SEDITION IN IRELAND.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 322, 30 August 1848, Page 3

SEDITION IN IRELAND.

A crowded meeting of the Irish Confederation was held in the Music Hall on Thursday evening, a Mr. Barry in the chair, when all the Young Ireland orators who spoke gave utterance to the rankest sedition. The chairman said :—": — " If Mr. O'Brien, Mr. Meagher, and Mr. Mitchell were to be imprisoned by Lord Clarendon for speaking the truth, he ought at once to give orders for the erection of 1000 more gaols, and even that number would not hold all who were determined to imitate the conduct of those illustrious patriots. Millions were resolved to follow their bright example. Were ti e men of Ireland to sit listlessly by while all the nations of Europe were tearing down the throne of their oppressors ? Was all the rest of the world to be fiee, and Ireland remain a slave [No, no] ? The independence of this country must be achieved at all hazards. The bayonets of the tyrants had no terrors for other men ; should the law deter the Irish [cries of no, no, and cheers] ? Let those who respected the law go away and mind their families and private interests ; let them leave the agitation to us, who neither love, nor fear, nor respect the 'aw, for we are resolved that that thing jumbled together in London, and called law, must be destioyed" [cheers]. Mr. Duffy, proprietor of the Nation newspaper, thus expressed himself: — " The sycophants of the Castle told the English Viceroy that they would quail before the face of the law — that the Irish Confederation would sink before it. Now listen to the resolution to which the council had come. Don't asseut to it unless you are ready to sustain it to the last, not so much by words as deeds :—: — j " Resolved — That the English Government iv Ireland having prosecuted the speeches delivered at tiie last meeting of the Confederation by two of its most trusted members, Wm. Smith O'Brien, M. P. and Thomas F. Meagher, we hereby deliberately adopt the principles contained in those speeches, and direct them to be printed aud circulated throughout Ireland, at the expense of the Confederation" [cheers]. That (continued Mr. Duffy) was thpir answer to the English Government, and they were there to sustain it with their lives [cheers]. They were not learned in the law, and they did not expect to be able 'to drive a coach and six through the indictment ;' but, with the help of God and your (the confederates) help, they would drive something stronger [immense cl eermg] — they would drive the Council of National Safety through it ; and they would drive the green banner of 100,000 National Guards through it [cheers]. Mr. Duffy look the leading points of Mr. Smith O'Brien's prosecuted speech, and said he adopted c *cry one of them." Mr. Deviue Reilly, in moving a violent resolution, said that the people would open the gaols for the liberation of the patriots with pole-axes and crow bars. The rest of his speech was full of " barricades," " rifles," " pikes," and " powder." Mr. Mitchell, the editor of the United Irishman, said, for his part, he was sick with talking and willing : the time had come for something more effectual, The resolution which he had now the pleasure of seconding was a step in the right direction. He now conjured them by the love of God to get guns [cheers!. Several voices : Pikes, pikes, pikes. Mr. Mitchell continued: He understood a very good sound rifle m'ght lie bought for £3 [hear, hear]. As many present could not afford .£3 for a weapon, there was a simple mode of obtaining a very effective one [cheers]. Let each one get a stout ash pole of seven feet in length, and let that be properly mounted [chsers]. What he war ted to convey was this, that speeches and resolutions never would avail — never would do one bit of unless they had arms in their hands, and were leady to turn out [cheers]. He hoped that every man present participated in his anxeiy to see something effectual done [cheers]. He entreated them to attend to the clubs ; there were five of them already in the ciiy [hear, and cheers]. He marched here to night at the head of one of. them — 300 strong [renewed cheers]. From what he bad witnessed in

these clubs, he anticipated the best results from them [cheers]. He was accused by the English Viceroy of writing sedition. Now, he addressed himself to the gentlemen who were taking notes for the Government, and ht told them that it was he who wrote the articles called seditious,; and, what was more, he had written sedition, and would write more sedition [cheers]. He meant to go further ; it was his intention to commit high treason [immense cheering]. He meant to call upon every one of those present to commit high treason ; and unless they had made up their minds to be slaves for ever, they must rise up at an early day, or early night, smash through that castle, and tear down that English flag [protracted cheers]. He had but one or two objections to make to the speeches made by Mr. Meagher and Mr. O'Brien. One gentleman said he would he satisfied with the constitution of '82. He would not be content with it ; that constitution departed in eighteen, years ; he wanted abetter constitution [cheers]. Fie objected, also, to addressing the Queen ; he would have nothing more to do with kings or queens. There should be no rest for him till he saw in Ireland a free republic [cheers], Mr. Doheny, barrister, expressed himself in these terms : — " My friend, Mr. Meagher, said that henceforth the proceedings of the Confederation should be short, sharp, and decisive. Now, I know nothing so short, sharp, and decisive, as the sound of the rifle, therefore let all who can get rifles [voices, "Pikes, pikes"]. Mr. Meagher will, in a day or two, inform the Provisional Government of France of the love the Irish people bear their English oppressors, and of the strength cf the English Government here ; he would tell them, in short, of the high treason th.it existed in Ireland [cheers], and he will come back and tell you what there is of help in France [renewed cheers]. It will not do to be talking any more — we must lesolve to fight in the open streets [cheers], and care less for the rifle and the double-barrelled gun than for the national weapon of Ireland — the pike [protracted cheers]. It is idle to talk of defending our own liberties in the open stietts until we are armed, and when we are so prepared, erect the barricades [loud and prolonged cheers]. I don't advise a rising to night, or to-morrow, but this I say, that English dominion in Ireland must have an end, or we shall cease to be [protracted cheers]. I have come to night to talk, and talk for the last time ; what I shall do henceforth will not be mere talking. Are you prepared to vindicate your liberties ? [Several voice, " Pikes, pikes, pikes;" "we are, we are, at once"]. Are you prepared to sell your last meal, and buy a weapon [yes, yes] ? Are you prepared to make this the last trial with* England [yes, yes] ? Do you think the pike would be the best weapon [yes, yes] 1 Then iv God's name get pikes." Mr. Stevenson told the meeting how he bad been turned out of a college in the north for joining the Confederation, and how he had ever sir.cc been engaged studying the science of building barricades and taking fortresses. He concluded by seconding the resolution moved by Mr. Doheny, which was adopted. - Several new members were then enrolled, and at eleven o'clock the chair was vacated, and the meeting adjourned.

What can be done with Ireland? — Of all questions this is the most difficult to answer. We have sent it to the Editor of Bell's Life, and every sporting paper, but have received no satisfactory reply. Several plans have been proposed. Some have re» commended the cold water cure ; others, an earthquake; and one or two bold persons have hinted at its being presented a free gift (if such a donation can be called a gift) to Joinville, or Louis Philippe, or its being sold for what it would fetch to the Emperor of Russia. None of these plans, however, have been tried, or at all events have succeeded. The place is 88 incurable as ever. O! that a second St. Patrick would rise and drive all the vermin out of the country! Ireland is not only England's difficulty, but also her own. Her serpents and snake? in the grass make it impoM.ble for any one who is not fond of continual hissing and stinging- , to live in such a place. Now, we propose, for the benefit of Ireland, that a plan of emigration be tried on the most extensive scale. If some of the inhabitants could only be removed, we are sure the country would flourish. Conciliation Hall might be shipped to Botany Bay, and Young Ireland be exported in a body to the Hotel de Ville. Premiums should be offered to every agitator, corresponding with the amount of mischief he is likely to do, to induce the race of Meaghers and Mitchels to prove their real Jove to Ireland by leaving it. We hope Government will appreciate our hint by instantly starting a General Irish Emigration Society. I- eland looks upon England as her natural enemy. We beg to say she is no one's, enemy, but her own. Ther sooner that enmity is buried, the better for her and the pleaiauter for im.— • Punch.

Emblem tor TrelaNd. — Different nations have their diflfrfent representations deiiveil from the animal creation. There is the British lion, the Austr ; an eagle, the Gallic coik. The emblem of Ireland ought to he ihe hyena,' the creature, according to WombwelPs natural history, *• wot kindness cannot conciliate, nor hunger tame. — Punch.