effect. Peal upon peal followed close on each
other, until the very building seemed to resound with the
deafening echo, and then followed the Kentish fire, which was
continued with the same enthusiasm for at least ten minutes.
This Noble Earl, on taking the chair, was supported on his
right by Mr. Watson, ex•D.L. and J.P. ; Colonel Verner,
&c. &c. ; and on his left by J. R. Cleland, Esq., &c. &c.
On the motion of J. W. MAXWELL, Esq., of Finnebrogue,
seconded by J. W. SHANNON, of Belfast, the Right Hon. the
Earl of Roden was appointed President, amid the most enthu-
siastic acclamations.
The Noble CHAIRMAN then observed, that before proceed-
ing with the business of the evening, he would call on the Rev.
Mr. to open that meeting, as was their usual cus-
tom, with a prayer to the Giver of all Good.
The Rev. Gentleman having done so,
His LORDSHIP next said, that he was anxious, before he pro-
ceeded further, to express to the meeting the sincere gratifica-
tion he felt at the opportunity thus afforded him of uniting with
his Protestant brethren—the operatives of Belfast—in the great
and important objects for which they were assembled. He was
also anxious to express his thanks to the Committee, first,
and to the society at large, for their kindness in having
postponed the meeting from Thursday last to the present day,
to give him an opportunity of having the happiness of presiding.
—( Loud cheep.) A list of sentiments was put into his hand,
which it was his duty and his pleasure to submit for the appro-
bation of that great assembly—and he, therefore, thought he
best consulted their feelings and interests by deferring any fur-
ther observations until another opportunity offered itself, in
proposing one of the toasts.—( Hear, hear, and cheers.)
" Mr. PHILLIPS, the Secretary, then read letters of apology
from the Earlof Enniskillen, Colonel Blacker, William Black-
wood, Esq., Alderman Nelson, Alexander Johnston Mont-
gomery, Esq., Mr. Rowan, agent to Lord Downehire, and Col.
Bruen, Carlow, &e., regretting their inability to attend, but
heartily concurring in the objects of the meeting.
The Noble CHAIRMAN proposed the " Health of her Ma-
jesty the Queen, and prosperity to her."— (Great cheering,
and the Kentish fire, )
The Noble EARL had next to propose to them a toast, which
he had no doubt they would receive with equal loyalty and en-
atusiesm—it was that of His Royal ijighnesa Prince Albert,
and the Royal Offspring of the House of Brunswick. May they
be brought up in mindful adherence to those Protestant prin-
ciples which placed their ancestors on the throne of these
realms, and which alone can maintain our present Sovereign
there.—( Cheers. )
The Noner CHAIRMAN, in proposing the next sentiment,
said—Ladies and gentlemen, I have already taken the opportu-
nity of expressing the sincere pleasure it has given me of meet-
ing the operatives of Belfast, in rendering an act of justice and
gratitti le is your excellent guest ; and 1 can agaiu assure you
that there are few things that give me greater pleasure than
the opportunity of uniting with my Protestant fellow-country-
mea on any subject connected with the welfare of cur c m-
oron country.—(Cheers.) It has been my lot during a big
life to have attended many public and important meet-
ings of my Protestant fellow-countrymen ; but I think I
can undertake to sly, that at no time have I felt greater
pain, although that pain is mixed with considerable satisfaction,
than on the occasion which brought us together this evening.
—(Cheers.) Ladies and gentlemen, I have felt pain at seeing
a Conservative Government, which you, as operatives, in con-
junction with the Protestant gentry of this land—both united
together, and each acting in his separate sphere—placed in that
position which they now hold—( Cheers)—l felt, I say, the
greatest pain that that Government should be now induced to

ieke ths;part it has latterly taken with respect to the object
wilsidi brought us together this evening, in a ease connected
with our respected friend, Mr. Watson.—( Hear, and cheers.)
When I bear in mind the course pursued by her Majesty's Go-
vernment with respect to our valued friend, I cannot help
fedltng the sincerest sorrow, because I cannot help coming
to the conelu,ion that in this instance the Protestants Of Ire-
land were affected; for he came forward and stood up for those
principles which are near and dear to us all.—(Tremendous
checrir,g.) I trust, therefore, that the ventiment lam
about to take the liberty of proposing on the prevent occasion
will meet with your hearty approbation, and that we shall let it
be known that we and the I', otestants of Ulster sympathise
most deeply with him—(Cheers)—in the course the Govern-
.

meet thenght proper to pursue.—( Cheers.) We have been
• led to ask what crime ho had committed which caused him to be
dismissed from the office of a deputy-lieutenant, and the situa-
tion of a justice of the peace, which he held for so many years,
with honour to himself and usefulness to his country and so-
eiety.—(Cheers. ) For my own pert, I should have been at a
loss to know the reason of such dismissal, and so else would
have been my respected friend, if it were not for the letter he
received signed " E. Lucas," and written by direction of his
Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant, wherein it was declared that
the reason or his being removed from the commission was be-
cause he placed himself in a position wherein he was enabled
to check any violence which might have arisen, and a:lay
that irritation in the Protestant mind of Ulster which the
acts of the Government had unfortunately raised up.—(Great
cheering, which lasted several minutes.) Under these circum-
stances, I will not detain you with any further observations, but
propoee to you the toast which I am sure will meet with uni-
versal approbation, and that is " The Independent Gentry of
Ulster, and James Watson, Esq., of iiroekhill, their worthy and
excellent guest."—(Great cheering.)
[The Banner of Ulster gives the following as the true ver-
sion of the concluding portion of Lord Roden's speech •—" ' I
shall proceed to react sentiment put into my hand—•a le n
anent which, I am sure, you will all receive with satisfaction.
Ilia Lordship then read the following:_" The indepenr• t
aristocracy of Ulster, awl our high-spirited guest, James
Watn
of Brookhill, Esq., the first victim of the assertion of Protestantso
freedom, in these perilous times, at the shrine of expediency."
As many as agree to that sentiment will signify their assent by
standing up.' The company rose simultaneously, amid deafen-
ing and prolonged cheers."
Mr. WATsos; then presented himself, an orange and blue
kerchief in his breast, and was received with loud cheers and
peals of the Kentish Ee. When silence was res'ored he said-
-INly Lord floden, brother and sister operatives, you could not
confer en me a higher honour or greater favour than you have
done this eveni.ig, and which I duly appreciate. I am aware
that I am only a' secondary ebject ; it is the Protestant cause
you have at heart.—( Cheers.) It is to show Sir Robert Peel
that he misrepresented the feelings of the Protestants of the
north of Ireland when he assented they were favonrable to the
Alaynooth grant. The Pretes'ants are analea and stirring to
. uphold their rights and privileges—by all lawful means to main-
tain their position, to hand down unimpaired and scatheless
those valuer) benefits derived from their ancestors, purchased
by their blood, cheap at any price.—(Cheers.) Allow me,
brother operatives and Protestants here assembled, to
ciugratulste you on having that valuable, that un-

coutprviCising chainficn of Protestantism and religious
faith presiding over you this evening—that nobleman revered,