22 DECEMBER 1838, Page 8

IRELAND.

A statement went the round of the newspapers last week, that Lord Morpeth had assured a deputation of gentlemen connected with private railway companies, that Government would not grant any money to- wards the formation of railways in Ireland, though private companies might be assisted by loans. It appears from a published letter of Lord Morpeth, that he was misunderstood, and that no such inference ought to be drawn from what he stated.

Mr. Kennedy and the Reverend Mr. Carlile have retired from the National Board of Education. There is much speculation, but no certain knowledge of the reasons which have caused their resignation.

The clergy of the diocese of Ardagh, at a meeting convened by the Vicar-General. and held in Longford on the lath instant, have passed a series of resolutions condemnatory of the Oxford Doctors ; whose pinions they say tend to overthrow the fundamental grounds of the protest "raised in the Sixteenth century by the blessed Reformers against t he apostacy of the Church of Rome.' —Pilot.

At a meeting of the Precursor Society, on Tuesday, Mr. O'Connell styled the reply of the Working Men's Association to the Precursors' letter, a miserable, jejune, puling, paltry, unmeaning compilation, and utterly undeserving of notice. Mr. Sharman Crawford was also desig- nated as an " arrant blockhead." The Precursor rent for the week was 2491. 10s. At this rate several years will elapse before the " two mil- lions " are made up.

On Tuesday, the O'Connor Don was admitted a member of the 'Precursor Society. On Mr. O'Connell's motion, the Society was dis- solved. and reconstituted with some variation of its rules ; made, ac- cording to the Pi/ot, with the intention of conciliating the " Wait-a- whiles.'