Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-07-01
IRISH REPEAL.

Right on which ever side IL may exist 10 the
abstract, must yield to the strongest in The
contest. We cannot. as republicans, take any
other ground than in favor Of popular liberty,
of equal representation in the body which
makes laws and levies taxes. Hence. 90 f..
as the movements made by the O'Connsll party
in Ireland has for its object the political clio.
walton of the Irish people. 90 far i must excite
the sympa.hy---we do not say the interference
loss respecting Mr. O'conEell's sincerity. He
demands repeal of the British and Irish u
Mon, but beyond that change he has given no
steady proofs of desire to effect political ame-
Iteration. The utter injustice of the Reform
Bill in its opera,ion---sli limiting the right Of
suffrage to 80 small number Of voters, that .
majority can always be bought By any candid
ate for Parliament---has attracted little, if any.
of the great Agitator's attention. Yet the sA-
tension of suffrage in Great Britain appears 10
US to be at the roo. of every improvement Dc.
manded in the government and the condition Of
the people, and we shall look for no such ion.
prov cement until that measure lie 6rst effected.
The power oflegislation in England is now
vested in very small minority. According
to the universal principle Of selfshnsss in hu-
man nature, thatminority will continue to pass
laws for its own peculiar benefit. Uatil the
million have voice in Parliament. they will
look in vain for redress of grievances.
This object, SO far as we are familiar with
Mr.. O'Connell's course, he has not sought
When occasion has offered, he may have civ.
en- it partial and momen,ary support; bat nov
er has he brought to it systematically and stead
| lily the energies Of his mind. II is on this &C.
count that we are not entirely Satisfied that he
is sincere. His abuse Of the American peo-
7 IL -, ,ba, Co., tho L.
the friend of liberty which he processes to be,
he would have felt an interest in the moral and
national character of this republican Union.
1t would have been his care to exienuats its
errors, and 10 have magniged its worth. He
would have recognized in the progress of the
United States an impulse to civil freedom
throughout the world. He would have re-
joiced in pointing to that progress as an evi.
dence of the virtue of Democratic institutions.
But this has never been Daniel O'Connell's
mode Of action as popular leader: Tie has
uttered again and again ferocious invective o.
ganst this country. He has held II up TO
odium, derison and contempt. He has placed
weapons in the hands Of monarchisss and the
monopoists of power, to strike down his own
followers, Can we, with these facts before 20.
avoid the supposition that he may have IRE.
peal'' less at heart than some other purpose
which the agitation of Repeal securesi
| Whether O'Connell is in earnest or not, the
movement which he leads is approaching =
crisis. At all events. the Irish people Of his
party are in earnest. They really are anxious
for Repeal, and seem prepared to hazard every
thing at his bidding to secure il. But the
British Government seoms indisposed 10 BE-
any longer quiet spectator Of the game Re
cent expressions Of Ministers in both branches
nf arII nf sk
which they will pursue. On the 9Th of May.
in the House of Commons, Sir Robsr, Peel
used the following languages:
81 here subscribe to, and repeat the declars.
"tion made in this place on former occasion
"by Lord Althorp, that .depreeat;ng all ,rer.
sand especially deprecating civil war. there 10
''nerertheless NO ALTERNATIVE whieh / should
''not consider preferable to the dismembrment
''of this great empire but hope, Sir, that
''our forbearance will not be misconstrued; I
.'trust that we shall only obtain additional
''s,reng,h by deferring our call for new powers
''until moro urgent necessity shall arise, aad
''meanwhle hope have given proof that WE
''sHALL NOT FAIL TO ASK ToR THESE row.
"ERs lift shall be found necessary to demand
"them, in order to fulfil the desire expressed
s'by Parliament in the year lS34"--.(t the desire
to suppress the Repeal sed,ion.
Sir Robert Peel. after this emphstio declare.
ton, was asked by a member whether Lord
Althrop had said tina, Repeal would be allow.
ed, provided all the Irish members voted for
it. To this the Premier replied:
81 do not knsw that the noble Lord (Al.
"ihorp) mado any such admission; bu, if he
'did. am bound TO say tina, An NOT PRf.
SPARED TO CONCUR IN IT."
There is no equivocaiion in these terms, and
there can be no doubt that the deed would
match the word. In the House Of Lords. Lord
Brougham spoke in similar strain. Among
his remarks are the following:
catastrophe. as a. Repeal of the Union. the
"uttermost exertion Of the powers Of this eoun-
"try---its moral force. its legislative force, and
"rTs PHYSICAL FORCE, would be put forward
"cheerfilHy, and anriously. and heartily. at the
airs, iniimation on the part Of her Majesiy's
"governmen. that any sueh exertion was BY
them deemed necessary"
ale Lord Brougham] entertained no fear
"wha,ever Of the result Of these agitations; bus
"but il he entertained no such fear il was be-
"cause he knew his noble friends opposite too
"well to believe that they were capable, for
'',he sake of counting any feeting, trumpery,
"5ase popularity, of taking course Of what
swas called concession and toneihotion towards
s',hose who wished to destroy the empire--s
.icourss which had the uniform and inevitable
select of making ensuEies Of your friends, and
"naaking your enernise despis you."
To press the Repeal Agitation much farther
will be to excite the government to suppress
I q. L. r. n,l hen u-a