27 FEBRUARY 1847, Page 7

IRELAND.

The official declaration of the election at Galway was not made till the Wednesday. It then appeared that the Solicitor-General's majoritrwas only 4. There was a serious disturbance in the evening, provoked by ?dr. Monahan's friends, who had caused the bells of the Protestant cathedral to be rung. The populace became very violent. The military were called out, and the Riot Act was read; but "the Head Pacificator" succeeded in. getting the people to disperse. Mr. J. F. Blake, son of the late Member,' is said to have been seriously hurt.

The Nation is very much excited at the result of the Galway election; which it attributes to "enormous bribery" and "horrible perjury." Here is a specimen of the rant- " A majority of four—four perjurers, four personaters, four miserable four bribed slaves—have been able to turn the scale, to deprive Ireland of a

bold- and honest Repeal representative, and seat in his rightful place a Whig lawyers* sworn and salaried servant of England, an ex officio enemy of his own country."

The usual weekly meeting of the Repeal Association was nearly a blank: Mr. Steele made a demi-official announcement, that although not so young- or healthy as his sons, Mr. O'Connell was well. But the usual letter was wanting. Rent, 43/.

A deputation from the Reproductive Employment Committee waited on the Lord-Lieutenant yesterday week, to present a memorial against the mode adopted of constituting the Board for carrying out the provisions of the Destitute Persons Bill. The points set forth in the memorial, which were afterwards enlarged upon by the deputation, consisted of an objection to the body of six Commissioners named in Sir George Grey's letter, as being unconnected with Ireland except in their official capacity, as con- taining only one Irishman, and as calculated therefore to cause suspicioa and mistrust in the minds of all classes of Irishmen: another objection was, that the Board was to sit exclusively in Dublin. The memorial concluded. with a prayer for the addition of some resident Irish gentlemen to serve as unpaid Commissioners, and for the Commission to visit and inspect person- ally the different provinces and counties. The Lord-Lieutenant held out no encouragement to the hope that the constitution of the Commission would be altered. He was anxious to obtain information from all resident country gentlemen; and for this purpose circulars containing queries were in course of preparation. He begged the deputation would rest satisfied until they were furnished with copies of the circular.

A meeting of the gentry of Clare was held on Tuesday week, under the presidency of the High Sheriff, to petition the Legislature not to adopt any permanent measure for Ireland until all the plans of the Government should be laid before Parliament. A petition was proposed by Sir Lucius O'Brien, seconded by Colonel Yandeleur, and unanimously adopted.

The Sligo Champion denounces in very strong language the " gigantic swindle" now perpetrated on the public works in progress in Sligo. The story looks like a random fabrication, and we only quote it because the passage has attracted some notice. We may premise that no "stipend" of 8d. a day is paid; but wages are given by the piece.

"The-poor are not relieved by the vast grants of money given by a liberal 3E- nistry ; but the sons of magistrates—of grand jurors—of parsons—rich farmers, well to do in the world—comfortable tradesmen—all these are quartered upon the public. We saw, for instance, two men overseeing seven labourers; we have in- spectors paymasiers, overseers--officials of all ranks and grades in every locality; not selected for their ability, but because they. have interest—because they can command the voices of the landlords of the county." "The poor are neglected, plundered, robbed. In many instances their miserable stipend of 8d. a day is se I withheld that they sink down exhausted by the wayside, and die Government creditors; while the sons of grand jurors and of parsons with good livings are drawing their two or three pounds a week." "-We know of cases where four and five members of one family are receiving the public money, and all of them able to live without it."

There are symptoms that the usually large spontaneous emigration which takes place annually to North America will be very much exceeded this year. Even at this early season, "vast crowds of emigrants of the more comfortable class have already arrived from the interior for the pur- pose of taking shipping to Liverpool; and the same may be said of the Forts of -Cork, Galway, and Derry."