NEWS OF THE WEEK.
A SPLENDID example of the effects of Lord MULGRAVE'S Irish administration, and the O'CONNELL organization of the Liberal party, has occurred at the Longford election. To the first we mainly attribute the desertion, at a very critical time, of several Tory gentlemen of property to the Reformers. One of these proposed Mr. WHITE, the successful Liberal candidate; manfully avowing his change of opinion, which the menaces of his old friends, of course, tended to confirm. We expect to hear of simi- lar conversions in other quarters ; for those who have any thing to lose, and are not blinded by bigotry, must look with great alarm on the prospect of an unpopular government in Ireland, and can- not but appreciate the security they enjoy under a rule on which the mass of the people rely for protection and justice, as far as the Executive can obtain it for them in spite of an infamous system. Nothing that men of property resident in Ireland could gain from the Ascendancy faction in power can compensate them for the risk and the discomfort of dwelling among an exasperated people. The mere hunters of preferment in Church and State have less to expect from their Tory patrons than heretofore ; for sinecures in the Establishment must at all events becut down, and many desirable places in the Courts of Law, the Police, and other departments of patronage, are now occupied by Whigs and Reformers for life. The motive, therefore,'for reinstating the Tories in power, is become weaker; while the experience of security— there has been no talk of popular rising this winter—must have an influence on men of all parties. To the excellent administra- tion of Lord MULGRAVE, and the working of the Reform principle, then, we attribute the conversion of the Longford gentry, by which in a great measure Mr. WHITE was enabled to gain a majority over Mr. Fox.
The advantages of organization were also conspicuous. Agi- tators were sent down from the Dublin Association to excite the patriotism of the electors; the priests assailed the wavering with arguments drawn from their religion ; and ample funds were supplied from the pocket of a judiciously-selected candidate to carry on the war. Union, activity, and enthusiasm, prevailed over the weight of property, which is confessedly on the Tory side. A petition is threatened by the beaten party ; but we fear that they will not dare to produce their case before a Committee. We fear that their courage will fail, because an investigation of the proceedings will bring to light practices which must invigorate the demand for Ballot. One of the Tory orators on the hustings had the assurance to speak of his tenants' votes as his property : he complained that the Association agitators had " robbed " him of his tenants' votes I Another declared that he would henceforth say to his Catholic tenants, "Vote for me—vote as I vote, or you shall have no leases." Electors were kidnapped, and violence of every descrip- tion was used. On the other hand, Mr. WHITE, much to his honour, left his Protestant tenantry to take which side they pleased, with the assurance that they never should be molested for opposing their landlord. If the Tories have counter cases of intimidation, let them be exposed by all means : they will be valuable as proofs of the necessity for secret voting.
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