Dublin is now the scene of the Precursor agitation; Mr.
O'CoNNELL having transferred his "capacious carcass" and in- domitable powers of speechmaking to the Irish capital. The Go- vernment appears to look coldly on the Precursors. Tbe Dublin correspondent of the Chronicle points with evident satisfaction ta the reluctance of the Irish Liberal Members to join in 01:or:- NE LL'S attacks upon the Tithe Bill. To clamour ter the repeal dr a measure which only a few months ago they strenuously sap- ported as beneficial to their constituents, is rather more than some members of "the Tail," albeit not usually fastidious, can submit to. The number of Precursors is still but an insignificant frac- tion of the two millions. On Monday last, after two months' work in the heyday of the humbug, they reached about a twentieth part of the required total ; and the money collected was under 600/. O'CONNELL still perseveres in making an addition of forty- five Members to the Irish phalanx an indispensable item in the account of " justice " to Ireland : he also demands the entire abo- lition of tithe-payment to the Established clergy, and, more peremp- torily than heretofore, the Ballot. Religious liberty and the secret vote he now calls the two great principles of the Precursor agitation. That O'CONNELL is really desirous of putting an end to the ex- isting tithe system, we cannot question--it is quite natural that be should wish to overthrow it : but he also protests against transferring the property of the Establishment to the Catholic clergy—a design with which he has been charged by Mr. SHAR- MAN CRAWFORD. The suspicion, no doubt, injures him in the opinion of the Protestant Dissenters, whom he seeks to conciliate ; and we think it really forms no part of O'CONNELL'S present policy to endow the Irish Catholic clergy : but that he would, on strong enforcement or under favourable circumstances, veer round on this point as well as on others, must be regarded as probable. With respect to the Ballot, we observe that Mr. O'CONNELL distinctly declares, that if Ministers persist in refusing it, the Representa- tives of three Irish provinces will withdraw their support from Government. The value of this assurance may be tested on the very first night of the session. The question may be dis- tinctly put to Lord JOHN RUSSELL in the debate on the Address ; and if the Home Secretary decline to support the Ballot, Mr. O'CONNELL will have an opportunity of proving his sincerity by voting against the Ministerial Address ; to which end, doubtless, a suitable amendment will be provided.
