On Saturday last, a meeting of the Magistrates of the
County Clare was held at Ennis. The meeting was convened by the Lord-Lieutenant of the county, Lord Inchiquin, to take into consideration the very disturbed and lawless condition of Clare, and to draw the attention of the Government to the fact. Lord Inchiquin declared in his speech that " one had not the simplest idea whether, when he went out in the morn- ing, he would not be shot at before he returned in the evening," —a somewhat Hibernian turn of phrase, but one, we fear, which only too accurately represents the existing state of things. La March, there were six serious crimes, and one less serious ; in April, five serious and eleven less serious ; in May, seven serious and thirteen less serious ; in June, eight serious and twelve less serious ; in July, five serious and eleven less serious ; in August, two serious and five less serious ; in Sep- tember, eight serious and three less serious; in October, seven serious and two less serious ; in November, seven serious and ten less serious; in December, four serious and ten less serious crimes. The less serious crimes include, among others, robbery of arms and threatening letters. The serious crimes are the various forms of agrarian outrage, such as firing into houses and mutilating cattle. It is obvious that the condition of the county is most grave, and if the Irish Unionists are wise, they will insist upon drawing the attention of Parliament to the matter. Very possibly it is not Mr. Morley's fault ; but when there is such a record for so small a population, the matter is urgent.
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