The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-08-18

the most startling accounts from Ireland. II the
confederaies were sincere IN bringing matters
10 an issue, the blow has been struck before now
In the Herald of Tuesday of last week, we antci.
pated nearly all that had happened up to the sailing
of the steamer
We stated that the bill brought in by Lord John
Russell would bring on the crisis that il would
be IN effect a suspension of the writ of ahbeas
corpus that the Lord Lieutenant would have the
power under II OF arresting every person-whether
friend or enemy-and keeping him in prison until
the act expired, and that the leaders of the clubs
would be the first victims but it these gen.
uemen also anticipated what was to happen, and
they very prudently, in our opinion, absqua-
tulated for we cannot agree with the writer's
in the English papers, that they have shown
the white feather--that they have been guilty
of an act Of cowardlce-because they have not
waited until the Lord Lieutenant put grain
Of salt on their tails and landed them quietly,
in Newgate. But be this as 1t may, accordingly the
accounts in the English papers the government
are fully aware that Smith O'Brien, Meagher, and
the other leaders, are at Carrick-on-Suir, sur
rounded by the peasantry of Tipperary..
Now Carrick-on-Suir is the centre of circle
the circuit of which is fifty miles. Within, or on
tlC iihc vi tiiS ChCC. at Poiuss HdukCly.
Clonmel Waterford, Kilkenny, Cahr, and Cashel,
all military statlons-there are from eight to ten
regiments Of the line, which might be marched
from the several points on Carrick-on- uir at a
few hours notice. With these facilities and know
ing, as the government did, where these men were to
be found, il is exceedingly strange that they would
incur the expense and trouble of offering a reward
of E50O for the apprehension of Mr.. Smith O'Bren,
and f30O for the arrest of each of the others.
These facts, in connection with the tremendous
preparations making by the British government, IN
Ireland, to sustain it against some desperate medi-
tated attack, or protracted guerilla warfare, lead
us to think that matters not quite so smooth as
the English papers would have us believe. 1t
would not at all surprise us if the confederate
chiefs, having, as 1t now seems, the uncontrolled
command of the rural districts of rIpperary-the
most disafected of any In Ireland-organlzed
council there, and kept up communication with
the counties of Southmeath Westmeath, on the
northwest, with Kildare, Wicklow, and the Kings
county on the southeast, and with Waterford and
Wexford on the SOUTH nor If they raised an army
OF 100000 men, divided into two divisions, and
made simultaneous attack on Dubln-one divi-
sion, to be composed of the men of Meath, South
and Westmeath, to attack the city on the north
the other divi sion, to be composed of the men of
Kildare, Wicklow, Wexford, &C., to attack 1t ON
the south, and that these attacks should be sup
ported by the clubs and the citizens. Should they
adopt this plan, the Lord Lieutenant will be placed
in very akward position he WILL to say the
least of it, have hot work on his hands, and per-
haps run tie risk Of being. Burgoyned into the bar
gain.
II the next steamer does not bring news of the
capture of the confederates, we will conclude that
some plan of this kind is contemplated.
The AcADIA's MA1Ls.-We have received a
communication from the special agent Of the Post
Office Department, on the subject Of the provoking
delay IN the receipt of the Acadia's mails. We
satisfied, from this and other evidence In our
possession that Cave Johnson is all right in this
instance.
We insert a portion OF the statement of the
agent, who it appears was on beard the Acadia.
DEAR SrR-I notice a disposition, in some quarters,
to censure the United States Post Office Department,
account OF the unusual delay in forwarding to New
York the foreign mails brought by the steamer Acadia
feel ii my duty to state that department
trely free from all bsmeor responsibility in the
special express had been arranged by authority of
the Postmaster General to convey the mails to your
city in case the steamer should arrive Saturday
night or Sunday; but although the Acadia to
anchor within ter miles of Boston, at early hour
on Sunday her captain refused every opportunity to
send the mails up to the city, till about FIVE O'Clock
Monday morning. The regular mail lie uiG New Ha-
ven leaves Boston at O'Clock, NJ and thus lit
tie time afforded to assort and stamp the let
tiers at the Boston office and prepare them for New
York and the South. The writer of this was on board
the Acadia during her detention and Of the opinion
that the mails might have been to the city with
perfect safety any time during the day, in which
case the New York and Southern matter would have
the order Of the Postmaster General at the expense
of the Post Office Department
This far and PLAIN statement of facts which
throws the whole responsibility of the delay IN for
wardlng the Acadia's mails on the steamship
company or their agents. According to the sys-
tenn adopted by the Admiralty agent who has
charge of these mails, he deposits them in the
American post Offices, and takes receipt for
them Then, ard not till then have, our Post
masters any control over them 1t will be
seen, therefore, that post Offices not culpa-
bic in the least for the vexatious delay, but rather
are entitled TO much praise, for the arrangements
that were made to send the mails by special ex-
press. What was there to prevent the Admiralty
agent from getting on board the Boston steamboat
that hailed the Acadia early on Sunday morning,
and taking the mails with him to the city Z
Nothing that we can conceive; and if he is not
aware of the Importance of despatch IN such mat.
tiers, think his place ought to be filled by some
person more competent TO transact its duties.
The incident connected with the delivery of
newspapers from the Acadia to the steamboat,
calls for some remarks from the press. When
the captain of the latter asked for some late news
papers, two or three were thrown to him, which,
fortunately for the community throughout the
whole country, got into the hands of the press In
Boston, and the agents of the New York press.
They contained intelligence of unfavorable har
vest weather IN England, and consequent rise In
the prices of grain. Now, there are many men
engaged in produce speculation in Boston, who
would have willingly given large sum for this
piece of news for, by teegraphing it to New