31 JANUARY 1852, Page 4

IRELAND.

The proceedings at a banquet at Limerick, on Tuesday, to celebrate the return of Lord Arundel as Member for that city, occupy ten pages of description in the Dublin Freeman's Journal of the following day. The banquet has been heralded for months ; but at the last moment Lord .Arundel was again prevented by "severe indisposition" from being pre- sent at the proceedings at which he was expected to be chief atter. Six columns of letters of apology are printed. A letter from Cardinal Wise- man declined declined on the ground that he avoids politics, and Archbishop Mur- ray declined on the ground of his advanced age. The Roman Catholic Bishops who did appear were Dr. Ryan of Limerick, Dr. M`Gettigan of Raphoe, Dr. Murphy of Cloyne, Dr. Browne of Elphin, and Dr. Briggs of Beverley. The Members of Parliament were Mr. William Monad, Mr. William Keogh, Mr. John Reynolds, Mr. N. V. Maher, Mr. J. T. Devereux, and Mr. W. D. Corballis. The only speech of any particular interest seems to have been that of Dr. Ryan deemed a moderate and peace-loving ecclesiastic. He renewed the old suggestion of a concordat The proceedings at a banquet at Limerick, on Tuesday, to celebrate the return of Lord Arundel as Member for that city, occupy ten pages of description in the Dublin Freeman's Journal of the following day. The banquet has been heralded for months ; but at the last moment Lord .Arundel was again prevented by "severe indisposition" from being pre- sent at the proceedings at which he was expected to be chief atter. Six columns of letters of apology are printed. A letter from Cardinal Wise- man declined declined on the ground that he avoids politics, and Archbishop Mur- ray declined on the ground of his advanced age. The Roman Catholic Bishops who did appear were Dr. Ryan of Limerick, Dr. M`Gettigan of Raphoe, Dr. Murphy of Cloyne, Dr. Browne of Elphin, and Dr. Briggs of Beverley. The Members of Parliament were Mr. William Monad, Mr. William Keogh, Mr. John Reynolds, Mr. N. V. Maher, Mr. J. T. Devereux, and Mr. W. D. Corballis. The only speech of any particular interest seems to have been that of Dr. Ryan deemed a moderate and peace-loving ecclesiastic. He renewed the old suggestion of a concordat with Rome. •

"I proclaim here, and I do so not in any spirit of defiance that this is a law which will not be observed. It is not our wish as ministers of religion to offer any insult to the powers that rule over us. We are bound to respect them under all circumstances ; but it is equally our duty to perform our ec- clesiastical functione in defiance of any act of Parliament. Whenever the duty of consecrating bishops under the Papal rescripts is to be performed— whenever it may be my duty to attend and officiate, I will do so, be the consequences what they may. No matter how severe the penalties which they may inflict upon us, our duty we must and will perform. We cannot swerve from it—we must serve God rather than man. I consider this penal law so unjust, tyrannical, and injurious to the peace and happiness of society, that I cannot entertain a doubt but that it will be repealed after one or two sessions of Parliament. I admit it is not easy for Parliament or mem- bers of the Legislature to retrace their steps at once, or willingly admit their own folly, weakness or tyranny. This is human nature. Neither indi- viduals nor a party Will easily or willingly admit that they have been wrong, or that they have acted foolishly or unwisely ; but it strikes me that means could be found by which a satisfactory understanding could be come to be- tween the temporal powers and the just and spiritual rights of the Church, and that could be done only by the temporal power coming to a proper un- derstanding with the Court of Blame on this difficult and important question. (Cheers.) The groundwork has been already laid in the measure for esta- blishing diplomatic relations between the Courts of St. James's and Rome. The Queen can send an ambassador to Rome, and the Pope one to the Court of St. James's. Nothing stands in the way but a little matter—that the Pope at first would only send an ecclesiastic. I believe that is but a matter of etiquette' and is the peace or welfare of the country to be sacrificed to etiquette ? I hope not. A layman might easily be found suitable for the duty ; the Pope could easily select a man of wisdom, learning, and trustworthiness to discharge the duty of ambassador at the Court of St. James's, and lam confident that his Holiness would not sacrifice us to any point of etiquette, nor leave us to tyrannical laws. It may be said that this penal law will not be pit into execution .. but I don't wish to see a sword suspended over my head by a single brim The letter of the law is against me, and, in spite of the lilinister, I could be prosecuted, and pre- vented from the discharge of my duty. I hope that the heads of the tempo- ral and spiritual power will take this matter into consideration, and econe to a decision that will give satisfaction to all. It tells well in other countries, and I cannot see why it should not work well here also."

The Special Commission to the County of Monaghan was opened at Monaghan, by the Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench and the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, on Tuesday. Francis Kelly and Owen Kelly, brothers, were put on trial for the murder of Mr. Bateson. They pleaded separately, and the trial of Francis was taken first. A youth of fifteen, Robert Mills, deposed to having seen the murder from a cart in which he with James Sherry and two other boys were riding. He swears to Francis Kelly as one of the three men who walked, one on each side and one behind, with Mr. Bates= in conversation with him, till they shot him and dashed his skull to pieces. The family of Robert Mills "agreed to say nothing about the murder, lest they should get into trouble about it."

It is now hoped that Mr. Chambre may recover. A clue has been dis- covered which makes the guilt of the persons arrested almost certain. Frag- ments of a torn newspaper, which fit together exactly, connect them with the charge in the loaded carbine discovered on the road at the place of the assas- sination.