IRELAND.
Last week, Lord Naas addressed his constituents at Coleraine. One part of his speech touched on local topics, but a large portion was devoted to the question of the war and its issues. Although some of the objects of the war have been attained, Lord Naas does not think that "a peace patched up at this moment would be a lasting one. Wars cannot be limited like diplomatic disputes and regulated by strict rule." Once the bond of peace broken, each party has the right to make the best of the situation. We ought to continue the contest "until Russia has been deprived of that maritime supremacy in the Black Sea which has been the cause of all the trouble." "As long as she retains that enormous sea- board in the Euxine, with those almost unassailable strongholds, that ob- ject has not been attained." But with the advantages we have won, "are we to limit our demands to those weary four points,' or make peace by the assistance of German inscrutability or the terms of the Vienna Con- ference ? No, gentlemen ; such a peace will never satisfy this country." It may be said that these opinions, if acted on, would lead to thirty years of war : on the contrary, they would lead to fifty years of peace. "Russia is the only power on the Continent that can be called aggressive. Her traditional policy is one of aggrandizement. Our mission is to force her to change that policy ; to show her that her great armaments cannot insure her victory ; that her enormous frontier is but a source of weakness ; that military power is not the only origin of a nation's greatness. Show her that all hope of ever placing a Russian dynasty on the Byzantine throne is gone for ever; show her all this—force her to devote her young energies to the development of her countless resources—and you will, as far as human eye can judge, secure the peace of Europe for a hundred years." Lord Naas professed to be ready to support any Government that will carry on this business of the war in a manner worthy of the country. He does not look to the destruction of Russia as an European power. Should Russia be disposed to treat, we must fairly meet her. "But the next time we treat, I hope the conference will be with princi- pals; and that the representatives of France, England, Turkey, and Sar- dinia, will be found sitting at one side of the table, and the representatives of Russia at the other, without the intervention of Teutonic metaphysicians or philosophical old ladies, who will argue and gossip for ever, but who go into hysterics at the bare thought of gunpowder."
The tenantry of the Marquis of Londonderry entertained their land- lord on Tuesday evening at a public dinner in Newtownards. Most of the notables of the county, including some of opposite politics, were pre- sent. The Marquis, in his after-dinner speech, touched on the basis of the relationship which should exist between a landlord and his tenants. It is said that the landlord should be the father of his tenantry : he pro- posed a different relation—he would rather be regarded as their elder brother, as in moments of difficulty it is much more agreeable to go to one's elder brother than to one's father.
An announcement has just been made that the Lord Primate (Beres- ford) has convoked the Prelates of Ireland to meet in Dublin on the 29th instant, to consider the gross injustice meditated by the English Prelates as regards the proposed Church Discipline Bill, about to be submitted to the consideration of Parliament. It appears in the eyes of one of the Irish Protestant journals, that the English hierarchy are about to disclaim the Church of Ireland, and to deny to that branch of the Church the benefits of the proposed bill. It is further asserted, that the Bishops of Exeter and Oxford are foremost in this ungracious'. and mischievous attempt, which is declared to be altogether at variance with the Act of Union.
The Dublin Statistical Society met on Monday ; Archbishop Whately in the chair. After the ordinary proceedings had been gone through, Dr. Whately, in a closing speech, made some characteristic observations on the progress of political economy in Ireland.
"When he first came to Dublin, he proposed to found a Professorship of Political Economy, of which that society was the offspring. The whole sub- ject was so misunderstood in this country that few persons understood what he intended to establish. He remembered, that the then Provost of Trinity College stated, when they had accepted the Professorship of Political Economy for the College, that he had been advised that the -best thing he could do was to choose a person for his safe—that is, his Conservative— opinions. They believed that a Professorship of Political Economy was one of party politics; of which Heaven knew there was plenty in Ireland. He was happy to say that the soil was a fruitful one, and that political economy, and subjects connected with it, had been cultivated with more suecess in this country than in the neighbouring island ; and the general diffusion of the knowledge of the subject among all classes had, he believed, taken place in Ireland to a greater degree than in any other country in the world. He knew that the children brought up in the National Schools had better know- ledge about political economy than some years ago was to be found among many Members of either House of Parliament."
May a clergyman act as officiating minister at his own marriage ? The Court of Queen's Bench in Dublin has decided that he may. The question arose on a claim to recover lands. In 1852, Dr. John Swayne Beamish, owner of a considerable estate in the county of Cork, died. Ho had several sons. In 1832, the Reverend Samuel Swayne Beamish, his eldest son, mar- ried himself to Isabella Frazer, in the house of one Anne Lyons; the sole witness, Catherine Coffey, only witnessing the ceremony from an adjoining yard without the privity of the parties. In 1844, the Reverend Samuel Beamish died intestate, leaving a son, at present- a minor, Henry Albert Beamish. On the death of Dr. Beamish, his second son claimed the proper- ty, as heir-at-law, and denied the legitimacy of Albert Beamish, the elder son of Samuel. This led to an action. There was no dispute about the facts—the sole question was, whether or not the marriage of Samuel Beamish by himself, and in the absence of witnesses, was legal. The Court decided that the marriage, " although clandestine and irregular, was valid". thereby establishing the legitimacy of Albert Beamish as the grandson and heir of Dr. Beamish, and his right to the property.
The Government have determined to prosecute the alleged Bible-burners at Kingstown. On Tuesday Mr. Corbalis, at the suit of the Crown, tendered informations to the presiding Magistrate at Kingstown Police-office against certain of the Redemptorist Fathers for their participation in the outrage. The informations were sworn to, and summonses ordered to be issued, which will be heard some day in the course of the ensuing week.
Mr. Beacham, who was fired at and wounded in King's County, is re- covering. Though several persons have been arrested for the crime, no con- clusive evidence to convict appears to be forthcoming.
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