London, Friday, December ...
The Times, 1824-12-24T00:00:00

The party diffcrences across the Irish Channel have ex- cluded almost every other topic of conversation ; anxd sure we are, that on no subject, be it of a domestic or a public nature, lhas the spirit of slander been indulged with more ruthless malignity. The Catholic demagogues arc assert- ed, without a slhadow or pretence of proof, to have embark- ed in a scheme of armed insurrection. The very peaceful aspect of the south of Ireland, because it cannot be madle the groundwork of a eharge of open violence, becomes,with a certain class of incendiaries, an argutnent for deep and terrible su.pician! We are told that the peasantry are itot robbing for arms, an(d " therefore" that the rent must be exnploved in paying for them. When we bid the alarmists. offer some show of evidence that the O'CONNELLS and SHIELS arc brewinig a rebellion-a rebellion which it is directly against their in- teresL to attemtpt, because it would lead them to immlle- diate ruin-we are answered, "1 Oh, dear! that is no argu- " ment at all; for the Neapolitans were ruined by it. Yet they did rebel; and the Piedinontese, and so tbrth, they m zivoolk their interests, and so may the Irish." Ay, there is fact in one case-in that of.the poor Italians. We know that " they" did rebel; but where is your evidence that the Irish Associators have rebelled, or have ineditated rebellion ? T'he logical catenation seems to be -this:- The bulk of mankintd know their own initerests, and act upon then3; Put the Neapolitans and Piedmontese were exceptions .to this rule; for, in spite of their intercsts," thoy rebelled and got themnselves hanged or banished; Therefotre, the Irish, after so encouraging a model, must lpfeer the exception to thie rule, auid despise all ordinary interests for ttie pleasure of being hangedl or banished. - By and by we shall eec men sentenced to death in Eng- land, by virttue of this profound analysis of -human nature. A mian is accused of murder, and what is the proof ? The sole proof of aeepittecrime isthe possibility of his forgetting Ithat he will -surely be put to death if he commits it! This argument against.the Irish is more monstrous than the treason which it inputes to themn, But the real, though tacit assul-00ion of the Orange conispiratees is, that the coniditiom to whicli tlhey have reduced their Catholic coutI- trymen would naturally provoke men to rebellion. Every circle in, London which busies itself with politics, beginis to be scandalized at the shocking treaclhery of which each succeeding post brings abunAant witness from Ire- land. Wre do not say Popish treachery: if it were left to us id choose, we should almost wish we could ascribe sueh baseness to any other class of subjects than to those of who.in it is related. Tlhiere arc s,o- thiugs really too revolting to be credited, even makingall fair allow,inces for rooted selfislincss,and for mnortified ambition. - If the Earl.of CLANCARTY bus prac- tised on socicty.ia.the Wcst of Ireland,-we do not say lhe has done so, and if hc be.freeof the fact, he knows how to depy it,7 but Jf the truth be, that a Nobleman of his high rank, of his numerous ;family connexions, and of a corres- pondm!ing iniuepcp over Squires, MagistrUtes, and Clergy in the West of Irelahnd, has' bceii of all men the foremost in propagafting.alabr and getting up No-Popery petitions, and offering tc raise No-Popery regimeents, andl playing ofr .ntsberlcbs Ilsn7mtuvxcs to frigfiten the Cabinet into. hasty and exesperasing measures,-if Lord CLANCA RTY, tliC heail.of tili(Galway T.aniIiBs, has been, as we trust he h2s .not- bedn- doing*-this, or any part of tlhis, ve think the noble Lord ouglt to be chalien ed to prove, by some ini- ,te1ligibl testimlonuy those -proceedings of the Catholics oni which ha p.reten8 to ,justify such intimidating conduct. If Lord CLAVCA4TV haS lstzlo.vnatron-in Lord CAS- TLXREAGH-and a-mass W-o patronyge which during the .VastIegtagh.dynasty he~ distrlb,ute44ahd a prdictive em- bassy, whicb :from thc Castlereagh4favour iesolongenjoy- ed, it would still be vaygrieyVons Ilats rcsesntment or hbis despair should turn-to-Okange-frnzyay Andd sat the whole kingdom 'by th e earfs; agai his Lordship be guiltless of such practiceAsyit i" '&.thousandpities thai he should have been "ade t} ot .fw- sdi, iid Westmainster as he is. We said thai Iateveametour cars, illus- trative of the Orangejpiisnd m aiib tibis -i Ireland, our readers should have the advantageefit. Let rumours stand or fdll by their owf sbow ancbe-let.misrepresentations be corrected; but let the trzth bc known, and the -minds of, men have fit matfrials *hereon, to deliberate and ireason. We have not spared the folly of the Catholics; nor shall we a certain other quality, when we afind-itUset inamotion against themn. LONDON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1824.