a

the cavalry, both in two lines. The terminated by the battle of Waterloo Prussian advanced guard, after carrying and peace of 1815, would have afforded the village of Borna, found itself in front ample materials for such a discussion. of the right of the Austrian position. The We do not, however, forget that it is king then reconnoitred the enemy, and ob- not the object of the author to present serving his right to be strongly covered by his readers with a complete military a wood and marsh, resolved to direct his history, and it must be conceded, that efforts against the left. But the Austrian within the limits which he has, in the outposts having been driven in upon the commencement of bis labours, preright, Count Luchesi, who commanded scribed to himself, he has executed bis the wing, conceiving that he would be undertaking with much ability, exhibitseriously attacked, solicited reinforce- ing a very considerable and creditable ments from Marshal Daun, and as the Marshal could not discover the move.

acquaintance with classical authors of ments of the Prussians, who were con

every age, as well as with those who have cealed by some heights, he at last marched

more particularly made the science of with the reserve to his right. The king

war their study. It is, indeed, always of Prussia now caused his four columns to be desired that a liberal and acadeto change direction obliquely to the right mical education should be the prelimiby a simple wheel of each division suc

nary education of the soldier. Unless in cessively; so that the four columns were

the rare instance where an uncontrolthus converted into two long open lable and mastering genius breaks columns, the one consisting of the first through and surmounts all the obstacles line, the other of the second, and in this and disadvantages of early neglect, we order he continued to move, till he found hold it that such an education is inhimself beyond the Austrian left Aank, dispensible to the attainment of any when a simple wheel into line, by divi- eminent position as a theoretical prosions and squadrons, placed his army in fessor of an art that involves in it a that commanding oblique position repre- large and profound range of the mathesented by figure 2, plate 5."

matical sciences, and for which a know

ledge of the ancient as well as modern We are disposed to regret that Mr. languages of Europe is eminently neMagrath has not enhanced the value cessary. In these several respects Mr. of this work, by entering somewhat Magrath is evidently fully qualified for into the tactical arrangement and or. his task, and the research he has ganization of troops in our own day, throughout displayed, as well as the as well in the English as in the other style in which the volume is written, European armies. It is true there are would lead us to pronounce, without already extant many able treatises on the aid of his own assertion on the this subject, but they are chiefly foreign, subject, that he had, “as a student, and of these but a few, as the works of walked the courts and hall of an uni. Von Bismarch and Suasso, have been versity long before he ever saw the translated into our own language. The white canvass of a camp, or marched opinions and practice of the two great with measured pace upon a parade generals of the present age, Wellington ground.” and Napoleon, during the great war

A PROPOSAL FOR INCREASING AND STRENGTHENING THE LIBERAL INTEREST

IN IRELAND.

RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO DANIEL O'CONNELL, ESQ. M.P.

In submitting the following hints to all—if not all—the counties in Ireland the consideration of the distinguished caninfallibly be made to return members individual whose attention I venture devoted to the interests of Ireland. to call to them, I feel some degree of My plan, it will be observed, applies diffidence. I am not a professional only to counties, and counties of cities person, and yet much of the value of and towns. In these I think I will be my plan depends upon legal points. able to shew that it is possible, by a I can, however, see no flaw in any of very simple plan of operation, to gain my positions ; and I am sure I can an ascendancy for the liberal interest confidently reckon on the best attention which no efforts of the anti-Irish party of Mr. O'Connell, when I say, that my can possibly subvert. plan, if feasible. is one by which almost I trust the circumstance of my being

man.

66

an unprofessional person will not create and steady voters would have been lost any preliminary distrust in the sound- to the cause of Ireland. ness of my conclusion.

All I am It has, however, always been the anxious for is, that my positions should glory of the constitution of Britain be carefully examined, and I am satis- that the narrow provisions of the illified they will be found irrefragable. beral statute law have been liberalised It must be remembered that the great and made just by the equitable conlaw point which carried emancipation struction of popular judges. Thus the -the point that a Roman Catholic aristocratic law of entail was defeated might be elected to parliament, although by the noble invention of fines and he could not sit there—was discovered, recoveries ; and sundry other instances not by a lawyer, but a country gentle will no doubt occur to the learned

It was the discovery of this reader. Just in the same way the point that obviously led to the Clare unjust intention of the framers of the election. It will be singular if it reform bill has been defeated by the should fall to the lot of an unprofes- liberal construction put upon that measional individual again to discover a sure by those great constitutional point of law by which Orange oppres- judges, who reflect honor on the presion may be effectually extinguished. sent age--the assistant-barristers of

Though not bred to the profession Lord Normanby-such men as Mr. of the law, I have turned a great deal Fogarty, Mr. Gibson, and Mr. Hudson, of my attention to the state of the law who deserve the everlasting gratitude affecting the registry and the franchise. of posterity for having, by their wise I have acted on committees of the and liberal and philosophical construcliberal party, and have, of course, prac- tion of the reform act, secured for ever tically acquired a tolerable knowledge the liberties of the people of this of the different ways of evading the country. -unjust restrictions of the franchise. The principle adopted by these great I need not explain, of course, the men is simply this--that a house of different devices by which this laudable " bona fide the clear yearly value of object has been attairied. It was not, £10" does not mean that such house however, until lately that I accidentally would set for £10 a-year, but that its struck out a plan so simple that I occupant can, in some way or other, wonder it was not long since thought make £10 while living in that houseof, and yet so efficacious that I do a decision clearly in accordance with not see how it could by possibility be equity and common sense, since no defeated.

man could live if he had not a house With regard to boroughs, to which to cover him, and no man could make my plan does not apply, I think we £10 a-year if he did not live; thereare safe enough. The last elections fore no man could make £10 a-year of Dublin and Cork have set that if it were not for his house-which matter at rest. By the wise and liberal clearly proves that his house is worth decisions of the registering barristers the £10 a-year. intolerable restriction of the franchise This great principle I regard as has been effectually remedied. It will now settled and established, and, inhelp to make clear my proposal about deed, questioned by no one but some counties if we fully understand what of the Tory bigots, always the enemies has been done in the case of towns; of improvement. I do not doubt that and I must therefore trouble the reader one-third at least of the registered with a few words on the subject. householders in the boroughs of Jre

By the reform act the right of voting land are registered under this principle. in towns is granted to all persons who I, therefore, shall assume it as a setiled occupy a house “ bona fide of the clear principle of construction, and one from yearly value of not less than £10." It the analogy of .which I may argue. is quite clear that this was framed If it required any other confirmation under an aristocratic influence, and than its own reason and equity, I with an unjust intention of excluding might remark that it has been put from the franchise the most intelligent beyond all question by the recent and independent class in the com- decision of the house of commons, munity; and had not the wisdom and which has abundantly recognised the liberality of the registering barristers principle that a house of the yearly intervened and put upon the statute a value of £10 a-year does not mean a construction more according to equity house worth £10 a-year, and rejecter, and wisdom, no doubt many valuable with becoming indignation, the propo

VOL. XII.

S

our

sition of Sir Robert Peel to the con- considered as worth £1000 a-year, or trary—a proposition unparalleled in equal to twenty £50 franchises. absurdity, except by Sir Boyle Roche's Now, this brings me to the point celebrated motion, that a quart bottle I am anxious to urge. Let any one should hold a quart--a motion which in each county, possessing a farm of has justly condemned the memory of 100 acres, just allot each acre to twenty its proposer to the ridicule of all sen- good patriots, and let each of these sible men.

patriots go and swear a £50 freehold The same principle has been carried before the judge of assize, and we have into the county franchise. The reform at once 2000 freeholders created, whose bill has granted the franchise to all votes no earthly power can remove. who have an interest of £10 a year

I think I have satisfied any reasonover and above their rent. This, too, able mind that, according to the best has been liberally construed by the decisions of most enlightened judges, so as to mean, not that their judges, each of these persons is entiholdings would set for £10 a-year over iled to his franchise. " If the cottier and above the rent, but that the tenant who feeds one pig in his cottage is makes, while occupying them, £10 allowed to estimate his gain in the a-year over what he pays as rent. Of value of his holding, why should not course the analogy of the principle to another man who feeds fifty likewise that in towns is obvious ; but it appears estimate his gains. But if the cottier to me that its application has not yet is so comfortable as not to like the anbeen carried to the limit which it natu- noyance of a pig, to which his poorer rally ought.

neighbour submits, his superior wealth It has been held repeatedly that surely will not disfranchise him ; he whatever a man makes on his farm may estimate the possibility of his is to be accounted in estimating its making the gain in his franchise; then annual value. A man feeding a pig so may the man who has the possibimay compute the profit he gains by lity of feeding fifty; therefore, if I the pig, deducting whatever he has have a spot of ground on which I to pay for the feeding. This has could possibly feed fifty pigs, I must been over and over again decided ; estimate the gain I might thus make and of course if the gain of feeding one in the value of my holding. pig should be computed, so should the If any pious Catholic, however, gain of feeding twenty.

from the inability to comprehend abNow, I hold it also equally evident stract reasoning, should hesitate about that the value of land is to be regulated, taking the oath, I would advise him to not by what a man does, but by what apply to his clergy--the estimable and he might do, with it. The man who patriotic Catholic clergy of Irelandkeeps his ground all under flower beds and by all means to abide by their deand gravel walks, is not, on that ac- cision; for I should be sorry indeed to count, deprived of his franchise. If, be supposed to encouragemen therefore, I have a plot of ground large swear lightly. Better that the liberal enough for me to build on it a stye in cause should perish for ever than one which I could feed 21 pigs--and if, false oath be taken. on each of these pigs, I could make The course for a farmer to pursue is 10s. profit in the year, and that I this ; – let him let an acre of his pay 10s. rent, it is indisputable that ground to fifty tenants, who may reby virtue of that little bit of ground side anywhere, and each of these, I I am clearly entitled to my franchise have shewn, can go at once before a in the county, since its value is clearly judge of assize, and, taking the affida£10 a-year, for without it or some vit required, they at once are registerother bit of ground I could not feed ed, without any question or examination my pigs or make my £10 a-year. whatever, and, being once placed on

Now, if we suppose that I have an the registry, no power can remove acre of ground-it is clear that I them ; election committees will not might, by a proper disposition of the open the registry, and for eight years ground, feed on it a thousand pigs— they must vote without either question and supposing that after the cost of or possibility of defeat. the pigs for a year, I could make by It inay, indeed, be suggested that a each of them £l, which is above prosecution might be entered into for supposition, it is clear that that acre, perjury, and that an Orange jury, and in estimating the franchise, must be one of those Orange judges who are

to

MEMORANDA OF THE MONTH.