13 MARCH 1852, Page 4

IRELAND.

The Earl and Countess of Eglinton arrived at Dublin on Wednesday, shortly before two o'clock. The day being beautifully fine, Lord Eglinton rode on horseback, wearing a large shamrock on his breast, and surrounded by a brilliant staff. Lady Eglinton followed in a chariot and four. On the arrival of the cortege at the Castle, the ceremony of swearing-in was at once proceeded with, and at its conclusion three vollies of musketry woe fired by the troops stationed at College Green. The Lord-Lieutenant and the Countess of Eglinton afterwards held an undress levee, which was numerously attended.

It is understood that the new Irish Government intend to reinstate Lord Roden in the commission of the peace.

The seat of Mr. Napier, Attorney-General, for Dublin University, was secured to him again on Tuesday, without any ultimate difficulty. The threatened opposition candidate did not appear. Mr. Napier's speech of

thanks is characterized as "a long but in most respects a clever and ju- dicious oration"; carefully shunning the shoals of Protection, and touch• ing upon a variety of topics, which could not fail to win the plaudits of his auditory,—such as centralization, the land question, agrarian combi- nation, law reform, and Scriptural education. Upon the last topic he made some special statements, founded on personal assurances which he had sought and obtained from Lord Derby himself. Under former Governments, a rule was adopted which was disgraceful to those who acted upon it ; he alluded to the rule by which their clergy, both old and young—some of them perhaps struggling with their families and

surrounded with difficulties of no ordinary kind—were tempted with Govern- ment preferment, and obliged, before they could receive it, to give their as- sent and approbation to a particular system of education, from which they conscientiously dissented. Mr. Napier took an opportunity, at an interview he had with Lord Derby, of calling his attention to the rule in coiestion, making pledges a condition of patronage. Need he assure them that Lord Derby rejected it with that honest indignation which he had invariably =sul- fated in matters of that nature ? No,' said he, that shall not be.' The direc- tion he would give would be to look out for the best men, of learning and piety,

and not for a compliance with any rule whatever as a preliminary condition of preferment. The only thing further that passed between them on that occasion was this—Lord Derby told him, that when he brought in the National system of Education it was certainly in the expectation thatit would be both compre- hensive and united. They all knew what a difficult subject it was. He would say unaffectedly, that he thought there was no man who, after sitting down and considering it, with the difficulties of a mixed community and a free country, would not be prepared to acknowledge that it was one of the most difficult questions that could engage their attention. But Lord Derby said that it had been his purpose and expectation that the system would be com- prehensive and united. Mr. Napier told him that it was not comprehensive, and that he believed it was not united. Well, if it was not comprehensive and united, of course the whole country must have an interest in getting the sphere of education enlarged : and he must say it must be of intense importance to the country to bring it into harmonious action with the piety and intelligence of the clergy of the Established Church through- out the country, and to add them as forces in carrying forward the great and good work of instructing the minds and hearts of their

young _ and growing population. Lord Derby said he would have an honest inquiry ; and when he said an honest inquiry, he meant an honest inquiry

into the working of the system, to see what deviations had taken place from the original rules—to see whether it was united, and what could be done with it in order to meet the objections of the clergy, and, as far as possible, to have a system that might be truly called national. Then, as Lord Derby had put no conditions upon him, and had promised that the rule about patronage should be abrogated, as his anxiety was to have a system as com- prehensive as possible and yet that would include the agency and cooperation of his constituents of the Established Church, he thought he ought to be satisfied with that, and not tease an honourable mind with prying and searching questions.

Mr. Whiteside, Solicitor-General, obtained his reelection at Enniskillen with difficulty. Mr. Cullum opposed him ; and party-spirit ran so high

in the little constituency of the nomination borough of the noble Cole family, that fierce conflicts arose, which the mounted police could not quell till several of the antagonists were badly wounded. Mr. Whiteside polled 81 votes, and Mr. Cullum could bring up but 7'2; so Mr. Whiteside won by a majority of 9.

The prospects of Lord Naas in the county of Kildare become more doubtful. The influence of the Duke of Leinster is against him ; and at the last moment, a demonstration even more threatening to his hopes has been made. The Catholic Defence Association has declared against him, and in favour of his opponent. The Committee hes issued an address to the Catholic electors, proclaiming that the con- test is now between Catholic freedom and Protestant ascendancy, and congratulating them on having the first opportunity "of teaching Lord Derby and his Administration that the Catholics of Ireland will submit to no restoration of the old Orange tyranny from which they have suffered so much." As Lord Derby has sought out " every name most offensive to the Catholics of Ireland to place it in the front of his Administration," they prescribe the following categorical rules of conduct to the electors. Catholic electors of Kildare, you will reject Lord Naas-1. Because he is the Irish Chief Secretary of Lord Derby's Protestant-Ascendancy Go- vernment. 2. Because he is a supporter of the infamous Ecclesiastical Titles Bill. 3. Because he opposed the Irish Parliamentary Reform Act, which increased the electors of the Catholic county of Kildare from 320 to its pre- sent number of 2773. 4. Because he supported Protestant ascendancy by attending a No-Popery meeting at the Rotunda, presided over by his near relation the Deputy Grand Master of theOrangemen, Lord Roden, of Dolly's Brae notoriety. "You will return Mr. Coogan-1. Because he is neither a Whig nor a Tory, but an independent Irish Catholic. 2. Because he is not a sup-

porter of Lord John Russell or of Lord Derby, but of Catholic and of Irish interests. 3. Because he has publicly pledged himself to support that policy which overthrew the Russell Administration for their aggression on the Catholic religion. 4. Because he will maintain civil and religious liberty, and every measure to ameliorate the condition of the people."

The Nation has a leading article on the "State of Parties," the cardinal Paints of which intimate doubts of the patriotism of its own party.

"If Ireland had an honest and organized party, there was never a moment when its power might be exercised with more decisive effect than now. That rare balance of interests, which raises an independent minority into a supreme arbitrator, is coming, or come in England. The battle of Free-trade must be fought over again, and the Irish auxiliaries will decide the contest." . . . . " The Free-traders have a fanatical hatred to the principles of the Tenant League; and a cold, dogged, immoveable contempt for everything beyond the narrow range of their own clear, circumscribed horizon." . . . . "In this greatest Parliamentary opportunity which has occurred since Emancipation, we are at a loss to know whether it will be used for Ireland or sold for the pri- vate benefit of half-a-dozen individuals. It depends absolutely on the re- sults of the general election which of the two shall happen. We cannot ven- ture to say that the outlook at present is satisfactory. At the Castlebar Assizes, Mr. William Mark Fitzmaurice, a Magistrate for the county of Mayo, was convicted of horsewhipping Mr. Rutledge in the streets of Castlebar, in July last. At that time, Mr. Rutledge was High Sheriff; by the mistake of a clerk Mr. Fitzmauriee's name had been omitted from the Grand Jury list ; he was very wroth at this, insulted Mr. Rutledge, would not be satisfied with his explanation, and forthwith horsewhipped him with great violence. At the trial, no defence was offered, and no at- tempt made to palliate or justify the assault. After conviction, the prisoner made an apology, and Mr. Rutledge said he did not wish for any vindictive punishment. The unruly Magistrate was sentenced to prison for a month.

At Maryborough Assizes, last week, Matthew Colgan, a gentleman farmer, was tried for administering poison to his wife with intent to murder her. Colgan married the lady two years ago, and received a portion of 500l. with her. When she was domiciled at her husband's, she found there a domestic who had borne a child to him. Colgan wanted his wife to ride in the same car with this woman ; the outraged wife uttered such remonstrances that the husband consented to dismiss the servant from the house. Subsequently, Mrs. Colgan discovered that she had returned to the neighbourhood, and that her husband visited her. On Mrs. Colgan's confinement with a child, she was frequently ill after taking liquids from her husband's hands ; she grew suspicioue, and noticed sediments in the vessels ; these she preserved, and they turned out to be arsenic. On one occasion, what had been refused by the wife was about to be swallowed by the illegitimate child : Colgan dashed the vessel from the child's hand. The Jury convicted him on all the counts charged ; but Judge Torrens said, that as, happily, no life had been lost, perhaps justice would be satisfied by taking the verdict on the fourth count—attempting to administer. Sentence, transportation for life.

John Ahearne, a man nearly seventy years old, has been convicted at Waterford Assizes of conspiring with others to murder James Troy : Troy was murdered, but Ahearne did not take part in the actual homicide. The victim was a bailiff, whose only offence was being a witness to give evidence of the handwriting of Ahearne and others to notes passed to their landlord for payment of rent ; it being believed that in the absence of the witness the civil bills should be dismissed. The convict was sentenced to 'be hanged.