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‘VOL. VIE. ©
2 ®RUTHIS POWERFUL, AND WILL PREVAIL.
NEW-YORK, SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1831.
(oo NO. 98.
_ 2) IRELAND. avs
rape sg a /
TO THE ELECTORS OF THE QUEEN’S COUNTY.
{ “Ireland to give a full exposition of the merits of the ministerial
{ plan of Parliamentary Reform, and of the defects—remediable de-
7 fects, however—which belong (o that plan in its present shape. I
1 “take the liberty to address that exposition to you.
ason for doing so is simply this—your late representative,
. Sir Henry Parnell, has vacated bis seat by accepting office under
the present administration. It is my most ansious wish that, at the
present crisis, ke should be again returned to Parliament, without
: expense, and without a contest. . .
hope I will not be deemed over presumptuous in expressing
this wish. For it surely cannot be deemed presuming in a man
Ha who has the merit—and it is my only claim to to enters
Fettow-Countryszn:—l have pledged myself to the people of |.
Those men who declare themselves reformers, whilst they op:
pose reform, do really deserve the execrations as well as the: con-
tempt of the people. - They riust be sconted from the hustings at
every future election, and tavnted with their miserable hypocrisy.
How few anti-reformers u/é left who oppose reform from mere
fatuity and a blind ignorance of the injustice and iniquity of the
present system—but the foolish, the hypocrites, and the boraugh-
mongers, bound together as they are by the golden chain of self-
ish interests, form a most powerful party.’ Never before, in Eng-
lish history, did three hundied and one members vote in aminority..
Never before ree hundred and two members in a majority
of only one. is, therefore, a most formidable party, opposed
to the doing justice to the people. :
he defeat of (he party bears to them theappearance of a mere
accident.. They were so near success that their. hopes are still
high—their vicious ingenuity is fully alive. ‘There is nothing which
jderable strengt! t dexteri iculent. animosi
“tain the most sincere. and unremitting anxiety for the peace, pros-
i perity, and constitutional independence of Ireland—to offer advice
‘ to Irishmen, on an important conjuncture like the presevt. That
advice cannot possibly be canstrued into any attempt to dictate or
Pe yt control.. Iam totally destitute of any power of dictation to any
i one human being ia your county—and any effort on my part to
i contro! a single elector, would be laughed to scorn. All I can do
‘ is that which, I think, it is the right, and, indeed, the duty of every
lover of bis country’s freedom to do—namely, respectfully to offer
( : advice, and to adduce arguments, ia, order (0 convince you that
|
2
such advice'ought to be adopted. . 7 fest
{ * J, therefore, venture to offer you my advice. | I respectfally, but
. earnestly, offer that advice. It is—ar tus rLection, to return
Sir Heury Parnell without any contest, or any expense. ;
. ce Oe e value of this advice—its only value—must depend on the
j "< Jarguments I use to support it—and all [ can expect is, that you will
attend to those arguments, and if they convince you, or any of you,
, that yon will act on that conviction. ~ ‘
yd cess of reasoning which I shall uso in order to induce
such conviction is, at all events, clear and “easy of comprchensign,
i It simply involves these two propositions :
First— Toat the gaanimous return of Sir, Henry Parnel!, for an
_- irish county, at the present moment, would he a fact of the utmost
7 utility to the carrying of the great measure of Parliamentary reform.
Secondly—That the measure of Parliamentary reforni is the
most useful to public liberty—to constitutional freedom—to the at-
tainment of a cheap government and free institutions, and to the
rc pertaanent peace and prosperity of Ireland—that was ever brought
before the British Parliament.
* Tam bound to prove both these propositions. -It is not enough
i to assert them; and yet to a reflecting toind they are almost per-
: fectly self-evident. All I need do is to aid your reflections in at-
acll would aid the cause of reform,” seems to me quite indisputable.
, , The reform meets with powerful opposition. All the corrup-
tionists oppose it. All the proprietors of rotten boroughs, with a
‘few noble exceptions, are naturally and virulently opposed to that
. reform which would take away from ihet. the power they have
usavped over the people. Reform wodld restore to the peop!
\hose rights which the boroughmongers have spoliated from thea.
The people have been shamefully robbed by the boroughmongers
of their franchises; and now of course the spoliators and robbers
. gang together, to protect their spoliation and robbery:. The plnn-
der of the people has been too valuable to the robbers to be given
up without a niost violent and pertinacious resistance. .
Besides al! the powerful opposition which we meet from the open
and avowed spoliators of the rights of the people, there is another
i class who resist reform with plausibility, and therefore with more
: —E mean persons who represent open boroughs or counties.
‘Of these anti-reforimers, there are many base ani men, who
have long traficked on public plunder, and joined every taxing,
oppressing, and grinding ministry in every oppressive and tyranni-
cal measure. There are, of course, amongst these anti-reformers,
some men who are merely deluded—principally amongst this class
they are to be found—of narrow-minded religionists, who imagine
‘that the arm of God is not sufficiently strong to protect religion
without the aid of the prefligacy, bribery, and corruption of rotten
boronghs and mock fepresentalion. Poor, deluded men; honest
in their own conceit, but weak, and, for the sake of what they
jdeem religion, supporting wickedness, which they defend only be-
‘eanse they refase to look at its enormity. . yt ~
'Phese anti-reformers, who represent counties and open plat
do not, indeed, ventare to declare against all reform. “No; tha
:% ' “would not be tolerated. No; they resort to a grovelling and de
iy “ploratle hypocrisy. They say, we are reformers—we desire re-
} Yor
eT
uit the present is too sweeping a measure !! ‘Too sweep:
- in ut nobody is deceived by this puling hypocrisy. Too}
‘ ‘Sweeping! Why, it only sweeps away ubnses, ow us any thing
bat an abuse that it purports to sweep away, and we will retain it:
- Would you have a reform that did not sweep away all the abuses
of Parliamentary corruption? _ Yes, you would. “Yes, those who
are guilty of this hypocrisy desire to retain all the abuses; and it is
only to enable thetn to retain all the aboses, and to oppose all effec-
tual reform, that they now declare themselves to Le reformers,
Reformers in good sooth! ee voc it
Yes, they have as much desire to protect popalar rights by any
ue
.taining that entire evidence of these traths which may govern your
conduct at the approaching electlun. - dl
‘The first proposition, “ that the unanimous return of Sir IT. Par-
d
igtb— gi
stimulating personal interest tan effect, which will be left untried
to defeut, or at all events to emasculate the bill during its progress
through the committee. It will be a hard and a dubious struggle.
What cannot be achieved by the strength of the omnipotent fac-
tion, may be gained by trick. What cannot be obtained by dexte-
tity, may’ be aftained by ‘hypocritical delusion. Hypocrisy,
dexterity, trick, and strength, will all—all be. employed to defeat
reform. . .
* This is just’ the moment for all the friends. of the measure to
rally together—to bury in obliyion alt past dissentions—to postpone
for the moment other usefu' projects, or rather to lay them on one
side, whilst all our faculties are exerted to carry into effect the ma-
jestic and conservative plan of reform now in progress.)
Recollect, my friends, that the government have one, and only
one check over the faction of corruptionists—they have but one
bridle to put into the moutis of the profligate horoughmongers—it
is the dissolution of parliament. If the corruptionists see that the
parliament wil! be, nay, must be dissolved, unless tbe bill passes in
its integrity-if they ere couvinced that the refusal to pass the bil
ints sweeping Streniliand powes, will be'an immediate ap;
he constiiuency—if that convjctiqn be \«deep, complete: and un-
doubting—do} of ##—depend ow it—shat much of the vigour
of the opposition will die away, and many, and mans ja
supporter will endeavour to regain popularity by giving in bis ad-
esion to the reform bill. Po
The certainty of the bill—the whoie-bill, or a dissolution, .is the
strength of the reformers, - It is onr sbield, and our sword.—Give
ts these weapons, and the fight is our’s. Let the government be
certain that the friends of reform will be returaed to parliament
without dificulty and without expense, and then they can set the
base boroughmongers, the selfish. corruptionists, and the foolish
anti-reformers at defiance.,” x
Now, here is one of the best possible opportunities of proviag to
e corruptionists that the reformers will be perfectly safe in the
eventof a dissolution.
England, let it be observed, is safe enough. There is no doubt
thatin every open place in England refurmers will be returned ;
the present reformers will come back and new reformers will be
added. . The government boroughs—for such is the ubominable
and atrocious system we seek to destroy—the government boroughs
are now filled with the satellites of Peel aud Wellington; 1 wish
T could eshibit some of them; they, of course, by a dissolution go
out, and reformers will take their places; then the price of rotten
boroughs will fallin the market—it will be scarcely worth while
for an anti-reformer to purchase a seat even in a rotteu borough,
whilst in the boroughs which are close, and ite rotten, and
which have hitherto been earried by individual bribery, it will not
be worth the expense to a corruptionist to buy two or three hun-
dred voters. Many of these voters are men of honest inclinations
who have participated in corruption because its generabprevalency
took away the disgrace of being corrupt ; now the vice of bribery
will stand forth in all its native deformity, and many ‘f the closer
boroughs will vindicate a higher character, and gige us hearty’ re-
formers. In fine, England § safe, and a dissolution of Parliameyt
in England must considera! fy. reinforce the friends of hovest aud’
Just reform. vets wot ry ss}
Scotland is otherwise circemstanced : Séotland is one universal
rotten borough ; representation isa mockéry there. | It is true that
there are some Scotch gentlemen in the [dus who ere superior to
i inegrity,.'set the natidnal
c=
the system, and, by force of Brdivideal iniegri
curruption at defiance ; bat ‘the “we
Worst measures have been the. Scotch members: they have no po-
pularconfidence to forfeit—ao popular opinion to controut them;
they job, and job, and © plunder ma the excherrer, fiat!” with an
appetite that might rival Valstaff. Little good can be expectet
from Scotland,’ because its representation is one of the greétest
Plague spots in (he present aligarehipul iniquity. It_festers and
gangrenes every thing around itit dears a pestiferavs contagion
with it, making the air of literature, science, poetry, and fascinating
fiction mephitic and destrnctive from the corrupt-hearted and sine-
curist Walter Scott, to ell the smalt fry and great whales that sport
on the dead sea of Blackwood’s Magazine. From Scotland w
can expect but little assistance—but even there a dissolution would
brifg us an augmentation of force, ~
Ilowever, Ireland—Iretand is the country on which the Tories
Dace all theif reliance.” Driven aimost to the verze of popularand
insane rebellion, by the absurd and despotic policy of Lord Angles
sey’s government, in suppressing legitimate discussion, and prosecn-
=
a
o
reform, a8 tho wolf bas to protect the tranquillity of tte.streelful,
Sande sa gor the sbepterth . - ee
. ‘ ‘
ting the preserin stopping up the safety valyes of the state, and
j stantly recurring counsels. of friends on whom they do, because
they ought to, confide—and in also depriving that” people of the
quieting and tranquilizing hope of retief by legal and constitutional
means. » This ill-starred policy on the part of the Anglesey, and
Stanley, and last, but not feast, Melbourne government of Ireland,
however pure it may be conceded to be, in intention and motive—
has reduced Ireland to that state that makes the heart_of Toryism-
bound with hopéend the most vile and profligate of the cotrup-
would not dare to dissolve Parliament, lest the friends of that mi-
nistry should be rejected in Ireland. +
Now, electors of the Queen’s county—now is your time.. Take
away from the Tories (his their last hope—shew them that we Irish-
men understand the value of popular rights—that we know the
inestioable advantage of advancing the energies of the democratic
principle—of crushing the hydra of corruption, and giving the peo-
ple a check and controul over mis-government. ,
This is the occasion to prove to the cotruptionists, that (he min-
istry have on the subject of reform] every thing to hope, and no-
thing to fear from Ireland. * } ‘ <
eturn Sir Henry Parnell without contest, and without expense,
and the Tories will then feel that Iretand alone will secure the ulli-
mate and complete success of the reforin. .
You know that
carrying on the government of a country by means of Poliguac
proclamations—that I detest the oppression which would erash the
free press, and pamper the profligate portion of our public writers ;
but E forget all this, and more, while there is a prospect of advanc-
ing the sacred cause of human freedom, by the happy medium of
the constilation and the law, and without the possibibility of vio-
lence, turbulence, crime or bloodshed. I cannot express, in terms
sufficiently strong, my gratitude fot this boon—this majestic boon,
of constilutional and lawful reform.
Sir Henry Parnell, and the hopes of corporate monopa-
lists are at an end forever. | ‘This is the strongest possible case.
Sir Henry differs with me on many vital points of domestic ar-
rargement. Buk for the present [ forget, or postpone, all these.
/teis a tcformer, and a portion (ob, glorious !y' of w-reformming
ministry. ;
Sir Henry is a Unionist—and Iam an Anti-Unionist. » Bat let as
now think of reform, Le isa reformer, and part of a ministry who,
in the name of our gracious King, offered us reform.
Anti-Unionists of the Queen’s County, you may be told that I
desert the sacred cause of that plan of repeal, which would insure
and perpetuate British connection, whilst it gave Ireland the pro-
lection of a resident legislature, Do not believe calumny. It is
quite true that [look upon the repeal of the Union, not as aa end,
but as a means. ‘The means of producing the end I aim at—viz:
such a government as should raise the people of Ireland from their
Present state of depression, poverty and misery—a fostering, pro--
ced that the repeal of the Union isthe oxty wxaxs of atiaining that
end, thet I adhere to that repeal with usdeviating and hopetal per-
tinacity. But J ask, in the name of common sense, is that any rea-
son why. 1 should reject or refuse to aid in carrying any other salu-
tary orvlseful messure? . Must'I tose the good within my grasp,
merely because I cannot at once and violently obtain what I deem
an infnntely greater good? ‘1 do, therefore, anti-Unionists, confi-
dently appeal to your good sense, to your calm judgment, to your
dispassionate reason.’ You are friends of liberty in every quarter
of the slobe—you are friends of human freedom in every clime and
country. ‘Tere isa groat and glosious opportunity of assisting tu
give freedom to Englund, liberty to Scotland, ameliorated. institu-
tions and higher hopes to Ireland. Brother anti-Uniouists, tet as
show that swe do really deserve a domestic legislature, and national
but strictly constitutional independence for Jreland, by the zeal,
the alacrity, the devotedness with which we shall aid in the great
cause of reform. set '
England! the thousands, the millions of honest reformers in
England, the bundreds of thousands of honest reformers in Scot-
lard, all look to you, ‘Lhisis the moment toearn their esteem,
their confidence, their respect. Show them how bigh beats the
heart of Ireland—how generously our country feels for the liber-
ties of oters—how ready she is tu aid “ freemen’s efforts in free-
dom’s cause” all ever the empire.
Depehd on it tiat we shall’ thus conciliate public opinion in
Great Peitain— that we shail thus obtain’ wrat we beve not yet
obtaincd—a fuir,hearing for our arguments tin favour af the repeal
—that. We shall convince our fellow-subjects iim. Britain tbat we do
not desive separation or evea selfish advantage in seeking for are-
peal of the Uniog; and that We are as decidely devoted to the ad-
vancement of the liberty aud bappiness of the iubabitants of Great
Britain, as we are to the protection and propriety of the ill-fated,
oppressed, nnd now wretched natives of this our native land, .
In fact, this is aa opportanity to show generosity and love of His
beriy.| Breathes there one genujue Iristman who will hesilate to
show these hizh qualities ?
There is but Ane topic more on which ¥ desire to tonch. Tt és
this: you may be tuld that it is inconsistent in me to give my hum-
ble support to Sir Henry Parnell, when [threw the weight of
whatever iuduence I could possess into the scale against so exce’-
lenta man as Lord Duncannon. — *
Lord Duncannon is certainty an excellent man. There does
not tive a more estimable geutleman—but Le joined the ministre
before they published their comprehensive and most patriotte plair
of reform. [ opposed Lord Dancannon because I dif not believe
tabing from en ovet}urtuened and starving population the con-
that a ministry which confided thestfairs of Irdand to Lord Mei-
tionists do not hesitate to declare their conviction that the minstry
lo not hesitate to declare my abhorence of -
tecting government. ‘It is becanse Fam at present deeply convin- .