"Besides the prodigious profit which England receives, by the transmittal thither of two thirds of the revenues of this DUBLIN: SAMUEL J. MACHEN, 28, WESTMORLAND STREET. LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO. EDINBURGH: J. MENZIES. EXPLANATION. THAT Ireland is sunk in poverty-that her inhabitants endure a load of affliction and of misery greater than is supported by any other people upon the earth-is testified by unquestionable evidence, both native and foreign. Why is Ireland in this miserable condition? To this common question the uniform answer of every member of the Irish party, for ages has been, "It is because of the injustice, the oppression, and the misgovernment of English rulers." The usual reply of these English rulers, and their supporters, to this complaint, has been a direct denial of its truth, and a demand for instances of their injustice. This reply is embarrassing. The very affluence of instances of misgovernment in Ireland, and the difficulty in deciding which has proved most injurious, perplexes the complainant. To ask an Irishman to tell where Ireland has been unjustly treated, is like calling upon a Highlander to point out where is the check in his tartan; the entire tartan is a mass of checks-the entire government of Ireland has been a tissue of injustice. The veil of falsehood in which Irish matters have been purposely shrouded, presents another difficulty. Much time and much labour are required to tear off this veil, and to exhibit in their naked deformity, the injustice, and oppression, and misgovernment, which Ireland has been forced to endure for ages, and under which she is at this moment suffering almost as heavily as ever. To remove, in some degree, these difficulties, the obscure compilers of this work propose to examine, in a series of memoranda, the several heads of injustice, and oppression, under which Ireland is still suffering—to explain their causes and objects—and to point out exactly what the Irish party have demanded, and still demand, as their remedies. In this part it is proposed to give an account of a late struggle in Ireland, against the continuance of one of these grievances, viz., the mode of appointing to offices of power in that country, or, as it is usually termed, "the rules of Irish promotion ;" and, in doing so, to explain those rules, and the reasons why they have, at all times, been so injurious and so odious in Ireland. The conflicting statements on this head, render an investigation of the subject highly desirable. The Prime Minister of England during the present session of Parliament, has declared, that Ireland has no just grounds of complaint on account of the manner in which the offices of power and influence in that country are at present filled. On the other hand, the Irish people maintain, that the long practised mode of filling all the offices of power in Ireland, is degrading to that country, insulting to its inhabitants, injurious to its interests, and destructive to its prosperity. It is undertaken in the following memoranda, to establish the truth of these assertions of the Irish party, and also to demonstrate, that these "rules of Irish promotion," are at present maintained in direct violation. First-Of the sixth article of the legislative union between Great Britain and Ireland, which is the law of the land. Secondly-Of the pledged honour of England. Thirdly-Of the Coronation Oath. Appended to this part is an account of the composition of the beautiful song of the Exile of Erin." In that account the fame of having produced the most beautiful of Lyrics, is restored to Ireland, as the fame of having produced the most beautiful of Elegies, was some time since restored to that country by Mr. Mortimer O'Sullivan. DUBLIN, JUNE, 1844. MEMORANDA OF IRISH MATTERS. FIRST MEMORANDUM. THE BAR REQUISITION. "I desire to shew to the House of Commons, that one of the main reasons, why the repeal movement had obtained such a head in Ireland, consists in the fact, that Englishmen and Scotchmen, and not Irishmen,-have been appointed to the chief offices in that country"-Speech of Mr. Smith O'Brien, 29th May, 1843. In the month of June, 1841, the public mind in Dublin was much excited, by a widely spread report, that the government had determined to remove Lord Plunket from the chancellorship of Ireland, and to elevate Lord Campbell in his stead. To some, the advancement of a common law lawyer to the chancellorship, seemed in the highest degree objectionable; to others, the introduction of a member of the English bar, and the consequent neglect of the bar of Ireland, appeared Anti-Irish, and insulting. But by all, the committing of the Great Seal of Ireland to a Scotchman, who, from the position of public affairs, could not probably hold it for more than two months of the vacation, was regarded with disgust, and indignation. This appointment was looked on as a mean device to saddle the Irish Pension List with a charge of £4,000 per annum, without any cause, or shadow of justice; and was universally branded as a government job of the lowest, and most profligate descrip tion. The great fame of Lord Plunket helped to swell these feelings; that one, described by Curran, as "the Irish Gylippus, in whom were concentrated all the energies and all the talents of the nation;" that one, proclaimed by Canning, "the Wellington of the House of Commons;" should be contumeliously cast aside, to make way for a mere worn out official, wounded to the quick every sentiment of Irish pride, and Irish independence. Still doubt hung over the causes of discontent, and suppressed, in some degree, the popular indignation; it was not known, with certainty, that the report was well founded, and many hesitated to express aloud their sentiments of dissatisfaction, lest they should be striking only at a shadow. But upon Friday the 18th of June, the retirement, or rather the removal of Lord Plunket from office, was positively announced. on that day Mr. Connellan, Secretary to the Chancellor, descended into the hall of the Four Courts, after the Court of Chancery had risen, and declared that Lord Plunket was about to resign the seals of office, and to be succeeded by Lord Campbell. Mr. Connellan further stated, that Lord Plunket wished the bar to understand, that his retirement was not voluntary, but had been wrung from him by the importunities of the Lord Lieutenant, and Lord Melbourne. The uncertainty, which had heretofore hung over the unpleasing prospect, was thus dispelled; and the feelings of discontent, and exasperation, up to this time partly sup pressed, now burst forth from all sides, and united in one strong, and universal tempest of popular indignation. The consequences of this outbreak of public opinion have been deep, and various; its most immediate effects appeared amongst the bar of Ireland. A circular, calling upon the bar to meet, was issued on the night of Friday the 18th of June; and, on Saturday the 19th, a considerable number of the outer bar assembled in the Rolls Chamber, to consider what steps ought to be taken upon the occasion. Thomas Fitzgerald, Esq., of the Munster circuit, was called upon to take the chair; and, after some discussion, the following requisition, to the father of the bar, was adopted formally by the meeting, which, deeming itself strictly preliminary, refused to entertain any other proposition. "We, the undersigned members of the Irish bar, having heard that it is in contemplation to fill the highest judicial station, in this kingdom, in a manner opposed to the feelings of our profession, require that you will call a meeting of the bar, at the earliest opportunity, to take into consideration such appointment." This requisition, immediately after its adoption, was laid upon the table of the law library; and, in about two hours, received the following eighty five signatures. B |