MR. O'CONNELL AND THE MINISTRY.
A REPORT that Mr. O'CONNELL is about to join the GREY Admi- nistration has been bandied about during the past week. The Ministerial journals deny, and the Standard asserts its truth. We fear, however, that this news is too good to be true. We fear that personal feelings of jealousy and dislike have too much influence in the minds of some of our Rulers, to suffer them to use the best means of governing Ireland like a civilized nation. Yet it is the duty of men who have incurred the responsibility and reap the honour and advantage of controlling our national councils, to dis- regard all personal prejudice whatsoever, and to aim steadily at the great object of governing the laud upon rational and states- manlike principles. It is impossible not to see that one of the greatest political blunders indliegovernment of Ireland has been the exclusion of Mr. O'CONNELL from office. He is the only man who has the power to render the people of that country in some degree satisfied with the intentions at least of the Ministry to- wards them.
Mr. O'CONNELL is conscious of his power. He knows well that he is the forepost man of his native country. He has talents, energy, and infoation, that place him far above all his com- petitors. He is in point of fact, the ruler of Ireland: why then not make him so legally ? Why not attempt to rule Ireland through his agency, and make her pacification the source of honour and emolument to him ?
The Ministry, no doubt, have been deluded by the expectation that be would soon break down. The last elections, it was sup- posed, would annihilate his influence. It was even confidently stated that his own return to the new Parliament was in jeopardy; and songs of triumph resounded from the Ministerial and Orange quarters at the anticipated defeat of the unruly Dictator. This delusion appears to have been kept up to the very day of elec- tion; for the return of the Conservative and Castle candidates was even then announced to be certain. But the result of the contest for Dublin, and the return in various parts of the country of twice as many of his nominees as ever the most powerful Bo- roughmonger pushed into the House under the old system, must at last have convinced even the presumptuous and inexperienced Mr. STANLEY, that he and his colleagues are fighting an unequal and losing battle. The real state of the question with regard to the government of Ireland is simply this. If the Ministry secure the cooperation of Mr.O'CONNELL, the people will place confidence in their good in- tentions, and patiently wait for the promised measures of relief and amelioration. If, on the contrary, they still see their idol shut out from the temple of power, they will not credit the oracle nor obey the commands of its priests, though they spoke with the tongues of angels. The Times sneers at the idea of any union being formed be- tween the Rulers of England and the Agitator of Ireland. They treat the question as a personal one between Mr. O'CONNELL and Earl GREY. But it ought not to be considered in that light. The question for the Premier to answer is—Who would be my most able coadjutor in the government of Ireland? If an arrangement can be made with this person, whoever he may be, is it statesman- like, or justifiable, to allow personal pique to prevail over my sense of duty ?
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