The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1838-08-03 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

THE STATE OF IRELAND.—\%e have I epeatedly asserted that almost all the outrages which are perpetrated in misgoverned, wretched, and Popery-ridden Ireldnd, oNe their origin to the inveterate hatred entertained by the Papists against the Protestants—a hatred prompted, fostered, and encouraged by the "bachelor corporation" of priests from the Mavnooth and other colleges in which the infamous doctrines of Peter Dens are sedulously inculcated. We have long remarkedlhat there is a very great difference between  the impelling motives which lead to the commission of flagrant crimes in England as compared with Ireland. In this country there are very few cases of murder, or violent personal assaults, which may not be traced to a desire of obtaining possession of the property of the person attacked. In Great Britain money is the great incentive to these dark crimes: in Ireland thecase is far different. There the principal motive seems to be revenge—cowardly, brutal, and unjustifiable revenge, against the gratification of which the " fathers confessors" never venture to declaim : and the worst feature in the case is, that this revenge is hallowed by a sort of religious sanction.' The wild and barbarous Irishman fancies that he is doing God and the " Church" a service by lying in wait for the innocent blood of a Protestant, especially if he be a clergyman. The blood thirsty villain is taught from his very childhood to hate his Protestant neighbours, and to seek every opportunity of compassing their destruction. Facts of every-day occurrence prove. too truly that such is the feeling with which every Protestant is regarded by the Papists of Ireland. Nor most we cast out of sight another powerful stimulant to crime which is cunningly urged by the Popish .priesthood in that country. It is well known that a secret conspiracy has long been on foot in Ireland for the purpose of recoveri rig posseSsion from the English of every foot of, territory now enjoyed by the latter. This is the object of the Ribbon confederation. It is carefully instilled into the minds of the poor peasantry by their spiritual advisers that the Samnaghs—the alien conquerors of Ireland —have no right whatever to hold or to dispose of one inch of the lands which belonged to their vanquished forefathers. What would be thought of such a conspiracy among the Welsh—the aboriginal inhabitants of Great Britain—for the purpose of regainin;: all  those lands which were • taken from them by the Saxons, the Danes, and the Normans Wbtildan one have the audacity to defend such-a foul and uniustitiable plot ? Yet such a plot is now in active existence in Ireland. The Ribbon system: has its ramifications in every part of the island, and contemplates' the destruction or expatriation of every man of EngliSit descent who is now in possession of Irish property. O'Connell knows thiS—the priests know it—our virtuous whig ministry know its—and yet O'Connell is encouraged in his-Ribbon agitation by ,Englishmen-the traitorous priests areencouraged by Englishmea in their nefarious trampling with the consciences of the conspirators—and the whig ministers have also their supporters among the race proscribed by their Popish patrons. Such a guilty participation in the plans of the murderous Ribbonmen on the part of British subjects, professing loyalty, and claiming the title of Protestants,-is shameful in the highest degree. The last received Irish papers contain accounts of numerous fresh instances of brutal and murdet ous assaults, which we have only space briefly to enumerate. An attempt was made on Saturday evening last to assasinate a Protestant gentlemen, Mr.- Edward Smith, of Catewood, near Shinrone, as he was proceeding 1° lock the gates-ef-his awilaar,.l,t fired at him from behind a tree, (Irish cora/died again,) and a ball or slug was lodged in the bar of the gate which he was closing, and another passed undo' his arm. The only assignable motive for this attacl‘ is, that Mr. Smith was a Protestant, The next case which we shall have to relate is one which stamps the " finest pisantry" on the face or the earth as rank madmen, as well as cowards. Sorne time ago a Scottish gentleman of the name of Hector embarked his capital and enterprise in the - fisheries near Ballvshannon, and by the extensive employment which he gives, and the superior skill which he ll° introduced, he has rendered incalculable service t° that part of the country. But mark the return. conspiracy was entered into to destroy his property 5 and to attack his person. The Dublin Gazette has already borne witness to the losses and sufferings which he has undergone. But from the follosiog, proclamation, which appears in the Gazette of rtles( last, it appears that all who hold communication "1.11 Mr. Hector are equally proscribed:— • 111.4 3