"Nation Office, March 13th, 1843.
"MY DEAR SIR,
"I beg leave to submit, along with the
MEMBERS' NEW CARD, to be laid before the Association to-
day, the following description of the design on that document,
and to accompany it with such explanatory remarks, as may
tend to obviate any misconception or misrepresentation, that
might otherwise be indulged in, on the subject.

"The object of the design for that card has been, the con-
centration of such national emblems, with statistical and
historical circumstances, as to render it, as far as possible, a
manual of our reasons for demanding legislative independence,
that until confuted-and it cannot be so-MUST make every
Irishman who reads it, unless he be a corruptionist, a fool,
or a coward, an advocate for the claim of Ireland to be ruled
by Irish laws, and Irish laws alone.

"The border, or frame-work of the card, is composed of
two pillars, connected, at the top and bottom, by the repre-
sentation of slabs, suited for inscriptions.

"On the top slab, is contained this inscription:-RE-
SOLVED UNANIMOUSLY-That a claim of any body of men,
other than the KING, LORDS, and COMMONS of IRELAND,
to make laws to bind this Kingdom, is unconstitutional, illegal,
and a grievance.'-DUNGANNON VOLUNTEERS, 15TH FEB.,
1782. The united elements of the old regal, aristocratic,
and democratic constitution of Ireland, as acknowledged and
confirmed in the time of our fathers, to the exclusion of any
thing like separation,' are here set forth, as those for whose
restoration, accompanied by such changes as the present
times may render necessary, the Irish people are now seeking.
"On the bottom of the slab, is engraved- You may make
the UNION a LAW; but you cannot make it binding on CON-
SCIENCE.-Saurin's Speech. The force of such an opinion
against the validity of the Union, as that of the Tory or
Orange Attorney-General of Ireland for so many years, needs

no comment.

6

"The interior part of the card, or that within the pillars to
the right and left, as well as the slabs at the top and bottom,
contains the words, LOYAL NATIONAL REPEAL ASSOCIA-
TION OF IRELAND;' the word Ireland' being placed over a
small geographical representation or map of our own little
island,' and, beneath this, at a due distance, are the words
constituting the usual form of admission for members to the
Association, when the necessary blanks shall have been filled
up. Then, from the pediment of each pillar, slanting up-
wards towards the engraved map of Ireland, two flag-staffs
issue. The flag, on the right, bears the figure of a shamrock,
on one leaf of which is the word CATHOLIC,' on the next,
DISSENTER,' and on the third, PROTESTANT; and then,
running up through the centre, the motto QUIS SEPARA-
BIT?or Who shall disunite us?' These, I need scarcely
observe, are the words which the advocates of Irish provincial
debasement, as embodied in the so-called Act of Union, place
about its knavish and unnatural type, a combination of the
shamrock with the rose and thistle three things, that would
never have been joined, had Irishmen endeavoured to act on

the principle of QUIS SEPARABIT?' in the sense attached
to it on the shamrock. The other flag, or that issuing from
the pediment of the left column, displays a representation of
theSUN-BURST,' or the ancient royal banner of Ireland, on
which the sun was seen partly issuing, and his rays streaming
on every side, through the clouds surrounding him. No oad
figure, by the way, of the present bright hopes and prospects
of our noble country, notwithstanding the darkness of domes-
tic disunion and foreign oppression, which too long dimmed
the brilliant light of national prosperity, that, under other
circumstances, would have vivified and adorned her.

"On the shaft of the left column, is this inscription:--
IRELAND contains 32,201 geographical square miles; is 4,649
miles larger than PORTUGAL; 4,473 larger than BAVARIA
and SAXONY united; 409 larger than NAPLES and SICILY;
233 larger than BAVARIA, WURTEMBERG, and BADEN;
1,285 larger than HANOVER, THE PAPAL STATES, and
TUSCANY; 9,609 larger than DENMARK, HESSE-DARM-
STADT, and the ELECTORATE OF HESSE; 5,565 larger than
GREECE and SWITZERLAND; 13,065 larger than HOLLAND
and BELGIUM; is, in population, superior to 18, and, in ex-
tent of territory, superior to 15, European States, and HAS NOT

A PARLIAMENT.'

"On the shaft of the right column, is this inscription:-
IRELAND has 8,750,000 inhabitants has a yearly revenue
of £5,000,000-exports yearly £18,000,000 worth of produce
-sends yearly (after paying her government-expenses) to ENG-
LAND, £2,500,000-remits yearly to absentees, £5,000,000
supplied, during the last GREAT WAR against FRANCE, the
GENERAL, and two-thirds of the MEN and OFFICERS, of the
ENGLISH army and navy--has a military population of 2,000,000
-and HAS NOT A PARLIAMENT.

66

Upon the capitals and pediments of the two pillars, on the
shafts of which are the above inscriptions, the names and
dates are given, of four of the most remarkable victories
gained by the Irish at home,' where their calumniating
English and Anglo-Irish oppressors, in their collections of
disgusting lies, miscalled 'histories,' so long thought proper,
for sufficiently intelligible motives, to scribble, that Irishmen
'always fought badly."

66

The victories, upon the left hand column, are thus set
forth-CLONTARF, 23rd April, 1014.BEAL-AN-ATHA-
BUIDHE, 10th August, 1598.'

"The victories, upon the right hand column, are- BEN-
BURB, 5th June, 1645.-LIMERICK, 9th to 31st August,

1690.'

"The first of those victories, CLONTARF, was fought be-
tween a confederate force of 24,500 Danes and Lagenians,
under Maolmorda, the traitorous king of Leinster, the
celebrated Broder, commander of the Danish fleet, and
several other Danish princes and leaders of eminence, on one
side, and an Irish army, inferior in number, composed of the
forces of Munster, Connaught, and some Ulster chieftains,
under the illustrious Brian Boru, monarch of Ireland, and his
heroic son, Murrough O'Brien, on the other. The object of
the heathen Danes, who, at this period, determined to make

up for the failure of their constant attempts, during above 200 years, to conquer Ireland, bears too strong a resemblance to the subsequent conduct of anothe country towards us, not to be mentioned. They 'invaded,' sys a cotemporary French chronicler, with an innumerable flet, and accompanied by their wives, their children, and their Christian captives, whom they reduced to be their slaves, the sland Hibernia, likewise called Irlanda, in order that, TH IRISH BEING EXTERMINATED, THEY MIGHT COLONIST THAT MOST OPULENT COUNTRY FOR THEMSELVES !' And the invaders did colo

nise' or get land for themselves in Feland, though in a very different sense from what they wishe! For, on their meeting' with the Irish at Clontarf, which lasted from sunrise till late in the evening; and in which Paldy, it will be recollected had to fight fasting, as it was a Good Friday; the Danes, and their anti-national confederates (for then as now renegade Irishmen were found on the foreigner's side!) lost, in killed and drowned, besides their chief leaders, 13,800 out of their 24,500 men! The Irish, though their loss in leaders, including their venerable monarch, was heavy, had no more than about 4,000 of their private men slain. And this signal triumph, over the enemies of their country and religion, was gained by Irishmen, at a time when the English were reduced to the basest slavery by the Danes; who imposed four successive Danish kings upon the English throne. The honest Tipperary mountaineer, in last week's NATION, might well

write

It

'Oh! these heartless oppressors of Saxon extractionHow at all do they keep us to languish in chains? When we conquered their betters, by far, in an action That smashed into powder the plundering Danes!' "The second victory, that of BEAL-AN-ATHA-BUIDHEor the mouth of the yellow ford was gained over the English in their infamous attempt, during Elizabeth's reign, to put down the religion of the Irish people, as well as to take their and from the, after the manner of the heathen Danes, above-mentioned. The English army, commanded by Field Marshal, Sir Henry Bagnal, was composed of veterans, who had served with honor in the French and Belgian wars. consisted of 4,500 foot, and from 5 to 600 horse. These troops were all in the finest condition, glittering in steel, brass, or gold-furnished with the best fire-arms and artillery -their cavalry consisting of cuirassiers; and they had with them a long train of baggage-animals, carrying, besides money, an ample stock of bread, biscuit, meat, and every other necessary, for the relief of their garrison of 300 men, in the fort of Portmore, near Armagh, which the gallant Hugh Ferdinand O'Neill (called in English Earl of Tyrone) was besieging. The Irish troops also amounted to 4,500 foot, and about 600 horse; but they consisted merely of the followers of their chieftains, summoned from their homes. They had very few guns, no artillery, and, with the exception of their chiefs, had no armour amongst them; their weapons being bows and arrows, darts, swords, axes, and pikes. They conquered, however. The English General, Bagnal, with 23 superior officers, a number of lieutenants, ensigns, &c. and 2,500 men, were found dead upon the field; 34 standards, 12,000 pieces of gold, all the artillery, provisions, the musical instruments of the enemy, and other trophies, were captured on that glorious day; and, in fine, such of the English as remained together, consisting of but 1,500, who took refuge in Armagh, evacuate Ulster, on the condition of surrendering both Arwere only permitted to magh and Portmore, and of going away with nothing but the clothes on their backs; their commander alone being permitted to carry off his arms and trunk. The Irish, on

this memorable occasion, had but 200 men killed, and 600 wounded!

"The third victory, or that of BENBURB, was gained by the Irish, in the reign of Charles I., against the Parliamentary, or Cromwellian, rebels' of England and Scotland. The Irish forces, under the illustrious Major-General Owen Roe O'Neill, were but 5,000 men in number, of whom 4,500 were foot, and 500 horse, the latter very badly equipped. The English and Scotch, under General Munro, (who was be sure of carrying all before him, that he had decided on in twelve days at Kilkenny, and on driving the SuPREME COUNCIL, or the then NATIONAL ASSEMBLY of Ireland, from it,) amounted to 8,000 foot, and 800 well-accoutred cavalry. They had likewise a train of artillery, variously stated at from 4 to 7 pieces; while we are not informed that the Irish had any. The Lish, nevertheless, on coming to push a pike' against the rebels,' left 3,243 of the enemy slain upon the spot, besides as many more as made 4,000, in the course of the pursuit. In addition to the Parliamentary, or rebel,' officers killed, the Irish captured Lord Montgomery, 21 other officers, 150 privates, with all the hostile artillery, arms, tents, baggage, 32 stand of colours, 1,500 draught-horses, and provisions for two months. The Parlia mentarian General, Munro was obliged to save himself by such a precipitate flight, that his coat, hat, and wig, were left behind him! Of the Irish officers, but 2 were killed and 3 wounded, and, of the Irish soldiers, no more than 35 were slain and 245 hurt! Considering, that we have English and Anglo-Orange authority for the statement, that the Irish always fight badly at home, this was doing pretty well.

The circumstances of the last triumph of Ireland, noted in the members' new card, or that over the Prince of Orange (afterwards William III.) nd from 30 to 35,000 veterans, at Limerick a town, so badly provided with the usual requisites for military defence, that he French General, Lausun, on abandoning it to the Irish, in despair, swore it could be taken by pelting it with roasted apples!-the circumstances of that memorable achievement of Irish heroism, both on the part of Irish MEN and Irish WOMEN, are too well known to be dwelt upon. I need only observe, that, after remaining before the place from the 9th to 31st August, 1690, the besiegers retreated in the night, having lost, in addition to officers, above 5,000 in killed alone; their wounded and sick not being specified, but unquestionably three times as many. The Irish had 1,062 soldiers and 97 officers killed or wounded.

"Such were the noble achievements of Irish prowess on Irish ground, when physical and not MORAL force alone, as at present, constituted the medium of defending Irish liberty. To the latter peaceful, legal, and constitutional means for regaining their lost legislative rights, under the bloodless, yet irresistible, guidance of their great leader, O'CONNELL, Irishmen now look forward; though, in the above instances of martial devotion to the cause of Ireland, they have no less reason to honor the memory of those gallant men, who acted upon the sacred principle of Roman patriotism-Dulce et decorum est pro patriâ mori!'

"I remain, my dear Sir,

"Your's very sincerely,

"JOHN CORNELIUS O'CALLAGHAN.

"T. M. RAY, Esq."

This letter, the reading of which elicited the repeated acclamations of the meeting, was enrolled upon the minutes of the Association, on the motion of Mr. O'CONNELL.