The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-16

Inere aTc BOOu many uOfu huicItduo uesuc dl
Irishmen who love their native isle and hope TO il
once The home Of fee nation, who will read The
following manly and candid letter from the exed patriot
William Smith OBrien with mosened eyes and swell
ing hearts.
This letter addressed TO the editor OF The Nation
(Dubin who says that later adyces from the writer left
him in good health. and adds:
when we say bis address is singuarly characteristic.
mean that Il exhibits the ianknes courtesy generosi
W and scrupuous veracily which distinguish the
is picture of the mind and character OF true gentle
man. which truth regns supreme where The
OF good and Ill fortune have not been able TO unsete IT
Tor moment
The efforts of last year must be renewed We find
among the best men in Parliament desire TO see him
stored 10 his country, which. trust and believe,
not long remain unrutful. spaience and magnanim-
ity might move The duest hearts"
Here is the letter OF the illustnous exile:
To the Mobility, Clergy, Members of Pariiamsn', Corpo
rate Bodies, aad Gentlemen soho haus Memoialissd IN
favor of the Irish State Prisoners ifving penal
Grille in Yam Dieman's Land.
MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN: During the last four years
have been induced by various considerations 10 abstain
much possible from every sort OF appeal 10 public
opinion; but feel that should be justly chargeable
with ingraude if were now TO refrain from Offering
my best acknow Judgments Tor the generous sympathy
which has spontaneously prompted you 10 endeavor TO
procure for the Irish Slate prisoners restoration 10 our
homes and families.
Nor am at liberty to leave wholly unnoiced the Ian
guage which has been applied TO by the vceroy OF Ire
land in answer to your memorial.
III dmcuH LOT me, al great distance, unuer-
stand fully the impulses of public feeling in Ireland but
believe that am not mistaken IN supporlng that the me-
moriass may for the most part be divided into two dis
tnct classes OF persons.
The first is composed of those who concurred In many
OF sentiments with respect to the grievances OF
country, but thought that resort TO for the purpose
procuring redress was either not ushabe or not ex
| pedent
1t is not unnatural that our lot should engage the sym
pa,hes Of this class Of our fellow-counlrymen
The second Is composed. OF persons who concurred
| neither with the of
country, with opinions 10 the beat mode OF
vndicating its rights and OF averling It's ruin
These men, though they now seek 10 mitigate our SUI
feIngs would have boldly encountered in the field ;
but. with magnanimy, they do not shrink from an
avowal OF their belief that were mpelled to our un
successful efforts by pure and honorable motives Nor
they dsrustiul Of the strength OF the institutions
which they uphold, 10 believe that the return of five
men TO Ireland can endangef their Institutions.
know not which of these two classes is most ent-
tied 10 the tribute of thanks which am now DESTROYS to
Offer
! can admire brave and generous foe as mach as ]
love a faithful and attached friend-as much
mean and yindctve enemy and am proud OF my coun-
trymen when contrast their noble bearing towards us
with the petty magny which has been displayed by those
who claim to be exponsns of the sentiments OF the Eng
lisa nation.
From the hour when was arrested TO tina, in which
Lord Eglnton delivered his to your memorial,
English have aboed 10 backen the character
of the Irish patriots of s4s, either by personally mpuung
TO them the most unworthy motives or las in the Case OF
Lord Clarendon and Brch) by hiring calumnators to de-
fame them
In hi. ignoble warfare against who can no longer
defend themselves they have been well supported by the
English press; but the manifestations of sympathy which
have recently taken place IN America well In Ire
and-manifesiatlons unequaed in extent and in some
respects unprecedented in character in The history of po
ca Enthusiastically evnce that they have utterly
failed TO accomplish their inglorious design.
Leaving unnotced the indications OF This spirit which
are TO be found in the answer OF Lord Eglinon pro-
coed 10 offer few remarks upon the which his
exceency has urged grounds for the refusal OF your
request
interference is solicited, have expressed eonfron for
thar crimes, manifested any Of gratitude 10y
atty TO the gracious Sovereign whom they have grev
ously offended, and 10 whose clemency OF them
indebted Tor their lives /"
To you. my lords and gentlemen, have no hesitation
IN admitting that the ehou which made IN lS4S 10 excite
an instruction IN Ireland rssb and inexpedieni.
Events proved that had miscalculaed the chances OF
success regret that effort, not much account OF
the consequences which has enlaed upon my sell, as
because believe II 10 have beea disastrous 10 my coun-
Iy; but until my sentiments OF patriotic duty shal un-
dergo such change as do not contemplate, |
never be brought TO express OF contfton as Tor a
crime.
am con,en,ed 10 rest the vindication OF my design
upon The revelations OF the census OF 1851 have read
ence, fannie, and civil war, but | can find in
which two millions of human beings have been swept
from their soil consigned 10 premature grave
within PERIOD oil FIVE years through the conduct OF their
rulers. oonscieniousy believe that this appalling
n6cs Of onefouuh OF the lrsh nation, we'll the
general suteriDg with which II has been accompanied,
miRhl nave Dten prevented by Wise De-
nehcent government Under these circumstances, may
acknowledge that committed mistake in supposng
that should be supported by the Irish people in the at
tempt 10 resist unconstitutional legislation, and TO avert
natonal ruin by appeal TO arms; but cannot express
condition Tor such an attempt as II II were crime.
If be crime to have loved the land OF my fathers
with fanatic affection, then am criminal II it be a
crime 10 have devoted 10 the welfare OF that land life
1 OF unremltlng toll, then criminal II IL be a
ctme 10 have iofgone for lie sake every object Of per
sonal ambition, aud, what prize still more the endesr.
mens Of domestic association in The happest OF homes,
then am criminal. III il be crime 10 have encoun.
tered for lis sake every of oboQuy and danger then
am criminal II be crime 10 have humbled myself
for lie sake to political advessfes, bcseeching them to
unite with me IN common effort 10 common
couHtry, then am criminal II it be CRIME 10 have
stopped for its sake to solicitations from the BRUSH Par.
liza neni CALLING alike 10 personal and national pride, then
criminal. H. be crime, when found peaceful
remonstance unavailng. to have melted my country
men TO appeal 10 that final sb,iTamen which even Eng
land can honor IN Hungarian failure and IN American
success, then am criminal. lit be crime TO have
desired to win the freedom and independence OF my
try with the leas, possible amount Of blootshed, and
with total abstinence from revolutionary then
am criminal Were ] in the presence OF my Maker.
could not acknowledge crime this devotion to
Ireland How, then, can ] express contrion for II TO
that government which has been, both directly and in
directly, both n times far and in the days OF its
recent calamity the agent to which owes its oppression
and desolaon
Compared with the calamiiies OF my beloved country,
my personal sufefings is matter OF nsignhcance
even to myself Yet canno, find in the treatment which
have experienced grounds for that gratitude which