Dublin Roman Catholic Mee...
The Times, 1824-05-28T00:00:00

tLAbstracted from the Dbli11i Freeman's Jo2erwil.] At the meeting of the Dublin Catholic Association, on Saturday last, a young Gentleman rose, and addressed the assembly. He com. menced by condemning the " anarchiical infatuation" which, he declared, incited the Catholic peasantry to violeuce and bloodshed,l by proclaiming the Protestant Clergy and Gentry as the implacsble l enemies of Ireland, and thus proceeded:-But I will ask, ivl'e Is' really the enemy of Ireland and her peasantry ? ls it not that man who, with wily, treacherous, fascinating, and impassioned eloquence harangues a creduaous warm-hearted, and generous peasantrv, ar- gung them into the belief that the Catholics are a persecuted race, whose blood is wantonly and frequently shed with impunity-whose property, privileges, and lives, havt not the support and protection, and advantage of the laws, and that they are aliens to the constitu- tion? I will toll the Catholics that they nourish in their own bosoms their most formidable, because their most insidious enemvy- a man who wishes for an? thing rather thanl Catholic emancipation as it is called, and, who.,e projects and designs are calculated and in- tended to retard that measure. This is not rhapsody, but the candid sentiments o an 'nonest heart-and would that those who now hear me, that t&e uman whose danzerous eloquence- Mr. LIO'EEGAX.-3Ir. Chairman, this is More than ludicrous, and tbhe ,entleman has now arrived at such a stage, as obliges me to -wl. hirm to order. 13ir. O'Gos, xt , the Secretary.-Allow me to inquire, Sir, if You are a member? Ytoung Gentleman.-..No, Sir. IMr. O'CONNELLa.,.-Is the gentleman a Catholic ? Youmr Genieman.-No; I am a Protestant. dlr. O'CONNELL..0h ! then, the gen.tlemnan must be heard. Mr. COSNWAY thought it wtould lead to interminable confusion if every person who chose to come out of the street, should be permit- ted to occupy the attention of the meeting, and create disorder and uproar by idle and intermperate speeches. Mr. JA31ES O'CONNELL WAas for having the gentleman heard w~ith patience. The young Gentlemani resumed.-Emnboldened bv your success in creating distrust in the peasantry, destioving their confidence in the rnagstracy, antd establishing a hostility to the l1rotestant clergy and gentry, you proceed with confidence inr your power of working niis- chief, 'ot let me conjure you to beware of yotur danger, and to re- flect., that although the progress of the laws may be oceasionally slow, ye. when they overtake delinquents, prunishinent is certain-and .hat, should you continue your present wicked course of procecding that terrible f4te may overtake you which has betallen so Many of your wretched( and deluded countrymen, who havc been impelled to blnod and rapine, and have consequently sacrificed their lives to the offended laws. Mr. CoNWAxy called to order, and if the gentleman had not somnc specific motion to propose, it vras unreaonable in him to trespass upon themeeting with such a calumn,ious lecture; and it would be vnisein thc meeting to permit hmuo to proceed. Ailr. O'CONNSELL..-Itis senpeFs5ible to interrupt the gentleman, he profe ,se to be a stranger and a Protestant, and therefore hear (Here some voices cailed " Chair" and others " Proceed.") Mir. JAMEIS O'CaNrNEsLL._Gntlemen, I mnost earnestly entreat of you to hear the younig roan. We have often hadl occasion to cuom- plaiui of bednz maligned and caluimniated behind our backs, and when we couald no~ defend olurselves . but here the foe comes face to face; here, though we sulFter the poison to work, we cant administer an introediate antidote. , fr. O'Goa .L-.s.__JiWl you favour us with your name, Sir ? Young Gentiermn.-.l sh.^ll not state my natne..(A general cry of "bear, 1' car," then followed.) The Crisai,LRA, addressing the young gentleman, said-" Sir you ba",e appealed to the Chair, and as the meeting have unani-. ?3 Li.y agreed to hear you out, you arc now at liberty to proceed." The young gentlemnan, hesitatingly, replied, that he would not re- Slimre his address. CHAIRMAV.-..Then, Sir, if your ob-iect in coming here was mnerely to make a speech, you have now an opportunity of gratify.. ing your ambition, and of lhaving yourself heard, but if vou come here with the expectatiOn, or in anticipation of being prevented from : dressing the meeting, I ams happyyou have been disappointed. You are now, Sir, given to understand, that you have the option of proceeding if you please. The young G:^entleman again declined to address the meeting any Mv. O'CONN7ELL rose to reply to him. The following are ex- tracts from his speech:- " Oh, Heavens! in what sodety has this young lad beeR reared, that at his age, aud with his education, he should have acquired opi miois and feelings, the mere expression of which makes humanity shudder! Amolig what other class of men than Orangemen could he have imbibed such unchristian ideas ? They could not have been eagendered by an-, thing spolken in this room. He professes to be a Protestant, butt did one Christian sentiment dIrop from his lips dur- ing his cantiA'g harangue ? Is he a Protestant friendIly to civil and religious liberty? The fanatical animosity with which he charges atrocities upon Irish Catholics, without stating one single fact to justify his calumnies, proves that he is not a friend to toleration, and that his shallow mrind, pererted intellect, and hiabitual prejudices, have so overwhelmed common sense, that he has been unable to ae- qure any knowledge of passsni; events, but from the statements of te 3Minister, the Orange Magistrate, and his rnyrmidonr5; and from these authentic sources the people are to learn, spite of daily ave.u 'woful experience to the contrary, thant forsooth the laws are impar.. ticaly r dmuinisteredithat the peasant hast ne griedance or oDpres aion? ecclesiastical, civil, or criminal, to comnplain of-t'oat thec Ca.. tholie gentry enjoy all theprivilegw antdbenefitsof the constitution. This youg gentlemran may be but the tutored agent of some plod. ding,boary rmiscreant, who, "sick at heart'in seeing the Catholic .Aaockition ri3e to irmpot'cance spite of calumny and nmsrepresenta~. tion, dreads its determinatlon to make kcnowvn to the world the abuses of power, to proclaim the oppiession of the taskcmasters of Ireland, the intreds anud profligacy of a faction, obnoxioug to all good Inen-a action that has grown old and rich in power, by the basest arta and thum teost corrupt ainsinationg- t faction whichhs tn lorded it over the land without control, and spread its roots in the dark, ever to the basement of the Iiritish throne. This may be an expin- fort of tyrannycand;weakness, or it may be the mere waton chap1rg of privilegec insolence its?this youu exclusionist, anxious for the exercise of his inherent right to insuit an oppressed and degraded 'people; for hermaw e br abvo hired by, the Orange club to assailmy character and mnotives ' but. Sir, I have nov. passed t1[at time of life when mere personal ribaldry can make mne forgetful of thle obe- dience I owe my Maker, and of MY duty to mlY family', and wouild to God, Sir, I had ever been guided by the samne fcelinig. Then let thisi juvenile intolerant report to his employers, that I withstowd his impotent rage, unmoved by the vile calumlieis to which it gave ut.. terance.-tehat his slanders were to me ,butt as playthings to a boy, which, after amusing himn, he flings to thie wirid.that in him we re- cognized an epitome of those odlious 'Seculiiarities whic'h distinguish the heartless Orangeman and that Inis monstrous audacity in comn- ing into an assembly of (3atholicsa, whom he charged with the vilest .atrocities, but dared not to Support by one 'pToof, served but to ex- cite our quiet contemnpt, wh,3st we could not withhnold our pity at his early desertion of all tho',i amniable and honoturable principlis, and feelings necessry to the profession of a Christian, and for discharg.. ing the dUtieS 0o.f,a ood cttizen andl a good subject: and now, Sir, haveing thus instr'deted this intemperate youth, let us proceed to busi- ness." (Gent~rAcl ceering.) Mr. KisTtAxfollowed Mr. O'Conncell. In tlhecourse of his ad- dress, h11-observed that tho speeach of the young gendeman " had been c2inned over at the family coterie. " tJotwhich the latter said-.... Sir, you are wrong." Here there 'werte loud cries of - Order, order, " and, " Sir, your name!" when the gentleman, to a voice loud, but broken with agitation, declared, '~ that if he gave his naime he would be maurdereA in his bd! thrill of hosror pervaded the meeting forsm iue e " Mr. 1RuwkWt.-....ir, I have hear h elrtono htms n considerae young, man with indigainaddsut;adi h g. tation twhich has pervaded thebratofllsulinommese afl'ect mine, I trust tI sball be pardoe l osns fepeso 2s welibs all overheated zeal ; btrels,S,theialmt(s Burke says) where forbearance ceae tTb avrue an may auffer the indignities which have be fretohmself but he chaonld not suffr those which are ofee ohsc try (cheers)., nnd, Sir, so long as I have a tongue t give utterance to the feelingg of my heart, Ishall not fail to characterize the conduct of any man, hot7ever young or however old, who aares in my presence to cast a e-tain on thea charuacter of the whole country. The inconsiderate ras, nets3 of youth, or the peevish garruli7 ofage, shall give him no pro. tcctlon; and unlesheshaeldhimasi? underanablslteircaactof jssdgent,amounting toaonimpenetrable stupidity, I sall give him n oop-hole by which to retreat from thatanimadversion whichbeso ju3tly merits. Sir,' I give the persaon who made the atrocious de- claraition, which you ,II heard, in the amazemnent proportioned to its absolute and utter falsitY-his clioice of the alternatives to which ever natona calmnymustbe educti,and I tell hinm he is either c-nincmpraby gnoan astothechracerof the Irish peasantry t23 o b Incmpeent o frm a opnio, tohv aeacargesOD tImttd CAftreter and being. tlheidoeore competeztto judge, to have framed a vile lii,el, gnd a wicked lie. After some further observations, -Mr.- Kimaei sat down, and the siranger applied for his card, upon which severMl gentlemen said AMz Kirwan should not give his card unless the geitleman produced his own or told his name. The gentleman refLisd to give his caid or lisciese bis name, and declared, that if Mr. Kirwan withheld his card he would-brand him. Thegentleman, with his companion,i.- mediately afterwards retired. 111r. Kirvwan was at the instant hi the ct of wrting his address, and when:he found the Atrangers had let the room, hgefoflowed them. W5re were infomned that lie was stop- pe in the passage by some gentlemen who forcibly detained him for a few moments; and when, escaping from them, he got dowvn stars, the gentlemenhad darted. DUBLIN ROMAN CATHOLIC AMEETIArG.