IRELAND.
A numerous body of the inhabitants of Dublin assembled on the 20th February, to take into consideration the proposed measures of coercion for Ireland. Au attempt was made, by a person named Walsh, to procure a resolution in favour of a declaration of rights, somewhat similar to the one adopted by the Americans at the commencement of their Revolution. The more temperate part of the meeting, however, objected to this proposal; and it was withdrawn, after a good deal of clamour. Resolutions were then, passed containing a strong protest against Earl Grey's projected measure, and declaring that it was brought for- ward without due examination into the state of the country, which by no means warranted such an unconstitutional enactment. The leading gentlemen at this meeting were lawyers and merchants of great respectability, and the tone of re- solutions and proceedings was temperate-and firm.
The Orange or Conservative party have also taken alarm at the Disturbances Bill. The Reverend Mr. Boyton declared, at a meeting of their Society held on the 19th of February, that the Ministers were not to be trusted with such ex- tensive powers, which there was every reason to believe they would exert for the overthrow of liberty and the Protestant Church. Mr. Boyton has since ex- pressed his opinion that no opposition should be given to the bill. The great majority of the Society, however, do not concur with him.
At a meeting of the Irish Volunteer Society, on Tuesday last, at the Corn Exchange in Dublin, the Earl of Miltown was admitted a member, and made a speech in condemnation of the Ministerial measures of coercion. He said that he had been one of those who had been nicknamed the "Wait-a--whiles ;" and he confessed that he had placed great confidence in the present Ministry pre- viously to their announcement of the Disturbances Bill. Earl Grey should pause before be introduced this measure-into operation ; the provisions of which had induced Lord Miltown to leave his.retirerneut, and join a society the prin- ciples of which were to a certain extent opposed to his own.
Mr. Steele, the Pacificator, has been arrested on a charge of uttering a seditious speech. The next day, having been admitted to bail, he attended a meeting iii Kilkenny, where he was as violent as ever. Warrants also are issued against several members of the Trades Union, for sedition.
The Dublin correspondent of the Globe says that the country is rapidly re- turning to a state of tranquillity. He then proceeds to give an account of a conflict between the Police and the Whitefeet, in which one of the latter was mortally wounded ; and the remainder of a closely-printed column in the Globe is occupied with accounts of outrages which have occurred within a few days in various parts of the country.
The Erin, of Belfast, left London for Dublin and Belfast on the 10th Febru- ary; and after encountering several of the late gales, was seen off the entrance of the Bristol Channel on the evening of Wednesday the 20th, with signals of distress flying, by the City of Waterford steam-packet ; but the state of the weather at the time prevented her rendering any assistance. The Erin was a very fine vessel, and well known on this station.—Evening Packet. • It has since been reported that the Erin was lost off Lundy Island, in the Bristol Channel.
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