IRELAND.
The Irish Club leaders and sedition-writers have fled from Dublin, and in some sense " taken the field." On Saturday, the Nation and the Irish Felon fairly threw away the scabbard; openly advising revolt. We have already given samples, in Lord Lansdowne's speech. In the Nation, Mr. Gavan Duffy exclaimed— "Rise, men of Ireland, on your hills, and in your valleys and dark passes. England has broken the bond of ligeance; therefore rise as a nation. Rise to make Ireland an independent kingdom for ever."
In the sense of these counsels, the Committee of the League dispersed on Saturday; and Mr. Smith O'Brien, Mr. Meagher, and Mr. O'Gorman, quitted the capital, for their strong-holds in the South. These last three gentlemen have been scampering through Wexford, Kilkenny, Water- ford, Tipperary, and Limerick; urging on the Club organization, and preparing, it would appear, the means of a real fight for supremacy in Ireland. The results are not specific; but it seems certain that a large district between Clonmel and Waterford, having its centre in Carrick-on- Suir, is actually on the verge of open war; and almost as certain that the first attempt to arrest Mr. O'Brien or Mr. Meagher in the midst of that district will begin the conflict. Mr. Smith O'Brien is said to have addressed the Club-men of Carrick on Tuesday, in a. speech
reminding them of the former influence of his name, and giving them a determinate two hours to consider if they would turn out under his lead and make the first move in the war. It is said that they debated, and them resolved to join him; and that he is now out on the hills of South Tippe! rary, with 10,000 men.
It is a feature of the movement, that in its central district the influence of the Catholic clergy has perished; the priests unfavourable to the move ment are disregarded and put aside. In some parts, however, this has not been the case, and priests have effectively hindered the movement. The Reverend Dr. Vaughan of Kilaloe was actually applied to by Mr. O'Gor, man, on Sunday, to lend his help to the formation of a club: Dr. Vaughan declared himself a Repealer, but refused to countenance Mr. O'Gorman,
refused him his chapel, and enjoined his flock after mass to go home and not to join the Clubs. The Reverend Mr. Hennebury of Clonmel did a similar thing.
Meanwhile, the Government is using immense means of every deserip‘ tion to prevent or crush an outbreak. The Habeas Corpus Suspension Act arrived at Dublin on Wednesday; and warrants have been despatched to the South for the arrest of Mr. O'Brien Mr. Meagher, and some dozen more of the Club leaders. An immense military force has been concentrated on Carrick and Waterford; and the whole South coast is alive with war- steamers, under Sir Charles Napier. The Rhadamanthua lies at Water- ford, with her guns enfilading the great thoroughfares of the town; and a fleet of armed steamers is at Cork.
On Wednesday, Lord Clarendon issued a proclamation declaring the illegality of the Clubs, and " strictly commanding all persons to withdraw from and abandon the same." In consequence, some Clubs actually solved themselves. On Monday, proclamation was issued setting forth the names of the officers authorized to grant licences for bearing arms; and in the course of the week these officers held sittings to issue licences, and were most rigid in requiring reasons from each applicant why arms should be allowed to him, and in demanding surrenders on the most trifling reasons alleged by the police. In consequence of these measures, the Hylands closed their forges, and have crossed the Channel to open pike-manufac- tories in Liverpool. Stratagems for the concealment and removal of arms are daily practised. A hearseful is said to have been driven out of Dahlia for the South on Tuesday.
Dr. Michael Blake, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Dromore, has given in his adhesion to the Irish League. He thinks Ireland has nothing more to hope for from the British Parliament: she has been beaten with whips, and will next be beaten with scorpions. " No people would continue to bear such a yoke." He considers the question of recovering the domestic Legislature of Ireland to be a question " affecting the very existence of millions of her people." He answers for the whole of his clergy on the subject of this mischievous Union, and on that of " the salutary League "; and he sends the latter his subscription of 21. Mr. John O'Connell has published a letter to "the People of Ireland," contrasting the courses of' the two parties now in the field and agitating for the ruin of the Irish cause—the British Government, and the Young Irelanders.
He warns Irishmen against endangering everything they hold dear in Ireland; against risking imprisonment, " and its consequent wretchedness," for the sake of drillings in lofts and mock military parades. He says—" The purpose of fright- ening England, by the collection of a few fowling-pieces, rusty muskets, and un- wieldy pikes, is about as hopeful as the exhibition of ugly faces, painted on war- shields, which was an expedient resorted to for the same purpose by the Chinese in the late war, and one very easy of adoption by our earnest men' here at home . Fellow countrymen, I cannot advise you to join what is called the Irish League. It is, I fear, little other than a mockery, a delusion, and a snare!' " He declares that the Association that Daniel O'Connell formed is not dead, and shall not die by its own act. The people shall deliberately put an end to it, if it is to die; but if it is to live, it shall resume its sittings in August, and, " with assistance," shall go gloriously and speedily on till the accursed Union be repealed.
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