Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-03-01

The following extracts are passages of speech
which Mr. O'C0nnel delivered at Dublin, On the
l,t ultlmo. before the Irish National Council, at
a Metropolitan meeting
THAT Ireland is one Of the finest countries
upon the face of the globe; the most fertile and
the most abundant, and yet that her population
are suffering aud in want. are facts that must be
admitted. We see her cities snrinking into
towns; we Fl d her towns dwndlIng INTO vllas-
rs, and behold her agricultural population the
worst provided for Of any other in the world
heart II go to England, which shall do the
week after next. aud am sorry for it, shall
find in the press there two circumstances attribu
ted as tie causes at the mlseries Of Ireland. The
first of them IS I" the ignorance OF the people. :"
Never was there more brutal and ignorant as
.ertion contained in any press, than this charge
OF ignorance against the Irish people. hear. =
There is more information IN Ireland, take it man
for man. than you will find in any other country
upon the face Of the globe: comparatively with
other countries. more people can read IN Ireland.
and the man who reads cannot be- in state ufis-
norance. There are, too. in Ireland, more chill
dreu in state of education, and receiving IN.
StructiOn. than IN any other 'Ountry-thry spring
up SO fast. their intellect expands snquickly. that
tHcut w d''dtil 'nStI "hHn'Vus
il will be found the Intelligence of The child Is
reflected back upon the parents. There /, no to-
pic tina, Is not discussed by them-poltical eco
nomy and good government. are in no place bet
ter understood than they are m Ireland hear!
dismiss, then, with contempt. the charge Of
" Irish ignorance" and | taunt those who use it,
with corrupt falsehood or brutal want OF
know edge Of the country concerning shich they
I In yf oh
that is brought against Irishmpn-aDdit is one in
which am proud to BE- parucipa'or-is called
"agtation'-T hear! ard cheers. They say Ire
land would be we'll off, bu' To- agitation. | want
to know from them, is it as',a,ion that has pro-
ducrd the 1.-THE system-(h hear! and cbeers.) Is
it agitation that has created Grand Jury Laws,
by which gravel walks are leveled to the doors
Of the aristocracy, and the mountain is left path
less, because the "retched peasa mt dwels there
which takes care that there shall not be the
slightest rustling in the private walk of the gen
teman, such a. would shake even his equity toe,
or rouse him from his sleep in his carriage; but,
at the same time, leaves the miserable c0tter TO
travel. as he best can. over the rocky path, or
the wild boz? is it agitation. | ask, that has
produced grand jury laws. by which taxes are ba-
sed upon arlstOcratic nomination, instead of be-
ing constitutonalIy imposed by representation
the only principal upon which taxation ought to
be based-(hear! hear?) And here Arms Bill
Stanley and totally differ from each other, for
ne would have grand juries still dependent upon
nomlnation. Now, care not how far the ma
,hinery may be improved-whether the outfllers |.
md small wheels are enabled with additional ce- |
Gritty to aid the grinding process of taxation, if /
he Bill contains the principle of nomination, !
lever can be satisfied with it, say there can
We no good Grand Jury Bill, which is not based
Pon the representation OF the tax payers Cheers
now come back to the topic of agitation, and
ask those who are opposed tn it, was it agitation
hat passed the Sublettng Act, which has hurl-
d out hundreds of families from their little farms
D famsh by the rnad side, and find their graves
q the bitches? Is is agitation that destroyed
he linen manufactures in the North. and in the
outh the working Of coarse woollens? Is it
citation that has thinned the streets of our city.
r which has deprived you, sir, of the property