IRELAND.

A deputation from the Royal Society for the Promotion and Improve- ment of the Growth of Flax in Ireland had an interview with the Lord- Lieutenant, last week, to present a congratulatory address, and to request his Excellency's acceptance of the office of Vice-Patron. Lord Clarendon having made is gracious reply, the deputation complained that the advan- tages enjoyed by foreign countries in importing their linens into Great Bri- tain duty-free are materially injurious to the North of Ireland; and they re- quested that measures should be taken by Government for getting Irish linens introduced into foreign countries at lower duties. To these repre- sentations Lord Clarendon replied generally, that the Government could not prescribe a rule of conduct for other countries: they would, however, do all in their power to obtain the removal of restrictions. It is not, he said, the custom to negotiate for or put forward any particulr article to the special notice of any foreign government, in the international communi- cations which arise on questions of trade; but, with respect to the article of Irish linens, he would promise, on the part of the Government, that whenever a question should arise in which that interesting branch of Irish industry could form the subject of discussion, it should command the best and most earnest attention of the Ministers of the Crown.

A correspondent of the Morning Chronicle, alluding to the possible re- currence of distress during the ensuing winter, says—" I have learned that the Government has determined to retain some of the principal depots, where the available food is to be stored, in order to be prepared with some machinery for relief, should circumstances render it absolutely necessary, in remote districts, during the winter months."

In compliance with the direction contained in a circular issued by the Relief Commissioners, the Relief Committee of the electoral division of Monaminy, union of Mallow, have reported on their financial proceedings, and on the economy and benefit attending the relief measure generally. The report bears date the 6th instant, and is signed by the chairman, Mr. Harmer Devereux Spratt.

"The loss of the potato crop," says the report, "left, for the most part, the labouring population of this district absolutely without food, and the farmers without the means of giving the same extent of employment they previously were in a condition to afford; so that the great majority of the labouring population would have starved, we might almost say en masse, were it not for the timely re- lief afforded by the legislative powers under which this Committee was constituted.

" Furthermore, the relief was not only timely, but the rations, according to the regulations of the Relief Commissioners, were in quality, and almost in quantity, fully sufficient to maintain the able-bodied of the labouring class in health and strength; thus not only preserving the lives of multitudes, but maintaining to a

), yes considerable degree their physical strength unimpaired for that labour, which, if called into operation, constitutes in itself one of the greatest national resources we possess.

" For the labour of her people is the alchemy by which her fisheries, her mi- nerals, the resources of her soil, and the other resources of Ireland, are to be trans- muted into wealth and abundance. To maintain, therefore, the physical strength of the people everywhere, and thus preserve this labour fur the national service, was an `economy' and a `benefit' of the highest importance.

"But the value of this 'economy' and `benefit' is nearly altogether prospective and conditional; for it will depend upon the degree and period of time in which the labouring population will be absorbed in employment; for, in a utilitarian point of view, the maintenance of physical power to labour, without the return of its service, is not a gain but a loss; and in our district we have before us the fact, that the labouring population is not and will not be absorbed in employment, unless under such circumstances as we believe will not exist without legislative interference.

"The sole resident proprietor of this extensive district cannot be expected to employ more than the very numerous body of labourers at present in his pay; nor can the resident farmers be enabled in times of such depression to be more enterprising, or to give snore employment than before, when the conacre system was such a ready mode of commanding the services of labour. "The non-resident proprietors possess the most valuable interests in nearly nine tenths of the soil of our district. Their estates are capable of great im- provement; and, for the most part, indeed, four fifths of them, are wilderness, waste, and unproductive; but which, if reclaimed and improved, as they might be by drainage, &c., would give ample employment and subsistence to the whole surplus population, and change this district from a region of distress and calamity into one of comparative wealth and prosperity. By means of the relief system, the labouring population are alive and in health to effect this by their labour: but they are at present an unemployed and surplus multitude, whom to consign to starvation would be in our rulers a crime of stupendous magnitude, but whom to maintain in idleness will be certain ruin to all classes. Here above we have intimated a means by which the relief which has been given would prove an economy' and benefit' but which, as long as a few pounds of rent can be gleaned after the taxgatherer, will not be availed of without legislative inter- position. But while the advantages of this system are to so great an extent conditional and prospective, we sorely regret to be obliged to add that the disadvantages of that system were its necessary and immediate results. With the system itself commenced its demoralizing effects upon the people, creating and indulging moral degeneracy in a class which comprises the great mass of the people; whilst simul- taneously with this tremendous evil, in itself a great national calamity, another of portentous magnitude took place—namely, a disbursement of several millions without any of those results which under a better system would have followed the application of so much surplus labour in works of a reproductive character, Viewing it in these respects, the temporary relief system was the reverse of being 'economy' or a benefits'

" We must not forget to observe, that the different edicts issued in the form of circulars by the Relief Commissioners were admirable: clear, and yet concise, they always came opportunely to disembarrass our deliberations on several subjects in- volving great responsibility.

" With respect to our`financial proceedings,' on which we have been also called upon to remark, we have to state that, considering the great amount of relief afforded, our expenditure has been much less than we anticipated at the com- mencement of our proceedings. Nevertheless, notwithstanding a strict economy on our part, we find that the entire sum expended by us, from the 1st of May to the 29th of August, has been 7791. 14s. 211d.; which, with a small balance re- maining on hands, is about one fifth of 4,0561., the poor-law valuation of our di vision; three fifths of which would be therefore absorbed by poor-rates alone if the late rate of expenditure under the temporary relief system continued for eight months longer.

" But while remarking, as we have been called upon to do, merely on the 'economy' and benefit' of the temporary relief system, and estimating these at their true valve, we would not have it supposed that we do not meet fully appre- ciate the abstract benevolence of that measure. To rescue millions from starva- tion, was an act of measureless mercy; and if its economy' and ' benefit' were characteristics as decided and questionless as its humanity, such an act of com- bined beneficence and intelligence would have probably transcended not only every measure of modern statesmanship, but all other human achievements since the existence of man."

At a recent meeting of the Guardians of the Tralee Union, Colonel Stokes, the Chairman, took occasion to caution the farmers that their op position to the payment of the rates would recoil upon themselves-- It was better for themto pay the rates than have their haggards plundered- They would lose more than the rate in the protection of those haggards. The labouring classes, deprived of their conacre, would be thrown, in the absence of employment, on the rates. If those rates, then, were not paid, the labourers would plunder the farmers. They are great fools, then, not to pay the rates. Besides, they are entitled to credit for the rate oat of the first rent they pay.

The collector laid before the Board a memorial setting forth the con- tinued opposition to the collection in Dingle, and the personal danger to which he was exposed in diatraining for the rate. The parties most pro- minent in these violent proceedings were stated by the collector to be the " most respectable shopkeepers in Dingle."

The Enniskillen Board of Guardians, yielding to the demand of the Poor-law Commissioners, who threatened to dissolve the Board and appoint paid Guardians, have made the rate, including a portion of the temporary relief expenditure, as required by the Commissioners.

The Kilkenny Board of Guardians have in part complied with the de- mand of the Commissioners, by making a rate of 3s. lid.; which will be entirely devoted to the ordinary expenditure.

In Carlow union, the resistance to the rate for out-door relief appears to have ceased. The Reverend Mr. Hickey, parish-priest of Arles, in that union, has published a most explicit denial of the statement that he had encouraged his parishioners to oppose the rate.

Lord Mountcashel, the originator of the repudiation movement, has abandoned the field: it is announced in the Cork papers, that his Lordship, together with his Countess and family, have left Moore Park, for France.

Meanwhile, the question of tenant-right has suddenly sprung into im- portance in Tipperary. The Tipperary Vindicator reports the proceedings of a meeting of tenant-farmers which was held on the subject on Thursday sennight, at Borrisoleigh. A monster meeting of farmers and labourers is convened for the 19th September, at Holy Cross,

"for the purpose of establishing a league of tenant- farmers, and of taking such other measures as may be thought necessary and effective to prevent themselves from the general ejectment intended by the land- lords; to provide and secure themselves and their families against the danger of another famine; and to obtain a fixed and firm right of property and possession in their farms, on such conditions as will enable them to live in independence and comfort."

The notice goes on to say, that " the question between landlord and tenant must now at last be fully and finally settled; it shall be settled."

At a dinner recently given to Mr. Richard Bourke, the successor to Mr. More O'Ferrall in the representation of Kildare, the new Member made a speech in which he proved himself a worthy addition to the list of Irish Members who are content to take common sense for their guide. Mr. Bourke thus admonished his hearers- " Much has been and will be said of the prosperity of Ireland; the sentiment is daily spoken of in every meeting, and toasted at every dinner; various measures are proposed; various laws recommended, to carry out this great work. But it is too often forgotten that the increase of the prosperity of Ireland rests mainly with i

the people themselves. Capital is wanted—capital is called for. Capital is, on all hands agreed to be the means whereby Ireland is to be saved; but this capital is only to be attained by the increase of our own resources. The prosperity. of Ireland is only to be attained by your own strong arms. Every man who im- proves his farm, who takes an increase of produce from his land, adds his share to the wealth of the country—adds his pebble to the cairn of Erin's improvement

a friend to Ireland. We are able to help ourselves; we will no longer be de- pendant on the precarious assistance received from other lands; and we will never rest until every sod in Ireland brings forth abundantly—till every inch of ground is in its highest and fullest state of bearing. You have set the example of a change of manners for Ireland—you have vindicated the principle of self-reliance. I am confident that your example will be followed, and that m a short time we shall have amongst us more industry and exertion, less politics and more plough- ing, less argument and more action, less want and more reason, less debating and more doing. Every penny you make, every successful transaction that you embark in, adds to the common store of healthful prosperity. Legislation may follow im- provement—may confirm and reward your labours, but it cannot commence the good work. You must begin, yod yourselves must lay the foundation of the fortress of your country's safety. Legislation must and will strengthen the out- works; and you know this now, you have shown to the world in year actions the high value you set on these principles."

In a letter to the Morning Chronicle, written from St. Ernan's in Donegal, Mr. John Hamilton, an Irish landlord, recounts a very instructive practical lesson which he gave the people on his estate-

" I have for above twenty-five years tried to improve the condition of the te- nantry of a small estate which I possess on the West coast; but the contagion of the surrounding neglected population very much prevented my endeavours from succeeding; and so low was good feeling and spirit among the few hundred of my tenants, that when, last autumn, in anticipation of the famine, I offered them all employment daily at unusually high wages, and proposed, if they chose, that any part of their earnings should be laid out in purchase of seed for their land, to be stored by me, and given out to them in spring, at cost price, to the amount of their earning, they one and all refused to work; and though very many were every year employed by me during the winter, and thankfully worked for 8d. a day, this winter hardly one would come for double the wages. This increased pay was therefore earned by the tenantry of other estates in my work, several hundred of whom I employed the whole winter and spring; my own people saying, they knew I would not let them starve, and sitting idle.

i "However, I was determined. I saw that in each a crisis it was false kindness to give way to mere feeling; and though many of my neighbours blamed me, and taunted me with hard-hearted cruelty, I was able to stick to what you call 'humane and wholesome severity.' The battle was long; and it was not till my tenants bad sowed their land, and eaten their remaining food, that they would work, though they saw crowds of my labourers passing their doors to and from my work, and these improving in appearance and strength daily. Some held out till they really were unable to work; for I prevented, as far as I possibly could, any able-bodied from obtaining gratuitous relief from any source. "At length they were starved into a capitulation. 1 had continually pressed upon them the coarse they ought to pursue, and showed them that from 50/. to 1001. a week was going out of my hands to strangers; all of which, being borrowed money, I must repay out of rents to be paid by them.

"As soon as they found themselves vanquished, they certainly gave up with a Rood grace, acknowledged their folly, and, as for as steady enthusiastic industry for five months can bear evidence, they have shown that they are a changed people. An Inspector, sent to oversee my works, (which are under the Land Improvement Act, and which employ all my people and some hundred others,) remarked, that it was worth the journey to see men holdup their heads like mine, when the country in general had acquired a beggarly and cur-like demeanour, through the demoralizing idle-relief.

am happy to be able to add, that every Inspector sent has reported not only a good moral effect upon my people, but a good profitable effect upon my land; and I am able to declare, moreover, that at wages above doable that paid in former years, I have my work executed far cheaper and better than I ever had before."

The Galway Mercury illustrates the apparently incurable apathy of the people on the coast- " The infatuation that has come over the Claddagh people cannot be accounted for on any reasonable principle. A fortnight ago they appeared prepared to pro- ceed on the herring fishery; and yet, in the middle of September—an unpre- cedented circumstance in Galway—not a boat has put to sea. There must be no sympathy felt for such persons; and if distress and destitution come upon them, they will have themselves alone to blame. Some excuse or other is sure to be put forward; one day it blows too fresh, another it is too calm for the take of fish. These men will call upon the inhabitants during the coming season for assistance; but who will be anxious to relieve those who, having the means, want the dis- position to assist themselves?"

M. de Mussy, one of the physicians sent over to Ireland by the French Government to report upon the epidemic now prevailing, is ill of fever, at his residence in Stephen's Green, where he is attended by Dr. O'Ferrall and Dr. Stokes. The fever is of the spotted type, and Dr. de Mussy has been in a perilous state; but his medical attendants now have strong hopes of his recovery. He caught the infection in the fever sheds in the vicinity of Dublin, where he had been almost constantly in attendance.

The proceedings at Conciliation Hall on Monday were unimportant. There was some talk about Italy, and about the prospects of the Irish peo- ple thr the ensuing winter. The rent was declared to be 68/.

In pursuance of the arrangements for converting Spike Island into a station for convicts, the Inspector of Prisons, who superintends the neces- sary preparations for the purpose, has received the possession of it from the Board of Ordnance. The officers appointed to the different departments have since been installed, and the system of punishment is intended to be commenced immediately.—Cork Examiner.

The Ballinasloe Star reports a crime "of a description which is very rare in our county." Patrick Costello, a driver to Mr. Cuffe of Esker, had summoned to the Petty Sessions a number of persons for trespass! &c.; on his return at night he was waylaid by a party of men, who smashed his head to pieces with stones. Four men are in custody, one of whom had been driver before Costello.