We stated yesterday, on w...
The Times, 1824-12-16T00:00:00

're stated yesterday, on what we believe to be good in. formation, thc. objects of the recent series of Cabinet imeetings. Of all the questiols which can come before the Ministry and theParliament, the most pressing and important un- doubtedly is, " WVhat sball we do with Ireland ? It has been said in high quarters, that the violent Ian- vanage of the Catholic demagogues and priests " are serious "obstaeles in the way of any concession to the geperal body " of the Catholics." WThy should any practical seriousness beattached to things in reality so trifling ? For the priests, .qe erhall say nothing-it will be easy hereafter to lay them arnd their anger on the slhelf: but with respect to the lay part of the Association, we assert our firm belief, that they hare not entertained, from the ou tset of their exhibition, ad dlo siot at this moment meditate, any one scheme or Tiop whatever of the slightest evil consequence to the State tuelf, or to any one interest protected by the State, except it be the old.Orange monopoly of-place and power in Ireland. A rebellion! tjlhat would such men as O''ONrNELL and hs ftids, coing, as they do chiefly, of barristers, merchants, and country gentlemen-what could such men look for in the ecurse of a civil conflict, but broken heads, or at the best of it, rags and hunger, banishment and COli- fiseation of their prepertiee ? They know their own weak- nessbetter; but-wbat is as much to the purpose-tbey know what they already enjoy, andl what they may by fair means pretend to, without a fatal risk to themsclves, or confusieti andpwretchedness to their country. The Associators who make speeches, have been trying an experiment on the nerves of Englishmen, and have rather overacted their part. They' have been puerile enouglh to league with the French newvspapers, as wdll as with their own priests, for an assault upon the mind of England, Now, considering them as men who have reasonable ground for complaint, we could have allowed for tlheirintemperate remon- strances-their honest indignation-their impetuous abuse of those to whom they ascribe their grievances (for there may very well be anegative grievance); but we must subjoin, that they ought not to have th reatened their English fel- low-subjects, because the English are not a nation to be bullied. We consider the Catlholic leaders, therefore, as any thing but a dangerous body of statesmen: they have, so far as on them depended, gone near to spoil a fine and promising game. There is, however, another circumstance to be looked at in this Association-we mean its combining witbin itself the great bulk of property and character which (over and above wvh'at has been a,sumed for themselves by the agi- tators) is to be found among the Catholics. This union of the respectable nobility, aristocracy, and Catholic gentry of Ireland, with the " Association," is an addlitional argument against fearing the secret designs of that body, and in favour of admitting its avowed preten- sions. Do Lords KENm ARE and FiNGA.L seek to bring about a revolution ?! The Catholics have a right to union among themselves, and to wlhatever moral influence upon the Government and on public opinlioli can be derived from such an evidence of their general harmony and sincerity. If, therefore, we conceive that there wouhl be political danger (and sucht un- questioniably is our stronig impressiou) in now refusinig their claims, the danger strikes us to be that of withholdling a constitutional right from the sober, the moderate, and well- conducted inajority of the Catholics-not that of exaspe- rating the violenit andl factious, whose confidence in their owII cause miglht well be distrusted were we to make their measurcs only the bases on which te reason. Nothing ought inore to be deprecated by judlicious men than the impolicy of legislating in regard to a numerous class of our fellow-suhjects upon data drawn from the in- coonsiderate rashness of a minority, not constitutinig one part in an hluntdred thousand of the body; nay, of the higher orcler of Catholics, those educated and well-connected gen- tleminc who have a personal inttrest in the success of the measure of emancipation, we might venture to say that not on)e in fifty approves, or cGnfides in, the loud-tongued orators of the existing assembly. They ought not, lhell, to be made thc victims of a party, witl which they have coonsenited to co-operate only fer an object in itself wholly free from blame. But it is graited that " a temporizing policy" will no longer ssrve any useful purpose in Ireland; and it is suf- ficicntly manifest that things cannot remain as they are, if we be not content to leave the seeds of an everlasting fever at work from generation to gcneration. That noienacinig associators or peacebreaking priests-if their turbulence goes to propagate sedition, or in any manner to deprive the law of its authority,-ought to be put down by law, we are not disposed to question ; but we do trust that all suspicion of a ha.ty, harsh, vindictive, aned therefore undignified spirit in the Government, will be removed by somne evidence ol' enlargedt and enlightened equity ; and that if Catholics are to be repressed, it is in their quality of individual offenders, not as a guilty body. 'rhe highest wisdom, perhaps, would be, by doing them justice, to put the associators in the wrong. In the mcan time, one other course-we will not say of policy, but of action-still remains to be noticed. It has for its object to employ force against foul words-tJ3 be more violent than the O'CONNELLs, because weare stronger-to governj opesly by the bayonet-to bring back thatgolden age which Mr. SAuari: the other day at the Beef-steak Club lamented. When he referred to his own exercise of power, aniid to the evils which have sprung up since he lost it-" It " is not," says the ex-Orange Attorney-General, "the history of the last three years that would teach me to "alter my opinions." No, indeed ; nor would Mosgs and the Prophets aflect on such a poinlt the mind of Mr. SAURIN. But the progress of his governiment and the r esult of it are recorded on otlier tables than those of Mr. SAuaRN's memory: Ireland wvas hardly ever free from disturbance while he ruled it; and tho whole of MIunster was in open insurrection at the inoment when he was disinissed. Then we conclude by saying, that the real danger now besetting the empire through Ireland, is that of a return to lMIr. SAURIN'S Orange principles of exclusion, coercion, and the musket. If the present system of misrepresenta- tion and delusion and " No Popery" panic can be car- ried on successfully-if the KING's Ministers can be moved to send angry and resentful instrletions across the Channel, -if the Catholics can be provoked to disobedience, and the peasantry once more seduced to take the field-if, in fine, tho bulk of the English and Irish nations car, be coni- nitted against each other in opeIn confiict,-theri, there is one party, indeed, which will briefly enjoy its drunken and transitory triumph. The golden age of the Beef-steak Club may be restored-the Orangemen may rule the country;-but short will be their reign, and acho will succeed them ?