IRELAND.

The Irish Government shows no abatement of activity. The first page of the Pilot of Monday bristles with proclamations for holding baronial sessions.

The Stromboli, Alban, Pluto, Dee, Rhadamanthus, and Swallow, war- steamers, are entirely employed in carrying supplies of Indian corn, meal, and biscuit, to various parts of the coast of Ireland. The Comet steamer has been sent to Ireland with money. The 44-gun frigate Madagascar (measuring 1,100 tons) has been fitted up at Cork as a store-ship: when laden with Indian corn and other provisions it will be towed to the Shan- non, and moored at the island of Foynes, about twenty miles from Lime- rick; and the steamers will carry the provisions from this point up the Shannon. The Government have ordered the Andromeda 44-gun frigate, (1,200 tons,) and the Andromache 26-gun ship, (700 tons,) to be fitted at Plymouth Dockyard for the same purpose. Arrangements, it is under- stood, have been made to put into active operation the Royal William Vic- tualling Establishment at Plymouth, for the purposes of grinding Indian corn and manufacturing biscuit.

On Thursday the 17th, the Lord-Lieutenant gave audience at the Castle to a deputation charged with the resolutions agreed to at the Kells meeting on the previous Saturday. The resolutions, which were read by Mr. Naper of Loughcrew, went to recommend an advance of rnoney on loan to be em- ployed in the improvement of agriculture in preference to public works, but not to the exclusion of them. Lord Besborough pointed out the diffi- culties opposed by the law to such an arrangement; but he advised that presentments be made under the recent act, accompanied by suggestions as to any other works deemed expedient; which suggestions, he promised, should receive the most favourable consideration by the Government.

The Southern Reporter gives an account of an interview in London be- tween a deputation from the county of Cork and the Premier. The Reverend Mr. Gibson, Secretary to the Mallow Relief Committee, read a memorial setting forth the views of the deputation on the present crisis.

" Wholesome laws," say the Committee, in the course of their memorial, " ir- respective of public loans, should be deemed sufficient and rendered omnipotent in improving the condition of the agriculturist, where landlords are possessed of the ability without the inclination to act justly and liberally by those who hold under them. Here the strong arm of the law should be stretched forth without hesita- tion to protect the interests of the people. As they possess the ability, it remains with the Legislature and Executive, the one to direct, and the other to compel them to discharge the duties of good landlords. " But such legislation is not always applicable to the case of waste lands and barren and mountainous districts. On these wastes, and in the midst of the mountains, a population has in many instances sprung up, with whose number the agricultural improvements of a poor and ignorant peeeentry bear no proportion. The consequence is, that daring part of each year they are on the very verge of starvation; resorting in some instances (their potatoes being run out) to nettles, corn, [ ?] kail, or other weeds, for the support of nature. "It is not always the case that barren lands are held in fee, or on long leases, by those who_possess the ability of improving them. Under such circumstances, it is to the Government of a country we must look to conduct such operations, and it is only the Government that can conduct improvements on a scale suffi- ciently extensive to meet the necessities of the country. Here it should dispense its bounty with no niggard's hand. The welfare of millions is intimately con- nected with the improvement of waste lands in Ireland, inasmuch as millions are starving while millions of reclaimable acres are lying waste. " The deputation are deeply impressed with the conviction that the social con- dition of the Irish labourer is neither understood by the Government nor the country. It was not until a committee was appointed to visit the cabins of the poor in their district, and to discover their mode of subsistence, that members of this deputation formed anything like an adequate estimate of the utter misery and starving condition of the people. After the most careful inquiries prosecuted throughout our extensive districts, the deputation can have no hesitation in sta- ting, that a portion of the population are starving throughout three or four months of the year.

" The deputation are desirous of directing the attention of the Government to the necessity of prosecuting inquiries in this direction.

" The Devon Commission was a land inquiry, and was not intended to show the condition of those who have no land; the consequence has been, that the so- cial condition of the masses has been only incidentally referred to in this volu- minous report. The report of Mr. Nicholls, the Poor-law Commissioner, has pointed attention to an artificial state of society, and not to the natural condition of those starving millions. We beg, therefore, earnestly to urge upon the Go- vernment the necessity of establishing a Commission whose duty it shall be to ex- amine the houses of the poor, inquire the rate of wages, the character of the food and raiment, and the general manner of subsistence of the Irish agricultual pea- sant; for the deputation feel fully persuaded that a thorough and radical legis- lation suited to the case will never be adopted until such information is afford by the Government." Lord John Russell having listened to statements from several of the deputation, read a paper before him describing the nature of the measures which have just passed through Parliament, and which ho thought would be sufficient to meet the present emergency. He acknowledged that there was no power of compelling presentment sessions to pass works, but he did not think, under the present state of the country, they would attempt to refuse them; for such sessions were not only responsible to the Government for the faithful discharge of their ditty, but they were subject to a higher re- sponsibility, that of' the county demanding such works. He was deeply, very deeply, sensible of the permanently distressed social condition of the country; he acknowledged that the measures just passed were not cal- culated to meet it; and promised that the subject should receive the earliest and deepest consideration of the Government during the next session of Parliament. There were subjects of great difficulty to be encountered in legislating for a country circumstanced as Ireland was. Those lands in the hands of Government might be at once improved; but the case was dif- ferent with respect to those that were the property of individuals. Still ho did not shrink from the necessity or duty of Government interfering, even in such cases as these; neither did he deny that while property had its owners and rights, that such ownership and rights should not be allowed to interfere with the operations intended to develop the resources of the soil and improve the social condition of the people.

During the interview, the Reverend Mr. Gibson directed the attention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a rule enforced by the Lords of the Treasury, requiring that the wages in connexion with relief works shall be 2d. a day under the general wages of the district.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer defended the rule on the principles of political economy; referring to cases where harvest-work had been inter- fered with, and also to the case of men leaving work on the Shannon, where they were receiving Is. 6d. a day, for 10d. a day relief work. Mr. Gibson denied the truth of such statements; and said that landlords and farmers were combining to keep down wages. This was one reason for the opposition to public works experienced at presentment sessions. Government did not approve of combination in the labouring men and me- chanics to raise wages, and it should not therefore set the example, by com- bining with Irish landlords and men of property to keep down the wages of the people; and he could not look upon the rule of the Treasury respect- ing wages as anything short of combination to depress them. The great evil of the country was the low rate of wages, and the social condition of the country could never be improved till wages were improved. Mr. Gib- son proposed that wages should in no case be under 10d. a-day.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer observed, that 10d. was a high rate of wages generally in Ireland. If it were the opinion of English gentlemen, exclaimed Mr. Gibson, that 10d. was a sufficient daily remuneration for an Irish labourer, God help the people!

The Chancellor—" God forbid we should think so! I merely mention 10d. as a high rate of wages in the country. I think the wages should be im- proved: the minute of the Lords of the Treasury requiring that the wages should be 2d. under the standard of the country is not the law, and, if ne- cessary, it may be modified."

The deputation retired.

The baronial sessions are working diligently, and large sums are voted in many cases. In some instances, however, as at Broadford, Newmarket- on-Fergus, and in Cavan, strong protests were made against the employ- ment of the people in unproductive works. On the 19th, a meeting of the Limerick Magistrates was convened by Lord Guillamore. Lord Monteagle attended; and resolutions were passed expressing an opinion that the Relief Act was inadequate to provide sufficient employment, and that Parliament ought immediately to be summoned. Similar meetings have been held in Sligo and Tipperary. On Thursday the 17th instant, a groat meeting for the county of Mayo was held, pursuant to adjournment from the previous Saturday, at Castle-

tier. The High Sheriff was in the chair; and Archbishop M'Hale took part fin the proceedings. The meeting agreed to some general resolutions favour-

itble to the immediate application of the Labour-rate Act; but expressed the opinion that the benefit to be derived from the construction of railways would be too remote to suffice for the present exigency. Another resolu- tion declared that it was incumbent on the landlords to abstain from dis- 'traints for rent. The following were also adopted—

"That nothing could be farther from our minds than any interference with the first rights of the landlord, essential to the wellbeing of society. That the cry of paying no rents would be as senseless and impolitic on the one hand, as the threat of rigorously enforcing them, without any exception, by legal machinery, would be unreasonable and unwise on the other; that those tenants who have an interest in the land, independently of the potato produce, would inotr the reproach

of gross injustice if they should avail themselves of this calamity to the defraud- ing the landlord of his rights; and that, again, as the covenant between landlords

and tenants is founded on the reciprocal equality which is supposed to be the binding principle of all contracts, it would be utterly at variance with every notion of equity and right, that the tenants, nine-tenths of the people, should sustain the whole calamity of the potato that has perished.

" That the destitute situation of the tradesmen and mechanics of Mayo ir, by the failure of the potato crop of the present season, greatly aggravated. The

ordinary provisions to sustain existence have advanced alarmingly in price, almost beyond the reach of purchase, with their scanty means; while, at the same time, these very circumstances have had the effect of putting a stop to almost all em- ployment. That the mechanics, artificers, and tradespeople of this county, as useful and industrious members of society, contributing their fair share of the bur- dens of the state, consider themselves entitled to the same consideration at the hands of the Government, as shall be given to the claims of the labouring popu- lation, and that their claims for rehef and protection shall be embodied in the petition or memorial from this meeting to Government. That the recent statutes, with reference to the employment of the people of this country, having proceeded upon the assumption of only a partial failure of the potato crop, and the fact being that the crop has been utterly destroyed, we are of opinion that, with a view to a more effectual legislation on the subject, Parliament should be convened some time in the ensuing month of October, and that her Majesty's Government should during the recess adopt such measures as may be necessary, relying on a bill of indemnity. " That while we deem the application of the 9th and 10th of Victoria essential for the salvation of the people, it is oar conviction that the Fund,' now applicable by the Drainage Act, should be drawn on as soon as possible by the landlords and tenants; convinced that there cannot be a more profitable outlay of money than reclaiming wastes, fencing, and draining the large estates and small farms, : ,...u-in' the soils for the new and improved system of cultiva- tion which will be henceforth necessary on account of the failure of the potato crop." lt The meeting of the Cabirciveen presentment sessions, on Friday last week, over which the Knight of Kerry presided, introduced Mr. O'Connell to the business of his own locality. He gave a frightful picture of the rapidly approaching famine. He asked the meeting whether there were provisions in the district for anything like three months?— A Voice—" Six weeks."

Mr. James O'Connell—" The general impression is, that there will be provision of some kind for six weeks at the utmost.'

A Voice—" In some parts of the barony they have not a potato to dig." Another—" In the parishes of Bailin— and Cahir, the people have not a N- ieto this day. I had four men digging potatoes yesterday, from the light of day until they had to stop at nightfall, and they had not as much as would give a din- vier to sis."

Another—" I know a family in the parish of Kollorghan, consisting of fifteen, who have not potatoes enough for one meal." Mr. James O'Connell—" Those are individual cases, though I have no doubt there are many such; but we may take it as a general principle, that there will be food till the 1st of November—(" No, no!")—but food not wholesome or fit for human beings." Mr. O'Connell—" Yes; and we may suppose that the number of destitute persons will be daily increasing." Chairman—" So far as I can collect, the providential supply of fish—so very extraordinary this month—has been aiding the people in protracting the use of those diseased potatoes." And he suggested that aid might be given in fitting out extra boats.

Mr-O'Connell concluded some further observations by declaring it to be their duty to set the people to work, " and the Government are bound to supply the money."

A meeting of gentlemen connected with the county of Ennis was held at the Court-house on Saturday, for a preliminary consultation as to the

works Which it would be best to propose at the presentment sessions for the barony. At this meeting, Sir Coleman O'Loghlen proposed a plan for applying the Labour-rate Act without detriment to landlords; which -met with general approbation. The plan is this—

By the last clause of the act., power is given to the extraordinary baronial presentment sessions to subdivide the barony into districts of any number of parishes; for each of which districts a relief committee should be formed, which shall be composed of the resident Magistrates and five rate-payers. At the repre- wantation of this committee an extraordinary district presentment sessions can be convened, which shall have the power of presenting for works to any amount that it may be deemed expedient to levy off the district. Let the barony, there- fore, be divided into districts of two parishes each; let a certain sum be levied off each district; let each landholder of the district find from Poor-law valuation, the amount of rate lie will be required to pay on the sum so levied: he may have to

rny ten, twenty, or thirty pounds, as the case may be. Let such landholder then d out on his property some useful work that will tend to improve his land, the -execution of which will be commensurate with the amount of rate he is required to pay; and let each works as this be presented for at the extraordinary sessions for each district, by which means a great amount of the money expended may be devoted to improving the soil of the country. At Cashel, a meeting of Magistrates, over which Lord Glengall presided, passed some general resolutions, of which the following are the most 'notable-

" That we are desirous of promoting the execution of all public works that may afford employment to the people and be of permanent utility to the people; but - cannot but view with the greatest apprehension the expenditure of borrowed ' earey on unprofitable public works for the employment of the poor; as we are of II ',pinion that the continuance of such a system must prove not only ineffectual for 'tech purpose, bat be of serious injury to the community. 'that we are hilly sensible that this extreme emergency requires to be met by *so ordinary measures, but consider that under such a grievous natural calamity As the failure of that food on winch the great mass of the inhabitants of this country solely depended for the ensuing 'sine months, some proportion of the means requisite to provide employment and food for them should be from the na- tional resources, and not altogether thrown on the landed property, as contem- plated by the act of the 10th of Victoria, c. 107.

". That we cannot but deplore that the provisions of the act 1st Victoria, c 21, enabling the Lords of the Treasury, on the recommendation of the Lord- Lieutenant, to make a free grant of a moiety of the expense of any work under- taken under such act, should not have been introduced into the act 10th Victoria , c. 107; as the resources of the country, without such assistance, most be quite insufficient for the purposes contemplated in that act. " That the sudden revolution in the social system caused by the failure of -the food of the people, requires that all incomesderived from charges on land, or other sources, should be made liable by the Legislature, on the principle on which the Income-tax is levied, to contribute to the relief of the distressed of that locality from which such income is derived."

It is to this meeting that the following remarks made by " A Tipperary Landowner," in a letter to the Dublin Evening Mail, are meant to apply-

" At the presentment sessions held at Cashel, it was calculated, that in the barony of Middlethird alone, it would be necessary to employ 3,000 persona for nine months. At 10d. a day, with twenty-four working-days in a month, it would require a taxation of 8,0001. per month to pay them; and for nine months, of course, it would take 27,0001. How can the landlords and occupiers gale this outlay, in addition to the enormous poor-rate there is and will be? Early in 1847 they will be called on to pay up the instalments on the taxation laid on for the scarcity during the spring and summer and also for the instalments of all that which they are now called to present for." " The thing is impossible. repeat once more, it is a national calamity, and mast be met by the national re- sources. It is beyond private means. " Persons, apparently the emissaries of Government, are naming through the country, uttering menaces, said to be on authority, that if the gentry do not tax themselves, Parliament will be promptly reassembled, and an act passed to au- thorize the Board of Works to levy. such sums on the land as they think neces- sary by force. The wheat crop is superb; price ls. 6d. a stone. Oats, indif- ferent, is la. 2d a stone Cattle, sheep, and pigs enormously high."

A presentment sessions was held in Clonmel, on Monday; the Earl of Glen- gall presiding. Mr. Bernal Osborne, M.P., one of the best landlords in the country, attended that sessions, and took a leading part in the discussion. Though he disapproved of the Labour-rate Act, he urged the necessity of "making the best of it, and thereby procuring employment for the poor." The upshot of the meeting was a condemnation of the act; but, on the motion of Mr. Bernal Osborne, a vote of credit for a month was made in favour of the county surveyor, in other that the destitute population should obtain immediate employment. The meeting adjourned until the 13th October.

Mr. Mansell has published a second letter, addressed to Mr. Labouchere, urging the application of relief funds to the land. The following are the heads of his plan- " As it is desirable that the sums of money to be spent on the relief of the poor should be applied to productive labour, it is suggested that after the holding of the presentment sessions in any barony or'district, and after the probable sum of

money required to employ the poor in such barony or district for months be ascertained, such sums to be forthwith applotted on the owners and occu- piers of land in each district, according to the Poor-law valuation. That each applotment be placed at the next Police-barrack within the district for three days, for the information of all cess-payers who may wish to see it; and that notice of its being so placed be posted on the usual place for posting notices in the district. That it shall be lawful for any person or persons, representing at least three- fourths of the taxation of any townland, or number of contiguous townlands associating themselves together, to require the sum to be levied off such townhuad or tovailands, to be spent in productive works, such as drainage or fencing; acid that such productive works, upon being approved of by the Board of Works, be executed by their officer; and that the wages of labourers employed on them be paid by the pay-clerk of the district, under the same regulations as are laid down for public works. That the officer oft the Beard of Works, at his discretion, em- ploy on such works the persons recommended to him by the district relief com- mittee, and none others; and that such work be as far as possible laid out in task- work. That the Board of Works be authorized, upon such arrangements being made, to postpone such portion of the public works recommended by the present- ment sessions as they shall sce fit; and to expend the portion of the money pre- sented on any townland in carrying out the requisition from such townland.

The landed proprietors of the barony of Farney met on the 18th instant, at Carrickmacross, to adopt measures for affording reproductive employ- ment to the labouring population of that district without having recourse to the Labour-rate Act. This laudable object was promoted by an assemblage remarkable for comprising among its leading members Catholics and Pro- testants in about equal proportions. Resolutions were adopted recommend- ing a resort, under the provisions of the recent Drainage Act, to main and thorough draining; the appointment of a committee to receive the assents and dissents of the proprietors in the barony; and the adoption of final steps on receiving the assents of not less than four-fifths of the landowners.

The Newry Telegraph states, that in the early part of last week, the Earl of Gosford signified his intention to make to all the small farmers on his estate, holding under twenty acres, an abatement equal to the rent of all their potato-planted land of the present year.

We have reason to believe that directions are about to be issued for the preparation of a form of prayer, to be read in the churches of Engltuid and Ireland, in consequence of the distress existing in this country wain Scotland.—Dublin Evening Post.

The correspondent of the Times says that a healthy reaction in the state of the potato plants has been detected within these few days-

" It is ascertained that in consequence of the continued ran of fine weather a sanitary process has set in, and that those which were sickly (wet and soapy) have recovered. A gentleman residing in the county of Wicklow, for instance, has two acres of potatoes planted on mountain-land, which a month ago he gave up as totally and irretrievably lost; on trying them again last week, he found but few rotten, and the rest restored to health, forming an abundant crop, though still small in size. He reports the same of all his neighbours' farms; in short, in that district it is asserted there will be no want, if an artificial one is not created. It has been also discovered that where a single stalk has not survived on the ridge, and that the whole field appeared blighted, the tubers are yet to be found healthy, with a comparatively small per-tentage of loss. In one case, the actually rotten did not exceed ten per cent upon the whole. This is not 1111 isolated case: sub- sequent trials have-led to similar discoveries in the immediate neighbourhood 'of he Metropolis."

The anti-rent movement has not ceased. The Dublin Packet of Tuesday gives some information from Borrisokane-

" The combination, now so general amongst the occupiers of the land, not to pay rent is most alarming. There were half-a-dozen or more seizures for rent in this neighbourhood, and all were defeated on the days fixed for sale, by large bodies of men, summoned from distant parts of the country to stop the sales. There is no doubt that the people are in a wretched condition; and there are bad spirits amongst them to take advantage of the crisis so suitable to their wicked purposes.

" On Saturday morning, the 19th instant, several cars laden with corm were stopped on their way to Waterford and Dungarvan, and obliged to return home."

Government has been obliged to interfere with vigour to arrest the sys- tem of intimidation on public works. The Dublin Evening Post publishes a minute which has been forwarded by the Lord-Lieutenant to the Board of Works, from which it appears "that persons seeking employment on public works have interfered with the management of such works by the officers intrusted therewith, and attempted to dictate to them what number of persons should be employed, what rate of wages should be paid, and who should be employed as stewards, &c.": wherefore the Lord-Lieutenant " desires that it may be generally known, that he will not permit any such interference to take place; and that, wherever it is attempted, the effect can only be to injure the misguided persons who may join in such improper conduct, and to defeat the anxious desire of the Government to afford all practicable relief to the really destitute." The minute threatens that the Lord-Lieutenant " will feel obliged to direct that the works shall be sus, pended where such conduct shall be persevered in "; and that " any person guilty of sots of intimidation, directed either against the officers super- intending the works or against the persons employed under them, will be prosecuted and punished."

A tumultuous band paraded the town of Kilkenny, on Monday, demanding work. The Kilkenny Journal avers that these men were all strangers; that several of them had actually refused to break stones at is. a ton, while others might have had steady employment elsewhere; and that many were afterwards seen reeling about the streets in a state of drunkenness. On the appearance of police and soldiery, the disorderly crowd melted away.

The weekly meeting of the Repeal Association on Monday, commenced with the usual epistle from Mr. O'Connell. The subject was " the fright- ful prospect of famine and pestilence that lies before us." The letter, how- ever, contains a few notable points, which we extract- " Let it be remarked that there are already 1,000,000 of pounds sterling in the hands of the Boards of Works, to be lent for the drainage of Irish estates; and yet very few, indeed, have availed themselves of that fend. " One feature in the present exigency affords the greatest satisfaction—it is that which exhibits persons of every class, and of every persuasion, and of every political opinion, combining together, without the slightest reference to any irri- tating or party topics—but one and all endeavouring to find out the best mode of mitigating the approaching famine. This has never happened before. It is the first time in Ireland that unanimity—complete and entire—has shown itself among men of various persuasions and different political opinions, and that unanimity was preserved inviolate amidst the fervour of public meetings. • * • There is another consideration deserving attention, that the Government plan of succour is calculated to produce throughout Ireland a more extended Poor-law, necessarily calculated to extend out-door relief to all adult labourers and their families in a state of destitution, as well as to all other destitute poor. The English statute of Elizabeth is being extended to Ireland, and the poverty of the country is about to be placed, for support, upon the property, especially upon the landed property."

He deplores the want of combination and cooperation among the Irish gentry. They meet and resolve, but do nothing—

"Now what I most ardently desire is this—that the gentlemen who resolve so well, and talk so wisely, should make up their minds to give permanency to their efforts by the continuance of some committee or deputation. • • • Let me conjure thegentry of Ireland seriously to reflect, that unless they adopt some plan to make their weight and importance felt by the Government, the English plan of out-door relief, in its worst form, will be almost insensibly com- municated to Ireland, and their estates not only burdened but actually confis- cated. * * * In the meantime let the Repeal Association continue its ex- ertions."

Mr. John O'Connell expressed his regret that Dr. Cane of Kil- kenny, a most inestimable gentleman, should have requested to have his name taken off the list of members, as he was a well-known friend of Ireland. There was another matter he should allude to. Mr. Ray had, within the past week, received several letters from persons who desired to have their names taken off the list of members, and who, in doing so, took occasion to make use of most unbecoming and ungentle- manly language. Now he would gratify those persons by having their names struck off, but he would not gratify them by reading their letters, or even mentioning their names.

Mr. J. M. M'Donnell, M.P., proposed the enrolment of Mr. Beard, of the Fifth Dragoon Guards. After a pause, Mr. John O'Connell rose: he did not know but that it might be dangerous for gentlemen in the Army to join the Association. (Cries of " Hear! ") He would, therefore, beg leave to move the suspension of Mr. Peard's admission for the present, until they should have an opportunity of consulting some more legal persons, more competent to give an opinion than he was. The motion was therefore withdrawn.

Rent 621.

A complimentary dinner was given to Mr. Sergeant Murphy at the Im- perial Hotel, Cork, on Thursday the 17th instant, by his friends and ad- mirers; Mr. Francis B. Beamish occupying the chair. The learned Ser- geant, who was vociferously cheered, made a long speech, with an eye to the resumption of his seat on the first opening.

Colonel Westenra and Mr. Palmer Doolin, having gone out to shoot together in the King's County on Monday last, by some accident. the Colonel's gun went off and lodged its contents in the head of Mr. Doolin, who survived but one hour afterwards. The two were intimate friends, Mr. Doolin being Colonel Westen- ra's agent. He was a Magistrate of the county.

Two men, a father and son, have been killed by the noxious air which had collected in a well, near Markethill. As the son descended in a tub to com- mence deepening the well, he fall lifeless from the tub; the father went down to succour his son, and he too was destroyed.