New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-11-23

Mr. VIM, Smith 0'Brien has recently addressed a
letter to the Dublin Nation, condemning the forma-
ton OF secret societies, and warning young Ireland
against joining them. Wegiye copy Of Mr. OBriens
curious letter
October 81 1855. s
1fg Dear SIR IN answer to your inquiry / have
no hesitation in authorizing you to say that do not
belong to any secret society and more, that though
convicted of what was called high treason by the eX-
FOUNDERS of British law but of what still venture
70 think was patriotic duty, never belonged to a
secTeet society.
hope you will lose no time ia cautioning the Ma
tiouaIists OF Ireland against connection with such
societies. Either through indscretion or through
tTeachery the secrets OF such associations become
known almost Immediately to the Government, and
furnish pretext for nYasions upon public liberty.
do not think it at all probable that shall eVerin-
vite my feloW-countrymen to connect themselves
with me in any proceeding which requires conceal.
ment. | wish that our country should be self.goVs
erned, and, though may not live to witness the
Accomplishment of this desire, | am EtilI disposed,
notwithstanding the apparent indifference Of public
feeling on the subject to believe that the progress of
events in other words the will of Provdence-will
eventually bring To pass this happy contamination of
the desttnies OF Ireland. From the avowal Of this
sentiment have never shruak for q single moment
from the day when Joined the Repeal Association to
the hour at which now write.
require no secret association to veil this aspra-
ton.
remain, my dear Sit, yogr5 very faittfqliy,
u. N. SULLIVAN, Esa.
Meanwhile, according to the correspondence Of the
London Times, MI Smith 0'Brien has, it may be
said again taken the field. The ex.leader of Young
ireland has been in Conmel where he has been re-
ceiyed with all due houors by his many admirers in
the capital Of South Ipperary. On the 18th nlt be
was addressed by the members OF the Liberal News.
room, and in return Mfr. Brien favored them with
speech of the old dimensions, in which he gave a
succnct history Of his varied political life from the
starting-post down to that memorable year when he
traversed the country, pike in hand, resolved to
make ireland great, glorious and free" Like Mr..
John Mitchell 1t was the conduct of the Saxon Gov
erament duriag the terrible famine Of 1857 which
suggested the expediencY Of a resort to arms
Il could find Che said) no excuse for the British
Government which allowed myriads Of the Irish
people to die whose lives could have been assuredy
protected BY the fostering care Of an Irish Parlia
ment felt scarcely less Indignant when observed
that the British Government had systematically
adopted course Of policy which tended inevitably
to ruin the pOssessos OF every kind Of property in
freland4a system Of policy which has sent out as
Migrants on the face ot the earth countless number
of families, who, before the famine, enjoyed pecuu-
airy competency in their native land. When | wit
messed such system of deliberate destruction and
eonfscation, felt no doubt as to the moral right
the moral duty of the Irish people TO resist by force
the proceedings of the British Parliament; aud, If
such doubts had existed In my mind, they would
have been wholly removed by the suspension Of the
right of trial by jury and the suppression OF the free
dom OF the press, which TOOK place under the Gov.
eminent of Lord Clarendon, in l84S,
"The question Of resistance or non-resistance re-
solved itself entirely into question Of expedency;
and j now admit that / made great mistake-a mis-
tpke fatal to myself and disastrous to the county
when supposed that the Irish people would answer
the appeal made to them by myself and Others urg
ing them to bake up arms in defense of their own
lives, and of the liberties Of their country. They
preferred 10 die at home or to emigrate TO distant
countries and the result was that we paid the penalty
,.e 1ap4
which that mistake occasoned to me; 40 one but
myself can appreciate them. Many of you however
were spectators Of the scenes that were enacted
within the walls OF your courthouse, under the
name of what was, in solemn mocEerY, called trial
You remember to have seen me stand in the dock
during seven, eight, nine hours, for ten days sue
cessiVeiy, under the concentrated gaze OF assem-
blage which, with the exception OF my afflicted
family and few sympathisers was admitted into the
courthouse because the persons who composed it
were supposed to have no feelings in common with
the rebel at the bar. Had | not been sustained by
some of our old Irish pride that ordeal would have
broken down even my physical energies; for during
the last day Of the trial | was SO exhausted that !
could scarcely go through the proceedings and had
almost resolved to ask the judges to put end to the
trial by calling for an immediate determination OF the
guilt OF the prisoner subsequently ! endured q
long confinement in Dublin SO that my inearcera-
ton in Ireland extended over period OF eleven
months
q was then conveyed to Van Diemans Land, and
endured penal infection there, more or less rigorous,
during period of five years. Subsequently through
die agency of some influences which have never vet
been able fully to comprehend, but which believe
I'd have 6asea on The faithful attachment of the
Irish people was allowed to leave Iasmynia, under
what ID called conditional pardon but can assure
yoa, in ait sincerity that until the intelligence
reached me at Athens that was to be allowed 10
return to Ireland meyer could persuade myself that
there was probability that should again set foot
Oh Tie shores Of my native land Il has been argued
by some of the English newspapers that ought to
consider ryselfnndera an implied engagement 10 take
no part In the political movements Of this country
Nov, / wish to be distinctly understood that from
the time 81 nv eaptnre. in 1873, until the present
hour, have never gyen, directly or Indirectly, anv
pledge that would abstain from the propagation Of
my opinions, which have taken many opportunities
Of ayoWlng To lie unchanged,
never would have returned e Ireland / ! had
besn letserea py any eondlhohs, ana would not re-
man = aay u ie!ana Il. T. were not ~ liberty e say
anu 70 40 everything 5hat any other lFshman s emit
tled 70 TX o. 70 49, nave ING satisfaction OF think
aas slas ~ iss ~ eass, wy , hatooa standafd mas
prepared still " maintain maintained in that
courthouse Whensthe expression OF such an opinion
might nave cost Ii9 ui9 Ie, thas uia my duty IN
ls4oi ana tnat every lflshlRh ought To have coop
Grated with Ine II tae petiollance O That duty
am prepared 10 aisaltt tsia sl,s country ought to