At a meeting of the National Association on Thursday, tile
5t1i instant, a letter was read front Mr. O'Connell to the Secretary .of the Association, announcing several intended motions, and exhorting the Association to support Ministers-
" The sustentation of the present Ministry (says Mr. O'Connell) is now the first duty of every honest Irishman. That Ministry hal many avowed ene- mies, and some mute dangerous friends. The fate, however, of Ireland, is en- twined with that of the Administration; and I do not much reverenve those who boast of patriotic ardour, and yet are indifferent to the wellbeing of an Administration which stands between Ireland and all the horrors of Orange misrule."
On the same day, Mr. Shed gave notice of a motion for Thursday last, relative to the great Orange meeting which was to take place on that day in Dublin. Se-vend persons objected to this course, us Thurs- day was the day fixed for resuming the adjourned Poor-law debate; but Mr. Shell persevered, declaring that the consideration of his motion would not occupy much time.
This proceeding of Mr. Shell has drawn upon him the following caustic attack, in the shape of a letter, from the Reverend Mr. O'Malley.
" Sir—Your conduct in regnrd to the Poor-law questiom a hick I had the honour to bring before the General Association, aPpeare to me se equivocal, that t feel myself called! on. in juetice to my on coneistency and firmness of purpose, to niake a few public comments upon it.
" Yesterday fortnight you came down to the Association, in the absence of the ho. nonrable MO learned moverof the amendment. and told us in poetic plirnse, and with a rhetorical artifice, that you did not come to throw a • wet blanket ' upon the discus- %ion. YOU lI.I, Itonever, proceed to Oct your blankt•t as copiously at; you email with a plentiful outpouring of your most Iiqui.L noire; ay. and no scanty eprinkling of the foam of n grand histrionic passion. For y on did pretend to be angry with tho • infa- tuated Qiiixotists' who had taken pad in the discussion ; the last of the Quisotists being the noble lord %%hose truly eloquent and convincing speech you hail just heard. but to %%Met' you found it much easier to give a transeat than an itnswer. You were angry %%hit them for %vesting the public time upon ' abstract mu.stions? Good Gott, sir, ao you call the (vest itm or how hest to relieve the bitter distress of 2,300,0U0 human beinge—lor, as a believer in %%hat you termed • Mr. Illake's Report,' that is your sti. niate—ilo yeti call that all abstraction? I have heard something of • the poet's
fire frenzy rolling from eitt-th to heaven ;' but yours must have been very unwontedly fowl heavenwards only, thus coolly to overlook the contemptible interests of these loor starvelings of earth! Men whom you have y it to establish your right to lecture upon political wisdom were gravely debating die rights of the poor, when you break in tipon them. tintl tell tht In they are but &camels. and hid them look after the regidries! Po you mean. Sir, to degrade the tieneral associat ..11 of Ireland into a mew registrymeice ? Of %% hat value are the registries hot to cliente the people In send limiest servants to
? And ii bear tIwy better Meet mine what sCr)1CeS the) expect hum them than in the looms of the Assueiation, where the public sense of the coil:dry is gathered? Will the hont.st frit et...coats come up to the Inletinge the lees boldly, if you give them a law that i ill proteet them, at all events. from that titter destittition into which their angry tyrants hatal 011011 4.1101101 Mittel them! Oh ! lei, lotto are e.. to witness the sieken.ng speetncle—sickening to the heart of every mile and e‘me. "us patriot—the spectate,. or ;TIM) Of strong ambition :mil Mast, principles st, maim into Parliament upon the shoulders of those poor brave Whim:, atal kicking them off as they get in! " Yon talk to us. Sir, of the Tories; you are talking of diem eternally : yon seem not to be able to expand yourvelf to any thing national ; the pet sonal and the party theme seem to be as ninth as your mind can grasp; they. ate, at lenst, those yoli are fetelest ol V. ith. you but us look to the Tories. Iliad tell us that the Poor-law is just now the KallIC they ate playing. Well. Sir,
31111 SIIIIpOge it IS ; and %% bat then is the smuttiest and manliest policy by which to defeat it ? It is to take tilt' game out of their bands —to make thew pretence our purpose. It is you. Sir, and ten I, that are play mg into
• the halide of the Tories. You, Sir, and those that act with you. by c011:1 itall tog only a ' wet blanket ' to that great questiontif questions. upon which both patties III I'.iit,iiiiI are earetal, at one and the same time, ;„ive a ch.ar openina to the Torive to to tack us, and obviotislv umbel-rase the Whigs, by obligine them to defend 115. giVC ft triumph to the oue and throw ecatelal on the teller. " Yon talk of us alto call for a Poor-law embarrassing the present Govertment. Why. Sir. it is yourself are doing the misehier yen so idly nt II ilaite to us. This truly honest and paternal tiovernment, not satisfied, like you, with the petty mid pettish game of mere party politics, is pledged to lay the tuttudittion of good government iu this country bv a good lamr-law. It must clearly be of use to tlwm to be sustained in carrying that jhalge into effect by popular opinion, and yet you. a popular al ember id Parliament. are seeking to it i Ile the expression ut that °pillion, nod still yoti call yourself a friend of that tiovertiment ! You ii a. d the adjournment of the Poordaw question ; Ivo w,•te 'mend by Parliamentary Mho ate to resume it at the lint,. agreed eti and ;IOW, illSteall ui tOiag SO, you give melee of a motion to sup.rstale it ithagether. You evaded the question the first time by taking refuge behind the regi:t ries ; 0 eared as inuell for the registries as yon ilit ant we respected that plea, YOO Mall; to et m le it tem by hatile 11.0: loll. WC him%) 11.1 5‘ hat, als all 5111110 Ca5ta/gratifa!51). fliritUl.i of [mit- a dozen iiii:eritlil • lordlinge. Who hid yott cares about these Lords? Without :toy following in the cattntry, what are thee bat sO many mins at the wrote; side of die cipher: ? It the a sseciet Mu is wise. it will Ilea are of is ill2 Ilwni any inteortanea contleseen tole to tIlt Ct• I hcal, and regard Own% and their poweedings v. hit silent eon. tempt. not la1W c.oi■..011r prophet ii motion affect theta 1.fl' ytal in their confelenve, ant iii y1,3 1■11113. WII3t his 1l1 i to list! III tiptai ? Would there not he a little Co1111110t1 5'II5I' Ii ail liii ta See What they are about : Oath' yell llOt fish up in tlw title SC3 or iuirrceta7 fa ney any better pretext that, this to ever an obvioasly insidious IllifilOSe? ilitt there i: an 'tiler We ICe to have a vete or I helots to the gallant elt•ctors of Lone- fOrd . Sir, yeu to mainlv indebted to the priests of Longford for that most opportune victoty : and as elm of their tinier (and I a lite it vomit!, ) I eat' tell 5011 they will cheer' ally inst.:else w lilt par barren vote of thanks, and would prefer ill payment of pow gratit a It. your tote for a Puoulaw. •• • But, sits ate 'Oa Poor.law.' Oh, no! not at aU; and yet yon have taken a vs.' yu III course to convince us or that. It sill are in favour of it, why don't you ratite itiraard and shed some frttgral.ce upon the Ilisotts..ion of it by the flowers of your money ? Or. if yon are against it, and must have it lord to attack, why don't you try a lame midi Lord Miltown? Tht.re may be some pottletice in the course you
take. cart y, hut very little dignity or valour. To tell us tide is not the time to discuss siteli a ire-dolt—a quest hal actually impending Over absolately puerile.
i trust the huh r p, nsre is not something than puerile. Call it be aour wish,
Sir, to keep the comitry sitait now, that you ni ty draw an ttrgumeta from that silence by tool by againo the measures or the Government? Yon lust forward as ti hogbear, to turn ne au ay flout our purpose, halfu dozen Conservative Lord.; : do you mean, by this manunavre, %initially to t•ffect it combination of Conservative and Liberal (?) land- torte againd all efficient Poor law ?
" I am Noy sorry, sir, to be compelled, by a stern sense of duty, to address you in this fashion. I apareciate dilly your talents and set% ices, hut am um to be blinded by them. I would lea hate presumed to bring this great questiou before the Genoa' Aosociatitm, were I not eine:dons that I was not likely to he moved float my purpose II any man. The aietat y and grAvits of the General Assoviati tttt shall suffer no mit- rage in ms person a ith my accord. i shall insist on the ‘ttljourntal debate on the re- hati the honour to propo.e. taking preetalence of ally other after the coil- s' nary business is tiansacted. I shall divide the Ilouse upon it. if necessary ; and now ouly to the clearly exp.eseed sense et the inajoiity. II' there be all) thiug unpleasant in this proceedieg, you. Sir. not I, must bear die Mame. If yoli :lie impatient to vent )0UF splendid bin. upon thuse unfortunate Lords. why 1101 Cali ail elltra 111Cetilig. aN Mr. Grattan sugaests. and favour us then with your mysterious e ttttt mode:ohm ? I do not grialge pun your Iambi and pour lordly motions. since you prefer them. Then, pray , du not ititerfere with me in my paltre tuto ion in favour of the pitiful millions !
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