William Smith O'Brien joins the Repealers - The Last Conquest of Ireland (Perhaps)

John Mitchel
Author’s Edition (undated)

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As Mr O'Brien afterwards became a conspicuous figure in Irish politics, I here present the greater part of the letter in which he sought admission into the National Association;—

"CAHERMOYLE, RATHKEALE, Oct. 20, 1843.

"DEAR SIR,—I beg to transmit herewith an order for £5, my first subscription to the treasury of the Loyal Repeal Association of Ireland.

"As it is due to those who have hitherto honoured me with their confidence that I should state the reasons which induce me to take this step, I shall feel obliged if the Association will allow the following remarks to appear in the next report of their proceedings:

"When the proposal to seek for a Repeal of the Act of Union was first seriously entertained by a large portion of the Irish people, I used all the influence which I possessed to discountenance the attempt. I did not consider that the circumstances and prospects of Ireland then justified the agitation of this question. Catholic Emancipation had been recently achieved, and I sincerely believed that from that epoch a new course of policy would be adopted towards Ireland. I persuaded myself that thenceforth the statesmen of Great Britain would spare no effort to repair the evils produced by centuries of misgovernment—that the Catholic and Protestant would be admitted to share, on equal terms, in all the advantages resulting from our constitutional form of government—that all traces of an ascendancy of race or creed would be effaced—that the institutions of Ireland would be gradually moulded so as to harmonize with the opinions of its inhabitants—that in regard to political rights, legislation for both kingdoms would be based upon the principle of perfect equality—that an improvement in the social condition of our people would become an object of the deepest interest to the British Parliament—that the disadvantages resulting to Ireland from the loss of her legislature, and from the transfer of her public establishments to London, would be compensated by equivalents such as would enable every friend of the Union to point to numberless benefits as consequent upon that measure—and that in interest and feeling the two nations would be for ever identified as one people.

"Fourteen years have elapsed since that event, and the experience of each succeeding year has tended to show the fallacy of these expectations and to dissipate these hopes. I have elsewhere taken an opportunity of illustrating in detail the progress of misgovernment. Recapitulation is almost unnecessary. We have seen that the anti-Catholic prejudices of the English people are still as strong as when they brought these countries to the verge of a civil war by protracted resistance to Emancipation. The feelings of the Irish nation have been exasperated by every species of irritation and insult; political equality has, been denied to us. Every proposal tending to develop the sources of our industry—to raise the character and improve the condition of our population—has been discountenanced, distorted, or rejected. Ireland, instead of taking its place as an integral part of the great empire which the valour of her sons has contributed to win, has been treated as a dependent, tributary province; and at this moment, after forty-three years of nominal union, the affections of the two nations are so entirely ...continue reading »

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