Several attempts have recently been made in Wexford County to
sell property seized for tithes ; but they have been unsuccessful, as the peasantry assembled in thousands, and overawed any person who might have been inclined to become a purchaser. The following is-one of several accounts in the Irish papers of these abortive attempts of the
clergy and their abettors. t ts. - -■ "Early on the first day of sale, the whole country for several miles mann the place of sacrifice gave note of preparation. The victim selected for the opening was Mr. Allen Earl, of Cullentra, an honest Protestant farmer, who is determined to join his Catholic fellow countrymen in constitutionally seeking a riddance of an impost which disgraces the religion he professes, and is the most prolific Milne of the interminable and sanguinary dissensions which now distract this unhappy island. There could not be less than twenty thousand individuals present ; and, as far as the eye could reach, from ten o'clock in the morning until the hour of sale, the whole fare of the country presented one living mass of human beings. moving towards the centre of attraction. There were at least one thou- sand of the comfortable and independent agriculturists of the district, well mounted, in attendance; amongst whom was every respectable Protestant landholder of the parish. The sum claimed from Mr.. Allen for spiritual counsel, including law-costs, was 27/. 7s. 9d ; but he preferred, to use his own words, ' taking his chance' with his neighbours, and permitting his property to go to the hammer. The Sub-Sheriff was on the ginned at the legal lieut., and commenced with a good feather-bed ; and, after having dilated on its .ad-. vantages, took, as usual, a retrograde movement down the scale of valuation, from 31 10s. to one penny ; but not a whisper was to be heard from the dense 1 mass that attended this exhibition. When the official sports of the day termi- nated, the poor people who were dragged from their houses at this busy season (for they feel it now to be an imperative duty to join in peaceably frowning
down these mad pranks), gave three hearty cheers respectively for the 'Liberal Protestants present,' The King and his Liberal advisers,' 'Lord Mulgrave,' Daniel O'Connell,' and ' Old Ireland.' " In various parts of the country, tithe-collectors have been mobbed and maimed; and as a vast number of rebellion-writs will be issued from the Court of Exchequer next month, we may expect to bear con- tinual accounts of oppression, riot, and bloodshed, in behalf of and against the Church.
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