22 FEBRUARY 1845, Page 9

IRELAND.

A paragraph has run the round of the papers alleging that a correspondence - has been carried on between Sir Robert Peel and the heads of the Irish University, respecting the expediency of opening the College to Roman Catholics and Dis- senters: the Dublin Evening Mail declares authoritatively that there is no founda- tion for the report—" No correspondence, direct or indirect, has taken place be- - tween the Government and the Board of Trinity College upon those or any other subjects connected with the meditated academical changes."

A very strange scene took place at the Dublin Royal Exchange on Friday—a fraternizing between Mr. O'Connell and the Reverend Treshiun Gregg. A meet- ing was held to consider the best method of developing the industrial resources of Ireland; the Lord Mayor presiding. The prominent speakers were mostly Re- pmlers—Mr. MacNevm, Mr. Staunton, Mr. Smith O'Brien and others. Reso- lutions were passed unanimously, to the effect that they had long viewed with the deepest regret the utter absence of the spirit of industrial enterprise in this country, and they considered it to be a matter of true practical patriotism to in fuse such a spirit into the people; and that they deeply regretted the absence of a manufacturing employment, whereby the market of labour is narrowed and the wages reduced to a most inadequate standard; and a Committee was appointed to promote the object of the meeting. In the midst of Mr. MacNevin's speech, entered the Reverend Tresham Gregg Grand Chaplain of the Protestant Operative Association of Dublin; who stolid forward to move an amendment to the first resolution. At first he was received with loud disapprobation; but Mr. O'Connell and others obtained silence, and Mr. Gregg proceeded.- His speech set forth some of the well-known evils of Ireland, and it might for the most part have passed for one of Mr. O'Connell's. He began thus—" My Lord Mayor, 1 am identified with the Orangemen of Ireland. (Cheers and hisses.) It is now declared by those who are your leaders, and by bun who is your great and distinguished efief, that those Orangemen ought to be con- ciliated. (" Hear!" and loud cheers.) I have heard it said that the orange and green shall be combined together. I know not why that should not be. (Cheers.)

am identified withthe orange, but I love the green. I love the orange, and I

• Would be identified with the green as well. ("Hear!" and cheers.) My Lord ,Mayor, I believe that Ireland is a most ill-treated and ill-ruled country." (Cheers.) O'Connells--" Bravo ! "] Mr. Gregg moved an amendment on the first reso- lutions, declaring it absurd in the Government to maintain contradictory systems . of religion, and directing that a petition to the Climen be prepared, praying her to -take measure's for testing which is the true religion, in order that it may obtain • -throughout Ireland; a result which. would remove absenteeism, extend our minffacturing operations, and develop to the fullest degree all the resources of Ireland, and thus effectually accomplish the objects proposed by this meeting." Several hands were held up for this resolution; but it was "fairly lost," as Mr. Gregg said, by a I yge majority. Mr. MacHevin, however, avowed that Mr. Gregg's speech was inimitable."

Mr. O'Connell said that he had never heard a better; that his own speech had been spoken for him better than he could have made it. "Questions that have been clinging to me from earliest infancy in political life to the present moment, and Were the subjects of my study and admiration, have been Inuidled here today with a power of eloquence, a happiness of language, and felicity of diction, such as seldom have been equalled, and never surpassed. Oh, we are good friends at last. (Cheers.) If it were to last but for a day, I am delighted that I have lived to see the day; but it must necessarily be the groundwork of good feeling among us. (Cheers.) For the rest of my life, let him do what he may, I will never say one word against him. (Laughter.) I pledge myself to that. I am so thankful to him, in the name of Ireland and of the Irish people, for the lesson he has read, not only to us, but to those who agree with him on other topics, and to the British Government, that if he were to knock me down in the streets I would not say to him, he did it.'" Mr. Gregg—" There is no fear of that," - -

Mr. O'Connell—" I know that there is not. The Government think they are able to Islay off one set of Irishmen against the other. This day they say, Ilurra for the Protestants ! ' in a fortnight afterwards they declare' Popery IS not so had— we will put in places two or three Papists.' And thus they are playing us off against each other."

Mr. Gregg (emphatically)—" They are a contemptible set." (Loud cheers.) Mr. O'Connell—" I have no great respect for them myself, but I don't go so far as the reverend gentleman. The Protestant agitator, when he becomes one, beats us poor Papists out and out. There is a determination, a manly deter- mination, about him; and he does not mince the matter at all, but gives them the full expression of his hearty contempt. I will join with him in that expression: I have a hearty contempt for them. But what I am delighted at is they can no longer play this game with regard to us. We blow them at both sides; we despise them at both sides: we are beginning to like each other; and when both aides amalgamate, Ireland will become what I think I heard the reverend gentle- anan say she ought to be- ' Great, glorious, and tree.'

I would earnestly recommend Sir Robert Peel to read the reverend gentleman's speech; and he is no statesman if he does not read it. He will receive a better lesson from that speech than he ever got since he learned his A B. Let Sir -James Graham read that speech—let the ancient Duke of Wellington read that speech; he could not bring home a better sermon for his perusal than the speech of the Reverend Temham Gregg in the Royal Exchange. Let them all read it emil consider it; and let them know there is no party in Ireland so weak and so 'despicable as to permit themiehies to be treated with the contempt with which they have treated them. They shall not treat any of us so any longer with

impunity." (Cheers.) ---------- Mr. esregg—" Hear, hear!" (Cheers.) Mr. O'Connell—" Nor shall they delude us."

Mr. Gregg—" Hear, hear ! " (Cheers.) Mr. O'Connell—" They think that a few smooth words will atone for their

misdeeds. They think if they use friendly language towards us it will satisfy us. The present Lord-Lieutenantis a great diplomatist, and he may say, Mr. Gregg, I am as sound a Protestant as you are; I will take care of Protestantism.' And when anothcr person comes to him &ohs some other pLace, he may declare, '01i!

my Lord Archbishop, I have the greatest respect for an Archbishop of your ancient church'; but that will not delude us."

Mr. Gregg—" Hear, hear ! " (Loud cheers.) Mr. O'Connell—" In short, the humbug is over." (Cheers.) Mr. Gregg's name was placed as one of the Committee.

The Protestant Operative Society held their annual meeting at the Rotunda on Wednesday. The Honourable Somerset Maxwell, brother of Lord Farnham, was to have presided; but a letter from him was read stating that he could not do 80 after Mr. Gregg's exhibition at the Royal Exchange. The Reverend R. H. Eyre, a relative of Lord Listocvel, was called to the chair: strong disappointment was expressed of Mr. Maxwell, and resolutions were passed asserting the danger of Protestantism, &c. The proceedings were diversified by a dispute whether St. Patrick was an Irishman or a Scotehman; and they closed with singing the Doxology.

At the meeting of the Repeal Association on Monday, Mr. John O'Connell at- tacked Sir Robert Peel's financial scheme, because, although it would be very be- neficial to the poor, it did not do enough for Ireland. Mr. O'Connell, the father, attacked Mr. Montesquieu Bellew., because his uncle had sold his religion and country for three pensions; and Mr. IS'akley, because he had displayed crass ig- norance in saying that Irish Members should make a distinct declaration of the measures they required and would he contented with: Mr. O'Connell read a number of documents published by himself and others, at different periods for years back, in which the required list of grievances and their remedies were pat 'forward, and which he moved to send to Mr. Wakley. Referring to the increased grant for Maynooth College, Mr. O'Connell said he understood that it was to be 26,0001.; besides which, buildings were to be repaired at the expense of the Board of Works. He had been reproached with neglecting to oppose this grant, and reminded of his often-repeated principle that every religion should pay its own clergymen. That certainly was his principle, and lie should like very well to see it carried out; but while the Established Church took money from Catho- lics and Dissenters, for which it gave no value, he would take all he could get for Maynooth. Mr. Clements presented the report. of a Committee appointed to con- sider the best method of preserving the ancient melodies of Ireland: they had come to the conclusion that the most effectual way of perpetuating those sacred relics of antiquity was to have them arranged for the Temperance bands. This had been done by a competent person, and the first of a series was then ready to be issued. The rent for the week was 752/.

From a notice in the Nation, the collection of the O'Connell tribute does not seem to prosper: outlying parishes are informed that the thee for collecting the tribute is extended to Sunday the 16th March. Mr. Steele, the "head pacificator," attended Toomevara Chapel on Sunday week, and demanded "a tornado of groans," to mark the execration in which the con- gregation held the proprietor of the Nenagh Guardian, Very pacifying!

Government leis granted a pension of 100/. a year to the widow of Captain J. 3PLeod, Stipendiary- Magistrate, who was murdered at Ballinainore' Leitnin; and at her demise 50/. a year will devolve on her daughter, Miss M.Lecel.