IRELAND.
At a recent meeting of the Ennis Board of Guardians, a letter was read Irons Sir Lucius O'Brien, remarkable for the very sensible View taken of what Ireland has a right to expect from England. The Ennis Board have asked " what provision was to be made for the able-11bdied destitute poor?" To this Sir Lucius answers-
" In the present depressed condition of everything in England, with so many persons hero thrown out of employment, and suffering extreme distress, it is not to be expected that grants could be made to Ireland, unless they were equally made to the poor of this country. The difficulties which prevail are partly owing to the efforts made to meet the distress in Ireland last year. There is a consi- derable falling off in the revenue, and stagnation in every kind of business."
The Irish Members, however, says Sir Lucius, have required of the Government that no one shall be allowed to die of starvation: and they have the assurance that, failing the legitimate resources of the rates, assistance will be given.
" In the mean time, I cannot impress too strongly the necessity of every man, woman' and child in Ireland, exerting themselves to the utmost to crop the ground for the following year, by putting down at once everything that will grow and give them food, and keeping the land clear and well dug. It is just possible we may get some assistance again this year from the national exchequer ; but it would be unreasonable to suppose that we should always be supported on charity: and unless the land is cultivated, we shall have a succession of famines, and the people will perish from the face of the earth, in spite of all that can be done for them by the benevolent and humane, or by the best legislation that can be devised: it is by industry alone and attention to business that any class can be saved from annihilation.
"Above all, I do trust there will be an end to the horrid crimes which have called down the vengeance of Heaven on the land. The law which has been passed for the suppresaion of crime and outrage is as mild as could be devised, and has provided as carefully as it was possible that the people should not be harassed unnecessarily, nor the innocent confounded with the guilty, by vexations and penal liabilities."
Mr. Vincent Scully has addressed a letter to the Times impugning the accuracy of the statements regarding his late brother and himself, contained in the letter of " An Irish Peer," noticed in the Spectator of the 18th De- cember. In particular, Mr. Scully denies that there is any foundation whatever for the report about the " safety will ": "I never before heard the expression, and need scarcely say that no such document exists."
The Reverend Michael O'Connor has set a bright example to the Ro- man Catholic priesthood in Ireland, and has shown them the way effect- ually to prove their abhorrence of denunciations from the altar. A meet- ing was convened on Thursday sennight, by the parishioners of Kyle in Queen's County, for the purpose of devising means for bringing to justice the persons who had threatened Sir Charles Coate and his agent. The Reverend Mr. O'Connor presided; and, after eloquently expatiating on the merits of Sir Charles Coote as a landlord, he denounced the perpetrators of the outrage; imploring his hearers to aid in bringing the guilty to justice.
The meeting passed resolutions echoing the speech; and a subscription was opened for insuring the murderer's apprehension. Mr. O'Connor headed the list with 10/.; and the sum of 1001. was subscribed.
A formidable system of retaliation is threatened in King's County. The Leinster Express publishes the following letter, as posted in Dublin on the 15th D ecember-- " Reverend Sir—I am directed to enclose you a copy of this resolution of a body of Protestants. Resolved, That since we perceive the Government so backward in defending the lives of its present Protestant landlords, tenants, and clergymen, we do form ourselves into a body, and swear by a crucified Christ, that for the life of every Protestant landlord, tenant, or clergyman, we will take the life of the parish-priest of that parish where the deed was committed : and this we swear to perform, by the truth of the Gospel, throughout all the counties in Ireland; we being determined to see what effect making a few parishes vacant will have. "To the Reverend Patrick Fitzpatrick, parish Monntrath. "We would request you to make this known also to your curate, Reverend John M-Mahon.
A dispute is going on between the Reverend Mr. Kenyon and the Magistrates of Nenagb, respecting a wall at Templederry: the case was before the Bench on Monday, and the chairman, Mr. Caleb Going, then made a serious charge against the priest—" He has spoken of me," said Mr. Going, "from two altars in such a manner that the feelings of the people have become hostile towards me; and 1, as well as other gentlemen now present, have received information that my life is in danger, and that I am on the list for assassination !" (Great sensation in court.) Mr.Bayly—" I have received similar information!" Mr. Pollock—" So have It" Mr. O'Dell—" So have I!"
On last Wednesday night, a most daring attempt at robbery had been made on the premises of Michael Mitiveny, Esq., Beakstown Mills. About one o'clock at night, a party of men came Ao his house; and two of them succeeded in getting over a wall eight or nine feet high, by the aid of a rope slung across the wall. They were proceeding to break open one of the doors, when they were heard by a man of Mr. Mulvany's, who ran out and grappled with one ot the robbers, the other making his escape. A most dreadful conflict ensued; the robber endea- vouring to strike the man with a heavy sword which he carried for the purpose; the man, evading the fatal blow,ifired a pistol-shot at the robber, and slightly wounding him, succeeded in wresting the sword from him and making him pri- soner. Too much publicity cannot be given to the conduct of that faithful ser- vant, who at the risk of his We guarded the property of his master.—Tipperary Vindicator.
The Sligo Champion mentions that threatening notices are as plentiful as civil ill processes; and they are served upon all persons, high and low indiscriminately.
One of the supposed murderers of the Reverend Mr. Lloyd was recaptured on Christmas-eve, near Elphin, by two gentlemen of Portobello.
Lonergan, the reputed murderer of Mr. Roe, was arrested on Christmas-day.
The Great Southern and Western Railway Board have resolved to suspend all their works in any district'where outrage or injury is offered to any of their eon- tractors, gangers, or labonrers.
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