“MR. O'CONNELL objected to this compliment to Catholics, who would, he considered, be unworthy of it if they did not take a guinea's worth of interest in the Catholic cause.

"MR. ENEAS M'DONNELL, MR. LANNIGAN, and MR. O'REILLY contended against Protestants having a deliberate voice in the proceedings of their associa tion, from their inability to form a disinterested opinion upon Catholic Emanci pation, and the apprehension of persons inimical to their cause insinuating themselves into the meeting.

"Mr. O'CONNELL, in reply, observed, that it was by and from Protestants they were to receive their emancipation, and, consequently, no one more capable of discussing and advising the means for obtaining than a Protestant; and as to the intrusion of improper characters, there was little apprehension of Orangemen flocking in with guineas to mar their proceedings.

"MR. N. MAHON supported Mr. O Connell's view of the question, which," upon being put, was carried by a large majority.

"MR. O'CONNELL gave notice of a motion to consider the propriety of petitioning parliament against the church-rates, as paid by Catholics."

On the next day of meeting, the following Tuesday, Mr. O'Connell brought forward additional rules. We are particular in giving all these details of arrangement, as the plan and system of the, Catholic Association have been that of all the associations since created :

"That no question should be entertained by the meeting, or amendment put y the chairman, unless the same was stated in writing.

"That no member be allowed to speak twice to any question, unless the hover, who shall have the right of reply.

"That the object of the foregoing resolutions is to prevent, as much as possible, any debate or discussion but what may be absolutely necessary to ascertain the sense of each meeting.

That the rules and laws of the association be posted up in the room, and also be entered in a book to be kept for that purpose."

The first "no house" of the new body occurred on the 31st of May, when at half-past three o'clock, ten members not being present, "the house adjourned," according to one of their recently adopted rules.

This regulation was soon afterwards made use of to thwart Mr. O'Connell, and increase the difficulties in the way of his plans, for working the cause with the new organization. We shall have to come to this speedily.

On the 8th of June, Mr. O'Connell redeemed his notice relative to the "administration of justice and church rates."

After some preliminary business, in particular the reading of letters respecting the ddress to the king, from several of the parties appointed to go with it, craving an extension of time, the business of the day was called on :

MR. O'CONNELL then rose. He had given notice of two motions (the administration of justice, and justice in Ireland and the Church-rates), and he was at liberty to give precedence to which he pleased, he should, therefore, move on the administration of justice.

He congratulated the Catholics upon their unanimity of feeling, and hailed as a good omen for the cause, the establishment of a Catholic association in London; not for the absurd purpose

VOL. i.

of discussing mere routine matter, but in order to wrestle with their grievances and oppressions boldly and effectually. As their English brethren had imitated them in the formation of the as sociation, so he hoped the Irish would take example by them in adopting any of their regulations which might be thought advan tageous; such, for instance, as admitting the Catholic clergymen to become members of the association without payment of a subscription.

In reference to the subject matter immediately before the association. he would refer to the speech of Mr. Hugh O'Connor, at the late aggregate meeting, to prove its mighty importance. The observations made by that gentleman, and the manner in which they were received by the assembly, afforded incontrovertible evidence of their truth and application. For many years he (Mr. O'Connell) had been complimented by too kind friends, as the most animated speaker of the Catholic body; but even were the fact as they would have persuaded him, in his life he never could have made so energetic a speech as that of Mr. O'Connor's. But why was it energetic? Because its force arose from its truth; because it portrayed, faithfully and strongly, the grinding evils with which the Catholics are aggrieved by the existing system of the administration of justice in Ireland ; evils which no individual power could control, no judicial authority remedy, however well disposed to do so.

The course of proceeding best adapted to the interests of the Catholics, required the serious consideration of the association. Three presented themselves for their adoption.

First-that of confining themselves to the old practice of an annual petition to parliament, and to the association having its way, but taking such previous measures as might be best calcu lated to ensure its success.

Secondly-that of detaching particulars of the most operative grievances from the general and disgusting catalogue, and exposing them to the British empire and the world.

Thirdly that of endeavouring to bring the Catholics to act with the reformers of England.

In fact, he was desirous of testing the Catholics once more, and seeing whether there were any ground for the accusation that seemed to be taken as an admitted and proved charge against them-that the iron had so entered into their souls as to make them averse to any, the most moderate self-exertion, and inclined to submit tamely to their evils, and timidly and basely to allow the Orangemen to trample upon and lord it over them-to revel

unchecked and unopposed in all the license of triumphant tyranny, bigotry, persecution, and the demoniac spirit of rapine and outrage!

Could it be said he used these strong terms without need; it was not a fancied sketch, but a picture of fearful realities; tha', of which the disgusting outline was so wantonly and so recklessly exhibited at the theatre on Wednesday night last. That place which was generally considered to be the temple of classic entertainment, and of refined and cultivated amusement; the haunt of the graces, and the scene of social enjoyment, was converted into a bear-garden, where the ferocious Orangeman taunted his quiescent Catholic neighbour, by insultingly displaying the insignia of past victory, and anticipated triumph!

Yes, triumph; for has not their grand master beeu permitted to triumph over the imperial authority of the Commons of England? has he not been permitted insolently to refuse telling the great legislative assembly of the nation, when they demanded it of him, what was the watch-word by which they hallooed each other on to the work of destruction?

The most calm and deliberate conviction of his (Mr. O'Connell's) mind was, that there must be something in their token of recognition too horrible to be utterred; and therefore it was, and therefore it could only be, that the legislature was suffered to be degraded-its high privileges to be contemned, and that authority which it has been so zealous to maintain, as to commit its own members for breaches that were but as pismires to elephants, when compared with the contumacy of the grand Orange martyr, Abraham Bradley King, Baronet and government printer, set at defiance with impunity. That there was some adequate cause for the unheard-of proceeding, it would be idle to doubt. Government knew why they permitted the authority of parliament to sink into utter ridicule; they were not so insensible to public. censure as to declare that they had unwittingly fostered a system, whose object is now to root out of the land of their fathers, seven millions of people. (Cheers.)

What but the protection of that government (that government which Catholics pay and support), could have inspired the confidence to concert a project so insane, yet so horrible, that neutrality is now become a crime, and every Protestant not an Orangeman must sink his individual interest, and coalesce with the Catholic in extinguishing a faction whose purpose was so monstrous, and whose existence occasioned such misfortunes and misery to Ireland. They could already count some Protestants

among the association, and so late as the day before, a highly respectable one, Mr. Prossur, gave him his guinea, in order to become a member.

It would, he conceived, be the greatest absurdity, were they to continue the holiday farce of annually petitioning for general emancipation; it had become a mockery so repugnant to common sense, that it could not now obtain even that annual discussion which had heretofore paralysed the exertions of the Catholics, producing no result, save to have their hopes adjourned, and the creation of disunion amongst themselves. In bringing forward the abstract question, particular grievances were lost sight of, their best friends were confounded and confused, and a general misunderstanding was abroad upon the subject of their disabilities. They saw the Edinburgh Review repeat over and over, that there are but five-and-twenty offices from which Ca tholics were excluded. He (Mr. O'Connell) would defy the research of the reviewer to point out five-and-twenty Catholics who enjoyed the places to which it supposed them eligible. By bringing the peculiar grievances immediately under the notice of the legislature, they enlisted those who were particularly afflicted, and secured their exertions.

Why, for instance, should they hesitate to bring such a subject as that of Church-rates before the house, by a peculiar petition; that shameless imposition, whereby Catholics were called upon to pay for repairs of churches that did not exist, and contribute to the erection of churches which are never built-as in the case of the parish of Westmeath, where, after £2000 had been granted in the first instance, and afterwards several considerable sums 'evied off the parish, the foundation stone was not yet laid, and they were called on again for another levy of £800! Why should the wretched, naked, persecuted peasant be forced to contribute to this system?

He was aware that there was a number of Catholics who cherished a lingering expectation that the present government, from the known and general feeling of the House of Commons, would voluntarily come forward and administer the only remedy for the salvation of Ireland. Oh! these honest, unsuspecting, confiding, but miscalculating politicians! Little were they versed in the wily tactics, the perfidious duplicity, the unprincipled dishonesty of professional statesmen, who, however they may apparently differ on matters of policy, are always sure to pull together when there is a scramble for places and pensions! Could any man who was not the willing dupe of a perverted

imagination, deceive himself by hoping for any good from such an administration ?

When he exclaimed against the administration of justice, he should be wanting in sincerity, and, indeed, in common honesty, did he not declare, without dreading an imputation of sycophancy, that Ireland possessed some judges who, with a proud satisfaction, he could hold up to the world as bright examples of learning and honesty. There was the entire Court of King's Bench, such as he never expected to have seen in this unfortunate country. There were also some virtuous and learned judges in the other courts; he regretted he could not extend the approbation to all the judges; but that which was the more immediate subject for their consideration was the construction of juries.

Over this grievance the judges had no control; there was no remedy; it was a part of that system of Orange sheriffs, with Orange panels in their pockets. When that appalling fact had been heard from sources which could not be doubted, were they not warranted in asserting that there was no security against the injustice of Orange intolerance—now become triumphant from ministers having given them up the country, in order, as it was alleged, to give no triumph to either party!

Did ministers expect to screen their pusillanimity by affecting not to favour Catholics at the expense of offending Orangemen ? The pretext was unworthy the character of the statesman who assumed it. Could they affect to delude any man of any party, into a belief that the struggle was not between the governrent of the Marquis of Wellesley and Mr. Plunket on the one hand, and the Orange party on the other; and that the Catholics were more involved in the late struggle, than any other portion of his majesty's subjects who were not Orangemen, and who felt an interest in the preservation of the British constitution? In his (Mr. O'Connell's) opinion, there never was a ministry calculated to effect such mischief to the empire as the present; by having amongst them a few persons whose reputation and character secured to them a certain degree of public confidence, they were enabled to effect those insidious disgraceful manœuvres in which they were at last out-generalled and obliged to succumb to the Orangemen, under the specious terms of not giving a triumph to either party; and how were they still further humbled, for, after the capitulation, the Orange conquerors boast of their triumph by proclaiming an accession of 20,000 to their number.

The learned gentleman concluded with assuring the meeting,