IRELAND.

The great meeting on the hill of Tara, which has been looked for- ward to for some time, took place on Tuesday. The numbers are estimated by one person at 500,000 ; by " an old military friend" of the Dublin Pilot at 1,000,000. Whatever the numbers, the scene must• have been the best got-up of all the "monster meetings." The road to the hill was thronged with passengers, in carriages, hired cars, and afoot. A grand procession assembled at Dunsbaughin, fourteen miles from Dublin, at half-past ten o'clock ; but people left Dublin for the rendezvous before dawn, and even over-night. The site is thus described- " The bill of Tara, when it came in view, presented the appearance of as

encampment. The Southern side was completely covered with the canvass of tents, over which fluttered banners with Repeal mottoes; and beneath the canvass and on the field outside, ample viands seemed to have been provided by thrifty dealers. The ascent to this celebrated bill is so gradual by the South- ern road, that one is not prepared for the extended prospects which on the top break upon the sight on all sides. The view is only limited by the horizon, and, passing over lands of tl e richest pasturage, is said to encompass portions

of no less than twelve counti. s. The plain, on the summit of the hill, comprises fifteen acres ; but on these it is in vain you seek for any sign or relic of that extensive regal residence so proudly spoken of io Irish story ; if we except two

mounds, one of which a peasant pointed out to us as ' the spot where fifty of the boys were buried in one grave, who were shot at the battle fought there at the time of the troubles in '98.' To the North of the hill were erected two platforms; one for the accommodation of ladies; and the other, capable of containing five hundred persons, for the speakers and other leading characters." Separate processions began to arrive at ten o'clock, from the towns of the surrounding county for a long distance : eighteen are mentioned

by name. At half-past one, the grand procession which had been formed "to body-guard" Mr. O'Connell arrived. In his carriage was Mr. John O'Connell; on the box, Mr. Steele and Mr. Daniel O'Connell junior. In another carriage was an Irish harper, in ancient costume. Among the principal persons on the platform were Dr. Cantwell, the titular Bishop of Meath, Mr. Henry Grattan, M.P., Dr. M'Loughlin, titular Bishop of Derry, and other gentlemen whose names are better known in Ireland than England, including several of the Roman Catholic priesthood. Mr. O'Connell himself was called to the chair. After disclaiming "the affectation of suggesting that be had not some claim to be the leader of that majestic meeting," Mr. O'Connell addressed himself to the matter in hand— The historical importance of the spot on which he stood it was impossible to deny. "We are on the spot where the Monarchs of Ireland were elected, and where the chieftains of Ireland bound themselves by the sacred pledge of honour and the tie of religion to stand by their native land against the Danes, or any other stranger. This is emphatically the spot from which emanated the social power—the legal authority—the right to dominion over the furthest extremes of the island, and the power of concentrating the force of the entire nation for the purpose of national defence. On this important spot I have an important duty to perform. I here protest, in the face of my country, in the face of my Creator—in the face of Ireland and our God, I protest against the continuance of the unfounded and unjust Union. My proposition to Ireland is that the Union is not binding upon us—is not binding, I mean, upon con- science; it is void in principle; it is void as matter of right ; and it is void in constitutional law. My proposition is, that there was no authority vested in any person to pass the act of Union. I deny the authority of the act ; I deny

t he competency of the two Legislatures to pass that act. The English Legis- tare bad no such competency—that must be admitted by every person. The Irish Legislature bad no such competency ; and I arraign the Union, therefore,

o n the ground of the incompetency of the bodies that passed it. No authority could render it binding but the authority of the Irish people, consulted in- dividually through the counties, cities, towns, and villages: and if the people of Ireland called for the Union, then it was binding on them, but there was no other authority that could make it binding. The Irish Parliament had no such authority : they were elected to make laws and not legislatures ; and it had no right to the authority which alone belonged to the people of Ireland. I submit to the law until I can have it changed; but I deny the right, and denying the right I proclaim the nullity in principle and right of the Union. That is my first proposition ; it will circulate through the British empire. I challenge controversy, and I am ready to argue the question in the presence of civilized Europe, especially of France and liberated Spain. I proclaim to them its nullity; and in the presence of the hundred states of America, Tproclaim that it is a nullity." He went further, and proclaimed its nullity on the ground of the iniquitous means by which it was carried. It was effected by the most flagrant fraud, and under military law.

On this theme, more solito, he enlarged ; and then came to his wheedling of the soldiery— Old Wellington—(Groans)--began by threatening them, and talked of civil war ; but he said nothing about it now. He was getting inlet-holes made in stone barracks. Now only think of an old general doing such a thing. He had heard that a great deal of brandy and biscuits had been sent to the bar- racks, and he sincerely hoped that the poor soldiers would get some of them. Their honest brothers, the soldiers who had been sent to Ireland, were as orderly and as brave men as any in Ireland. ("Hear, hear " and cheers.) He was sore that not one of them had a single complaint to make against them. ("Hear, hear, hear ") If any of you have, say so. (Loud cries of "No, no I ") They were the bravest army in the world; and therefore he did not disparage them at all when be stated this fact, that if they were sent to make war against the people, he had women enough to beat them. (Cheers and laughter.) There was no mockery or delusion in what he said. At the last fight for Ireland, when they were betrayed by a reliance on English honour— which they would never again confide in, for he would as soon confide in the -honour of a certain black gentleman that had got two horns and hoofs- (Laughter)—but as he was saying, at the last battle for Ireland, when, after two days' hard fighting, the Irish were driven back by the fresh troops that were brought up by the English to the bridge of Limerick, at that point when the Irish soldiers retired fainting, it was that the women of Limerick threw themselves in the way, and drove the enemy back, fifteen, twenty, or thirty paces. Several of the poor women were killed in the struggle ; and their shrieks of agony being heard by their countrymen, they again rallied, and determined to die in their defence; and, doubly valiant in the defence of the women, they together routed the Saxons. (Loud cheers.) Yes, he repeated, that he had w omen enough to beat all the army in Ireland. (Renewed cheering.) It was idle for any minister or statesman to suppose for a moment that he could put down such a struggle as this for liberty. The only thing he feared was the conduct of some ruffians who were called Ribonmen ; and he went on to warn the Repealers against them.

He claimed for the Queen the right at once to summon an Irish Par- liament ; and said that if " dirty Sugden " would not sign the writs, an Irish Chancellor could soon be found who would ; and be added, " I believe I am able to announce to you that twelve months cannot possibly elapse without having a hnrra for our Parliament in College Green." He announced, that on Monday next the Association would nominate " arbitrators " in the persons of the displaced Justices of the Peace, who would decide disputes without expense ; and he exhorted his hearers to carry their disputes before those arbitrators for settlement. Several other persons addressed the meeting ; and resolutions were carried, professing loyalty to the Queen, condemning the Union, and directing a petition to Parliament for its repeal. After the meeting, there was a banquet, in a pavilion erected for the purpose in an adjacent field ; 1,000 sitting down to table. Here Mr. O'Connell talked of the outbreak that must take place " sooner or later," if justice were not done to Ireland, though he believed that it

would not be in his lifetime ; of the " revolution " which he to effect by unfaltering the power of the Crown : and he nil " the splendid spectacle of the day "— "Thousands upon thousands were around us; but where 4407 now? They are dissolved like the snow before the returning South 141,... and the genial sun. They are gone home in peace, in quiet, and in trap . But if I were to call them together again tomorrow, and to tell t i 1 the Saxons were at their doors—that the scenes that had been so o id repeated from the day when the vile Cromwell deliberately massacred th bandied women grouped round the cross of the Redeemer in the town of exfort.,,, -- from that day when the barbarian Saxon delighted his assassin soldiers by Oct slow process of individual murder, until the three hundred females wer8 'dne after the other stabbed and massacred—even Tara hill is stained with modern blood, and the bones are not mouldered yet of the individuals who were massa- cred iu hundreds upon it,—if such another force were brought from England now—if it was announced to the people that some paltry Orangemen were armed, and that foreign soldiers were brought over to butcher, to slaughter, and to dishonour—oh, tell the people that, and see whether they have melted away like the snow."

On Sunday, Mr. O'Connell had a meeting for Queen's County, at Maryborough. A writer quotes the authority of some Sappers and Miners, " who viewed the meeting from a safe distance," for saying that 250,000 persons were present.

There were some notable points in the proceedings at the usual weekly meeting of the Repeal Association, on Monday. It was resolved that Mr. Hogan, the sculptor, should be employed to make a statue of Mr. O'Connell to be placed in the new "Conciliation Hall." Mr. O'Connell handed in 141. from Slane, in Meath, the native place of the Duke of Wel- lington, who called the rent " plunder " ; a reproach which Mr. O'Connell retorted by reference to towns in Spain stormed, "plundered," and worse. Then, with much vituperation of " that miserable, rotten remnant of an old broom"—" that driveller "—Mr. O'Connell moved, " That it be referred to the Committee to inquire whether they could not draw up a legal petition to the House of Lords praying them to induce Lord Brougham to take the pledge" administered by Father Mathew ; which was carried, with great laughter.

At a meeting of the Dublin Protestant Operative Association and Reformation Society, in Dublin Rotunda, on Thursday last week, a correspondence was read between Mr. Compton Espy, the Secretary, and the Duke of Wellington. Mr. Espy had sent a petition for the repeal of the Emancipation Bill to the Duke, for presentation to the House of Lords, with the request that he would support its prayer ! The Duke replied thus-

" London. 7th August 1843. "Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington presents his compliments to Mr. Compton Espy. " It is the common practice in both Houses of Parliament for Members to comment and observe upon petitions presented to each House, upon the mode in which the petition under discussion originated, upon the signatures to its contents, and whether or not expressing the real opinions of those from whom it is represented as proceeding. " It is impossible for the Member who presents a petition to answer such observations with satisfaction to the House, with credit to himself, or with advantage to the petitioners, unless he should have some relation with the place from which the petition comes, and some knowledge of the petitioners. " The Duke has no relation whatever with the Dublin Protestant Operative Association and Reformation Society. He declices, therefore, to present to the House of Lords the petition referred to, or to support the prayer of a petition for the repeal of the act called the Roman Catholic Relief Act.

"He requests Mr. Compton Espy to observe, that the Houses of Parliament avoid to recognize the denominations assumed by and even the existence of self-constituted associations. The petition in question could be received only as that of the individuals signing it. But this is a point which will be sug- gested probably by the noble Lord who may present the petition."

The Reverend Mr. Gregg attacked the Duke, as the " perpetrator " of various evils in Ireland, and Sir Robert Peel's " unprincipled policy "; declared that the Society had nothing to do with consequences—" they should denounce Popishly-affected men, idolatry-supporting men, and give the Queen to understand that she was put upon her throne to keep such down, and to put them out." And he moved a resolution, that the letter was calculated to prevent them as Protestants from hoping for any thing from the present Ministry ; which was carried unani- mously.

Sergeant Keating has been appointed to the vacant Judgeship of the Irish Prerogative Court.

Mach uneasiness was created in Dublin on Saturday, by the report that Lieutenant Robertson Mackay, Adjutant of the Fifth Fusileers, had been shot, at Parsonstown, on the previous day. The report proved to be true. Mr. Mackay was shot on parade, by one of the soldiers whom he was exercising ; and he died almost immediately ; leaving a wife and five children.

A Coroner's inquest has been held on the body of Mr. Mackay. At a previous inquest, on a soldier who had died suddenly in the same place, the Jury declared him to have died from " excessive drill." The " excessive drill " has been officially denied ; but the prisoner now sullenly said " the drill was the cause ' of his crime ; and the Jury were induced by the evidence of several soldiers to return this verdict- " That private George Jubee of the Fifth Fusilcers did, at the time and place mentioned, and in the manner described by the witnesses, kill and murder Adjutant Robertson Mackay, of the said corps : but the Jury is of opinion, that the majority of the men of said regiment are both murmuring at and suffering from the drills and parades which they have daily to undergo. The Jury therefore recommend that the proper authorities will institute a strict and searching inquiry into these matters.'