1 DECEMBER 1838, Page 5

lRELAs D.

Mr. O'Connell reached Dublin on Wednesday week ; and the next day addressed a crowded assembly, at the Corn Exchange. Communi- cations were read from various parts of the country, enslosing contri- butions to the Precursor Society. Mr. O'Connell said that he hoped by Ore following, Monday to announce that the fund bad amounted to between VOL rind aOtt/. Ile stated his intention of lending the chair

of the Catholic Association to the Precursor Society. It would only be a loan, as he would as soon part with his life as that chair, which

would be transmitted to his posterity as an honourable proof of ser-

vices to his country. After a high-tbwn harangue from Tom Steele, in praise of the " mighty moral regenerator," and the cheering decla-

ration that the people of Ireland, " to the dismay of Lyndhurst, Peel, and Wellingtort," had resolved to conperate with the "bead pacificator," Mr. O'Connell addressed the meeting. As his speech detailed his

plan of future operations, and contained snore substance with less of declamation than those Ire bud been delivering in the provinces, we shall devote more space to it than has lately been accorded in the columns of the Speetater to Ale O'Connell's oratory. Thirty-eight years ago, be commeneed his career of agitation, by opposing the Union ; and he slid not see how be was to terminate it- " I du say Or it there is but one alternative—a petfert equalization of rights, civil and relig; ars, with England and Scotland. I will not abate one single atom of it. It :oust lie perfect in detail. I linow not if there be the good sense in England to give us such equaliz ttion ; hut I do know that there is enough of patriotism in [Mind, if they la fuse us, to achieve the repeal of the Poirot. Our society is calhal the Precursor Siiciety. Prectusor of what? Of equality with England and with Scotland; and if not, of national inde- pendence. Let me not he misunderstood : by netiraial, I mean legislative inde- pendence; for, thank God, tire thought never turreted into try heal in the reign of George the Third, George the Fourth, or William; and that man would be hive indeed who, under the Government of our ssrenenr, our well-meaning, our vim turtug Que,.n, would dream of it separation of this country from England. I wisk not—I never wished for it. Our fost object, then, is to obtain petfect equality with England and with Scotland. At present we petition not, we seek not, for any thing more 'lire experiment which we are making is such ti it wir slointil at oi,ce. drive from our minds the considetation of any other ea, ' :-=, while we seek alone for equal:zation with England and Scot-

hi

d i;, dierl rights."

neser was any thing like the u ntlmsiasm cxhiEtcd tr: 1,ivr:ur ,•!,1.-or agitation. Iti the Catholic A s,oeintion there

wet.. s • rru utlit rs. There were Lamely 100010 Precursors ;

and i ri y. :cot he .noust ha cc till:III. Ile 'SC aid proceed

,...1 eore would be nearly the jir61 million. But two

i;;,d principles of the agitation- " 'Ili, II .1 51 it we must du all that lies in our pot.ver to expunge from the law which makes the inhabit:it-A,: of this kingdom contribute to the ete:;y O. a religion which i= net the religion ef the majority. arirl (rein is Ii P tlo) I ;Lee never dcrived any odvantage isliatsui:ver. The Tr per cent, of a nii.,t he abolr.hed or appropriated ta public pur-

poses. We. are tiniv going to have another hoiden laid urn our shoulders in

Ire shape of ; :OA I say it :s not just to lay trilan in a new tax unless they give 11.11:e mean- of psying it, by removing the tent-clifsge, or unless they aopropri it,- it to :N t leiyment. 'the rpo,tiou is rrt this heating-- iii Eng: rod the 1.i1l irk iv the clergy of the 311.1jCi11, ; in Scotland the inhabitants only pi■ the clergy of the majority; and w then, if we are to hive a 1111:611, ui,nrr, .i.0 1111,11Strous injustice be slime us of compelling us to pay the eh rgy if a church to w hich we do not and will not belorg ? That is the first resi gr.; atest iiijirsnrse ; ;Ind I demand its abolition, as the first he.t.ilment of our liglos. Whlt are we told, what can we be tied, in answer to this? No.

thing. I feel it any duty to state these facts, and I aim filly borne out in my st rtement. I, for enc., will never consider the Union complete till that !nine: ple is folly writ ked cur, and is carried into effect in al its details."

The next demand must be for the Ballot-

" From •eine concatati,n and communications which I have hail with per. sans of the hest authority, and from what I myself know, I have it in may power to declare that there is one other which occupies very much the Irish mind ; and that is, the absolute necessity that existstor their receiving the protection of the Ildlet. I mention this, because it is in some measure extrinsic to the direct objets for which this society was in the first instance established. Eng- land ha, not obtained the Ballot, nor has Scotland; and they should now re- collect that they would not have obtained the reform which was granted them but for our aid. We will now join them in demanding the Pallor. The peo- ple of at all (rents three provinces of Ireland will, if they do not otherwise grant it, till the Ministry that their Apresentatires will /10 longer lend them their support if in return they do not adrocale the Ballot. If they wish well to Iteland, they will take up the question of the Ballot with spirit. They will thus make themselves popular with the English, while they are just to all portions of the empire. These are the two great principles—first, that we will no longer submit to be obliged to contribute to the overgrown revenues of the Church of not more than one-tenth of the population ; and next, that we must have the protection of vote by Ballot."

He intended on the following Monday to propose an address to the North on these subjects-

" Sharman Crawfold, dawn there, is acting in a very improper and impo- litic manner. His attacks upon myself I laugh to scorn—I heed them nat. I never answered them, and I never will. Bus when he took up the pun, and told the people of the North that we, the Catholics, wanted to transfer the tithes arid Churchrevenues to one own Church, he used an instrument which went far towards effecting his object—the sepatation of the people of the North from the Catholics of Ireland. For, what is it that ever makes the Protee- tants of Ulster to be net Irishmen? It is religious differences and religious bigotry, which are as an ulcerous sore with them. It was a Amex for the man who was so intimate with us—who had remained so long in our camp, on lea.- to t5n' In jog us to take steps to inflame that sore, and make it worse than it was. He is possessed of great power to do mischief, besides using such a powerful insttu- meat ; for, will it not be said that he is in possession of the secrets of our camp, and that, on account of having been one of us, his authority is good ? Ile dots know our sentiments—he does know our wishes and our designs ; but

with all his knowledge, I hurl defiance at hint. He was most intimate with

me-1 defy him. I here dispense with his obligation to secrecy ; I free him from all the consequences of the promulgation of any private conversatious he may have had with me, or of any designs which he knew were entertained by ihe friends of the people; and I defy him to assert, that in conversation with tee, or with any other Catholic, or in any writing emanating from a Catholic, he ever heard of the exptessinn of such a wish as the transfer of the revenues

of the Establishment to their own Chuteh. Ile cannot ; let him if lie can. In my address I will insert the resolution adopted by the Roman Catholic bishops relative to a provision for the Irish clergy."

lie would insist upon the payment of rent being, in Ireland, as a was in rich England," the only qualification for the franchise." ( Has Mr. O'Connell never heard of the Rate-paying clauses of the Reform Act ?) And there must also be an increase in the number of Irish Repre- sentatives— " I ittli shocked at the way this sulti ict lias been treated in England. Can we have a union if we have not an equaiity M representation? Scotland, with one million of inhabitants, at the Union got .ka Members, and Ireland, with eiIit millions, but RM. The Reform IL :1 gave Ireland five additional Iembers; but one of theui Wa., given to tile University of Dablin ; and it is not an Ifeish but It Protestant, or I slitaild rather say an lfrain.4... University, no that in fact we got lint four I‘leinbers. We pay more than one- tenth of the revenue, nearly indeed ; and our population one.third. But it is not upon tile population only I make claim ; though a laill.headca lawyer in London—one Clesswell, or rather two Cresswelk for he is Cresswell Cresswell, as if one uf them was not bad enough—says I Oahu it on the grounds of the poveity of Ireland. I cl dm upon the combined grounds of revenue and poled ition whieh would entitle us to 170 Meildietu; but I think the Irish people ought to make a corn. promise for 1::41. II:lying Ibis tight, can any thing be more haughty than the lehisal of the English Liberal press to argue the matter 11 111 tIle C hey should he equally anxious with triani yes fur the inerease ; for the Ah itubers have is'ays been the friends of libarty. We sem 7:: 1-1i1Viii.fiTif,iVeS out of 11.0 while Peel WAS Plemier ; and if we tad a fair proportion if Ilepresenta- tie( s, ii Iiitd wouid send ia such a host of honest R..fortners. that ?very Inca. sore sinigid: by tInf rational 1;dirtners of England would be conceded." lie sotag'ut Extension of the Suffrage, corporate reform, liberty of ,:ooscience, until voting by ballot ; nod he would " join the holiest Re- foreaers even to the length of claiming, uoiversal suffrage "—

•• Uuiver.al suffrage dat not mean th4t every one should have a vote, though

it would seem to have that import. Oue half of society—the female portion- s...0phi 11 tve 00 Vete% theunh they ore die bigger awl better naif. Neither IA'011111 1010015, crimin ils. nor petsoes found ins me by a jury. I .iiit anxious, tla. to join the 1: nlicals in seeking. the greatest practiaile ext,nsion of the ea:16,e. We have received Radical athlres•es from two plarei in England. c of them I, limn Nriecastle•upon•Tyne ; but we will hold no communication thew, for they hove teen gmhy of an overt act of treason. The other tilihuss IS froia litir.dred Raflieal deleg Iles; and we nitiq treat them with II greatest respect, thotteht we may Olin:: thIn leha,ktal hiir•ir views. It ;.hiu t.,) reply to it. 1 have ke-i fe IItiliI. LII ti iv ni; miod, and 1 ts :II be able to assist the Commit tim in the matte!. The site they no ; bul. it is hee :0,1.: they are ashained of those it in net in that fiacity with them. TI era was a meeting at Norwich ou tiu in h, (in which pl II , Its the way, thi I in;eals had sold themselves at time last election,) and hair on thew flags the names if 0 valet., Stephens, and loniest Feargus. They added also the name of Cobbett ; but that gig intie•tititideii man, if living, wiedd be the .strolirst ia his opposition to then' pres-in o eceeiliogs. There I.' no a a v. ithotit a !Laden it Willi nut an ulliee to which a man was elected, lint one he arhieved by his husiness-lilie hubits. Lit these operative ItadieJs uf a workshop without a foreman—one Mali dovetailing while :Lumber 55 ii laa■vi:eg : why, the Tower of Babel would be but a type of it. Another ti.ify of w hidi Cie Radicals are guilty, is their love of declare. the S. Instead of coneilheing the moderate mid assuriag the timid. they come out ti ith a Ladothroutho yell of defiance ; which, if they were hited to stop Reform, avouhl be tie best means they could use. And they attack the middle classes, though among them are Whigs; even in the aristocracy are -tunic of the sincerest Radicals in Englund. There is Durham and Itadnor in the Peers; Sil Vs ilhmani Moleswortit in the Baronets; and Grote, Leader. Warburton, if lull*, Williams (of Coventry). Fielder' (of Oldham), Genet al Johnson, Schole• and 'Donnas Attwutel of Birmingham. I.et them take these men for lead. am", and they ill nut be the worse ter it, but much the better. Feargus, to be SUM, will Lot be at home in such company ; he would be better on the coal. Leap, as he was the other day,

••tt Ali the blue% above awl the Marl: below."

Though eager to return to his native mountains, he %could not leave Idtablits while his work was incomplete-

" I must make the organization perfect in every respect before I desist for a moment front my present career. I thought to have returned again to the en• joyment of my mountain home, and to mount for even a week or two longer amongst those dear friends and native mountains, whete I could live, as it were, ii au elysium of delight ; but I feel now that there is so touch to he dune, that 1 must remain at my post until I convince the Tories that they can never get into power, and show the Whigs that there is a power behind them that will austain them in their efforts to do justice to Ireland. I cannot desert my post bare until I go to Parliament artned with hills and petitions with which I will lend the table of the House of Commons."

N On Mr. O'Connell's motion, a Committee of fifteen was appointed to draw up a reply to the address of the Radicals ; and the meeting was adjourned to Monday.

On that day the Society reassembled. The amount of the Pre- cursor fund was declared to be Z1971. Os. tid. Announceprents were made of additions to the Society from various quarters; but Mr. O'Connell's " first million" was still but a figure of speech. Mr. O'Connell spoke in referenceoto a charge brought against him in the Examiner, of confounding the Tory-Radicals with the honest men of the party ; and admitted that be was obnoxious to the charge—. " It is partly owing to my not seeing the distinction ; it proceeds also partly from the inaccuracy to which every man so much in the habit of public speak. hug as I am is liable. It may proceed partly from the inaccuracy of reporting ; but from whatsoever cause it proceeds, I plead guilty to the charge. But still I must say, that the English Radicals have not sympathized sutticieutly with us. I appeal to all the Irishmen who attended the great Radical meeting in London, if they did not feel that there was a want of sympathy with the sufferings of Ireland, and a want of gratitude to the men who governed her, for the mode in which they conducted their government. I allude to Grote ard Molesworth, and the high men of the patty ; and 1 do not say that behind their backs, for I told them fearlessly that they were working only for themselves—that they were neglecting Ireland, and that they did not yield to her affairs the attention

which they ought. I told them that Ireland was one-third of the empire and that it was their own interest as well as ours to see that we were properly go- verned. Mr. Grote was then pleased to use to me certain very harsh and angry expressions; but the manner in which he afterwards withdrew them,

not only made ineforget them, but left on my mind an impression extremely favourable to the man. But I am not here to be speaking of myself, but to re- late to you the manner in which the English Radicals have acted and are acting; anti tote]] you that what I have seen of their conduct has convinced me that we have now no resource but one, and that one is in our own exertions." An address to the " men of Ulster," calling upon them to join in the Precursor Association, explaining its objects, and denying the

charge brought against the Catholic leaders by Mr. Sharman Craw- ford, that they sought to transfer the Church property from its present possessors to their own clergy, was adopted, on Mr. O'Connell's motion. The Committee appointed to draw up the reply to the ad- dress of the English Radicals had leave to sit again, and postpone their report till the account of the proceedings at the Birmingham meeting on Monday should be received.

At a meeting of the inhabitants of St. Michan's parish, held on Saturday, Mr. O'Connell again inveighed against the English Radi- cals; and, referring to the credulity of the Kent people in the affair of Courtenay, declared that " a more brutally ignorant race of beings" than the uneducated portion of the English population could hardly be found in any country. lie enlarged upon the prosperity and glory of Ireland, when freed from the British connexion by a repeal of the Union- " Her luxuriant plains and her beautiful mountains will then bountifully pour forth their plentiful produce, not fur the necessities or for the luxuries of the

foreigner and absentee, but for the maintenance, the comfort, and the happiness

of the native* and the residents of the soil. Theo will we have the wealth of the country spent in the country, and not squandered away in England or else- where. Then will we have every gentleman residing tu his own beautiful country, cultivating his own proprty, rendering happy his tenants and spend ing his money fo the benefit of his fellow.comitrymen, instead of leaving it alf in the pocket of the stranger. Oh ! methinks 1 see the resuscitating genius o my own green land titling in all her brilliancy and splendour, in all her migh and ;majesty, and bee lllll mg too powerful for her enemies till she bursts the fetters with which our iffassociated sod swindling Union has bound her ; and standing here, I feel couvineed that twill live to see Ireland once more a nation.l. (Great cheering.)