THE STATE OF IRELAND.
As usual, Mr. O’Connell devoted his time during the parliamentary recess to “agitation.” A series of manifestoes issued from his retreat at Derrynane Abbey, all well calculated to stir up the evil passions of human nature. Nor were these missiles the only instruments of his agitation. On the very day of his arrival in Dublin, after parliament was prorogued, he convened a meeting of his constituents for the morrow, in order to take into consideration “ulterior measures, to procure from the British legislature ‘full justice for Ireland,’ or to provide for the contingency of a perseverance in the refusal of that legislature to right the people of Ireland.” Accordingly, a large concourse of people assembled at the Corn-exchange, and were addressed by the demagogue in that braggart style which he well knew would win its way to their feelings. In his speech Mr. O’Connell intimated his intention of forming a new association, the exertions of which were to be directed to obtain for Ireland a greater share in the representation of the United Kingdom. He developed his plan for accomplishing this design in a series of letters to the people. In these letters he founded his allegation, that Ireland had not her fair proportion of members of the house of commons, on this data. By the last census it appeared that the population of England and Wales was 13,899,675; of Scotland, 2,365,930; and of Ireland, 7,943,940. Scotland, he said, had fifty-three representatives, while Ireland had only one hundred and five; so that the Scotch had more than half the number of representatives possessed by the Irish; whereas, in order to be on an equality, the latter ought to have one hundred and fifty-nine. In order to be on an equality with the English, he said, they ought to have one hundred and sixty-six; but Mr. O’Connell said that he would be satisfied with one hundred and fifty. In order to obtain that number he proposed the organization of an association sufficiently numerous to speak the sentiments of all Ireland. For this purpose, he said, the “Precursor Society” had been established, and was now in progress of enrolment. Mr. T. M. Ray was secretary to the “Precursor Society,” and to become a member it was necessary to pay him one shilling at the enrolment. All the population might have the privilege of enrolment—men, women, and children—for the more shillings that were paid, the better for the pockets of the agitators. The operations of the society was to be conducted by local boards, corresponding with that over which Mr. Ray presided at the Corn-exchange Rooms, Dublin. The duty of the “Precursor Society,” in every parish, was to procure petitions to parliament for “justice to Ireland;” for a corporate reform; for an amendment of the law of election, and extension of the suffrage, and an increase of representatives. The precursors were also instructed to furnish accurate details of the state of the franchise in every parish, and to keep up and extend the registry. This was what Mr. O’Connell designated in one of his letters as “one great experiment more to obtain justice;” and if this failed, then he would have repeal.