IRELAND.
The Irish Protectionist movement has received additional checks. The counties of Meath and Wexford are to be added to those who, when sum- moned to consider remedies for the present agricultural depression, have declared in favour of adherence to free trade, and have swelled the cry for reduced rents and secured tenure. In the county of Clare, a Protection meeting convened for the present week, has been indefinitely postponed.
The Roman Catholics ref Ulster have drawn up a memorial to the Lord- Lieutenant, setting forth the facts of the Dolly's Brae case, and those of -the subsequent course taken by Government, and petitioning Lord Claren- don to take further steps to bring to justice all the wrongdoers in the transaction. Specifically they pray Lord Clarendon " to prove to the Ca- tholic people of this empire, that creed is no distinction where justice is concerned, by superseding in the commission of the peace those Magis- trates who, at a Petty-Session held in Castlesdlen on the 9th of October last, refused to take information against persons proved to have formed a -portion of an avowedly illegal assembly.'
The Limerick and Clare Examiner of Saturday has the following doubt- ful statement of intended Government legislation on the law of rent- recovery= "Mr. Major, the Assistant Barrister, gave a rather important intimation to the Clare Grand Jury yesterday, to the effect that he had high authority for stating a bill would be introduced in the coming session of Parliament, which would preclude any landlord from recovering by any process of law any rent that was not in keeping with the Poor-law valuation."
The subjoined remarkable statement appears in the Banner of Ulster. Few persons wondered at the rapid disappearance in the South and West of the ten-pound freeholders as a portion of the Irish electoral body ; but that the class should be in process of annihilation in two of the "model counties" of Ulster, does indeed excite surprise.
"We have been Making inquiries in various directions relative to the effect which the current pressure of the times has had upon the ten-pound constitu- encies of Down and Antrim; and we find, as we had suspected, that an im-
mense pr on of this class of voters, in both counties, has been politi- cally annid. In some districts with which we happen to be particularly aoqupinted, we learn that four-fifths of the men who a few years ago were fully qualified as ten-pound freeholders have been practically disfranchised by the rackrenting system, and could not now conscientiously take the qualifi-
cation-oath were an electron to happen tomorrow." .
Mr. Torrens M'Cullagh has addressed a letter to his constituents of Dundalk, instructing them as to their real interest in free trade. In a 'style that is at once solid and popular, concise and lucid, he reviews the history of Protection in Ireland; and shows how its effect has been to in- crease rents for the absentee equally with the resident or improving land- lord, but not to increase available employment for the poor or the people. This was especially the case under the operation of the act of 1783-4, which gave a bounty of 3a. 4d. on every barrel of wheat exported. The true remedy for the bad economical and social state of Ireland, Mr. M'Cullagh contends, is "to give the occupiers of the soil a substantial in- terest in its permanent improvement." "There is much on this subject that legislative interference cannot effect, but there is also much that a comprehensve tenant-law of compensation might do. Without it, I confess I see no prospect of relief for the burdens or renovation for the energies of the country.'
Mr. John O'Connell's announced intention to retire from Parliament has led to a suggestion by a provincial Irish paper that sonic " public de- monstration " pecuniary aid] should be originated, to enable him to re- tain his seat. Mr. John immediately wrote to the journal disclaiming the suggestion : nevertheless, the Nation fiercely attacks the suggestion, and declares the offer of resignation to be "a vulgar trick to obtain mone un- der false pretences." In the mean time, to oblige the electors of Lime- rick, Mr. John consents to retain his seat. A terrible disaster occurred at Killarney on Monday night, and is briefly narrated in the Cork Examiner. A fire broke out in a portion of the capacious and beautiful building formerly known as the College, but for months past used by the Guardians of the Poor as a workhouse hospital. The inmates were with much difficulty saved from the fire, and the building was reduced to a ruin in two hours. Scarcely had the fire in this portion of the building been suppressed before it broke out in another portion called the Brewery, and used as the dormitory of a multitude of children. The doors and win- dows were fastened, and the only ready access was by a loft through which the flames were already pouring : the Police and multitudes of assistance made extraordinary efforts to drag forth every one of the children and their nurses • but when they had nearly performed the perilous task, the rafters of the loft gave way, and it is stated that "twenty-eight persons were in- stantly killed, and as many more frightfully mutilated."
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