Jh31.] Affairs in General. 09 



blood." And of course this example is not to be followed by the Irish, 

 if England should refuse to give way. No, the agitator, who rode 

 through the country creating an Order of Liberators, has no idea that 

 blood can ever be in the thoughts of he, who deprecates all force. Doubt- 

 less he would seriously deprecate his own seizure by an attorney-general. 

 And so far as words go, he will study innocence. But how did the popu- 

 lace understand the speech ? Why was the example of civil blood 

 quoted ? why were the populace told that blood was in other countries 

 the price of liberty ? 



He has since repeated the topic at one of those public meetings which 

 are in direct defiance of the law, according to every conception of right 

 reason. With 2,000 people for his hearers at the tavern, he tells them 

 that " the repeal of the Union is a question of life and death, combining 

 within itself the existence of our country as a nation involving at once 

 the charities of public and private life, the support of our labouring poor, 

 and the employment of our wretched artizaris ; it is one so great, so vast, 

 and so important, that in it (it cannot be wondered at) all others should, 

 for a time, be absorbed." He then tells them that he has no hope in the 

 ministry : 



"As to Earl Grey, I declare that I have not the least confidence in him. 

 He was a democrat in early life he became a lord, God know how or in 

 what Whig revolution, and he now begins to talk of ' his order/ [[hear, 

 hear !] He will be obliged to do something for England he must do some- 

 thing for Scotland and with respect to Ireland, what does he do ? he 

 threatens us with Proclamations and Algerine Acts. Earl Grey, I defy you !" 

 [[cheers. 3 



What is to be done by a nation with a ministry who sends them nothing 

 but acts fit for Algerine tyrants to send ? The populace are left to draw 

 their own conclusion. The populace are then summoned to an universal 

 call for parliamentary reform and voting by ballot. How much does the 

 orator care for the purity of the English constitution ? But whatever 

 may be his objects, he tells them now is their time. 



" Let it be done now ; England is rocking to its centre ; the sound of the 

 approaching hurricane can he already heard ; the ground is trembling under 

 their feet ; the volcano is about to burst beneath them ; the storm that has 

 been raised by the intelligent mass of the English people is about to sweep 

 over them. Where is the ' master-spirit' to rule that storm? That master- 

 spirit is not Lord Grey, who, at such a crisis, could have the folly to threaten 

 us with Proclamations and Algerine Acts." [[cheers.]] 

 He then prohibits the spilling of blood : 



" In the struggle which our country is about to make for freedom, neither 

 force nor violence shall be used/' 



Of course, the people, with all their Catholic emancipation, are still 

 slaves, and have still to make a national struggle for freedom, which is not, 

 like the " glorious struggles" of France and Belgium for freedom, to be 

 one of blood. 



The people are then directed not to form conspiracies for the purpose 

 of the repeal, that " question of death and life," that giver of wealth to 

 the poor, and of freedom to every body. 



<f People of Ireland, hear me ; let not any possibility induce you to be 

 guilty of violence, or to shed one drop of blood ; let not secret societies exist 

 amongst you have nought to do with them, as you are anxious for a repeal 

 of the Union. No man who loves Ireland will join in a secret society. [Tiearl^ 

 Secret societies ! I excommunicate you from amongst Irishmen I proclaim 

 here, that the man who belongs to one is an enemy to me and to Ireland." 

 [[cheers.]] 



In all which points \ve must take the orator's word for his sincerity. 



