The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1833-03-01 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CONCESSIONS TO IRELAND.  TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.  SIR,-Our state Solomons, the leading speculative theorists of the day, arc men of such sound political sentiments that those measures of great importance which they have advocated through life, have, when passed, so run Counter to their predictions, that in mortification of spirit, and with humbled pride, they have, in a state of mental anguish, declared that in their hopes arising from concession they have been "most grievously disappointed;" but, notwithstanding which, they still are prepared to concede, and, if they do concede, they will again, most assuredly, be as grievously disappointed. As British statesmen, presiding over the destinies of a Protestant empire, they appear to be regardless of Protestant interests; and, indeed, have been accused, in the minds of many, of having been regardless of the shedding of Protestant blood in the sister country. The Protestant clergy of Ireland have, by Catholic persecution, been driven from their country residences into the towns for shelter, and many of them, though of most exemplary character, and of most tole rant spirit, have been shot. The plaintive cries of these victims of O'Connelism have been but faintly heard by those ministers• whose hearts have been elated and corrupted by the popnlar praise, and whose ears have been more pleasingly accustomed to the words—agitate ! agitate ! agitate ! And what, sir, has agitation done for Ireland ?—lt has gained Catholic emancipation; and what has emancipation done for Ireland? It has produced a fresh and greater agitation,—an agitation bordering on rebellion—an agitation which has dyed the Catholic hand with Protestant blood ; and it has done more, it has gained or is about to have granted to it, restless villainy fresh concessions, at the expence of the Protestant church and of the future peace of the Protestant people of Ireland. And what has Catholic emancipation 'done fcr England ! it has contaminated the British senate. If to appease the alarm with which the conduct of Ministers hare been regarded by one party in this and the sister country, they bring forward measures of coercion, they are not backward. in their offer of bribes in the shape of concession to the other; while in placing themselves between the two, instead of being admired they will most likely be .rejected in disgust by both, as utterly unworthy of the confidence of either, and will at last be scouted as political jugglers, who have practised their sleights merely for the maintaining of themselves in office. Is it that Catholic Ireland deserves punishment for her turbulence and her murders ? if so, why not punish her, rather than snake concessions when such unlawful means are used to get them. Unreasonable concessions—for unreasonable they become under'such circumstances, are sure to be followed by more unreasonable demands. What are the grievances of Ireland ? The tithes alone,—no. What then ? The existence of a Protestant church, (as it would appear by the measure of Ministers,) and the presence of a Protestant clergy. What is the proof of such grievance? -The murder of those clergy. Admirable judges who make such a Sancho Panza deduction. And what punishment is inflicted on those murderers ? A concession to or agreement with their demands,—incomparable legislators, into whose hands the property, life, and religion of his Majesty's Protestant subjects were entrusted. This is indeed a sacrifice to Moloch, and a pandering to midnight crime. Well indeed might o'Connell, with his Irish myrmidons, yell forth their approbation of the conciliatory measure brought forward by his Majesty's government, so ably seconding his views on Ireland. Well indeed might his enthusiasm spread contagiously through the ranks of the radical members of a reformed House of Commons, when plunder becomes the basis of concession, and when an act of grace is passed to relieve and encourage the Catholic murderer, and to redress or rathei obliterate the wrongs suffered by the Protestant clergy of Ireland. Unprincipled concession will begetunprincipled demands, when an opportune time arrives to enforce them; and the Catholics of Irelarkd will not stop short, (the principle being once admitted as being laid down by government, and to be acted upon at a future time by O'Connell and the priests,) nor until not only the Protestant established church is destroyed in Ireland, but in England also; for the foundation of the compact entered into between Irish agitation and English radicalism is, that they assist each other. Still, notwithstanding the strongly marked signs of the times, not a petition has been got up, praying against such a measure of redress of Catholic grievances, by the Protestants of England. So much have the O'Connell's succeeded in charming them by their eloquence, or frightening them by their yells.—Yours, 27th Feb., 1833. J. M.