IRELAND.
The election for Sligo ended in the defeat of Mr. Patrick Somers, the Government candidate and the election of Mr. John Wynne, Derbyite. The numbers at the close of the poll on Friday were—Wynne, 148, Somers, 108; majority for Wynne 40. Mr. Somers, in his hustings speech at the nomination, made some re- markable statements and revelations.
"My party—the party to which I have given an uniform support for the last nineteen years—are now in office. My friends, I am proud—perhaps it is vanity in me to say so, but I am proud to acknowledge that I am ho- noured with the friendship of the greatest of living statesmen—the greatest man in Europe—Lord Palmeraton. He is my bosom friend. I acknow- ledge thati am here as his candidate, I may say his nominee. I admit it ; I will not disguise the fact ; I will admit it. I had a claim upon his Government for my honourable support for sixteen long years. say I can be of more use to this town than the man who is too consistent a Conservative to ask a favour from that Government. can be of more service individually and collectively to the people of Sligo than Mr. Wynne can possibly be in his present posi- tion. Mr. Wynne could not ask a favour of the present Government. I know his high honour : I know he would not sacrifice principle to ask a favour. I am in a different position. I am placed in the position not to ask but to command favours from the Government." In what follows, Mr. Somers is alluding to the two petitions presented against the return of the late john Sadleir ; and here is the way one of them was attempted to be settled. "Mr. Henry Lyons, Mr. John Lyons, and Dr. Wood, were base enough to accuse me of selling that petition. They accused the humble in- dividual who repudiated the offer of 10,0001.,—a sum, I tell you frankly, that would have been important to me. I repudiated the notion. I refused the offer ten times over. I was asked to write down what I would have ; and! would have nothing. Mr. Townley's agent, Mr. Coppock, said to me, Write what sum you will have.' I did write, and! said, 'I will have the seat, the whole seat, and nothing but the seat.' Here I am maligned, be- cause I was fool enough—many of my friends said to me I was a fool—to re- fuse an offer of 10,000/. to sell you." (Continued cheering.)
Great excitement has been produced at New Ross by the impending election. The contest will lie between Mr. Tottenham, Derbyite, and Sir Thomas Redington. Father Doyle, the demagogue priest, although removed to a distant parish on account of his political turbulence has reappeared in New Ross and kindled the fierce passions of the Roman Catholics. They declare that they would rather have an Orangeman from the "black North" than the 'Whig Redington.
The case of Mr. Smith O'Brien was again brought under the notice of Lord Palmerston, by a deputation of Irish Members, on Saturday. M.
Maguire represented, that Mr. O'Brien and his friends had suffered bitter disappointment when they found that the hopes held out by his Lordship at their previous interview had not been realized. The present time when the country is tranquil, and has shown its loyalty in the war, is a favour- able opportunity for granting Mr. O'Brien permission to return to Ireland. Lord Palmerston said that he would submit the question to the Government as soon as possible, and announce their decision without delay.
The legal proceedings for winding-up the affairs of the Tipperary Bank are going on before Master Murphy. A solicitor told the blaster that he believed a great number of the creditors were willing to accept a composi- tion from the shareholders: if such an arrangement were not made, proba- bly those shareholders who had convertible property would escape from a long Chancery litigation by flying to America.
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