IRELAND.

Government have followed up their active steps against the Clontarf meeting with law proceedings on account of previous occurrences. That they intended so to do, was currently reported in Dublin on Friday ; and on Saturday the reports were verified by the virtual arrest of Mr. O'Connell and his son John, Da a charge of conspiracy, sedition, and unlawfully assembling. There was of coarse a good deal of stir in the city the Castle-yard was thronged ; but the arrival of Lord Eliot, on horseback, and Mr. Lucas the Coder-Secretary, and the usual ceremony of mounting guard, were watched in " studied silence," and the Repeal people are said to have looked downcast. Another crowd, but smaller, had collected round Mr. O'Connell's house in Merrion Square ; but the occasional departure and arrival of some Repeal leader was regarded with a silence still more remarkable. Mr. O'Connell, it appears, had re- ceived a note on Friday evening, from Mr. Kemmis, the Crown Solicitor, requesting to know at what hour next day it would be convenient for Mr. O'Connell to attend before the Judges for the purpose of entering into recognizances to appear on the first day of term to answer the charges against him. At an interview with Mr. Kemmis, on Saturday, Mr. O'Connell demanded to be furnished with copies of the informations against him ; but the demand was not complied with ; and subsequently another note required Mr. O'Connell's presence at Mr. Justice Barton's house. At three o'clock he proceeded thither, accompanied by Mr. John O'Connell and Mr. Daniel O'Connell, his sons, and several friends, the party making thirty in all. On entering the Judge's library, Mr. O'Connell shook hands with his Lordship; and having read over the recognizances, he took the necessary oath and subscribed them. Mr. John O'Connell having done likewise, they acknowledged themselves bound in 1,0001. each to abide their trial on the charges preferred against them. The sureties, Mr. Jeremiah Dunne, merchant, of No. 14 Fitzwilliam Square, and Mr. Cornelius M'Loughlin, of 14 Fitzwilliam Place, ac- knowledged themselves bound in 5001. each for Mr. O'Connell, and in 500/. each for Mr. John O'Connell, to abide their trial as aforesaid. Mr. O'Connell having again shaken hands with the Judge, retired. He was cheered in his exit from the house by a crowd of persons wbo had followed his carriage from Merrion Square. Mr. Pierce Mahoney demanded copies of the depositions ; and Mr. Kemmis said that as the parties had been held to bail, copies should be forthcoming. Similar proceedings have been instituted against Mr. Thomas Steele, "Head Pacificator " ; Mr. Ray, Secretary of the Repeal Association ; Mr. Charles Gavin Duffey, editor of the Nation newspaper ; Dr. Gray, proprietor of the Freeman's Journal; Mr. Barrett, of the Pilot; Mr. R. D. Browne, M P.; and the Reverend Mr. Tyrrell and the Reverend Mr. Tierney, Roman Catholic priests. They were held to bail on Monday. The two last and Mr. Duffey are charged on the ground of being members of the Repeal Association. Informations are also said to have been sworn against Dr. Higgins, Roman Catholic Bishop of Ardagh, and Dr. M'Hale, titular Archbishop of Team; but the report is generally disbelieved.

The warrant of arrest runs as follows— "Ireland to wit.—Whereas —, of —, in the city of Dublin, esquire, bath been charged upon oath before me, the Hon. Charles Barton, one of her Majesty's Justices of the Court of Queen's Bench in Ireland, for that he did un- lawfully and seditiously conspire with certain other persons unlawfully and seditiously to excite discontent and disaffection in the minds of her Majesty's subjects, and to excite her Majesty's subjects to hatred and contempt of the government and constitution of the realm as by law established, and to un- lawful and seditious opposition and resistance to such government and con- stitution; and to induce and procure divers large numbers of persona to assemble, and meet together, in order, by intimidation and the demonstration of physical force, to procure changes to be made in the constitution of the realm as by law established; and to excite jealousies and hatred between different classes of her Majesty's subjects, and to excite discontent and dis- affection among, and to seduce from their allegiance, divers of her Majesty's subjects, and among others her Majesty's subjects serving in the Army and Navy; and to disturb and prejudice divers of her Majesty's subjects in the peaceable enjoyment of their rights and properties; and to bring into contempt, and disrepute the legal tribunals of the country, and to diminish the confidence' of her Majesty's subjects in the same, and to assume and usurp the prerogatiie of the Crown in the establishment of courts for the administration of the law ; and to forward the said several objects by various seditious speeches and seditious libels ; and also by contributing among themselves, and by soliciting and obtaining as well from different parts of the United Kingdom as from foreign countries, divers large sums of money to promote and effectuate such objects; and also for having on different days and times unlawfully and se- ditiously met and assembled with divers other evil-disposed persona for certain seditious and unlawful purposes, and also that he excited divers other persons to meet and assemble themselves together on different days and times for the like seditious and unlawful purposes; and also that he seditiously published divers malicious and seditious libels of and concerning the government and constitution of the realm as by law established; and all such other matters as shall be alleged against the said — by her Majesty's Attorney- General. These are, therefore, in her Majesty's name to command you and every of you, forthwith to apprehend and bring before me, or some other of the Justices of the said Court of Queen's Bench, the body of the said , that he may answer the said charge, and be further dealt with according to law.

" Given under my band and seal, this — day of October 1843."

The Repealers were not idle. Early in the morning, appeared in the Freeman's Journal an " Address to the Irish People," signed " Daniel O'Connell, Chairman of the Committee." It is remarkable for the im- ploring tone in which it exhorts the people to be peaceable, and the reiteration of that entreaty. There are eight paragraphs : the first con- gratulates the people on their excellent temper and good sense, evinced under the recent circumstances of irritation—for "the management (to speak in very mitigated terms) of the late proclamation, must be ad- mitted by all to be at the least highly incautious " ; the second paragraph exhorts the people to trust in the Repeal Committee, assures them that its advice shall never be inconsistent with their safety, and that the Com- mittee never will abandon the cause of Repeal ; each of the remaining six paragraphs puts in a different shape an exhortation to peaceableness ; the sixth says- " It is our duty as well as our interest to conciliate everybody, to injure no- body—firmly to repudiate all connexion between the Repeal question and any distinction of creed or religion. What we seek is not for the benefit of a sect or persuasion, but is intended equally for all."

Not the least curious thing about this address, which appeared on Saturday the 14th, is the date—" Corn Exchange Rooms, Oct. 16th, 1843." It was, however, formally adopted on Monday, at the meeting of the Association.

At four o'clock on Saturday afternoon, appeared in a third edition of the Weekly Freeman, another address from Mr. O'Connell indi- vidually—

" TO THE PEOPLE OF IEELAND.

" Merrion Square, 14th October 1843.

" Beloved Fellow-Countrymen—I announce to you that which you will hear from other quarters, namely, that I have given this day bail to answer to a charge of 'conspiracy and other misdemeanours,' the first day of next term. I make this announcement in order to conjure the people, one and all, to observe the strictest and most perfect tranquillity. Any attempt to disturb public peace may be most disastrous—certainly would be criminal and mi.- hievoos.

"Attend, then, beloved countrymen, to me.

"BE NOT TEMPTED BY ANYBODY TO BREAK THE PEACE, TO VIOLATE THE LAW, OR TO BE GUILTY OF ANT TUMULT OR DISTURBANCE. The slightest crime against order or the public peace may ruin our beautiful and Otherwise triumphant cause. " If you will, during this cis's, follow my advice, and act as I entreat you to do, PATIENTLY, QUIETLY, LEGALLY, I think I can pledge myself to you that the period is not distant when our revered Sovereign will open the Irish Par- liament in College Green. " Every attempt of our enemies to disturb the progress of the Repeal hitherto has had a direct contrary effect. THIS ATTEMPT WILL ALSO FAIL, unless it be assisted by any misconduct on the part of the people. " Be tranquil, then, and we shall be triumphant. " I have the honour to be your ever faithful servant, " DANIEL O'CONNELL." The usual weekly meeting of the Repeal Association was held at the

Corn Exchange on Monday. Inspector Maher, of the Metroplitan Police, entered the room, and was accommodated with a seat at the reporters' table, on which he placed a note-book. The chair was taken by Mr. John Augustus O'Neill, of Bunowen Castle in the county of Galway. Mr. O'Neill was formerly Member for Hull and a Captain of Dragoons, and he has resigned the offices of Deputy-Lieutenant and Magistrate. The time had come, he said, when others besides Mr. O'Connell's son and Mr. O'Neil Daunt should incur the responsibility of taking that chair : two O'Connells had been stricken, and it never should be said that a third was smitten before an O'Neill stepped forward. He had been opposed to Repeal ; and he was confirmed in his opposition, in 1833, by Mr. Montgomery Martin's pamphlet on the subject, kindly sent to him by Lord Stanley, and by Mr. Sharman Crawford's arguments : but the absence of the improvement which he was led to expect, the neglect to redress grievances, and the Duke of Wellington's statement that there were two millions of paupers in the country, had convinced him that Repeal was the sole remaining hope for Ireland. His object in joining the Association was, that be might see the case of the Irish people respecting Repeal fairly brought before the Legis- lature of Great Britain. The question had formerly been hurried on in a manner not very prudent ; but it had now become the respectful de- mand of a nation, and had in many respects altered its bearings ; for Mr. O'Connell had declared, during the Corporation discussion, that he would be content with a dependent Parliament.

Mr. Daunt explained, that Mr. O'Connell had offered to consent to a dependent Parliament, merely as an experiment ; and if it worked well for the exigencies of the country, he would of course be content with it.

Mr. O'Connell here entered the room, and was loudly cheered. The Chairman proceeded with his speech, which occupied an hour in the delivery ; and in the course of it, he preferred a request— He deprecated all rough and intemperate language; and dwelt particularly on the necessity of abandoning the use of the word " Saxon," as it offended a great many persons; although they forgot their history who took offence at it, for everything noble and free in their institutions was of Saxon origin, while the reverse was Norman. That showed that the word could not have been used for the purpose of insulting England. That it had been employed to excite the Irish, he equally denied ; the term " English " being so much more calculated to effect that object, since of England they knew little that was not harsh and oppressive. It would ill become him, who had represented 35,000 Englishmen in Parliament, to say an unkind word of the laud which had placed such confidence in him, and given birth to the mother of his child. From his soul he loved it : but he could not deny its oppression of Ireland ; and sooner than have it said that he was deterred by British bayonets from exercising the constitutional right of a freeman, he would go from that chair to the prison and thence to the scaffold. (Cheers.)

Mr. O'Neill having again recommended the disuse of the word " Saxon," Mr. O'Connell said—" I'll give it up at once, at your request." (Cheers and laughter.) Several sums of money were handed in-1201. " proclamation-money," from Limerick, and contributions from other places under that name ; other subscriptions in the name of "arrest-money." Mr. Duffey, in handing in some contributions, mentioned that he had a very particular engagement with Mr. Justice Burton at three o'clock ; which occasioned some laughter. Dr. Gray and the Reverend Matthew Tierney also appeared as the bearers of subsidies.

Mr. O'Connell then called the attention of the meeting to some "matters of importance "; beginning with thanks to Mr. O'Neill for his discourse— He should move that their present Chairman be requested to act as Chair- man on Monday at the meeting which should be held in the Conciliation Hall, which would then be ready for that purpose. He also promised, that for the future he, and he trusted the Association also, would give up the use of the word " Saxon," as it was calculated to give offence. ("Hear, hear !") When they first used the term, (and it should be recollected that the only phrase in Irish to express the word Englishman was " Sassenach,") Lord Stanley was very angry, and they used it ten times more on that account at the time. The use of it was subsequently revived when they were branded as aliens in language, in blood, and religion, by Lord Lyndhurst ; and it had been pretty freely applied ever since. But he now promised that for the future the word should not pass his lips, or if it inadvertently fell from him at any time he would immediately retract it. (" Hear, hear I") Having repudiated the charge of disloyalty, Mr. O'Connell passed to the subject of a "Federal Parliament"— In the Corporation debate on Repeal, he had declared his willingness to accept a Federal Parliament ; and instanced Canada, where such a Parliament had done much good. Since then many persons had joined that Association who went no further than a Federal Union ; and he had lately received a letter from a gentleman of high distinction in England on the subject, in which his atten- tion was directed to two points, concerning which the writer believed it to be of the greatest importance that the people of England should have correct in- formation before they would join generally or extensively with that Associa- tion. The first point was, that it should be shown to the people of England, that Irishmen, in seeking for the restoration of a Parliament to their country, sought not the dismemberment of the empire, but strove only to procure for themselves the management of their own local and internal affairs, leaving matters of national importance to both countries to be legislated upon by re- presentatives from both countries in the Imperial Legislature. The next point was, that Englishmen should be satisfied that as they cooperated with Irishmen, so Irishmen should assist Englishmen in their struggle to obtain a full, fair, and free representation. He would meet such propositions in the spirit in which they were put forward; and he told that gentleman, that if a sufficient

number of the English people came forward, there would be no difficulty in arranging Repeal on the definite terms mentioned by him. Let him not be taunted w ith shrinking when he accepted these terms ; for by doing eo they not only took away all argument from their enemies, but merely followed a course to which the Association was already pledged by the admission of the Catholic Bishop of Killaloe and other gentlemen on the same terms.

Reprobating Tory attempts to exasperate the people, Mr. O'Connell inculcated the necessity of peace and good temper— The change of which they were on the eve must be bloodless and sinless. He bad ascertained, by a series of monster meetings, that the people were peaceable and determined to obey the law. Acting on the advice of Grattan, who declared that Repeal would be impossible until the national voice was clearly ascertained to be in favour of it, he had ascertained that fact so far in peace and quietness; and if the proclamation had not been issued he should have gone on as quietly to the end. He bad been told the day before that he should be prevented from addressing that meeting today ; but he replied, "that that could not be," because he was the auxiliary of the Government in preach- ing peace. If the Government were to interfere with him in that room, would it not be said, that having failed to irritate the people by the Clontarf procla- mation, they wanted to do so by arresting the man who preached peace? Therefore he was there to preach peace, and to repeat that the fate of Repeal depended on the tranquillity of the people ; who, indeed, had shown on every occasion the most perfect readiness to submit to the law. When he talked of re- sistance, he meant only, in the event of their being deprived of all constitutional right, but that as long as they were left a shred of the constitution they would continue to fight with that and that only. That shred was still left them, and their enemies could not take it away by proclamation. He contrasted the two Government commissions announced in Fri- day's Gazette— The first, which was issued to Welsh gentlemen, directed an inquiry into the grievances of which the Welsh people complained, with a view to redress them. To Ireland they had sent over one Commissioner, not an Irishman, nor for the purpose of inquiring into Irish grievances, but to report on the expenses of the Poor-law and of poor-houses. (Cheers and groans.) He read a letter from Mr. Joseph Sturge, enclosing resolutions passed by the Birmingham Town-Council, condemnatory of the recent Go- vernment proceedings, and expressing the "highest admiration of Mr. O'Connell and the Irish people for their magnanimity in not holding the, intended meeting at Clouted." After some remarks on various other subjects, and the receipt of more money, Mr. O'Connell recurred to the question of Federalism— He congratulated the Chairman on having the honour to preside over such a highly civilized people; and assured the world, that as long as the Liffey flowed, so long would the people of Ireland struggle for Repeal. (Cheers.) He had spoken particularly of a Federal Parliament as a means by which Repeal could be obtained, and also likely to conciliate both nations : but it was not such a one as he had looked for. Ho had before declared himself ready to accept a Federal Parliament. He would now repeat, that he had been always, and was now, ready to enter into any arrangements which would give Ireland such a Parliament. It had been hinted to him, that many parties in England would readily meet his views on this point, if on the completion of Repeal their ar- rangements should be of a popular nature. He would tell them in England, that as soon as they formed a party strong enough to assist the Irish people, he would join them in obtaining federalization. He was ready to make a con- cession so as to find out a common point of unity. A Federal Parliament would prevent absenteeism, would improve the tenure of land, and be of other service: "but in saying this," continued he, "I do not lower my tone one atom—I relinquish no single right of the Irish people ; but I am ready to assist them in a manner moat conducive to their harmonious obtainment." (Loud cheers mid hurrahs.) Renewing his exhortations to peace, Mr. O'Connell begged the gen- tlemen of the press, who must naturally be wearied of reporting his repeated exhortations to order &c., to grant him the favour of stating what he said fully, as he knew no public counsel was ever successful by being said once.

At the close, the week's rent was reported to be 1,2331.

The Roman Catholic clergy second Mr. O'Connell's present efforts to preserve the peace. "I have learned," says a letter from Dublin, " that the Rev. A. O'Connell, parish-priest of St. Michael and St. John, the district in which Dublin Castle is situated, preached a most admirable sermon this morning, from the text ` Many are called, but few are chosen.' The reverend gentleman dwelt with great energy and effect on the duty of obedience to the laws, and the necessity of strict atten- tion to spiritual duties on the part of the people. He implored his very numerous congregation not to allow themselves to be carried away by excitement of any kind, but to live in peace and charity unto all men. I have heard that similar sermons have been preached in other Roman Catholic churches, with the view of allaying the present excitement."

The number of troops in Ireland has not received much addition since our last report. The Fifty-fifth Regiment arrived in Dublin from Bolton, on Friday ; a squadron of the Third Dragoons, from Ulster, on Thursday ; and an immense quantity of ammunition arrived on the same day, under an escort of the Sixtieth Rifles, and was stored in 130.- 1in Castle. The Dublin Evening Mail stated that the King of Hanover had placed 20,000 soldiers at the disposal of Queen Victoria 1 Repealers having made use of this fable, the Standard pronounces it " an utter falsehood." Other regiments in England, under orders for Ireland, have been countermanded ; and the Dublin Monitor mentions a report that Ministers had been hoaxed into ordering so many regiments by an offer to discover an intended rising of the people on the 10th instant, on payment of an exorbitant reward—which was refused.

The law which applies to the Arbitration Courts was explained by Mr. Schoales, the Assistant Barrister, (a Conservative,) at Borris-in- Ossory Quarter-Sessions, on Saturday-

" I feel it as a portion of the duties of courts of justice to draw the public attention to any matter of public notoriety which is likely to lead to a breach of the law. I allude to certain self-constituted courts of justice, now about to be established in this country, either by the authority of parties themselves or that of other irresponsible persons. I will now state to you what the law is upon the subject. 1 have heard the names of persons for whom I have great respect named, to act as judges of these; courts, whether with their own con- sent or not I cannot say ; but, for their information, I deem it right to say that no parties can constitute courts ofjustice, save her Majesty the Queen. The law allows all parties who have differences of a civil nature, not of a criminal one, to submit the same to arbitration. The law encourages arbitration. There is upon the statute-book an act authorizing and encouraging such; that act empowers parties to name one or more persons to decide their civil differences. Bnt the law does not allow any person or persons to constitute either them- elves or others into permanent courts of justice; none others (as I said before) than our Lady the Queen can do that. If there is a compulsion of any sort put upon parties to attend such courts, or if persons endeavour to coerce witnesses to attend before them either by compulsion or any act which savours of compulsion, those persons are guilty of a breach of law. 1 recollect, twelve years back, such courts were attempted to be established in this part of the kingdom. 1 then had, in my capacity of Crown lawyer, laid before use a case where one of those so constituted judges issued a summons to a witness to attend before him. I caused an indictment to be preferred against him—he was a highly respectable man, and is now a manager of a bank in a town in the North of Ireland. He came in and submitted to that indictment ; and in con- sequence of his respectability, and having so submitted, and expressed his con- trition, on the application of the Crown prosecutor the sentence was suspended ; and having never since acted, and the attempt to establish those courts having been then abandoned, until its revival at this time, he never was called up for judgment. Now, if these respectable persons have undertaken to act, I feel it right to caution them against so doing. If they do, they may involve them- selves in a breach of law : and I trust what 1 have said may have the effect of preventing the establishment of these illegal courts in this country."

Mr. Pierse Somerset Butler, one of the dismissed Magistrates and a staunch Repealer, is the only candidate who has yet come forward to represent Kilkenny County.