IRELAND.
The inauguration of the new Lord. Mayor of Dublin took place, at the Assembly House, on Monday. The speech delivered by the re- tiring Mayor, Mr. Roe, who made a remarkable allusion to the State prosecutions, has attracted much attention. It should be premised that be is an Anti-Repealer, and is described as a person of " unobtrusive habits." In the course of his speech he was much affected, and was frequently and loudly cheered. He said, that he had considered what benefit could accrue from the trials— He knew they must produce excitement, agitation, the alienation of feel- ings, and all the evils which must effectually prevent this country making pro- gress in prosperity and happiness. While those angry feelings continued, it was utterly impossible that Ireland could apply herself to those most impor- tant questions of agriculture and commerce, and the various other subjects which were of the deepest moment to them. He frankly told them, that these thoughts bad been suggested to his mind by being in close communication with men of all parties—he said distinctly all parties--since those trials were first mentioned ; and he did not hesitate to express his firm conviction, that it would be most gratifying to the people of this country generally, of all parties, if it were possible to prevent by any means the agitation of their country by means of these trials.
After expressing his desire to avoid touching upon the administra- 'lion of justice, he proceeded— He would not for any consideration say one word which would touch upon that sacred ground ; but, on the other hand, he did think it was possible that an expression of public feeling, praying. earnestly that her Majesty would con- descend to take the question generally into her gracious consideration, to ascer- tain, if possible, the causes of the discontent which prevailed In this country—he did believe that, if her Majesty would condescend to appoint any commission she pleased, perhaps a commission of. the whole House of Commons, to make an inquiry into the subject calmly and dispassionately, they would arrive at the causes of the discontent which prevailed. It was notorious that there were grounds, and fair, legitimate grounds of discontent. He should not more par- ticularly allude to them than merely throw out for their consideration, for in- stance, the question of centralization. He appealed to any politician in this country whether the principle had not been carried too far? On Saturday last, he had the honour of an interview with his Excellency the Lord-Lieute- nant ; and he presented to his Lordship a return to an order of the House of Commons, showing that 628,00W. had been received in six years out of Ireland, under the head of " Woods and Forests," and that during that period there was only expended in favour of Ireland 123,0001.; leaving a balance of half a million of money drawn out of this impoverished country, and supplied and spent for the advantage of England. He appealed to them on both sides of the Rouse whether that was fair or just ?' As a mercantile man, he held it was utterly impossible that any country could go forward in pros- perity where there were discontent and agitation, or make that progress in im- provements that naturally should go forward. Ye believed in his conscience, that if the country were at peace at this present moment, they would have an influx of capital, that public works would commence, and that there would not be a single man unemployed: but it was utterly impossible to expect peace or tranquillity until the real and substantial grievances of the country were redressed. • * * If he, were to mention to them the names of noblemen and gentlemen who cordially concurred with him in the feelings he expressed, it would give both sides of the House confidence.
He supposed either of three results—a verdict for the Crown, a drawn battle, or an adverse verdict ; and asked if either could restore peace and prosperity to the country ?
" He would then humbly call upon her Majesty to grant in this instance an act of amnesty, until she fully ascertained what was the disease of Ireland ; and he was persuaded, if it came to her knowledge what were the real wants of Ireland, she would be the first in her dominions to suggest a remedy."
In reply to Alderman- J. Boyce, Mr. Roe said that the suggestion emanated wholly and solely from himself, without having consulted anybody : he believed it would be as great a surprise to every member connected with the Government as it would be to Alderman O'Connell. Mr. Reilly asked for an explanation of the word " amnesty ": he did not think that the Repealers should seek for an amnesty, when they had been guilty of nothing. Mr. Roe had not used the word in the sense objected to by Mr. Reilly : what he meant was an act of oblivion of everything. The assembly adjourned to Monday next ; when, it is expected; the question will be taken up.
At the meeting of the Repeal Association, on Tuesday, Mr. John O'Connell expressed his unmixed gratification at the inauguration of a Repealer in the Mayoralty ; and alluded-to-the speech of Mr. Roe with a strong deprecation of any supplicating for pardon on the part of the Re- pealers; for they had committed no crime. He read two letters from his father to " my dear Ray " : one rejoiced in the accession of John O'Neill and Smith O'Brien, and especially lauded a recent letter by Mr. O'Brien to the Reverend- Mr. O'Malley ; recommending in guerdon—" a vote of thanks-in the most enthusiastic terms ; a vote to print and circulate his letter ; a vote declaratory of the confidence of all the wise and good in Ireland " : the other letter rejoiced also over the accession of Colonel Caulfield, though only a Federalist. Mr. O'Connell poured water down the pump : he said—" I beg to enclose you my subscription to. the Repeal rent for 18444 these are the particu- lars—my own, 51. ; four sons, 41.; three daughters, 31. ; twenty-five. grandchildren, IL 5a.-131. 5a. Hurrah for Repeal," &c. Mr. John O'Connell delivered some long strictures on the article about Ireland, in the Edinburgh Review, which he foolishly attributed to Mr. Trevelyan of the Treasury ; and Mr. Staunton, strictures on Mr. Montgomery Martin's statistic.
Mr. Daniel O'Connell junior is mentioned as a candidate for the re- presentation of Tipperary. The Conservative candidate is Mr. Pon- sonby Barker, of Kilcooley Abbey.
Lord Eliot's circular on the proper mode of administering the Arms Act has been effectual. The Magistrates sat in General Sessions at Skibbereeo, on Thursday last week, and several of the persons whose claim had been rejected at Maeroom reappeared with the same claims at Skibbereen. All were admitted without opposition; often with such remarks as " A very good man l " " A man of excellent character " and the like. Captain O'Driscoll complained that lie had been misre presented as objecting to Mr. M'Carthy Downing, at Macroom : " I did not object to him; on the contrary, there is no man in the country to whom I would be more willing to give permission to bear arms."
The Carlow Sentinel brings a new charge, of too great ease and ra- pidity, against the administration of the Act-
" From what we have witnessed this day, we should say the Arms Act (th branding-clause excepted) is a ludicrous farce ; every enemy of law, order, and property, being registered without inquiry. Only think of 742 persons being admitted within an hour ! two of whom were accused of Whitefootism a few years back. We might well say of the Act, Parturiunt moutes, nascitur ridi- culus mus.'"
The Magistrates of Queen's County passed resolutions strongly condemning Lord Eliot's circular : they say, they had seen it with surprise and regret, as it was uncalled for ; and it " implies a want of confidence in the Magistracy on the part of the Executive, which cannot fail to add to the difficulties and dangers with which, owing to the state of the country, their position is surrounded."
Misled by some of the reports from Ireland, or misconstruing them, we fell into an error last week, and we are obliged to a correspondent for the manner in which he has enabled us to correct it. We said- " The opposition to the registry of fire-arms for members of the Liberal party threatened to go strange lengths : notices of opposition have been served on Mr. Hugh Morgan Tuite, M.P. for Westmeath, a Protestant of large fortune, and Sir Richard Nagle, a Catholic which implied that party distinctions had been made in the county to which those gentlemen belong. The fact is, that the Magistrates had " re- solved unanimously that notice [of objection] should be served on all alike, from the highest Peer to the humblest peasant, who had served notice of registry "; and, as an instance, a notice is sent to us which was served upon a gentleman whose opinions are opposed to those of 3Ir. Tuite and Sir Richard Nagle.
Mr. George Bird, the agent to Mr. O'Driscoll, has published in the Lock papers an exculpatory statement respecting the seizure for rent on the farm of the Sullivans- " Patrick and Maurice Sullivan, tenants to Andrew O'Driscoll, Esq., having frequently asked indulgence of me when rent was demanded of them, in order, they said, to make the most advantageous market of the produce of their land, but with the intent, as will appear, of having an opportunity of taking away their effects and leaving their rent unpaid, they several times requested I would get a bill cashed for them at the bank : I consented to do so about the 1st September last, and got Patrick Sullivan and other tenants of Mr. O'Dris- coll to join in a note for the rent due of them, ending the 1st November 1843.
"Finding that Patrick Sullivan and Maurice Sullivan were not making any preparation for the payment of the bill, which was passed into the bank and was immediately falling due, and there being a year's rent due of them the 1st of May last, and another half-year's rent coming due in a fortnight, I directed the driver to distrain them. On his going to the lands, he seized two cows and one horse ; which were forcibly taken away by the said Patrick and Maurice Sullivan, and since then secreted by them, not being brought on the lands. And on making further inquiry, subsequently to the rescue taking place, I found that they top-thrashed their corn—that is, the corn thrashed out of the top of the sheaf's, and then made up the straw into stacks, as if it had not been thrashed, for the purpose of deception ; they having sold the corn, not paying one penny of the price of it towards the rent due. Finding that they had thus made away with and disposed of nearly all their effects, I had what remained of their potatoes on the ground distrained, they having taken away three-fourths of thanrop of potatoes; the quantity of potatoes seized being only 43 baskets of 6 pounds weight each, which at the highest market-price would not amount to more than 21. 13s. 9d., and a small stack of straw worth 8s., being the only effects that could be had to pay one and a half year's rent due of them, amount- ing to 331. I had to pay the amount of their bill at the bank when it became due. The only satisfaction I could get from them was, that if they were for- given one and a half year's rent, and allowed to take away the whole of their crops and cattle, they would give up the possession of the land which they are now overholding. These are the facts of the case on which that worthy and tender-hearted attorney made so pathetic an appeal to the Macroom Jury, who are remarkable for giving the accused the benefit of any doubt ; but in this case there was no doubt, as there was no evidence given to rebut that there was not a rescue, except the address of Mr. Philip O'Connell to the Jury, in which he sought to throw a very liberal share of odium on Mr. O'Driscoll and those acting for him, because they attempted to look for any of the rent due of those knavish tenants.
" I shall only add, that Mr. O'Driscoll's offence was, that on hearing that a rescue was made from the driver, he directed that the parties so doing should be prosecuted."
The Mayo Constitution states that a conspiracy has been discovered to murder Mr. Naugle, the Protestant Missionary at Achill, and to set fire to the Protestant colony in the island.
Sir George Hayter, after engaging a suitable place in Dublin for the exhibition of his picture of the House of Commons, has declined to do so, on the ground of the disturbed state of the country.