IRELAND.
The Dublin Petition Committee was converted on Monday into a "National Association for Irish Corporate Reform and the Settle. ment of the Tithe Question." But, as Mr. O'Connell, in a letter to the Pilot, purposes to give it the name of a" General Association for
i Ireland," t will probably be rebaptized.
Anotherletter from Mr. O'Connell, addressed to the People of Ire- land, appeared in the Pilot on Wednesday. It is rather lengthy, and goes over a good deal of old ground. It commences with a description under eleven heads of the state of Ireland,—her natural wealth and capacity for improvement, comfort, and happiness ; but actual misery, turbulence, and destitution. He then describes the causes of this unnatural state of things, ascribing it to misgovernment and English oppression ; which only ceased when Lord Mulgrave and Lord Morpeth became the Viceroy and Secretary for Ireland. Lord Melbourne, he says, con- tetnplated three grand measures for Ireland,—an improved system of elec- toral registration ; a Reform of the Church, and an allotment of part of its revenues for the purposes of educating the people ; and Muni- cipal Corporation Reform. These measures have been or will be re- jected by the Lords. Insult is added to injury by the "ungenerous and heartless tyrant, Wellington," "the mean and creeping Vestry Fitz- gerald," and the "basest of the base," whose name shall not "pollute" his page. He calls upon Irishmen to concentrate their energies and rally round the King's Government- " Let us not consume one moment in reproach or in anger, in expostulation or in resentment. The injury—above all, the insult—is too deep, too degrading, to find any resource in complaints or words.
"Let us be up and doing.
"We are degraded below the level of human beings as long as the foul stain of this daring insult remains upon us. "I have been amongst those who have led you already to victory—the low- liest, but amongst the most zealous of them all. I offer myself to you again to lead you to success more certain and complete.
"England must do us justice, or we will do justice to ourselves.
"But the course of this struggle must be like the lust—without a breach of any law—without a violation of any duty—without a crime before man— without a sin before God—unstained with any injury to the property of any human being—entirely free from the pollution of one drop of blood. " Hasten, then, to another moral combination—hasten, then, to procure a remedy for the past, to prevent the more hideous mischiefs with Which the future threatens us. If the Lyndhurst gang in the Lords are allowed with im- punity to rejoice over their insolent injustice to Ireland, success will necessarily encourage them to further darings. The sword of destruction was once before threatened by Wellington. I believe him to be now as willing, though less able, to wield it. That sword may sweep over Ireland for destruction, unless every honest and good man arouses him now at my call and the call of Ireland-- unless there be a vow unspoken but recognized in the heart's firm ditelmi. nation to exert every faculty of mind and body to wipe off the foul insult, and to procure justice for Ireland. " This, then, is my manifesto to the People of Ireland, to the Reformers of Great Britain, and to the friends of rational liberty all over the world."
He then proposes to form a" General Association for Ireland ;" ob- lecting to the term National Association, as too exclusive, and to be ept in reserve for the association of Repealers which will become ne- cessary, should their present efforts to obtain justice be unsuccesful. The objects of the General Association are stated to be- " 1st. To obtain peaceably, and by legal means, a settlement of the tithe question, in a mode perfectly satisfactory to the people of Ireland. "2d. To obtain Municipal Reform for Ireland, upon the same principle, and to the same extent, with that obtained by the people of Scotland and of England. " The Association to stand absolutely dissolved the moment these two ob-
jects are achieved. • a S • S • • •
"The chief staff and support of the new Association will be the institution of an annual rent, upon the same basis with the late Catholic Rent, and to be called The Rent for Ireland. The victims of illegal tithe exactions demand assistance, and the resistance to oppression will require, in one thousand ways, pecuniary aid. The Rent for Ireland will, I trust, soon rival the Catholic Rent in utility and efficacy to procure success. " Let every man who pays one pound be a member of the Association, with power to speak and vote—let every man who contributes one shilling be an as- sociate, and be enrolled OR our books, aud entitled to all the protection we can give him."
In conclusion, Mr. O'Connell promises to send another letter to the Secretary with his contribution to the " Rent for Ireland ;" and to be in Dublin as soon as possible, to assist in the organization and arrange- ment of the new Association.
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