. . THE PACIFICATOR OF IRELAND.
LAST week, the Courier, assuming from 'O'CONNELL'S. quietness that he had dropped the Repeal agitation, seriously advised the Government to take him into partnership in the new firm for ruling Ireland. O'CONNELL has since broken out, in one ef . his awfully long addresses to the people ; and the Courier, assuming that he has not dropped the Repeal—that he is as ready as ever to agitate, for his own ends—now advises that he should not be taken into partnership by the Government. Is not this resting the policy of employing O'CONNELL on too narrow a ground? Every one knows that O'CONNELL IS not blessed or plagued with that especial regard to consistency in politics which would induce him to abide by professions formerly made, when it is become his present, cue to renounce or forget them. If, therefore, it be really desirable to convert the factious demagogue into the useful statesman, we should care very little indeed what his latest manifesto may have been. No one attempts to deny, that, either for the pacification or the disturbance of Ireland, Mr. O'CONNELL is the most powerful agent in existence. Experience has shown us, that blunders and tergiversation in politics, which would have sunk any other public man to the lowest depth of popular scorn, have failed to diminish the strength of his powerful grasp upon the affections and preju- dices of Catholic Ireland. Even, therefore, should be be won over by the Ministry, and take office under men sworn to resist the Repeal of the Union "to the death,"—instead of becoming an almost useless tool in consequence of the loss of that popularity which made him so formidable in opposition, it is almost certain that he would contrive to render himself a greater favourite than ever, and induce the mass of the Irish nation to view the measures of Government with a favourable instead of a jaundiced eye.
Such being the case, what course would a discreet Minister take in regard to Mr. O'CosnvEnn ? He would act in regard to him just as he acts in regard to other persons whom he selects as . instruments to carry on the Government. He would look upon him as an instrument merely—at present one of evil, but easily con- vertible into an agent of good. Suppose an extensive manufacturer were enabled to purchase a machine, a mighty steam-engine of unequalled power, from an opposition house in the trade, which, owing to the power its possession conferred, had hitherto thwarted his speculations and almost driven him out of tle market,—would he not eagerly embrace the opportunity to transfer it to his own premises? To be sure, its noise and smoke would be an annoyance to him ; and his neighbours would be profuse in threats of indicting it fur a nuisance; but his answer to himself, his family, and his neigh- bours would be—"I cannot carry on my business without it; my choice lies between the steam-engine and the Gazette : more- over, my opponents will not be able to purchase another of equal power, as none such are to be had for the purposes of my trade, I have got the best machine going." This same reply Earl GREY would be enabled to make to all who raised objections to the employment of Mr. O'CONNELL. He is to be regarded as the instrument most necessary to the good government of Ireland ; and as there is some reassn to believe that he is now in the market, Ministers. should not grudge paying a high price to secure his cooperation,—although, certainly, to more than one of them he would be a personal nuisance.
By paying a high price, we mean, of course, offering him a lu- crative and influential post. But here, we confess, a difficulty of some magnitude arises. What particular office is O'CONNELL qualified to fill ?—the Attorney-Generalship or Secretaryship of Ireland ? Both these offices should be 'occupied by men who pos- sess more than an ordinary share of discretion—of that quality in which O'CONNELL is lamentably deficient. There is no denying
this fact. An observer of his conduct in Parliament immediately
becomes aware of it. O'CONNELL is a man of commanding ora- torical powers—argumentative, pathetic, sarcastic, impressive.
His legal lore, or at least his professional expertness, is acknow- ledged to be great, and the extent and variety of his know- ledge of general subjects is equally undisputed. He possesses the great advantage which extraordinary physical power, and the capability of close application and of undergoing fatigue, confer. But with all these admirable qualities mental and bodily,
• as we before observed, he is an indiscreet and passionate man. To make him a Judge—and the Courier intimates that he
has his eye upon the office of Chief Baron of the Exchequer- • would be to lay him on the shelf: besides, no Minister would be • justified in making so bad a Judge,—for a violent party man makes a partial dispenser of justice, almost in spite of himself.
As it seems indispensable to the good government of Ireland that some office should be found for O'CONNELL, and as none for which he is well fitted at present exists, suppose Earl GREY were
to do that, for a good purpose, which has been done a hundred
• times for a bad one,—suppose he were to create an office, and install the great Agitator EIS the PACIFICATOR OF IRELAND, with a salary of six or eight thousand a year, to be holden during is Majesty's pleasure: O'CONNELL would then joyfully bid adieu to the "Rint and Rippale," and loll in comfort on the Treasury bench between Messrs. STANLEY and SPRING ItICE.
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