Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-01-16
CATHOLIC AGGREGATE MEETING
IN DUBLIN

Last week an aggregate Meeting of the Irish
Catholics, took place at Clarendon street Cha
pei, Lord Killesn in the Chair, which was at
tended by all the Catholic wealth, responsibility
and talent. at present in the City. After Mr..
w M'Dermott, Mr.. Bellew, Mr. Brio, and MIR
Shiel, had severally addressed the meeting upon
the present aspect Of Catholic affairs,
MIR. O'Connell rose, amidst loud acclama-
| tons, and addressed the meeting as follows: "lt
was on the evening Of The Esd Aug. ll72, that
the frs. hostile English footstep pressed the soil
| of ireland. 1t is said to have been sweet and
mild evening in autumn, when the Invading par
.x entered the noble estuary formed by the cor 3;
the City Of Waterford. Accused be that day
in the memory Of all future generations Of Irish
men (and if il live, may it be to warn and adj
monish,) when the invaders first touched our
| shores They Came to lovely land-to nation
famous for its love of learning its piety, and It's
heroism-they came when internal dlssentlons
separated her sons, and wasted their energies
lnterna! traitors led IN the iryaders--her sons
fell in no 6ght-her liberties we're crushed in no
battle, but domestic treason and foreign inya-
ders doomed Ireland 10 seven centuries of op.
preston. Even before difference OF religion
existed, every means which the most hendish
malice could suggest, was employed 10 Cypress
and degrade her. believe ii is scarcely known
IN modern times, that by the statute of the 10Th
Of Henry 9Th, it was made capital feiony Tor
an Engli,hmanto sell goods, wares, or any spe
cies OF merchandise 20 an lrishman. The Eng
lish are a proverbially commercial people,
"nation Of shopkeepers" Is it not then almost
inc onceiva able, that they could have made law
TO hang man for selling his goods or wares
TO one who would pay him for them? There
was another law passed in the same parliament.
am not now amusing you with fairy tales. In
the 18th OF Henry 9Th, an act was passed pro-
hibiting any man Of English descent from mar
rying an Irish woman And in the reign Of
Elizabeth, an Act was passed prohibiting the
wives Of Irish Lords or Captains from nursing
the children Of English Earls, Viscounts, or
Barons. (Laug.lter.) The act is rather coarse,
for it declares the law to be so, no matter whe-
Their said children be born in marriage or are
bastards. Am talking Of the laws Of Otaheite,
or of some barbarous savage nation-yes, ] am
talking of the laws of barbaroas nation; laws
intended to degrade the people, and to maintain
by every species Of villainy and piunder, their
foul oppressors. l am speaking of the past
history of this country; if we are now better sit
uated, and if we enjoy partial liberty, still
does the internal spirit that dictated those laws
exist. After one bundled and 6lty.6ye years
OF English domination, what is the state of this
country? Never did there exist more fertile
land. Her rich plains TEEN with every produce
necessary for the maintenance Of man: noble
rivers in,ersect the lanc-her capacious har-
bors invite the commerce OF the world; her eli
mate genial to the continuance of human life
her people intelligent, brave, and merry--capa.
bic Of enduring fatigue, and fearless Of danger.
With ali these advantages, see the situation
to which she is reduced. Misery and wretch.
edness--iever, pestlence, and famine pervade
the land--with the manufacturers of the coun-
try ruined, and trade is destroyed--man divided
against man, and the atrocious system which
has brought our unfortunate country to this
pass, is upheld under the name Of Christianity!
Such is the situation Of Ireland, after being go
verued by England for 654 years. ask any
man, if Ireland had been governed by the coun.
ellis emanating from the regions of hell could
she be worse! Would the fendish malipnity of
the greatest demon render her more miserable
or more degraded! Let the Eldons, and Liver
pools, and Peels, answer it, ! defy them 10 it.
When such is the situation of Ireland, what is
the duty Of every man whose heart throbs for
the good Of his country, and de,ests, with a