land, in the suppression of outrage, and in the dimi- nution of the terrors diffused through the whole country by reckless and desperate incendiaries. And I cannot but hope that the firmness manifested both by the civil and legal powers in our sister isle6, will be attended with a similar blessing from the Most High. It is right, it is necessary, that law should rule: and, if it cannot be upheld, but by the exercise of severity towards those who would trample it under their feet, it is right that those who set it at nought should be made victims of their own folly and wicked- ness. I say again, the law must rule ; and neither the many nor the great are to set it aside. And if in the suppression of evil somewhat of laxity prevailed amongst us for a season, that time is past, and shall not readily, I hope, return again. The whole people of the land, though but too easily wrought upon by factious demagogues, are yet in their cooler moments united firmly in this one sentiment, that, if not even the King himself can rule but according to law, neither factious demagogues, nor an excited populace, are to be suffered to rule contrary to law. This is acknow- ledged now through all the grades of society; and, I trust, will ever be maintained amongst us by those whose office it is, whether as magistrates or jurors, to administer justice, and to uphold and execute the laws. But I observed that this action of Phinehas may also be considered as a ministerial act of piety to- wards God.
In this light it is placed by God himself: " Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace : and he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, be- cause he was zealous for his God, and made an atone-
e The agitator O'Connell checked by Lord Anglesea and Mr. Stanley, and made to plead guilty. — Jan. 1831.