Ebt Ifftetropolis.

On Saturday, a meeting of noblemen and gentlemen connected with Ireland was held at the Freemasons Tavern, for the purpose of forming an Irish Society, with the view of concentrating Irish interests and promoting social intercourse among Irishmen in London, irrespective of political and religious differences. The Marquis of Clanricarde was in the chair, and was supported by a number of Irish noblemen and gentlemen. Mr. Emerson Tennent explained the nature of the proposed society: it was not, at any rate not just yet, to be a club like an English club, but to be a society consisting of enrolled members who should hold periodical meetings for social and literary purposes ; there being at least one or two conversaziones during the season, at which there would be an opportunity of exhibiting the works of Irish artists in every branch. Among the succeeding speakers were Lord Castlereagh, Sir D. Norreys, Lord Trimlestown, Mr. Grogan, Mr. R. Bell, and the Reverend Mr. Mahony, a Roman Catholic clergyman. Resolutions for forming the Society were passed unanimously ; a committee of ma- nagement was appointed ; Mr. E. Tennent and Mr. J. O'Connell were chosen honorary Secretaries ; and a subscription of 1361. was announced. Afterwards there was a dinner, attended by a majority of those who took part in the meeting.

A meeting of the Roman Catholics in London was held at the Music- hall in Store Street on Tuesday, to sympathize with Daniel O'Connell and his fellow-captives. The room was only three parts filled. The speakers were violent and very lengthy in their harangues, and their abuse of the Government was only equalled by the extravagance of their eulogiums on the "imprisoned patriots." The address styles O'Connell "the avenger of Ireland's wrongs, the champion of our faith, and the unsullied emancipator of our homes and of our altars." The concluding paragraph is worth preserving as a specimen of blarney :

"In conclusion, respected Sir, we beg to tender to you, and to your brother- martyrs, these sincere but inadequately expressed assurances of our sympa- thizing gratitude, esteem, and affection. To none of your admirers and friends do the Catholics of London yield in ardour of attachment. Could you behold, from out your prison-cell, the tears stream down at the bare mention of your venerated name—could you witness the heaving of two hundred thou- sand hearts that throb for your speedy deliverance—could you behold both priests and people surrounding our altars, and doing holy violence to Heaven for justice to Ireland, long-suffering Ireland—oh! we flatter ourselves, vene- rated Sir, that the bitterness of captivity's cup would receive an alloy of sweet- ness; the chains you meekly wear for love of fatherland would seem less heavy and galling ; the hours would glide on less tediously ; and the happy day that is to restore you to the bereaved children of persecution would, 0 father of your country, would seem as more nearly approaching its dawn.* The third annual meeting of the Spitalfields branch of the Govern- ment School of Design was held on Wednesday, at Crosby Hall, Bishopsgate Street : the Marquis of Normanby in the chair. The report represented that branch of the School of Design to be in a most flourishing condition : the attendance of pupils amounted in April to 238—an increase of 122 on the preceding year ; and it was become ne- cessary to provide additional accommodation. The attendance at the Spitalfields school of numerous artisans of various other professions jus- tified the inference, that if similar branch establishments of the Central School were opened in other districts of the Metropolis, an im- portant advantage would be conferred upon the industrious classes, not only directly for the benefit of their respective manual arts, but indirectly for their intellectual and moral improvement. Mr. Graham, a silk- manufacturer, stated that the trade had already derived considerable advantage from the establishment of the School of Design. Prizes were awarded to the most skilful of the pupils, and also to those who had distinguished themselves by the regularity of their attendance and good conduct.

At a meeting of Middlesex Magistrates, on Thursday, a county-rate of one penny in the pound was ordered. The Magistrates are about to make use of the assessments for the Property-tax in assessing property for the county-rate. It appears that the returns of rental by the parishes are much under the assessment to the Property-tax. The return of St. George's Hanover Square, for example, was only 600,000/. ; whereas the Property-tax paper showed it to be about 900,0001.

The half-yearly general court of the members of the Royal Humane Society was held on Tuesday. A statement of the number of cases treated by the Society was read, and rewards were distributed. Silver medallions were awarded to seven persons ; one of them to Lieutenant Vansittart, for saving a seaman who had fallen overboard from her Majesty's ship Agincourt, stationed near Hongkong in China ; and another to Lieutenant Caldwell, who endeavoured to save the man ; both officers having jumped overboard, the former in full uniform.

The writs of error in the case of Daniel O'Connell, &c. occupied the House of Lords on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

On Monday morning the arguments on behalf of the appellants were brought to a close, by Mr. F. Kelly ; who contended that the judg- ment could not stand if any one of the counts was found to be bad, even though others were good. The two counts on which he particularly dwelt as being defective were the sixth and the eighth ; both of which, he maintained, were too vague to constitute a legal offence. Mr. Kelly's argument closed at four o'clock, when the proceedings were adjourned for two hours, to allow their Lordships to transact public business ; and at six o'clock the case was resumed.

The Attorney-General was heard on the part of the Crown. He de- nied the principle that the invalidity of one or more than one count in an indictment invalidated the whole ; and he challenged the counsel for the appellants to adduce a single case of the kind. The principle and practice of the law from the earliest times was, that if one of the counts were good, it became unnecessary in form whether the others were so or not. The objection that, as the offence charged against all was one of conspiracy, the acquittal of two was an acquittal of all, Sir William Follett treated as too absurd for serious consideration. After speaking for nearly four hours, he became so mach exhausted as to request an adjournment till next day.

On Tuesday morning, the Attorney-General resumed; and directed his observations to the challenge of the array and to the mode of swear- ing-in the Jury. He continued speaking till nearly two o'clock ; and in conclusion, submitted 'to their Lordships, that he had effectually an- swered all the objections affecting this case: that he had shown that the finding was not at variance with nor beyond the indictment; that the defendants had been convicted of the offences, and of the offences only, laid to their charge ; that there were no grounds of challenge to the array ; that the defendants had been found guilty on counts which were quite unassailable at law ; and that the present judgment must stand, there being no good grounds whatever for reversing it. Mr. T. B. C. Smith, the Attorney-General for Ireland, was next heard in support of the judgment. He had not concluded at five o'clock, when their Lordships adjourned for public business. The hearing was resumed at eight &clock ; when Mr. Smith concluded his speech.

Sir Thomas Wilde then rose to reply. He apologized for appearing in imperfect costume, on account of the state of his health, which did not permit him to wear a wig without inconvenience. The Lord Chan- cellor admitted the apology, on the condition that the absence of the wig be not taken as a precedent, and that the learned Sergeant would not add to the length of his argument what he curtailed of the wig, Sergeant Wilde, Mr. Hill, and Mr. Kelly, were heard in succession, and contended that no sufficient answer had been given by the counsel for the Crown. On the subject of the right of challenge, Sir Thomas Wilde asserted, that

- - - - - if the judgment in this case were upheld, the case would be classed among the state trials of two centuries back. Independent of other anomalies, the challenge of the jury was the only security a party accused had for a fair trial ; and they would be told by this case, that the power of chal- lenging a jury was utterly gone in Ireland—that the statute had taken it away. He wished that the administration of justice should be redeemed from such a stain, and the law secured from any such abuse as must ensue from the con- firmation of the judgment. The arguments were continued till eleven o'clock ; at that hour Mr. Kelly had not concluded. On Wednesday, Mr. Kelly resumed at ten o'clock, and spoke till a quarter before three.

The Attorney-General said, he would not insist upon his right to reply, more especially as no new case had been cited; but he protested against this waiver being drawn into a precedent. The Lord Chancellor then stated that their Lordships had prepared certain questions to be submitted to the Judges ; and he handed a paper containing the following questions, to Lord Chief Justice Tindal.

" The attention of the Judges is requested to the record and proceedings here- after subjoined, with reference to the following questions. " 1. Are all, or any, and if any, which, of the counts in the indictment bad in law, so that, if such count or counts stood alone in the indictment, no judgment against the defendants could properly be entered upon them ? 4. 2. Is there any, and if any, what, defect in the finding of the Jury upon the trial of the said indictment, and in entering of such finding ? "3. Is there any sufficient ground for reversing the indictment, by means of any defect in the indictment, or of the finding or entering of the findings of the Jury upon the said indictment ? "4. Is there any sufficient ground to reverse the judgment by reason of the matters stated in the pleas in abatement, or any of them, or in the judgment upon such pleas ? " 5. Is there any sufficient ground for reversing the judment on account of the continuing the trial in the vacation, or of the order of the Court for that purpose ? " 6. Is there any sufficient ground for reversing the judgment on account of the judgment of the Court overruling and disallowing the challenge to the array, or any or either of them, or of the matters stated in such challenge ? " 7. Is there sufficient ground to reverse the judgment by reason of any de- fect in the entry of continuances from the said trial to the 15th day of Aprils regard being also had to the appearances of the defendants on the said last- named day ? " 8. Is there any sufficient ground to reverse or vary the judgment on ac- count of the sentences, or any or either of them, passed on the respective de- fendants, regard being had particularly to the recognizances required, and to the period of imprisonment dependent on the entering into such recognizances ? " 9. Is there any sufficient ground to reverse the judgment on account of the judgments in the assignments of error, coram nobis, or any or either of them, or of the matters stated in such assignments of error, or any or either of them?

" 10. Is there any sufficient ground for reversing the judgment by reason of its not containing any entry as to the verdicts of acquittal? " 11. In an indictment consisting of counts A, B, C, where the verdict is guilty of all generally, and the counts A B are good and the count C is bad, the judgment being, that the defendants, for the offences aforesaid, be fined and imprisoned, which judgment would be sufficient in point of law if con- fined expressly to counts A and B, can such judgment he reversed on a writ of error ? Will it make any difference whether the punishment be discretionary, as above suggested, or a punishment fixed by law ? "

The Lord Chief Justice, on the part of the Judges, asked for time to consider the questions. The Lord Chancellor said, undoubtedly, the Judges must have the time necessary. In the name of the House, he thanked the Judges for their attendance at great personal inconvenience. Their Lordships then adjourned.

It was generally expected that the judgment would have been given on Thursday, and numbers of persons assembled in the House of Lords with that expectation. It appears, however, from a statement in the Morning Chronicle, that the reply of the Judges has not been received, and that they are gone on their respective circuits. Lord Chief Jus- tice Tindal remained in London on Thursday, "to prepare draft an- swers to the queries, to be forwarded to the other Judges on circuit, who attended the argument in the Lords. As some days must elapse before the replies of the Judges can be received, the judgment is of course de- ferred."

The claim of Sir Augustus D'Este to the Dukedom of Sussex was finally disposed of in the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords, on Tuesday. The opinion of the Judges on the case submitted to them by their Lordships was read by Chief Justice Tindal. All the Judges agreed that the Royal Marriage Act was in force in foreign countries as well as in England ; and that a marriage at Rome, if other- wise valid when contracted between individuals who did not come within the scope of the Royal Marriage Act, became of no effect if one of the contracting parties was included within the provisions of that Act, and had married without the consent of the King. The Lord Chancellor proposed that the decision of the Committee should be postponed : but, on the suggestion of Lord Brougham, that to postpone the decision would only be to occasion additional expense,

the Law Lords expressed their opinions, unanimously concurring with the Judges, that the marriage was invalid, and that the claim of Sir Au- gustus D'Este had not been established. Lord Brougham and Lord Campbell expressed regret at the existence of such a law as the Royal Marriage Act : there had been a marriage: in fact, which the law had rendered invalid, to the great wrong of innocent parties. Lord Broug- ham suggested that Parliament should make them some compensation.

In the Court of Exchequer, Guildhall, on Saturday, an action was tried at the instance of the London and Westminster Bank, against a person named Lund, one of the shareholders of the defunct Yorkshire Agricultural and Commercial Bank, which at its failure was indebted to the London and Westminster Bank to the amount of 20,465/. It appeared that the latter bank had caused fifty-six writs to be issued against as many shareholders of the Yorkshire Bank, each writ being endorsed with the whole sum of 20,465/. ; Tomlinson, one of the gentle- men arrested on these writs, had, however, been discharged on the pay- ment of 88/.6s. ; and it was contended on the trial, that the writ being for 20,465/., the acceptance of the 881. 6s. discharged all the fifty-six gentle- men, of whom Mr. Lund was one, from liability for the first sum. The Jury returned a verdict for the plaintiffs on the first issue, which was, that there was a debt due to them ; and for the defendant on the second, namely, that the fact of Tomlinson having been arrested for the whole slim, and discharged on the payment of 881. 6s., was a discharge of the debt.

In the same Court, in the case of Acraman against Cooper and Company, also tried on Saturday, a fact of some importance to the commercial world was disclosed. Messrs. Acraman 'borrowed money of Coils and Company, bill-brokers, on their bills, and gave a number of scrip-receipts of shares in the Royal Mail Steam-packet Company as collateral security : while the bills were yet current, the bill-brokers borrowed money of Cooper and Company on these scrip-receipts, which they lodged with them ; Acramans took up the bills ; but in the mean- time Colts and Company became bankrupts, and were unable to restore the scrip-receipts to Messrs. Acraman : Mr. Acraman claimed half of them as his property (the other half belonging to his brother) from Messrs. Cooper and Company ; denying the right of Coils and Company to pledge them without his consent. Several bill-brokers, however, gave evidence that it was the custom to make use of collateral securities in the way that these scrip-receipts had been used ; and a verdict was given for the defendants, though both Judge and Jury expressed their surprise at the existence of such a practice, believing it to be generally unknown.

A. wholesale system of breach of trust by a solicitor was brought to light on Thursday, in the Bankruptcy Court, in the case of a bankrupt named Bromley, formerly a solicitor in Gray's Inn. His debts and liabilities amount to 140,0001., principally through breaches of trust of the most shameful description. The bankrupt received large amounts for investment from different persons ; pretended that he invested them in substantial securities ; but applied the money to his own use, punc- tually paying the interest up to the any of his bankruptcy, and thus preventing his dupes from having any suspicion. One lady deposited 3,0001. in his hands, in 1824—she is now receiving parish-relief; an- other deposited 8,0001.—she is now obliged to sell her furniture to pay her rent. Dr. Lushington and Archdeacon Brymer of Bath have been defrauded of 29,0001., as co-trustees with the bankrupt. Other cases were stated in the court. The Commissioner said the bankrupt's balance-sheet was not the shadow of a shade of a balance-sheet. The farther hearing of the case was adjourned.

A young man, the Honourable William Ross Touchet, brother of Lord Audley, was charged at Bow Street Police-office on Saturday with shooting Mr. Thomas Smith, a gunsmith, in High Holborn. On Satur- day morning, the prisoner entered Mr. Smith's shooting-gallery, at the back of the shop ; fired two pistols at a target ; and on receiving a third from Smith, he turned it towards him and fired, shooting him through the back. The prisoner merely observed that he was tired of his life, and wished to be banged. Mr. Smith was taken to St. Bartholomew's Hospital ; where he was considered to be in danger.

The prisoner was brought up for reexamination at Bow Street Police- office on Friday ; when a certificate being produced that Mr. Smith was not yet considered out of danger, he was remanded for a fortnight. He made no remark when before the Magistrate.

At the Mansionhouse Police-court, on Wednesday, application was made on behalf of certain creditors, who had been plundered to the amount of 14,0001., to be enabled to carry into effect the acts made in the convention between England and France, by which persons in either country may be apprehended, and brought to justice in the coun- try in which the fraud has been committed. Mr. Alderman Wood, who acted for the Lord Mayor, granted the authentification of the City seal, to facilitate proceedings in France for the recovery of the money.

Frederick Hull, a bargeman, was charged at Worship Street Police Office, on Tuesday, with having thrown a boy into the river Lea. The boy, with others, had been throwing stones into the prisoner's barge, on Monday afternoon : the prisoner landed from the barge, and seizing the boy by his arms and legs, threw him into the river ; then got into his barge again, and went on without taking further notice. The boy swam to shore; but finding he had lost his jacket, which he had taken off and carried, he went into the river again to search for it, and was drowned. The bargeman was held to bail.

An omnibus-proprietor, named Richards, was committed in default of bail, at Guildhall Police-court, on Wednesday, charged with having exposed a glandered horse for sale in Smithfield market.

Late on Monday night, a fire broke out on board the bark Madras whilst lying off the Royal Dockyard, Deptford ; the vessel was only saved from total destruction by being scuttled.

A discovery was made at Buckingham Palace on Thursday morning, that a man employed in the upholstery department of the Lord Cham- berlain's Office had committed suicide, in one of the store-rooms.

An inquest was held on Tuesday at the Unicorn, Covent Garden Market, on the body of Captain John M`Dermott, of the Eleventh Foot, who died from internal injuries received from the overturning of the Independent Chichester coach, at Ripley; when the Captain was thrown

from the roof and ruptured a blood-vessel. A verdict of " Accidental Death" was returned.

The Aginc5urt convict-ship, with 300 convicts on board, including Barber and Fletcher, left Woolwich on Monday, for Norfolk Island, New South Wales.

Barber has had a long letter inserted in the Times, of coarse declaring his innocence in the will-forgery case. Not much better testimony to this effect is a declaration of William Sanders, of his belief of Barber having acted honestly in the affair : he says Barber was an utter stranger to him when he was introduced by Fletcher as Thomas Hunt.

Mr. Gurney, the landlord of the Coachmakers' Arms, Marylebone Lane, expired yesterday, in consequence of inhaling the noxious vapours of the spirits in his cellar, last Saturday evening ; when he was found lying in an insensible state on the ground.

A Free Trade Club has been established in London. The following are the names of the gentlemen composing the Committee of Manage- ment—the Earl of Radnor, the Earl of Ducie, Lord Charles Fitzroy, M.P., the Honourable Charles Pelham Villiers, M.P., John Lewis Ricardo, Esq., M.P., Thomas Milner Gibson, Esq., M.P., Richard Cobden, Esq., M.P., and James 'Wilson, Esq.—Leeds Mercury.