The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-01-04


our edition yesterday morning, and large number
of advertisements.
Irish Repeal Meeting In Tammany Hall.
large meeting of the natives OF Ireland and
others, was held last evening in Tammany Hall, it
being one of what is called series of simutaneou
meetings, which were 10 be heldthe same evening
throughout the country. A report of the proceed
ings upon this occasion will be found in col
umns this day The repeal movement in this coun
try Is beginning 10 assume very remarkable I'M
portance, not so much from the progress OF repeal
In Ireland, FROM the progress of politics, and the
aspirations for the Presidency, in this country. 1t
appears, as we have before minated, that similar
meetings to this have been held IN twenty or thirty
of the principal cities and towns in the United
States, and that there is regular system OF organl
zation throughout the whole extent of the Repub
lie, under which the natives of Ireland are united
together in large bodies, and by which their
numbers can be directed to any particular purpose,
in any ensuing political contest in this country. 1t
is very true, that the apparent purpose of these
sociations is to collect funds for, and express
sympathy with, the repeaers in Ireland. So far as
that is concerned, every liberal minded man will
be with them. No depores the distresses Of
the Irish people more than do; no has
them to more remarkable extent than we have;
but one is more sensible of the great deuson
which is held out to the Irish in this country, and
also to the Irish in Ireland by those who call
themselves repealers This can be made manifest
in few remarks.
What is the condition of Ireland? What are the
evils of which the people of Ireland complain?
What is the remedy proposed, and what is the
prospect of success! The evils which aflict Ireland
are not local, or peculiar TO Ireland alone. The
evils OF poverty, destitution, and that system of
society by which the rich become richer and the
poor poorer, prevail to similar extent in England
and Scotland; and every one who has travelled
those countries, particularly in the crowded dis
trlcts, Will at once assent to the irnth of this
remark Two hundred years ago great religious
and political revolution took place in England and
Scotland, whilst il operated but to very small ex-
aen in Ireland but the great features of the feudal
system, which had been established during the mid
die ages, were still retained in all those three king
doms The evils which now affct the whole empire
have grown out of those old antquated, obsolete in
situations which confer privileges upon the few by
taking them away from the many and which, by
the laws of primogeniture and other codes increase
the wealth of the wealthy while they subtract the
piance from the poor thus reducing them year after
year to a more debased and depressed state In
such state Of things in Ireland, the repeal of the
legislative union, it is called, is gross and cut
rageous delusion The repeal of the union, instead
Of beneftting the great mass of the people of Ire
land, would merely add to their dstresses by add
ing to their local expenses No one knows this
better than Mr.. O'Conne and his adherents, but 1t
best answers their purpose to hold out impossible
reforms in order that they may have weapon to
keep up the agitation, so to feed the repeal
fund and increase the repeal rent. We are satsf-
ed there is not particle of patriotism in of the
repeaers of Ireland, otherwise they would have
taken different and more decided course in
aton to the real reforms which are required in that
country. The same evils prevail among the lower
classes In England, perhaps not augmented in
famed by religious prejudices but still there is
much poverty, as much destiuton and as much
degradation as there can be found in any district
OF Ireland. We may say the same of Scotland
particularly of the crowded districts notwithsand-
ing the general idea that the people of Scotland are
happy from the highest to the lowest condition of
life.
The truth is that the only remedy for the evils of
the British empire are remedies of desperate and
daring character-they can only be reached by
rushing through those scenes which characterized
the French revolution of 1892. That deplor-
able event for France and for Europe for quarter
of century but what has been the result? They
have passed the terrible transition that
must inevitably always take place, from corrupt
and bloody feudal system of society," to that sys-
tenn of society which is congenia to the spirit
and the liberal principles of the present age. France
has passed that great gulf, and what is the conse-
quencel There is probably country in Europe
in which there is more happiness and comfort and
pleasure with all the blessings of humanity in the
fallest enjoyment among all classes of the people,
than we find in every department of France. We
foand it, from personal inspection much
we find it in the United States; and we found it
growing out of similar causes-an abolition of all
feudal privileges and feudal systems, a redivision
of the great property of the kingdom, the distribu-
ton of immense landed and entailed estates, and
a general division of all the rights and immunities
of the human race among the whole population.
In the age Of Cromwell, England only made half
step; the egg of liberty was only Clipped; and il
remains Tor some future tune to bring TO full fru
ton the principles which have been at work for
the last two hundred years.
This brief view contains the exact position of the
repeal question in Ireland, as it is connected with
the question of reform in all western Europe Such
being the view from personal knowledge of those
countries and from calm andcareful investigation
of all the persons and measures connected with it,
we ask, what is the purpose--what can be the pur-
pose Of the repeal associations Of the United States,
of their avowed declarations as they appear in pub
lie, of the collections of monies which they send
across to England and Ireland, and of their gene
raj organization throughout the country7 Original
ing in this city, these repeal associations are evil
IDENTITY nothing else but combination of ndividu-
ais Of particular faith, particular religion or
particular nativity, banded together by little politi-
clans and miniature O'Connes, and intended for
the purpose Of operating upon the next Presidential
election in this country. Osensbly they appear
very fair-at the outside they seem full ofsympathy
for Ireland, and flushed with subscriptions to swell
the repeal rent there but knowing, as every per-