The Special Commi‘sion for the speedy visitation of crime in
Ire- land has closed its sest'on at Limerick, and has removed to Clare. The proceedings have been ably and judiciously conducted. The evidence has been diligently collected and skilfully applied, so as to obtain what appears a large proportion of convictions from Irish juries. The sentences have been discriminating ; an inex- orable but apposite severity being dealt out to the most guilty, while mercy has been extended to those whose crime was tem- pered by some show of humanity. For example, among a set of men who had fired a building and carried off a girl, was one who had taken pity on her weary and lacerated feet and carried her on his back : while the rest were transported, the more humane criminal was sentenced to a year's imprisonment. A sentence calculated to have the best effect, is that of transportation passed won a man for harbouring a murderer. In a few recent cases of outrage, we notice a disposition in those who are criminally attacked to defend themselves with re- solute activity. Certain priests also have very laudably come forth with exhortations in support of the law. These occurrences may be accidental ; but the calm, judicial, and effective vindica- tion of law, is calculated to call forth the better spirit which they evince ; and at all events, they demonstrate the existence of such a spirit to be worked upon. In politics, Ireland seems to be undergoing a disintegration of parties not less marked than that which has happened in Eng- land. There has been a secession from the ranks of those who seceded from the Repeal Association, in the person of Mr. Mit- chell, a very hot politician. It will be recollected that the Young Ireland party withdrew from Conciliation Hall because they differed with the Old Repealers on the abstract question whether a resort to arms can be justified. Mr. O'Connell had a crotchet on that point, to which Mr. Meagher and his friends could not assent ; and, rather than mitigate the verbal chivalry of his Speeches Mr. Meagher led the retreat, from Conciliation Hall. Now, Mr. Mitchell has withdrawn from the Nation, because he cannot "preach " open and armed rebellion in that journal. It is a "curious coincidence," that while Mr. Duffy is shaking off his too warlike and treasonable coadjutor, the organ of the "moral force " Repealers is suggesting Frenchmen of Irish extraction to head an invasion of England. The state of the case, if differences so shadowy can be defined, seems to be this,—the Old Repeaters will not preach the use of arms, but they have no objection to the practice ; the Young Irelanders will preach, but entertain scruples as to the practice ; the newest Irelanders burn to preach and practise too. An attempt at reunion between the Old Ireland- ere and Young Irelanders has just failed : an abstract difference, therefore, on a question that seems to have as little practical bear- ing on existing affairs as the opinion of the lion on mutton at the time of the Millennium, still avails to keep the numbers of the Repeaters and the intelligence of the Repealers divided. The compound quarrel would be amusing if it were not pitiable; but it is a wretched sight to see Irishmen wrangling about the way to be treasonable, when the state of their country, morally and physically, should claim all the united ability and diligence which they could bestow upon it. Meanwhile, however, we augur well from this distinct elimina- tion of separate opinions, the one from the other. There can be no question that the most refined intelligence resides among the Young Ireland party : the Old Repealers are evidently sinling, from the want of intellectual vigour to keep up their importance : their active men are mostly of an inferior order in under- standing, and their leader is painfully so. The more intelligent section now show a disposition to cast off the most extravagant element. If reason and common sense could only be popularized in Ireland 1—
Previous page
