IRELAND.

We continue our narrative of the proceedings in the Dublin Court of Queen's Bench, which has met punctually at ten o'clock each day.

Among the counsel for the Crown, whose names were accidentally omitted last week, are Mr. Bennett, Q.C., the father of the Munster Circuit, and Mr. Tomb, Q.C., one of the most distinguished members of the North-east bar.

Fifth day—Friday, January 19.

The examination of Mr. Charles Ross, the Government and news- paper reporter, was resumed, and continued at great length. He read from his notes reports of what was said by Mr. O'Connell and others at meetings of the Repeal Association, and at the monster-meetings and dinners of Loughrea, Clifden, and Mullaghmast, corroborating some al- legations already made ; and he identified several of the traversers. ibitleng (Mitt things, he read the speech of Mr. Dillon Browne, at Clif- den, in which were the expressions, " The men of Connemara have found that they have determined to fight to the death the battle of their country "—" I wish Peel and Wellington had seen our Highland ca- valry, and I would ask them whether they think the heavy dragoons of England could pursue them over yonder mountains"; and a violent attack on that " contemptible wretch" Mr. D'Arcy, who had endea- voured to dissuade Mr. Browne's tenantry from the meeting.

Daring the direct examination of this witness there was much con- test as to the admissibility of his evidence. In dealing with speeches and other proceedings, he had taken down in full what he considered "material" portions ; but of less material portions he had only noted the heads of the subject-matter, or what he called the " topics ' : still, he said, that those less perfect notes enabled him to give a true " descrip- tion " of what was uttered. The counsel for the traversers contended, that where notes are only partial, a witness must be entirely restricted to his memory ; a doctrine from which the Bench dissented. A great part of the cross-examination was devoted to the endeavour to damage the witness's credibility by exposing his motives, and his own personal inconsistencies of conduct or opinions ; and the result was a good deal of gossip about Mr. Charles Ross and his newspaper engagements. He stated that he had "taken the benefit of the Act" on the 25th June. It was suggested to him to go over to Ireland for Government ; which he did on the 2d July. He was paid 350/. a year, and 501. for going to the Donnybrook meeting. Such was his apprehension at first respect- ing the state of Ireland, that he would not have run the risk of going over for 50,0001., unless he had gone as the reporter for a newspaper ; but since he had seen the manner in which the business was conducted at the Repeal meetings, he could not have any serious apprehension. He had been connected with the Times, with the Morning Chronicle up to the end of last session, and subsequently with the Standard; and he had also been editor of the Carlisle Patriot, a Conservative paper. As to his politics, before the Reform Bill he should have been called a "moderate Whig," latterly a Conservative. He admitted that he found great difficulty in following Mr. O'Connell, both in the House of Commons and at the monster-meetings : almost all the reporters find difficulty in following Mr. O'Connell. He confessed that the meetings at which he was present were quiet and orderly ; and that Mr. O'Connell had in strong language denounced the conduct of Mr. Connor at the Repeal Association, in attempting to give notice of a motion for the non- payment of rent.

Sizth day—Saturday, January 20.

Mr. John Jackson, the Dublin reporter of the Morning Herald, was the first witness. In the direct examination he was called upon to depose to parts of speeches which had been already noticed; the object being to supply some minor links in the chain of evidence respecting meetings of the Repealers at the Corn Exchange : for example, he read one extract of a speech in which Mr. O'Connell mentioned Mr. Ray as Secretary to the Repeal Association, important as proving that Mr. Ray filled that office; and he deposed to the presence of the traversers on certaitilIecasions.

'Mealier heterest lay in his cross-examination ; the endeavour of the traversers' counsel to prove that his evidence was not trustworthy eliciting some very carious accounts of the manufacture of newspaper- reports. Mr. Jackson said that he had come from Clare. He was not a short-hand-writer ; but he had reported proceedings in courts of justice " after a manner" : he had begun about three or four years ago, when he had contributed papers to the Limerick Star, Liberal, and the Limerick Chronicle, Conservative.

Did you send reports to both at the same time ? "—" No." " When did

you send them ?"—" I sent them from my own place." " Of all this world, will you tell me what place belongs to you ? "—" Kilrush." " That is your place ? "—" My native place." " And you reported some public proceedings of interest in that place ? "—" Yes : they had no reference to politics; they were sketches of the Petty-sessions." " Were they illustrated sketches ? "- " They were a little embellished occasionally." (Laughter.) "By that do you mean to say they had pictures connected with them ?"—" They were pen-and-ink sketches." " Then the embellishment was done with pen and ink ? "—" Yes." " By the embellishment, I suppose I may say that something was put into your report which had not in fact taken place? "—" Decidedly ; something that was not true." "Something absolutely false ? "—" Half of them were fiction." (Laughter.) "That is what you call reporting ' after a manner.' (Laughter.) Mtn, you commenced your career as a reporter by vending falsehood ? "—" No;

I did it just upon the same principle as contributing to a magazine." " Then,

you contributed to a magazine ? "—" I have done so a little." " You em- bellished what you wrote in the same way ? "—" They were tales of imagi- nation." (Loud laughter.) * * * " Were your reports which you sent to the newspapers similar to those which you sent to the magazines ? "—" No." " For what magazines did you write ? "—" I wrote a sketch for the University Magazine ; a short tale." " Was it not intended to be a true one ? "—" Yes, for those who were fools enough to believe it." (A laugh.) " Now, did you not intend that the illustrated sketches which you sent from Kilrush should pass for true ones ?"—" Some of them were true, some not." " When did you cease reporting at Kilrash ? "—" This month two years I came over to Dub- lin. 1 got a letter from the proprietors of the -Morning Herald, wishing me to come to Dublin to be their Irish correspondent." " Who introduced you to the proprietor of the Herald at Kilrush ? I met Mr. Griffin. He asked me if I were the author of sketches in his cousin's paper, (the Limerick Star,) as the proprietors of the Morning Herald wished me to send some sketches to them. I did so ; and subsequently came to Dublin to act in the capacity of their correspondent." "Dublin is a place where a man must have ' tin.' How do you support yourself here ? "—" I receive 150 guineas a year from the Morning Herald." • • * " Had you the privilege of embellishing what you sent him ? "—" I had." " Did you exercise it "—" Not in matters of truth. Some of what I sent was true, others not." " Was there any truth in what yon sent ?"—" I always sent what was true, to the best of my ability ; I did not always make an inquiry into the truth of what I sent ; but I fre- quently did do so. Where the topic was the subject of conversation, I en- deavoured to find out whether it was true or false." • * * " I suppose you know enough of reporting to be aware that it is necessary that the manuscript should be written upon one side only ? "—" Yes." " That is a part of your instructions? "—" Yes."

He stated that his reports were written by himself, in the room of

the Repeal Association, while the proceedings were going forward: Mr. Fitzgibbon produced a copy of the Freeman's Journal, to show that one of Mr. Jackson's reports and a report in the Freeman's Journal were identical ; but Mr. Brewster objected to any use of the Journal unless it were put in evidence, which Mr. Fitzgibbon declined to do. The witness admitted that he might have copied his note from a note taken by some one sitting near him, or from a Dublin paper next morn- ing. He could not say which was the case in the instance alluded to by Mr. Fitzgibbon. The witness was sharply cross-examined respecting the report of a speech by Mr. O'Connell, in which the speaker said that no tumult should take place in his day, the apparent object being to show that the reporter was not really present : it appeared that this speech was delivered not on the 4th September, as Mr. Jackson said, but on the 29th August. On his oath, he believed that Mr. O'Connell said "it would not be an unnatural or nnadvisable result " ; but he could not swear that Mr. O'Connell had used the word " unadvisahle "; nor could the witness remember any one who had spoken to bim that day. To vindicate his character, Mr. Jackson explained that his manuscript reports had been given by the proprietors of the Morning Herald to Mr, Kemmis, the Crown Solicitor, and he had never seen them since they came from London until sent for by Mr. Kemmis to put his initials to them : that was before the recent change in the proprietorship of the newspaper. In the course of his cross-examination, Mr. Jackson said that he had heard Mr. O'Connell repudiate all newspapers as organs of the Association, mentioning the Nation in particular : he had often heard Mr. O'Connell say that he would not be responsible for any thing any newspaper said.

Mr. Fitzgibbon applied to the Bench to have the whole of Mr. Jack- son's evidence struck out. The Chief Justice replied, that the applica- tion might be worthy of consideration at another time, but not then. Mr. John Brown, a printer in Nassau Street, Dublin, was examined on the subject of several documents which he had printed for the Repeal Association.

Some documents having been read which had not been included in the bill of particulars, Mr. M'Donagh objected, that the Crown could not be allowed to wander to matters not included in that list. The Attorney-General, however, argued that the Crown was not bound by any rule of law, in cases of conspiracy, to enumerate all the evidence they intend to give : the bill of particulars enumerated certain overt acts alleged against the traversers, which were to be put in evidence, but not all the evidence that was to be adduced in proof of those overt acts. That view was affirmed by the Bench.

Seventh day—Monday, January 22.

The proceedings opened with the announcement by the Chief Justice,

that a severe cold prevented Mr. Justice Burton from coming down to Court. Mr. Hatchell objected to proceeding with the trial otherwise than before a full Court. The Attorney-General said that it had been expressly decided, in the Bristol riot case the King versus Finney, that where one of the Judges was taken ill the trial could proceed in his ab- sence. The Chief Justice took a note of the objection.

By the wish of Mr. O'Connell, some documents already put in and read in part were now read in full—namely, " A plan for the renewed action of the Irish Parliament," the rules to be observed by " Arbitrators," and a report of a sub-committee of the Repeal Association on the sys- tem of arbitration. Mr. O'Connell wished the papers on arbitration to be read, in order to show that the plan ultimately adopted had omitted that part of the original proposition which provided that a party who submitted to the jurisdiction of arbitrators, but refused to obey the award should be expelled from the Association. The first witness was Thomas Packer, a lithographic artist employed by Mr. Holbrooke, a lithographer ; the witness having drawn several

associates', members', and volunteers cards, and a Repeal Warden's di- ploma, for the Repeal Association. On the volunteers' card were the like- nesses of Mr. O'Connell and other celebrated Irishmen. Some of them were very ancient, and the artist was put to his shifts for authorities- " The likeness of Brian Boroihme I copied from the frontispiece of Keating's History of Ireland, which Mr. Holbrooke brought to me.' " Look at the next likeness on the card."—" That is 011a n Fodlab." (A laugh.) " Where did you get his likeness ? "—" From my imagination." (Great laughter.) " Who suggested the name to you ? "-4 Mr. Holbrooke. 1 heard the name discussed by Mr. Holbrooke, Mr. O'Callaghan, and Mr. Davis." " Look at the next likeness."—" That is Saarsfield." " Where did you get it ? "—" From an old French engraving in the possession of Mr. Geraghty, the bookseller." " Who brought you there?''—" Mr. Holbrooke brought me to see it." " At whose suggestion was it put on the cards ? "—" I believe it was Mr. Hol- brooke's wish to have it." " Look at the next."—" That is Hugh O'Neil." " Where did you get that likeness ? "—" I think I composed it." (Laughter.) The composition of these cards seems to have given much trouble : Mr. Davis, the two Messrs. O'Callaghan, Mr. Ray, and Mr. Steele came to inspect the cards ; and Mr. Duffy accompanied Mr. Davis. " I recollect Mr. Ray suggesting an alteration in the harp on the card: in the original form the harp was like an English harp, and not like an Irish one. Mr. O'Callaghan suggested an alteration in the cap of the chief: I at first put a spike on the top of it, which he thought was not correct according to his notion of history."

This witness created some amusement by his grammar. Asked, " Were you paid for the services you performed ? " he answered, " I were, Sir" ; and the laugh was redoubled when he emphatically cor- rected himself—" I was. Sir."

Isaac Gardner, a writing-engraver, and John Annesley, a lithogra- phic-printer, gave further evidence as to the preparation of the cards ; and Joseph Annesley deposed to his carrying parcels of them from Mr. Holbrooke's to the Corn Exchange.

John Ulick Macnamara, a short-hand-writer, gave in evidence a re- port of the meeting at Tullamore, on the 16th July. He quoted ex- tracts from the speeches of the Reverend Dr. O'Rafferty, Chairman, the Reverend Mr. Spain, the Reverend Mr. Nolan, and the Reverend Mr. Kearney ; the last of whom, among other ambiguous language, quoted the lines-

" Freedom's battle once begun, Though baffled oft, is ever nou."

Mr. O'Connell made a long speech, of which the following appear to be the most pregnant passages-

" Oh, now I have your pledge, and no honest Irishman ever broke his pledge. Have I not Teetotalers here ? (" res.") I am proud of your confidence. I can collect you together at any time. If I want you, I can get you any day in the week. (A Voice—" The sooner you want us the better.") I am not deluding you, but am able to prove in any court what are the blessings of Repeal ; and it is impossible that the people of Ireland can remain any longer

in slavery. • * Oh ! little the Saxon knows the gentleness of manners that arises under religious enthusiasm. But if it should be necessary for you to remain in the field till blood shall flow, general never stood by such soldiers. * • * I give command never to vote for any Tory, nor for any else but a Repealer. A friend of mine was coming down from Dublin, and saw a man working in a kind of Botany Bay of his own ; a number of men were working together near him, but left him to work in a part by himself, solitary and alone, and refused to hold any intercourse with him. My friend was afraid that they belonged to some secret society, and addressing them, said that he hoped that they were not Ribandmen, that they refused to let that poor fellow into their company ? but what was ;heir answer ?—' Oh, that fellow refused to become a Repealer.' These good men were combined for the cause of Repeal." This witness v as rigorously cross-examined, principally with a view to make out toot he was incompetent as a short-hand-writer. He said that he was sent to the meeting by no newspaper, but by Captain Despard. The Crown counsel, however, cut short his explanations on that head, by objecting to the statement as to who employed him. Mr. Macnamara admitted that he did not take down every sentence uttered, and that in transcribing he often finished sentences from memory ; but he insisted that he omitted no material words : he had destroyed his notes. He was asked by Mr. Hatchell, whether a petition was moved to be presented to Parliament ? and he answered " Yes."—" Have you a note of when that petition was moved ? "—" No." " Tell me, Sir, [very seriously] for what are you searching in your pocket? "—" For my pocket-handkerchief." (Much laughter.) " I am sorry the ques- tion has such an effect on you."

John Sampson Stuart, a Sub-Inspector of Constabulary, gave a gene- ral account of the Tullamore meeting. He quoted several inscriptions which were displayed on banners and ornamental arches-

" The slave-master may brandish his whip, but we are determined to be free " —"Bew are, physical force is a dangerous experiment to try on the Irish people ! Repeal shall not be put down by the bayonet "—" Ireland, her Par- liament, or the world in a blaze "—" Ireland must not be, ought not to be, a serf nation "—" Nine millions of people are too great to be dragged at the tail of another nation"—" See the conquering hero comes"— God save the Queen "—" Breathes there a man with soul so dead," &c.—" Repeal "—"Jus- tice and prosperity to all creeds and classes "; with others.

There were several bands fancifully dressed in white and green, and horsemen came four abreast-

" One of them wanted to leave and alight at a house before going into the town ; and another of them got indignant at it, and said to him, ' Damn you, Sir, keep your ranks.' " " Did he do so? "—" He did." " How many horse- men did you observe there ? "—" I counted from 70 to 80 sections of four." "That is about 300? "—" Yes." "Did you observe any thing particular in the manner of the footmen ? "—" They endeavoured to observe the same kind of order as the horsemen, but were not able to do so ; they kept about the Temperance bands, and were forced on by the crowd." "Did you observe any persons giving them directions? "—"I did; I observed persons halting them, and appearing to give them orders."

In his cross-examination, Mr. Stuart admitted that the order observed would tend to prevent accidents.

The evidence of this witness was corroborated by Neal Brown, a Re- sident Magistrate, and James Johnston, Head Constable of the Sligo district.

In the course of the proceedings, the Attorney-General stated that two of the traversers [Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Steele] had left the Court. He did not object to the traversers' leaving the Court occa- sionally, if they did not go beyond the precincts ; but when he heard that two of them had left it on purpose to attend a meeting, he should

insist upon their attendance, or be would have them recalled upon their recognizances. Mr. Moore said, "They will be sent for." Messengers were despatched ; and soon afterwards the absentees returned to their places.

Eighth day—Tuesday, January 23.

Mr. Justice Burton was still absent. The witnessses examined on this day were, Captain Despard, a Resident Magistrate of Meath, and several Policemen ; who gave reports touching various monster-meetings.

At the Longford meeting, on the 28th May, said John Maguire, Head-Constable of Police, about forty thousand people were present : some parties came in military array, headed by a Roman Catholic priest ; and Mr. O'Connell finished his speech by saying—" Go home quietly, and tell your friends what was said ; and when we want them here again, to be ready."

At the Mallow meeting, attended by Mr. Steele and Mr. O'Connell,

on the 11th June, the procession, said John Jolly, one of the Cork Con- stabulary, marched in regular order, with bands and banners ; several of the men being ticketed " O'Connell's Police." Jolly gave a rough sketch of Mr. O'Connell's speech: inter alia, "He told the crowd that the Repeal of the Union he could promise, and that when Repeal was secured the labourers would be farmers, the farmers would be gentle- men, and the gentlemen would be Members of Parliament—no, not Members of Parliament, but Lords." Before the speaking began, a person on the platform pointed at somebody in the crowd, and desired him to leave the place. "I cannot say who was the person pointed at, for the crowd was so great. The man on the platform said, that if the person he desired to leave did not instantly quit the place, he would use force. He then called on the crowd to cut the reins. I suppose from this that the man was on horseback. He said the man was an enemy." In his cross-examination, the witness said it was nothing like a military procession ; and, humorously echoing Mr. Whiteside's words, he added that it was " very civil."

Henry Godfrey, Henry Twiss, Patrick Dennihan, Manus Hughes,

John Taylor, all constables or sub-constables, described various expres- sions used by people in the crowd at Baltinglass, on the 6th August. Some three or four people were beard to say, " This is the day that will frighten Saunders "—a gentleman before whose house Mr. O'Connell made the crowd stop and cheer. Others said—" The Devil's cure to him that would not allow the people to join the Repeal " ; " Ireland was trampled on, but she should be so no longer, and the time was nearer than they thought "; " Repeal was certain ; now they must get it ; and if they did not get it, they would turn out and fight for it " ; " the people would readily stand up and fight for Mr. O'Connell."

John M`Cann, a constable, went to the Reverend Mr. Tierney. to in- quire when the Clontibret meeting was to be held; when he said, that Repeal was becoming general, and had extended even to the Army, which would not be so easily led as before. William Thomson, a con- stable, heard Mr. Tierney say at the meeting, " We are here today to tell John Bull that we will have Repeal : Ireland shall be free, the Clon- tibret boys will fight the battle to the last."

James Walker, a constable, gave evidence respecting the meeting at

Tara : but the principal witness was John Despard, resident Magis- trate of the county of Meath. The people walked in ranks four deep. There were persons with wands, understood to be Repeal-Wardens, who assumed a sort of command over the crowd. People came from Westmeath, Wexford, Dublin, and other counties, in all not less than 100,000; on horseback there were about 7,000; there were nineteen Temperance bands ; each body marched up with flags flying and music playing— "I was standing on a ditch looking at the procession of Mr. O'Connell com- ing up, and a man said 'It is not gentlemen whom O'Connell wants here today. I turned and looked at him with astonishment ; and I asked him, Well then, and whom does he want ? ' and he said, He wants men with bone and sinew like me, who will be able to do the work when the harvest comes.' I asked him, where did be come from? He said, from the barony of Shelmonier ; and that 2,000 came with him, and that 3,000 joined him in the county of Kildare. Mr. O'Connell's procession having passed by, he turned round to me and said, You did not take off your hat for Mr. O'Connell?' I answered that I did not. He said, You do not belong to our party ? ' I replied, ' Certainly not." I knew,' returned be, by the curl of your lip, that you did not belong to our party.' Upon which I said that I was very glad that he had told so much truth : 'In truth, my man,' I continued, '1 (for I wished to get rid of him) £1.01 amusing myself here.' When he had said these words, a man came up and said to him, ' You have spoken enough to that gentleman ; you had better come away now.' On going down the hill of Tara, the people shouted and cheered for the foreigners. They mistook Major Westeura for a foreigner. They cried Long life to the foreigners—without them we would never be able to get Repeal.' They shouted for Mr. Ledroolan: I afterwards discovered that they meant M. Ledru Rollin."

John Robertson, a Police constable, gave some account of the Clifden meeting.

Many of these witnesses were more or less illiterate men ; and the

general drift of the cross-examination was to show their incompetency to take notes or to convey correct impressions ; but sometimes it ran into that bullying jocosity which is characteristic of the:Irish courts. For example, Mr. Hatchell was examining Police-constable Maguire, who had described the people as coming to Longford in parties- " As soldiers marching into a town ?"—" Yes." " In military array ?"— " Yes." " Had they their sticks on their shoulders? "—" No.' " Do you understand the exercise ? Did they carry arms ? " (Laughter.)—" No." " Did they come to the port ? "—" No." " Did they present arms when the came up to the General? "—" No." " Did they charge ?" (Renewed 1 ter.)—" No." " Well, I have gone through the manual, and I cannotdud what they did at all. But you said they were in military array ; now, upon your oath, were they marching ? "—" Yes." " Well, did they halt ? was there a lame man among them that halted (Laughter.) Where did they halt ? "—" Near the platform." " Because they could go no farther, I sup- pose. (Laughter.) Upon your oath, did they stand at ease ? " (Much laughter.)—" Some of them wanted to stand at ease, for they marched a consi- derable distance and wanted rest." " Then they halted when they could go no further, and they stood at ease when they were tired?" (Laughter.)—"'They were marching in military array." " Now do you know the first movement when a party is desired to march ? Were you ever at drill? "—" I was." " Now, is it not a fact that you must put your left leg foremost ?"—"Tes." " Now put your beat leg foremost. (Laughter.) Now, upon your oath, did you see them put their left leg foremost? "—" No." " Well, then, you did not see them march ?" (Laughter.) Mr. Bennett—" My Lords, allow me to suggest to the 'witness to wait till

the laugh of the gentleman (Mr. Hatchell) is over, before he gives his answer : the Jury cannot hear it."

Mr. Hatchell—" Then he will have to wait till tomorrow. You are angry now because I am pleasant. (Laughter.) (To witness) Did you ever read Dandas on manceuvres? "—" A part of it." " What part did you read ? I cannot describe it." " Then you forgot your lesson. Now what do you mean by rank and file? "—" Two deep." " Oh, you are too deep for me. (Laughter.) Upon your oath, is it two deep or single files ? "—" I am not Bare."—" Oh, there is a Hondas for you!" There were two little " scenes" in court. Police Constable Godfrey was asked whether he heard Mr. O'Connell speak to the people, at Bal- tinglass, about meeting him again—

Mr. Fitzgibbon objected to this question. It, however, was r peated. Upon which Mr. Cantwell (one of the agents for the traversers, who stood at the tra- versers' aide-bar) likewise objected to it. But The Chief Justice told him it was not his duty to interfere. Mr. Cantwell—" I know my duty, and will do it. I hope, my Lord, you will do yours." (Sensation in the court.) The Attorney-General—" If Mr. Cantwell presumes to conduct himself thus, I must call upon the Court to exercise its authority."

The Chief Justice (who spoke at the same time with the A tto rney -Gene - ral)—" If you presume, Sir, to instruct the Court in its dut, y on shall be re• moved forthwith."

Mr. Cantwell—" I am quite satisfied the Court will do its duty ; but I felt it to be my duty to call attention to the highly illegal and leading question put by the counsel for the Crown."

The Chief Justice—" It is not your duty to address the Court at all, when you have counsel."

Just as James Walker was about to be examined, the High Sheriff handed a letter to the Court, which was earnestly read by the Judges. The Chief Justice then directed the crier to call " Samuel Maunsell " ; but no such person appeared. The Chief Justice made a scarcely intelligible allusion to some improper attempt to interrupt the High Sheriff in the execution of his duties : " The gentleman " must attend at the sitting of the Court next day, and explain ; and, added Mr. Justice Perrin, he should take care how he conducted himself in the mean time.

The Court adjourned at half-past four.

Ninth day—Wednesday, January 24. Only the three Judges sat. The proceedings on this day were particu- larly dry. The oral evidence was that of James Healy, a constable, who reported the meeting at Mullaghmast ; and James Irwin, a consta- ble, who handed in placards posted by the Repealers in Liverpool.

Among the documents produced was the handbill hawked at the Mul- laghmast meeting, relating the traditional massacre there. This gave rise to a long discussion ; counsel for the traversers contending that the document could not be put in evidence, because no connexion had been proved between the traversers and the venders of the handbill. On the other side, it was argued that the document must be taken among the res gestic of the meeting, as proving its general character. The Court decided to admit it.

Some papers from the Nation were produced, and occasioned more technical discussions. It was contended by the counsel for Mr. Duffy, that his connexion with the paper had not been proved. But the Court held that the proof of his declaration of proprietorship in the office of Mr. Cooper, Comptroller of Stamps, who gave evidence on the point, was sufficient. There was more disputation as to how much or how little should be read, all very uninteresting.

After being twice called, Mr. Maunsell appeared in court on this day. It turned out that he had asked the Sheriff for a card of admission to the court ; and being refused, he sent an angry letter : it is said that he called the Sheriff " a damned rascal." The Sheriff disclaimed any per- sonal resentment ; Mr. Maunsell apologized ; and the Chief Justice dis- missed him with a mild admonition.

At the usual meeting of the Repeal Association, on Monday, MO Smith O'Brien took the chair, and was very "enthusiastically " received on his first appearance at that post. He offered himself as another martyr to the Attorney-General ; and, alluding to the recent meeting at Charlemont House, he anticipated that the time was not distant when the Caulfields, the Geraldines, and the De Burghs, would place them- selves in their proper position—at the head of the Irish people. Four gentlemen handed in shillings which they had received with subpoenas from the Attorney-General ; and Mr. Maurice O'Connell handed in five francs, the subscription of an Alsatian friend of Ireland. Mr. John Augustus O'Neill had just begun to speak, when a loud cheering with- out, echoed by the meeting within, announced the advent of Mr. O'Connell; who made a hasty speech, as he only ventured to stay a short time. He congratulated Mr. O'Brien on seeing him in the chair : he was in his natural place, where his ancestor Brien Boroihme was, at the head of the people of Ireland. Mr. O'Connell offered two recommen- dations : first, that the Roman Catholics of Ireland should form Catholic societies in their several localities—not "associations," for that term is abolished by Act of Parliament, and its use would be a misdemeanour; the meetings to be held in the day, and open to the police and to Go- vernment-reporters : second, that the Liberal constituencies of Ireland should call upon their Representatives not to encumber themselves by going into the present Parliament, merely to be outvoted—unless a ne- cessity should arise of impeding, by what are called " factions divisions," any measure brought forward to crush still more the liberties of Ire- land—but to attend in that Association ; and then, if there should be six or seven of those usually found there missing on their muster-roll, there would be twelve or fourteen Members of the House of Commons to take their places. Mr. O'Connell left the Conciliation Hall to resume his place in the Court of Queen's Bench. The rent for the week was declared to be 3971.

The Freeman's Journal gives rather a fuller account of the meeting of Liberal noblemen and gentlemen at the Earl of Charlemont's house on the 18th instant. The meeting was convened by circulars marked " private." The Duke of Leinster presided. In explaining the object of the meeting, the Earl of Charlemont said that he had been " induced to follow parental example, by calling together the men now assem- bled, who might be said to compose a true representation of all that was genuine patriotism, and of men who were most interested and best dis posed to allay the unfortunate discontents which now prevailed, and to

consider the most expedient method of redressing the manifold griev- ances which were the source of the present excitement." The Mar- quis of Clanricarde felt satisfied that the most energetic measures were necessary in order to demonstrate to the Legislature the various grievances which preceded and produced the present excitement : he alluded parti- cularly to the important measure of corporate reform—of electoral rights —of inadequate representation—and above all and before all, the mons- ter Church grievances as they existed in Ireland. Mr. Anthony Richard Blake, the late Chief Remembrancer, read a petition prepared by him- self, on the subject of the grievances in question. Some verbal amend- ments were suggested, but rejected ; and one was so rejected in order to avoid recommending a State provision for the Roman Catholic clergy. The Earl of Miltown observed that no man could be blind to the many injuries and insults which had from time to time been heaped upon the people of Ireland— He alluded particularly to the unconscionable amount of Church property with reference to the minority of persons in whose behalf it was disbursed. He instanced the case of eight Bishops lately deceased, who, it appeared, died so enormously rich as to leave to their united families the incredible sum of 1,800,000/.; an amount, be it remembered, chiefly contributed by the great majority of the people, who are of another persuasion. It was impossible to think that the people could rest satisfied under such a weight of oppression; and if those and other such grievances were not speedily remedied, he would himself, although now opposed to a repeal of the Union, become a determined Repealer.

Lord Stuart de Decies said, that although opposed to the establishment of a separate domestic Legislature for Ireland, he thought there were measures which, if adopted, would secure to Irishmen the entire control of their own internal concerns in the Imperial Legislature ; and he could wish to see a national party formed with the view of carryng this object into effect. Mr. Thomas Wyse agreed with Lord Miltown. Sir Valentine Blake thought that the petition ought to advert to the proximate cause of the present excitement : he alluded to the display of preroga- tive force and injustice by which it was sought to stifle the public voice, peaceably, legally, and constitutionally expressed. The Duke of Lein- ster did not approve of introducing into the petition matter that might be distasteful ; a view which the meeting supported. The petition was adopted ; and thanks were voted to the Earl of Charlemont and the Duke of Leinster.

A numerous meeting to protest against the exclusion of Roman Ca- tholics from the Jury in the State trial, was held at Belfast on the 18th instant.

Lord Eliot left Dublin on Tuesday, for London.

The Cork Agricultural Society have addressed a memorial to Govern- ment soliciting an enactment for regulating the sale of corn and agri- cultural produce, and to afford facilities for the erection of markets in Ireland. In a letter to Lord Carbery, Lord Eliot recommends that the opinion of other agricultural societies in Ireland should be ascertained; but offers to receive suggestions on the subject.

The Lords of the Treasury, on the application of the Irish Soap Company at Cork, have rescinded the Excise regulation prohibiting the importation of soap from Ireland to England in less packages than 30 pounds weight, and have permitted it to be imported in packages of not less than 10 poands weight.

The Roscommon Journal mentions a daring attempt to assassinate Mr. O'Malley, of Windfield Lodge, on the 8th instant. He was returning home in a pony-car with his wife and sister, and he had just overtaken one of his herds, when two men armed with pistols stopped the horse. The pony plunged, and threw Mr. and Mrs. O'Malley out of the car ; on which one of the men fired a pistol at the gentleman. The herd resisted the men for a time, but finally ran away ; and Miss O'Malley's screams—the frightened pony having carried her out of harm's way— caused the men also to flee. Some time ago, Mr. O'Malley was impli- cated in a dispute about land, and a hundred of his sheep were vin- dictively killed. He sought compensation from the district, and was served with Rockite notices to waive his claim, or at least to make it against the county at large ; which he could not have done till the next assizes. The assassins are not known.