2 MARCH 1844, Page 8

IRELAND.

The Repeal Association held the usual weekly meeting on Mon- day. Air. John O'Connell was called to the chair ; and he described the " enthusiastic reception " given to his father at Covent Garden Theatre, and the marked compliment paid to him by the Liberal Mem- bers on his entrance to the House of Commons. Mr. John O'Connell. assured the meeting that these demonstrations afforded him delight, "chiefly because he regarded them as a foretaste of the friendship and affectionate sympathy which would assuredly subsist between the two countries when they were on an equality—when Ireland would have her Parliament, and be enabled to show her sincere attachment to the in- terests of the empire." He acknowledged the good intentions of the English Liberal Members towards Ireland ; but they were powerless to carry out those good intentions— The question now was, what were they to do ? were they to give up Repeal? (Cries of "No, no ! ") Ile confessed if he saw that the Liberal party had the power of doing good to this country—he did not say that he would do so—he had his misgivings as to whether they should not be given some additional trial. (Loud and prolonged cries of" No, no !" and "Never !") There was, indeed, no hope that they should have that power; and he thanked the meeting for the answer they had just given him. He assured them, that if an impression arose in his mind that good could be done to Ireland, it was one which saddened him, by producing a fear that any friend of Ireland might be won from her cause, by the granting of any concession short of the complete restoration of her do- mestic Legislature.

A letter from Mr. O'Connell, much in the same sense, was read by the Secretary. A Mr. O'Mahony made a long speech, in which he mentioued the Chairman as having spoken of the possibility of abandoning Repeal. This called up Mr. John O'Connell; who peremptorily denied that he had pat any case to the meeting as to the possibility of giving up the question of Repeal.

Ile could conceive no circumstances or state of things which could justify the people of Ireland in ceasing in their endeavours to secure the restoration of their Parliament and their country's consequent prosperity. (Loud cheers.) In the course of his introductory speech, Mr. John O'Connell stated his father's opinion that the Repeal Wardens' demands for local ex- penses were becoming rather too high : he thought that when 10/. was subscribed in a locality 2/. was enough for local expenses, and that when 20/. was contributed 4/. would be enough. Several sums were handed in from America-71. from Ariel, 22/. from Watertown, 13/. from Water- bury, all in Pennsylvania ; 2001. from New Brunswick. The Repeal- rent was 624/.