No demand for tithe-composition can be made in the present
year until after the 1st of November, by those who came in for relief under
the Million Act. The former statutes relating to tithes made the com- position payable by half-yearly gales in May and November ; but the act passed in the session of 1833, and which received the Royal assent
on the 29th of August in that year, directed that, in future, the pay- ment should be made yearly on the 1st of November. Those who Caine in for relief under the Million Act received the payments made to them in satisfaction not only of the tithes for 1831, 2, and :3, but also of all preceding arrears. The tithe-owners who received money from the Government, cannot, therefore, look to the lands for any arrears, nor for the composition of the present year, nor resort to any legal process until after the 1st of November next. Tenants at will, and tenants from year to year, which latter class includes persons holding under proposals a (very general mode of tenure in this county), and whom the law considers in the light of tenants from year to year, are not liable since the 1st of November last to the payment of the composition to the tithe-owners. Tenants to whom lettings were made, either by lease or otherwise, since the 16th August 1833, are also free from the pay- ment of the composition. We have next to state a most important fuel— "that where lands are occupied by persons not liable, the lands cannot be distrained, nor the goods of those persons taken for the composi- tion !" The remedy of the tithe-owner in such cases is, to resort to the usual legal proceedings against those liable, as for the recovery of any ordinary debt. He has the further remedy of suing by civil bill to the extent of 20/. It is further provided, that where there is a year and a half doe, he may apply to a court of equity for a receiver over the lands. The last remedy cannot, however, be made available by those tithe-owners who received money from the Government until after the 1st of November 1835, long before which time we trust there will be a satisfactory legislative adjustment of the whole question. The pro- hibition of distraining the lands is a- most- important provision, and will, we doubt not, operate benefivially in preserving the peace of the country. The collisions which occur in effecting distraints, have berm always found in the experience of past times to lead to tumult, hreaches of the peace, bloodshed, and loss of human life.—Corh Reporter.
Earnest remonstrances, from certain military authorities in Ireland, have been forwarded to the Horse Guards, complaining of the employ- ment of the Army in a duty so repugnant to the feelings of a British soldier, and so foreign from his legitimate avocations, as that of tithe. collecting. It was, perhaps, owing to these appeals to the good sense and manly feeling of theGeneral Commanding in Chief, that the troops have been relieved from the inglorious campaign on the borders of Wicklow.
The Irish correspondents of the Daily Papers have furnished copious extracts from the examination of witnesses before the Magistrates at .Ballyeagh, relative to a furious battle which took place some weeks ago in that neighbourhood, between two rival factions, the Cooleces and the Lawlors. The examination was concluded a month ago ; but, for some reason unexplained, the local journals published no account of it. The details are of a very shocking description, as will appear from the following evidence of Mr. Hewson, a Magistrate, who was present.
Expecting a tight to take place between the Lawlors and the Cooleens at the fair of Ballyeagh, on the 94th of June last, he went theme with a party of sixty soldiers and twelve policemen. The Lawlors were collected behind the tents, to the number of 200, with sticks. During the races all was quiet, the Lawlors having undisputed possession of the ground ; but at half-past three, he heard a cry of "They are coming," and saw the Cooleens approaching from the Listowel Side. They had crossed from Clanmaurice by the new ferry, and came on in full array in their shirt-sleeves, and brandishing their sticks. There could not be less than a thousand of them ; and they were accompanied by about twenty women. The latter were for the purpose of currying a supply of stones, whieli they brought in their aprons, as the place was a smooth strand and unprovided with that kind of ammunition. The Lawlors were more numerous than the Cooleens; but the latter had the advantage as long as their supply of stones lasted. They pursued the Lawlors among the tents. Witness finding his efforts to make peace quite ineffectual, rode off for the soldiers, with whom he returned towards the tents, and took several prisoners. The fight lasted two hours. Saw several ople beaten severely. One man had his leg broken and another lost an eye. The Lawlors were finally victorious ; and the Cooleens retreated in two bodies, one towards Rahoona, and the other to the Cashin River. They rushed in great num- bers into one of the boats, which, owing to that circumstance, was upset. Wit- ness heard a cry that people were drowning, and hastened to the place. The river was about aquarter of a mile across. The shrieks of the people were heart- rending. The boat had sunk; hats and sticks were floating in all directions. Saw three or four men struggling for life on the Kilmore side (the side to which the Cooleens had wished to cross). Several persons went into the water With horses to render assistant*. When he came up, he heard persons exclaim that the people had been stoned, and prevented from lauding. Mr. Hewson stated, that the factions have existed upwards of thirty years ; and that he does not remember any year that a fight has not taken place betweeu them at the races of 13allyeagh on the 24th of Jane. The people were determined, and Would not be prevented. The great exciting cause of these fights, he said, is the pare lore of fighting for its own sake. A huge portion of an immense cliff at Loop Head, Shannon Mouth, has detached itself from the main-land and fallen into the sea. The boisterous weather of last winter made extensive inroads along the Western shore.—Irish Paper.
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