IRELAND.

The rumour mentioned in our Postscript, last week, that certain pro- positions made by the Irish Government had not met with the concurrence of the Premier, and that in consequence Lord Besborough and Mr. Labon- chere had resigned, has not been verified. The Dublin Evening Mail gives what is understood to be a correct version of the circumstances. " There can be no doubt that the Minister did dissent from some of the propositions suggested by the Irish Government—giving to the rest his hearty approval; and that, to this extent, the rumour is not without foundation: but it is altogether untrue, we believe, that the differences of opinion were of such a nature as to require so extreme a step on the part either of the Lord-Lieutenant or the Chief Secretary as to vacate his bu- reau; a step which, under present circumstances, would be desertion, not resignation—the disruption of the Cabinet, rather than a new collocation of offices."

Sir William Verner has been restored to the Deputy-Lieutenancy of the county of Tyrone; and the Lord-Lieutenant has approved of the appoint ment of Mr. John O'Connell, M.P., to the Deputy-Lieutenancy of the coon, ty of Kerry. On Saturday last, a deputation from the barony of Glenquin, in Lime- rick, including among its members Lord Courtenay, waited on the Lord- Lieutenant, to submit certain resolutions agreed -to at the Newcastle pre- sentment sessions. They were embodied in a memorial, urging the expe- diency of opening Government stores for the sale of meal, an immediate assembling of Parliament, and additional means for employing the poor. Lord Besborough gave the deputation every encouragement; promising to forward the memorial, and to give the other suggestions a favourable con- sideration.

Lord Besborough has yielded to the general voice, and has decided to sanction the undertaking of reproductive works. A circular has been written by' Mr. Labouchere to the different Lords-Lieutenants, enclosing a letter to the Chairman of the Board of Public Works, which sets forth his Excellency's decision.

" With a view of obviating the bad effects of a great expenditure of money in the execution of works comparatively unproductive, he desires that the Com- missioners of Public Works will direct the officers acting under them, in the respective counties, to consider and report upon such works of a reproductive cha- teeter and permanent utility as may be presented in the manner hereinafter men- -timed, at any sessions held under the above act. And his Excellency will be prepared to sanction and approve of such of those works as may be recommended y the Board and so presented, in the same manner as if they had been strictly 'public works,' and presented as such in the manner required by the act. s

" His Excellency, in taking upon himself the responsibility, under the urgent circumstances of the case, of inviting the Magistrates and eess-payers to provide employment for the people by the execution of useful and reproductive works, confidently trusts, with their assistance and the blessing of the Almighty on their united exertions, that the calamity with which it has pleased Providence to afflict Ireland may yet in its results become conducive to the production of a greater abundance of human food from the soil, and to the future permanent improvement of the country."

The formation of a naval depOt at Cork seems settled. A correspond- ence has appeared in the Cork Examiner, from which it appears that the Government will immediately begin " to erect large coal-stores, wharfs, &c., capable of containing 20,000 to 30,000 tons of coals; and they also in- tend to construct foundries, &c., for repairing and fitting her Majesty's steamers. Captain James, of the Engineers, is appointed to go to Cove, to survey and report how Cork Harbour and Haulbowline Island may be made more available as a naval station. It is the intention of the Govern- ment to erect a pier at Cove, for the use of large-class steamers, as well as for a harbour of refuge and general landing-place." The Lords of the Ad- miralty have determined forthwith to commission and send to Cove a per- manent guard-ship.

There were thirty-four additional proclamations in the Dublin Gazette of Friday the 2d instant, twelve on Tuesday; making the number of pre- sentment sessions convened by the Lord-Lieutenant up to that date two hundred and forty-eight.

Presentment sessions continue to be held in different districts, without variation in their general character. Many small amounts have been voted. We can only find room for a few of the more notable presentments. At Killarney, 45,0001. was voted for the present. At Kenmore, the amount was, after some discussion, fixed at 30,0001. Fermoy has presented 47,0001.

As a sample of the heedless manner in which money is voted for public works, we give a statement from the Mayo Constitution, showing the sums presented, and the Ordnance valuation of each barony in the county of Mayo—

Ordnance valuation. Sums presented.

" Cerra £39,156 £75,350 Burrishoole 22,597 80,000 Murrisk 16,087 82,000 Clanmorris 32,656 24,558 Erris 11,741 6,464 Tyrawly 59,886 23,210 Gallen 34,158 16,980 Costello 27,967 40,007 Kilmain 49,534 64,897 £293,282 £403,466

" Thus it appears that more than a year's value of the whole county has been voted for ` unproductive works '; whilst four years' value of one barony and five of another are ordered to be so sunk."

A great meeting was held at the Royal Exchange in Dublin, on Friday last week. It was convened by the Lord Mayor in compliance with a re- quisition numerously signed, and its object was to consider the propriety of applying to Government for an advance of money by way of loan to rail- way companies, so as to enable them to give instant employment to the poor. The meeting was addressed by Lord Miltown, Alderman O'Brien, Mr. Collett, and Mr. Butt, the Queen's Counsel. Mr. Butt spoke strongly against the unproductive employment of road-making, which he termed "squandering labour." Various resolutions were passed in accordance with the object of the meeting; which separated with three cheers for the Queen, Lord Besborough, and Mr. Labouchere.

The Earl of Erne and Lord Rossmore have announced a reduction in their rents as a set-off against the potato failure.

The Dublin Pilot records two " noble examples"-

" We have been informed by a valued correspondent of a princely act of liberality on the part of John R. Peyton, Esq., of L sheen, Deputy-Lieutenant of Leitrim. On Sunday last, we are told, before thousands of the parishioners of tashearrigan, he forgave a whole year's rent up to the First of Novenber next to his tenantry. Many other acts of benevolence are in course of being carried out by the same kind-hearted and munificent gentleman for the alleviation of the distress so fearfully and generally prevailing. The noble conduct of Mr. Peyton has excited the deepest thankfulness in the hearts of a grateful people. " We record with sincere pleasure another splendid trait of true benevolence. At the meeting of the Ballinasloe UnionAgricultural Society, on Tuesday, Sir M. D. Bellew, Bart., on being awarded a pnze for the best drainage of a certain number of acres, said he deserved no credit whatever on the occasion: the merit was entirely due to his son who, when the distress became so prevalent in the country, resolved to abandon a tear which he was about to make through Greece and Turkey, in order to expend the money which his journey. would have cost him, in giving employment to a number of poor people in carrying on this drain- age. This announcement was received with loud applause."

The Dublin Evening Mail furnishes accounts of outrages connected with rent. At Borrisokane, a Mr. Lloyd had distrained some cattle for arrears; they wore " bailed " and returned to the poundkeeper for sale. A mob at- tended with violent demonstrations, to prevent the sale; and the cattle were given up to the owner amidst great cheering. At Milford, Mr. R. S. Smith had obtained the surrender of some land from a man named Meara, to whom it had been sublet by a middleman, named Gaynor; and the land had been exhausted. The consideration paid by Mr. Smith was 45E; with which Mears promised to emigrate. No sooner was the money paid, than Mr. Smith received a Rockite notice threatening his life unless he gave up the land to Gaynor. On his refusal, his house was beset by up- wards of three hundred men, and but for a timely barricade, he would have suffered violence.

The usual accompaniment of famine' fever, has visited Sligo; thirty-two persons are reported as lying ill of the disease in the workhouse.

At the" meeting of the Repeal Association on Monday, a long letter from Mr. O'Connell was read. Returning to the convention project, the writer delivered himself as follows- " The absolute necessity of a concentration of the Irish landed proprietors ap- pears to be quite obvious. Never was the country involved in such a frightful calamity as the present. Suppose that—which is unhappily not quite clear, namely—that the Irish people escape from the total loss of this year's crop, and with the aid of paternal government are kept alive for the current year, what is to be done for the next year? and what for the year after?

" It is impossible to think that the calamity will end with the current year. Suppose the crop next year shall be untainted by blight—an event, alas ! not pro- bable—where are the means for procuring seed for the potatoes, or for cultivating any grain on a sufficiently. extensive scale to feed the Irish people?

"All these questions raise problems to be solved exclusively by a central body of Irish landholders meeting in Dublin, and conferring with all parts of Ireland, as well as with the Government of the day. "From such a body all irritating and party politics should be carefully excluded, and religions differences be never heard of. The safety of the people of Ireland to be their sole and exclusive object." But "as food becomes dearer, wages must be higher." Everything must be done to preserve the health and strength of the people. But Repeal must not be lost sight of

On this hint spoke Mr. John O'Connell: he would again ring in the ears of the Government the necessity of immediately providing food, food, food for the people. Was it not in the power of the Government to buy up that food, to store it in degas, and set it out upon the market when prices reached famine prices? If they did not do so, it would necessarily be exported. The great thing was to check the starvation which existed. The people could not be restrained from violence if the Government were not wise in time—if the English branch of the Government did not listen to those who knew the wants of the country. He well knew that the Irish Executive were fully aware of the necessity of an instant supply of food. If the members of the Government in England still continued to withhold their assistance, he did not hesitate to say, although he did fully estimate their devotion to liberty and to public rights—although in matters of general politics he thought the present the best Government that could be formed in England, yet still he thought that by their single act of not attending to the urgency of the Irish distress—by the signal fact of their not saving Irish society from dissolution and the Irish people from death— by that signal act of theirs, they proved themselves unworthy of their station, and ought at once to resign. The call would then be for Peel— for Peel, with all his hatred and aversion to Ireland, but Peel with his supply. of food to the country. He concluded by hoping that the proposed meet- ing in Dublin would be characterized by the absence of all matters of it political or sectarian nature.

The rent reported was 1261, Mr. O'Connell's proposition for a national convention in Dublin seems to be favourably received. A form of general requisition was prepared for circulation throughout the country, for the purpose of obtaining signatures from different influential parties. To remove objections in certain quarters, the requisition has been greatly modified, avoiding all allusion to an Irish Parliament. In its present shape it has already been signed by about thirty Irish Peers, including Lords Westmeath, Mountcashel, and Cloncurry, and a considerable number of gentry. The amended form is as follows- " We, the undersigned, request a meeting of the landowners of Ireland, to be

held in Dublin, on the day of next, to press upon her Ma- jesty's Government the importance of at once adopting the necessary measures to alter the provisions of the act entitled the 9th and 10th Vie., chap. 107, so as to allow the vast sums of money about to be raised by presentment under it to be applied to the development of the resources of the land, rather than in public works of an unproductive nature."

Lord Lucan has declined to sign, avowing his opinion that the proposed assemblage can serve "no useful purpose."

Another dissentient is Mr. Fitzstephen French. In a reply to Mr. Hamilton, he declines to affix his signature to the requisition, mainly on the ground that the object of the contemplated meeting will be effected by the Lord-Lieutenant's letter; and that Irish landlords can do more good by at- tending personally to the business of their respective districts, than by assembling in Dublin.

A general movement, however, in its favour has commenced in several counties. A declaration put forward by the proprietors of land, clergy, and others, in the county of Kerry, suggests the Earl of Devon as a fit chairman for the proposed convention. At a numerous meeting of the gentry of Westmeath, held at Mullingar on the 2nd instant, attended by Lords Westmeath, Castlemaine, and Kilmaine, a resolution was adopted, calling on the landowners in the county to attend the convention when sum- moned. The following resolutions were also agreed to- " Inasmuch as a considerable proportion of the property of Ireland is so situa- ted that it is impossible to obtain for it its adequate share of the burdens which, under the present emergency, must heavily press upon the ostensible proprietor, who stands responsible for the whole, we are of opinion that all who receive in- comes derivable from land should bear their share of the burden equally with those persons who are, in fact, in such cases, but the agents to the creditors and annui- tants on those properties.

" That absentees, who have left to the resident landlords the duty of meeting the crying distress of the present period, be called upon by the relief committees of this county to supply, by pecuniary grants, liberally afforded, the loss which is sustained by the want of their presence on their estates, and that the absentie proprietors be applied to, to furnish such grants. " That the unfortunate declaration of the Government, of not interfering with the mercantile interests, by declining to establish district depOts, judiciously allo- cated, from which provisions should have been cautiously distributed, has tended greatly to aggravate the frightful pressure of the present crisis, inasmuch as it has encouraged a system of monopoly among a class of heartless speculators, most ruinous to the labouring population." No further outbreak is reported from Dungarvan, although the country continues in a state of excitement. A reinforcement of troops, consisting of the right wing of the Forty-seventh Regiment, had arrived in the Duke of Cambridge steamer from Dublin. The left wing was to follow.

A correspondent of the Freeman's Journal writes thus from Tuam on the 5th instant-

" I am sorry to inform you that this town, I may say, is in open rebellion— taking away cattle in the open day in spite of the Police and townspeople. There was one heifer belonging to William Sinnott taken on yesterday, on the to of the hill of Tullynadaly Road, in spite of the drivers. The animal was killed and carried off, and nothing left but the hide and part of the fat. Other cattle were stopped this day. The people cannot help the outbreak, for if they even had money they cannot get bread, as the Galway people are not letting any of it to us. Mrs. Davis, of Claremorris, was severely injured coming from Galway with flour. The people are watching the batches of bread coming out of the ovens, and almost killing each other for it. Mr. Blake's mill was kept going all day yesterday (Sunday) dressing and grinding whole flour, and were dividing it up to two o'clock this morning; so you may judge how the town is. Dragoons are expected here every moment."

The recent outrages in the South of Ireland elicited a short proclamation from the Lord-Lieutenant, which says- " Ms Excellency is determined, by every means in his power, to protect that lawful Wade in the articles of food, the complete security of which is essential to the subsistence of the people: and he earnestly warns all persons of the danger Which they incur by taking part in these illegal proceedings.

"The Lord-Lieutenant has also been informed that a disposition has in some instances been manifested by the labourers employed in public works, to resist the arrangements which the officers of the Board of Works have made in order to in- sure their proper execution by task or piece work, as well as to endeavour by vio- lence to obtain a higher rate of wages. These officers are acting under the ex- press directions of the Government; and, if this improper interference is perse- vered in, the Lord-Lieutenant will be compelled to order the works to be discon- tinued.

"The Lord-Lieutenant confidently relies on the continued support of. Magis- trates and others of station and influence in his efforts to maintain tranquillity, as well as to mitigate the effects of the calamity with which it has pleased Divine Providence to afflict this country; and he desires, in an especial manner, to thank the ministers of religion, of all persuasions, for their useful and exemplary conduct on this trying occasion."

The Committee of the Repeal Association have also issued an address to the people of Ireland, deprecating violence. It is signed " John O'Connell," as chairman. It preaches patience and resignation. We extract some passages—

Fellow countrymen—Not until the calamity of famine was aggravated by bloodshed have we ventured to address you. " We know your sufferings—our hearts bleed with years; we dreaded to speak, lest reasoning and advice should sound to you as mockery of your misery !

"Bat now that blood has been spilt—now that our hearts are dying within us at the thought that this may be but the beginning of the horrors we are doomed to witness, we can no longer—we dare no longer—refrain from crying out to you, in God's name, to be patient—to be patient yet awhile—and relief you shall as- suredly have I "The Government are doing all that in them lies to supply for this most sudden and utter destruction of your food. Your landlords are exerting themselves to :procure you employment. Every one is thinking of your miseries, in the sincerest anxiety to relieve them.

"'The darkest hour is that before the day,'—and we are at this moment in that dark hour which is to precede the near and glorious sunrise of freedom and hap- /dr:ess and prosperity upon this long-affficted land I

g

Peace, order, patience, confidence in Heaven, and all will yet be well. Mean- time, be o' this assured, beloved fellow countrymen, that while we thus venture to exhort you, we with equal earnestness will cry out again and again to the Govern- tuent to continue, and, if possible, increase their efforts to give you food. "Patience, then, in the name of your country, and in the most adorable name 'of Gad."

Lord Stuart de Decies has written a letter to the Cork Constitution, wherein he explains the cause of the recent attack made upon him by the mob at Clashmore.

"In the first place, it is not true that any tenants of mine, either from Slieve- greive or elsewhere, were guilty of taking a part in the disturbances which occurred upon the occasion in question. 'It is equally untrue that any confusion occurred within the precincts of the court whilst I was in the chair; but, on the contrary, the business was conducted from first to last with the most exemplary order. "In the neat place, it is very unlikely that any expressions of a violent cha- Meter should have been directed against me on account, as you state, of my sub- scription having been limited to 51., as it is very well known that I have contri- irated in no such niggardly spirit to the relief funds of the district.

" Not less untrue is it, that any excitement was caused by my expressing an opinion from the chair with respect to the subject of wages, or that Mr. Fitz- gerald aided with me in opposing any advance of wages, since the settlement of that question rests exclusively with the Government; and, consequently, neither 'Mr. Fitzgerald nor I could have dreamt of interfering. in the matter. "And now, having, I trust, succeeded in correcting some of the errors with 'which every line of your report abounds, you will permit me to conclude by simply stating that the real cause of the feeling which was excited against me arose from the circumstance of my having refused to listen to a man who attempted to address me whilst in court; and who, I had reason to believe, from some particu- lars of his conduct which had previously come under my observation, had no object in view but to create disturbance. On these grounds I ordered that he should be removed from the court; and, upon my following him out, shortly after- Wards, his outrageous demeanour, in endeavouring to stir up the populace against me, only confirmed me in the opinion that I had taken the proper course in re-

fusing him the opportunity i

,ty of converting the Court-house into an arena for the

exhibition of his violence.

Great alarm was created in Dublin, on Tuesday, by a report that there had been a sanguinary skirmish at Castleconnell2 and that some of the military had been killed. This was a riot on Sunday night, caused by a party of drunken soldiers belonging to the Eighty-eighth Regiment, who attacked the Police, and afterwards the Police-barracks, breaking the windows. Some ragamuffins took part with the soldiers. The Police fired, severely wounding a soldier, and killing spoor man who happened to be in the way. Other soldiers and two pieces of ar- tBery were brought from Limerick on Monday, and the tumult was quelled. The same soldiers had caused a disturbance in Nenagh on the previous Friday; and their lax state of discipline was generally remarked. Of course there will be an ;official inquiry.