The Dublin correspondent of the Morning Post complains that Mr.
Spring Rice is about to make a clearing out of all the Orangemen in the Chief Secretary's office. We hope that there is good ground for the complaint.
A very considerable sensation has been created in Dublin by the announcement of the intention of his Majesty's Government to transfer the duties of the Exchequer department to London. The system of centralization, and of conferring upon Englishmen situations of emolument hitherto enjoyed by the inhabitants of the sister country, is very generally reprobated.
Johnny MsCrea's Ebenezer Chapel is to be presented as a nuisance by the Dublin Gland Jury. A letter from Mr. O'Connell to his constituents of Kilkenny ap.. pears in the Dublin Pilot. The letter is in lieu of the visit which he had intended at the close of the session, hilt which the affliction in his funnily has obliged him to postpone. Mr. O'Connell renders " an account of his stewardship ;" and, in the manlier of Mr. Wallace of Greenock, offers to resign his seat if his constituents are dissatisfied. He gives an account of his Parliamentary conduct during the past session ; stating the principal questions on which he had opposed Ministers, and his reasons for according them hisgeneral support. He justifies his vote in favour of the Irish Tithe-billl, on the ground that it is wise, and has ever been his policy, to take what be could get fur Ireland and then " go on for the balance." He would gladly have supported a measure for the total abolition of tithes, but such a proposition would not have received fifty votes. He supported Lord alorpeth's bill simply as an instalment. Next session, however, instead of 30 per cent., the rejected offer of last session, he will require a deduction of 40 per cent. and 21 per cent. from the gross amount of the tithe composition-10 per cent. being paid to the clergy out of the revenue of the Irish Woods and Forests. With regard to Irish Municipal Reform, he will not take the bill of last session, next year, but will insist that the Reformed Corporations shall nominate the Sheriffs, and that in every respect lush towns shall bo put upon an equality with the English. Mr. O'Connell defends his support of the English Church Bill, on the third reading, not because he approved of the bill, but because Ministers, in a great measure owing to the neglect of the Radicals, had become pledged to it, and must have resigned had it been thrown out, and then a Tory Government would have been established in Ireland. So much for the past. With regard to the future, Mr. O'Connell declares that he has not abandoned Repeal, only postponed the agitation of it, in order to give England an opportunity of doing justice to his country " The experiment is simply to ascertain whether it be possible that Ireland can be as well governed by an United Legislature as by its own domestic Parliament. This is the experiment we are now making, and have been making for considerably more than twelve months. " Two questions on Cris subject naturally present themselves,—the first is, How long the experiment is to lust? the second is, Whether it is likely to be successful? " As to the first, my answer is, that not less than one, nor probably more than two years, from this period, should be devoted to this object. The time may be lengthened if within the period I mention, any substantial proofs are given of a permanent disposition to do justice to Ireland. But they must be proofs, nut assertions. We have at present abundant assertion on this subject, communicated in terms of such insolence as to denote hostility, not friendship. "To the second question my answer is distinct and emphatic : I am convinced of the utter impossibility of obtaining justice for Ireland from any other than an Irish Parliament. This conviction is daily strengthened by every event that occurs. We have been treated with the basest indignity in the last session. Not only have we been refused justice on the question of Corporate Reform, but we have been refused it with the grossest indignity anti the vilest insult."
He repeats his assertion that the majority of Englishmen are hostile or indifferent to the just rights of the people of Ireland,—a melancholy truth, which it would be foolish to disguise. It is therefore the more necessary that Irishmen should be up and stirring, to wolk out their own political salvation.
With respect to a Poor-law for Ireland, Mr. O'Connell announces his intention to support that which it is expected Ministers will propose; though be fears that such a measure as the Lords will pass cannot be of essential service " But although I now see the inevitable necessity of acceding to a Poor-laws let me not be misunderstood alS being at all sanguirie as to any beneficial results. It is, in the first place, quite clear th it no Poor-law bill will pass the nu. 4E Lords unless the management of the relief is placed in the hands of the great landlords. The present House of Lords will certainly not give us a better Poor-law bill in this respect than the English law : and the aristocratic tendency of that bill is manifest.
" There has been a cry raised on this subject in Ireland, which renders It still more necessary that a Poor law bill should pass. But I very much doubt of any practical relief from such a hill. A Poor law takes away a great deal from the p.uper, and m seldo gives him any adequate compensation. How few of our Irish declaimers on Poor laws are aware of what such a law deprives the pauper, or of its fatal effects on wages. But Lord Morpeth is pledged upon this subject, and we must have a Poor law. I will watch its details, with a view to render them as little onerous upon the Poor.rate payers, and as extensively useful, as I possibly can. But, alas ! the Poordaw is an experiment which, in my humble and anxious judgment, will probably fail ; and thea those who have so long clamoured for a Poor•law will find that they have got, instead of a fish, a serpent—better suited to bite than to fatten or feed others,"
The letter concludes with some sentences of encouragement
s' Upon the whole, however, my excellent fliends, I see no one reason to despair or even to despond : on the contrary, my hopes are high for Ireland. The Ministers of tie King are with us; the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland is with us ; a powerful minority in England are inclined in our favour; a large nirjority in Smotlami,i are anxiously with us; and we ourselves, Irishmen, are 4N:whining with more energy and discretion united than we ever before beheld. of rank and of fin tune are mingling honestly and zealously with the most patriotic classes in the cause of Ireland. The honest Reformers of Leland, think not of religious distinctions or prejudices. Men who never before wok a part in politics now feel it a duty to join the patriotic ranks. One spirit animates till, and that is the spirit of peace, conciliation, harmony, and freedom."
It will be seen from our extracts, that the tone of this letter, though earliest, is moderate and rail':er subdued. Because the writer is Mr. O'Connell, the Tories abuse it • nl,eit a more inoffensive .aililtess from a Member to his eonstituents could seark7f4 Mr. O'Connell has at length replied, in :be Dublin Pd, torshree letters of Mr. Sharman Crawford, written arid pablklied bythat gestleman to show that the Agitator had mismanaged the Irish come, luta sacrificed the rights of his country to his desire to support tlieveseat Ministers. Mr. Crawford especially charged Mr. O'Connell Arida supporting the second Coercion Bill, which he maintained was may as bad as the first. Mr. O'Connell certainly makes out a cue of culpable carelessness and misrepresentation against Mr. Crawford as several important points,—fully acquitting him, however, of misstating any thing designedly.
have been penned.
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