We were perhaps guilty of an omission last week in
not no- ticing the proposal of Lord. Downshire and other influential landlords, to assemble a meeting in Dublin on the 27th instant, as representing "the nobility, gentry, and others interested in the peace and, prosperity of Ireland," to consider the means of suppressing agrarian outrage and promoting "ameliorations." We were disposed. to defer any notiee of the meeting until it 'should have become an event ; but the subject has grown to be more immediately important," because the invitation has called forth opinions and feelings which will not be represented at the meeting, while they threaten to neutralize it. Amongst the heads of a plan proposed by a Committee for the adoption of the meeting were, a strengthening of the magistracy and the police, an introduction of special juries instead of the ordinary selection, Improvement of cottages, and penalties for the concealment of accused persons, which was to be declared "felony." Altogether the scheme had the appearance of a certain armed philanthropy, equivocal in its aspect, peculiarly untimeous and obsolete; and it has called forth more objection than support. The Honorary 'Secretary to the Committee, Mr. Naper of Lougherew, had de- sired a combination, to improve cottage property by means of a public loan,—a perfectly different affair. Other landed pro- prietors have exposed the futility of attempting special combina- tions against Ribandism, when that crime is really dying out ; the recent manifestations being obviously the efforts of agitators who fear to see their vocation leave them. And while the meet- ing is threatened with the intrusion of amendments that will go to frustrate its object, it is threatened with the still more fatal
opposition of absence. -
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