IRELAND.

The following official announcement appeared in a Supplement to the Dublin Gazette, published on Tuesday evening- " Dublin Castle, Dec. 18, 1844.

" The Queen in Council has been pleased, by warrant under the sign-ma-

nual, bearing date at her Majesty's Court of St. James's, the 14th day of De- cember 1844, to appoint the following persons to be Commissioners of Chari- table Donations and Bequests for Ireland, agreeably to the provision of the act 7th and 8th of her Majesty, cap. 97, viz.:— " The Most Reverend John George Lord Archbishop of Armagh and Pri- mate of all Ireland.

" The Most Reverend Richard, Lord Archbishop of Dublin.

" The Most Reverend Archbishop William Crolly.

" The Most Reverend Archbishop Daniel Murray.

" The Right Honourable John Hely Earl of Donoughmore, K.S.P. " The Right Reverend Bishop Cornelius Denvir.

" The Very Reverend Henry Pakenbam, Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin. "The Right Honourable Sir Patrick Bellew, Bart.

" The Right Honourable Anthony Richard Blake.

" The Reverend Pooley Shouldham Henry, D.D."

On this announcement the correspondent of the Morning Chronicle Observes- 4, In the preceding list there are five Roman Catholics, four members of the Established Church, and one Presbyterian, namely Dr. Henry. The total number appointed is ten Commissioners; but there are, besides, the ex officio Commissioners named in the act, who are members of the Established Church. This is the first time since the enactment of the Penal Laws that Roman Catholic Prelates have been recognized by their titles in an official document emanating from the Queen in Council and published by authority. You will observe that Dr. Denvir, Roman Catholic Bishop of Down, and resident in Belfast, has been named in the commission in the room of Dr. Kennedy, Boman Catholic Bishop of Killaloe, who had resigned soon after his appoint. ment. You a ill also observe, that not only do the Roman Catholic Bishops get their titles, but they also get precedence according to rank. Thus, Arch- bishop Murray takes rank before the Earl of Donoughmore, the Right Reve- rend Bishop Denvir before the Very Reverend Dean of St. Patrick's."

Some of the Dublin papers having reported that Mr. Redmond Peter O'Carroll had refused to accept the Catholic Secretaryship under the new Commission of Charitable Bequests, that gentleman addressed a letter to the journals in question, in which he said—" I assure you that I feel highly honoured in having my humble name in any way associated with the respected names of the most venerable and distinguished Pre- lates that are mentioned as having consented to be Commissioners un- der the Bequests Act ; and I shall, under their guidance, be most happy to act as Catholic Secretary thereunder."

The protracted illness of Chief Justice Pennefather has given rise to rumours of changes in the judicial bench ; according to which, Mr. Blackburne is to leave the Rolls Court for the chief seat in the Queen's Bench; to be succeeded by Baron Lefroy from the Court of Exchequer; the vacant Paiute Judgeship to be offered to Mr. Smith, the Attorney- General. It is also rumoured, that Mr. Justice Burton of the Queen's Bench, and Mr. Justice Torrens of the Common Pleas, are to retire.

Mr. O'Connell held a kind of "monster meeting" in Waterford, on Friday. The approaches to the town were decorated with evergreens and banners ; and Mr. O'Connell was met by a procession of trades, estimated to have numbered 100,000 persons. " The multitude," we are told, " would have been still more numerous, were it not for the ex- cessive coldness of the day." At the Town-hall an address was pre- sented, and Mr. O'Connell spoke to the people from the window, in rather a short speech. He preached peace and perseverance, organiza- tion and registration—" Let there be weekly collections of the Repeal rent: no man need give more than he can afford—if he cannot afford a halfpenny let him give a farthing." In the afternoon there was a banquet in the Town-hall, at which covers were laid for more than 400 persons ; including the Bishop of Waterford, the Mayors of Limerick, Cork, Kilkenny, and Clonmel, and Mr. Edmund Burke Roche, M.P. After dinner, Mr. O'Connell spoke at some length ; but his speech is for the most part composed of very old materials. He alluded more than once to Mr. Grey Porter's recent pamphlet- -.7," I have read his pamphlet with more delight than I could describe; and there can be no doubt that it will have a beneficial effect upon that class of Protestants who regard him in the light which his fortune, station, and talents so _justly entitle him to * • • Mr. Grey Porter talks of calling out the Irish Itia, and has reckoned it a hundred thousand strong in a state of discipline. Be says that the object he has in view is togiva 'pluck ' to the Irish Members. Bat I think I saw people enough today to give me pluck without arraying them in military form; and I intended to tell Mr. Grey Porter, that though I should rejoice for his military discipline, the moral reform would be as well achieved by men of frieze coats as by men in scarlet. • • • Mr. Porter seems occasionally to take a glance at separation, whereas we are working to make it impossible."

He announced the abandonment of his journey to England-

" I own I was inclined to go there on a kind of pilgrimage, with a scallop- shell in my hat and a list of our grievances in my hand. But I fear it would be in vain; at least, I have recently seen nothing to induce me to follow such a course. I have often spoken with severity of the British Government, and accused the British people of apathy ; but I cannot forget the glorious recep- tion I had at Covent Garden and other places in England, after the prosecu- tion was commenced against me, where honest English manly feeling was manifested in opposition to injustice: but, like the scenes acted at Covent Garden, all has passed away, and vanished like a phantasmagoria ; and I have not since heard of any intention expressed by any portion of the British people to punish or bring to justice the instigators of the illegal prosecutions instituted against me and the other gentlemen who were consigned to a prison along with me. had the thing happened in England, the people would have risen en masse against such iniquitous proceedings; nay, the stones of the street and inani- mate things would rise against those who could be guilty of such an outrage upon liberty and justice. But when Ireland only was concerned, there was no sympathy ; no call for redress beyond the evanescent cheers with which I was greeted while the prosecution was pending against me. I thank the people of England for these cheers, and for the sympathy manifested in my behalf; but when I see no portion of England making the slightest movement in our behalf, or a single voice raised to call for retribution upon the heads of those who acted with such gross injustice, would I be justified in going among them with a begging petition in my band, beseeching them to be so kind, so obliging, so lovely, as to turn a condescending car towards us and grant us some little relief? At one time I thought that might be a good, a judicious, a cunning plan ; but I now think it would savour of degradation to follow such a course. What is it that impresses the conviction on my mind ? It is, that I see as it were an adamantine wall raised up by the English press between the English people and any knowledge of Irish wrongs and injustice. But this very tact is the proof of a foregone conclusion,—namely, if the English people felt any interest in these matters, their newspapers would place them distinctly before them, with fitting comments. But no such thing. If their circulation was diminished by that neglect, they would soon pay attention to Ireland. They know what suits their readers, and they act accordingly. Three times since my release from prison I brought forward lists of Irish grievances, in the shape of ten distinct propositions, so that they might get into the Lon- don papers and reach the English ear : but they merely gave an abstract of them, without one word of comment upon the gross injustice which I proved to exist—oh, not a word."

Mr. O'Connell hinted to the Waterford electors to apply the screw in forcing people to become members of the Repeal Association- " Begin with your Representatives. Tipperary will return none but out-and- out Repealers. No man is a Repealer to my taste who is not a member of the Repeal Association. You have here in Waterford two inestimable men—none more so living; but they are not to my taste. I leave it to you to make your own practical observations. I do say that, call us what you please, Irishman is but the name I want. How do you know an Irishman ? The surname of an Irishman is Repealer,' and of Ireland, the National Repeal Associa- tion.' Neutral ground cannot be occupied ; everybody that is not with us is against us. Hurrah for Repeal! Men of Dungarvan, listen to me—let my voice go hither. My friend that represents it I respect exceedingly ; but I have a bird that whispers that he must sing sweetly for Repeal, or not mind the fishermen of Dungarvan. Sir Henry Barron voted for Repeal; you must not drive him from you—give him another chance ; but resolve firmly that no man who is not a member of the Repeal Association shall get your vote."

The usual weekly meeting of the Repeal Association was held on Monday ; but the proceedings were barren of interest. The Secretary read a communication from Mr. Thomas Steele, " Head Pacificator," reporting progress in his mission to put down Ribandism in Leitrim and Cavan, and enclosing an address that he bad promulgated among the people. Mr. O'Connell moved " the most marked thanks of the Association to his esteemed friend and companion in every struggle for the liberties of Ireland, Tom Steele," and also the insertion of his letter on the minutes. Mr. O'Connell concluded a long speech about the Morning Chronicle, the Examiner, &c., &c., by moving that the Repealers throughout Ireland be called upon to demonstrate their per- severance in tho Repeal cause by sending in weekly contributions on. and after the 1st January 1845. The rent for the week was 180/.

Two years since, a subscription was commenced in Dublin to erect a testimonial to the Reverend Theobald Mathew, and a statement of re- ceipts and expenditure has just been published : the amount received has been 2,118/. 8s., while the expenses for the collection and safe cus- tody of this sum have been no less than 9681. !—a pretty percentage 1 More murders have been perpetrated in Ireland. An uncle has been killed by two nephews at Borrisoleigh, in Tipperary. The three had a dispute about some land ; one day they met on the land and quarrelled ; blows ensued, and the uncle was killed. A woman has been killed on the roadside, near Waterford : she was found with her head smashed. A man has shot his brother at Athlone ; and the wound is likely to prove fatal. Heffernan, a small farmer residing near Ennis, has been butchered with cool atrocity- " At three o'clock on Friday last, two men, armed with guns, entered his house, and not finding him in the front apartment, passed into a back room which was used for foddering cattle; and here they found Heffernan, tending his cows. One of the murderers approached his victim, and levelling his gun within a few feet of his head, discharged it, and killed him instantly. The house of Heffernan is one of a range which is numerously inhabited—the mur- derers were seen approaching—the shot was heard—they were seen running away by several, who more than suspected the work they had performed; yet no one attempted to arrest or follow the murderers; and on the inquest, which was held next day, no evidence could be obtained which would afford any clue to the detection of the assassins. The alleged cause of his murder is, that he was proceeding with an ejectment on the title,against his mother and brother- in-law. There is not, however, any suspicion that either of these persons wag aware of the punishment adjudged to their unfortunate relative by the mid night legislators of Clare."