IRELAND.
The annual cattle-show of the Dublin Agricultural Society was held on Wednesday. In spite of a continuous ram, Lord Carlisle attended the show and staid two hours in the yard. He also was present at the evening meeting: in a speech replying to a vote of thanks, he touched on the question of the nnurain in a tone of warning ; and endeavoured to soften the asperities provoked by the general election. "Confident I feel that the dregs and sediment of party business cannot be carried away by any more wholesome method of effervescence than in the healthy, useful, and honourable calling of agriculture. Parties and governments may be subject to vicissitudes and change ; but you, my lords and gentlemen, have the green soil of Ireland lying fresh beneath you—firm and fresh beneath you. There it is—do justice to it, cultivate it, enrich it, adorn it—for you will find it ever ready to reward and to repay the skill and industry which shall best develop its abounding resources."
The Tabkl imputes the defeat of Mr. Swift in Sligo county to the terrorism of a confederacy entitled the "Steel Boys." These worthies are said to consist mainly of "the mob of Sligo." It seems to have been the custom of the popular candidate to subsidize them : they demanded largess from Mr. Swift ; he refused to grant it ; the "Steel Boys" threatened him with violence' and he retired. Such is the story told by the Roman Catholic organ to explain the entire defeat of a candidate admitted to have "obtained the express approval of the Archbishop of Tuam, the Bishops of Achomy and Killala, and the clergy of the whole county."
The Church Education Society held its annual meeting in the Dublin Rotunda on the 16th; the Earl of Clancarty in the chair. During the past year, the number of schools in connexion with the Society was 1769; the number of scholars, 85,569, including 15,770 Roman Catholics. These figures are somewhat less than those of some former years. The income of the Society was 39,5261. ha., less by 63881. 148. 2d. than that of the year ending 31st December 1855. The decrease in scholars and revenue has been caused by omission of the names of the schools known as Erasmus Smith's schools, at the request of the Governors thereof.
The Reverend William Lee, D.D., Fellow of Trinity College, and author of "Lectures on the Inspiration of Holy Scripture,' has been elected to the Professorship of Ecclesiastical History, vacant by the promotion of Dr. Fitzgerald to the see of Cork. The new appointment is said tilt be an excellent one. The professorship was recently founded by the Lord Primate, the Chancellor of the University, who subscribed 10001, towards its endowment.
The Judges of Ireland have sat this week as a Court of Error to hear an application for a new trial in the case of the Mountgarrett Peerage. The ground of the application was, that illegal evidence had been admitted at the trial, which was adverse to the claimant of the lands and title of Mountgarrett, who disputes the legitimacy of the present possessor. The Judges were two days in delivering their opinions ; and they finally decided, by a majority of six to five, against the application for a new trial. It is supposed that there will be an appeal to the House of Lords.
There has been a "food riot" at Parsonstown. Mr. Atkinson of Roserea purchased at the market meeting, on Monday, a large quantity of potatoes and barley for exportation. The lower classes immediately took the alarm : they stopped the cars containing the produce ; maltreated the drivers, and cutting open the sacks strewed the potatoes about the streets. A body of women were actively engaged in carrying off the spoil, and got away with the contents of thirty or forty sacks of potatoes. The small number of police present were driven away ; but a larger force arrived, routed the rioters without shedding blood, seized five ringleaders, and placed the remainder of the produce in security.'
Carter, a ticket-of-leave ruffian, received from Mr. Fennell, an elderly farmer at llosamore in Queen's County, food and lodging for a night ; next morning he attempted to overpower two servants, that he might rob the house ; a lad presented a gun at him, and he fled; but meeting Mr. Fennell in the fields, the ruffian struck him on the head with a spade, inflicting a dangerous wound. The courageous farm-lad pursued and ultimately seized the felon, and handed him to the police.
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