290 Notes for the Month. (Serr. 
have been robbed of their influence over their tenantry—already they are 
become but mere ciphers upon their estates—nay, in many places they are 
worse than ciphers—they have been forced to become the tools of their domineering 
masters, the Catholic priesthood ; and it depends upon a single breath, a single 
resolution of the Catholic Association, whether the landlords are to be robbed 
of their rents or not. So perfect a system of organization was never yet achieved 
by any body not possessing the legitimate powers of government; it is power- 
ful, it is arrogant—it derides, and it has triwmphed, over the enactments of the 
legislature, and is fillmg its coffers from the voluntary contributions of the 
people. I say, that the Catholic Association, by securing the voluntary con- 
tributions of the people, consolidates to itself a power from which it may supply 
the sinews of war, or undermine, by endless litigation and persecution, the 
established institutions of the country. Such is the power of this new pheno- 
menon; and I will ask any man, has it been slow to exercise its influence ? 
The aristocracy, the clergy, the gentry, are all prostrate before it. In those 
devoted regions a perfect abandonment of all the dignity and influence belong- 
ing to station and rank, seems to have taken place ; or if a struggle be made, 
as in Clare, it is only to insure the triumph of this daring autocrat.” 
Now it will hardly be a matter of much surprise, that this address, 
delivered in the town of Derry, was received with very unequivocal tokens 
of disapprobation ; and, notwithstanding the “ utter contempt” which 
Mr. Dawson professed to feel for the individuals who opposed him, we 
suspect that the hon. gentleman’s change of opinion will have lost him the 
greater part of his old friends, without gaining him many new ones. 
That which is exaggerated in his speech (which is a good deal) will be 
treated, by all parties, as a cry of “ Wolf!” set up to cover his own 
flight, or excuse his apprehension: that which is sound and true (which 
is a very great deal) he ought to have discovered some years ago. 
The rights of the Catholics of Ireland have not increased one jot, since 
Mr. Dawson was among their most determined opponents. If it be their 
threats which have worked upon him, such a conversion does almost as 
little credit to his personal honour, as to his political judgment. For our- 
selves, as we shall rejoice to see this question in any fair way amicably 
settled, we are content to find one more seceder from the policy that 
resisted concession altogether. But we are compelled to say that Mr. 
Dawson’s arguments in favour of accommodation, are likely to excite 
more opposition to that course, than any he ever used against it. The 
question is not quite yet, as he puts it—< Whether we will meet the 
hazard of a rebellion in Ireland, or submit to its dictation?” But, if 
such were the case, painful as either alternative would be, we should not 
hesitate a moment in deciding upon the former. 
The evening papers of to-day, state that “the pistols’ with which 
Mr. Corder committed murder, have become an object of great curiosity 
and contention, in Suffolk. The police officer, Lea, “who is collecting a 
museum of weapons with which persons have been destroyed,’ claimed them 
as a “ present” made to him by the culprit on his first apprehension: 
and the High Sheriff of the county, who also, we presume, is forming an 
armorial collection of some description, insisted that they were his by for- 
feiture in virtue of his office. The newspapers, in describing the con- 
troversy, say— 
“ At the close of the proceedings, the High Sheriff proceeded to the gaol, 
and after transacting some business, he said to the gaoler—‘ Mr. Orridge, my 
carriage is at the gate, you had better put the sword and pistols into it. Mr: 
Orridge represented to him that Lea had sworn they had been presented to 
