IRELAND.
A dinner was given to Mr. Sharman Crawford by the Reformers of Belfast, on Thursday week. We learn from the Northern Whig, that, except on tine occasion of Lord Mulgrave's visit to Belfast, no meet- ing has been held in that town " comprising so much intelligence, re- spectability, and mercantile influence." The speeches were numerous, and some of them eloquent. We give some extracts from that of Mr. Crawford, to slum the tone of feeling prevalent among the Protestant Liberals in the North of Ireland.
" It is alleged, by some, that you must take whatever Minh.tels offer to you —you must leave them to themselves—you must not embarrass them by
claims, or public discussion of those claims. Now I entirely disagree from this. For what purpose were they placed in office? I answer—to assert the poplar rights. What power put them there? The voice of the nation. How can they be sustained then? By the support of the nation. Bow can they carry any measure for the good of the nation? Only by the propelling power of the national voice. Can you expect that Ministers are to pleeetle the popu- lar feeling ? No such thing : they must be supported, encouraged, and piopelled by a gentle and friendly compulsion. (Loud cheers.) But, it will be said, this will embarrass Ministers—they cannot carry those measures through the Lords. We do not ask them to do impossibilities; but, what we ask is, that they will nut throw the weight of their power and influence against us ; that they will nut give us bad measures, when they cannot give us good ones; that they will support us as far as they can ; aud that they will stand upon the essen- tials of public liberty. ( Great cheering.) Now I maintain, that, by forc- ing the Ministry into a position, founded on the assertion of the people's rights, we take the best means to secure their power ; or, in case of their being dis- possessed from office, to insure their speedy return and permanent triumph. It will be said, by stone, we endanger the Alinistry by pressing them on. I assert, they can only endanger themselves by failing to rest on the people. (Continued cheering.) How can they triumph over the Tories, if they only advance so small u degree, that we can see few distinct lines of demarcation be- tween the Aristocratical Whig and the Moderate Tory. Let them draw such a line of separation between the Whigs and the Tories that, if the 'fillies were to come into office, the people may know they have a cause worth eoutending
for ; and, if displaced, they will be sure of a triumphant return. " • We are told that a Tory Ministry coming into power, even for a month, would be our destruction : they would fill all the places, they would pocket all the loaves and fishes, and put in men who would shed the blood of the people. Now I admit that it would be desirable to prevent the judicial offices from be- ing filled with Tories. But are we not to take care that in seeking to prevent this apparent evil—this temporary evil—we do not bring upon us others that will be permanent and irremediable? If, in spite of all our sacrifices, the
Tories should come into power, where would be our protection, if, by showing an indifference to the great lainciplesofpolitical liber ty, we lose the confidence and support of the people of England! 'We would then be the slaves of 'l'ory tyrants, and we would deserve tube so. • • " I condemn Eke po- licy that would test the sincerity of the people of England, not by their support of the measures ofjustice to Ireland, but by their support °fa particular set Of ME/a, that would say to Englishmen= You ;mist /tot push your own rights, you must not tuke pour own course, fur fear of hurting vs.' Nu, Sir, I would say to Englishmen, ' Go on, push your own rights, make common rinse with us, and we will make common cause wills you ; we care not about
any sacrifice ; we will stand by you.' Which of these causes, I ask,
would be most likely to insure the respect, the support, the confidence of of Englishmen, and consequently the rights and liberties of Ireland. ( (on-
tinued cheering.) What is the effect of that policy which would test British sincerity in the manner I have mentioned? It farces men who are friendly to the Government into an apparent hostility, when high-minded, honest pa- triots, are classed under the denomination of Tory-ltadicals—us traitors to the cause of the liberties of their country, because they insist on making an holiest endeavour to sustain their principles. Those men must take untiaice; and disunion is produced by the undue effort to coerce the public 'Mud, and au opposition to the Government is actually forced upon them."
At this meeting Vote by Ballot was one of the toasts received with the greatest enthusiasm.
At time late Registry in Belfast the Liberals had a majority of twenty. five votes. They will probably start Mr. Sharman Crawford with Mr. Robert Tennent, in opposition to the present Tory Mem- bers.
Previous page
