The Sun. — 1858-12-14 (London, England)

ELY— proved that agrarian outrages were again becoming rife, and that the apostles of evil were again active in their infamous vocation.  But there was something of even a more serious character than simple murder or arson on the tapis. It was not merely to shoot an obnoxious agent, or a landlord who had the audacity to expect pay ment of the rent to which he was entitled. It was not to burn the stacks of a tenant who had taken land over the head of a member of the society, or even to administer a gentle castigation as a mild reminiscence of subscriptions in arrear to the society. There were even higher aspirations— nothing less than an invasion from the United States, and the addition of Ireland to a position amongst the luminaries in the star-spangled banner.  These visions, indulged in by a few grocers' assistants and others of an inferior class, seem to be very ridiculous, but they :are very dangerous ; not, of course, as to the final result, but as to the intermediate mischief—the loss of many valuable lives and the destruction of property. When these illegal societies were in the ascendant some five-and-thirty years since, no person could trust even those who had apparently rendered faithful services for a series of years. The gates were opened, the watch-dogs poisoned, and the assassins guided by men who, but for the terrible conspiracy in which they were engaged, would have shed the last drop of their blood in defence of the parties by whom they were paid and fed. The fatal condemnation of the dread tribunal—the Irish Vehmgericht—paralysed every energy, and rendered even the most highly trusted domestics participators in the intended crime. " Prevention is better than punishment," and it is greatly to the credit of Lord EGLINTON'S Government that they decided on eradicating the deadly seed before it had arrived at maturity. The rewards offered for the apprehension and conviction, not only of parties engaged in administering illegal oaths, but of being members of the unconstitutional society, will occasion a widespread panic throughout their ranks. Every one who knows that there is a price set upon his head —that any of those present can obtain £5O or £lOO by delivering him up to justice—must feel decidedly uncomfortable while considering whether every man of his numerous associates can be regarded as trustworthy. Had similar steps been taken on former occasions the riband confederacy would never have grown to such gigantic proportions, nor would the results have been by any means so formidable. But former Governments waited until the seed had taken root, and the fruit had arrived at maturity. The gallows and the convict hulks were readily available for those who had graduated in crime, but there was no obstacle or impediment placed in their way—no warning administered to inculcate the necessity of caution, or to convince them that the moment they accepted the obligation they were at the mercy of the very lowest of their companions, possibly of one who would sell his nearest and dearest relative for less than one-half of what has been offered; or even worse —of a treacherous spy, bent on betraying all into whose society he has been admitted, and seeking only to obtain the largest amount of blood money practicable. We believe that in offering timely rewards Lord EGLINTON has rendered most important service to the nation. lie has prevented the growth of the mischief, and saved many lives and a large amount of property from destructiol. Perhaps the parties who should feel most grateful are those who were becoming entrapped in the meshes of the net. At present they are comparatively clear, and a few light examples may be deemed sufficient to arrest the further spread of the mischief—to abate the social nuisance. But when innocent blood has been shed, when many have been implicated in the highest crimes known to the law, justice will demand a sterner retribution, and the expiation will be much more terrible. Ireland has for some time past been comparatively tranquil ; let its trust that the misguided individuals who seek to disturb her peace may be warned in time, and abandon the evil courses on which they had so incautiously arid recklessly entered.