IRELAND. - Mr. Smith O'Brien, Mr. Meagher, and Mr. hEtehel,

have pleaded to the indictments against them. The two first simply plead. "Not guilty "; and 'their trials will come on about the middle of next month. Mr. Mitchel pleaded in abatement that the Grand Jury list was defective under the Irish Municipal Act, which disqualifies every member of the Town- Council of a borough from sitting on any jury serving iu such borough: one of the Grand Jury who found the true bill against Mr. Mitchel was Alderman Bowles. The Crown lawyers are of opinion that a majority of the Grand Jury could find a true bill, and that one jury- man's disqualification was no fatal defect; but • they heve resolved to drop the indictment and commence procedings instanter on the same groundwork, by way of information ex officio. Tido mode has been dis- used since the unsuccessful prosecution of the Otimge conspirators by Lord Plunkett; but it obviates delay, and has been resorted to on that ground. At the sitting of the Queen's Bench, on Wednesaay, the Attorney-General announced the entry of the node prose,qui and the filing of the ez officio information • said called for the personal appearance of MA Mitchel to make his plea. After argument, the Court allowed till the next day for Mr. Mitchel to appear and plead: it was understood he had gone to England, and was returning that night. In the afternoon, however, Mr. Mitchel appeared, received a copy of the information, and hreanse bound to plead ' in four days.

The Government relaxes nothing in its "preparations." Merrion Square has been surveyed, with a view to forming there an infantry depot. The Hibernian Marine School, at the South side of the quays, is to be formed into a barrack. The attics of various buildings in Dublin Castle, as well as servants' apartments, are now in preparation for barrack accommodation, so that an additional regiment may be located there. Altogether, the Castle presents the aspect of a fortress in time of war.

There is a rumour that the " movement " of the populace is fixed for the 23d of May next, the anniversary of the outbreak in 1700.

The Dundalk Patriot reports the condition of the district to which it belongs- " We understand that the people are seriously engaged, both hi this and the adjoining counties, in furnishing themselves with arms for self-defence and to enable them to resist aggression, whether it proceed from the base, bloody, and

brutal Whigs,' or from any other quarter. • • Rifles and muskets, we are informed, are to be found in both town and country, in large quantities. That terrible weapon in the bands of an Irishman—the pike—is being manufactured i

in thousands; and forks, the prongs shaped like a bayonet, are n great requi- sition. Certain it is, that smiths in all quarters are working double time, and the anvil and sledge are meeting each other twice as often as they have ever done before, in the manufacture of pikes. This is as it should be. There is no con- cealing the fact that the people are coolly and quietly preparing. to resist any at- tack on their rights. Go where you will, and hardly anything is spoken but the calm, resolute movement in which they are engaged. • * Such is the feeling amongst the rural population. They are certain of success. They con- treat their present sober habits with those of former times, when drunkenness made the people an easy prey to their opponents. They assert that Irishmen will never again commit such mistakes as before; and that the next battle in which they are engaged will result in their total destruction or the establishment of their rights. Such are the views of the country-people. In the towns, we have learned that the different trades are procuring arms, and that each trade will re- organize itself. For instance, we understand that the shoemakers are arming thennelves as a distinct body, and also the masons, tailors, carpenters, &c. When thus organized, they state that the trades alone will present to the country at least 300,000 armed men—intelligent, bold, and firm—and fit to engage a similar number of the best disciplined troops." The United Irishman reports on the state of Tipperary- " A Tipperary Boy, who sends us his name, informs us that very few of the arms were given up or discovered in Tipperary, but lie safely hid for any emer- gency. That is right. It is precisely in proclaimed districts that arms are most needed; and, at all events, we could not do without a Tipperary regiment or two.

It was starving at Skibbereen, last year; this year, it is rifle-shooting-

"It being understood the Rifle Club were to assemble this evening [Aprill'ithl to practise, many of the shopkeepers, tradesmen, and other inhabitants, assembled at the ground. On coming to the place, those who were armed took their position about eighty yards from the target, and were arranged according to the direction of an old soldier. Though the target was rather small, at the termination of the exercise it was literally perforated in every part. Their instructor declared, in all his military experience he never saw men become so practical in so short a time. A young man who observed a policeman standing by offered him his rifle to take a shot, that he might not be singular; but he declined the offer. Thus, they con- tinued to practise until it became dark. Men here who have not arms are begin- ning to look on themselves as far behind their neighbours. In the country, great emulation prevails."—Letter in the Southern Reporter.

Other districts are calmer. The rifle practice of Limerick has abated so much as to excite the stifled wrath of local journals; and it is said that the pike sales are far fewer: the journals themselves adopt a less bellicose vein.

The run on the banks has somewhat abated too; notwithstanding that defalcations to large amounts, by public officers at Tralee and Killarney, have most untowardly been discovered.

The Grand Jury of Wexford have resolved that their county is so loyal that the local force will amply suffice to preserve tranquillity.

The Confederate clubs held general meetings throughout Dublin at the end of last week, and adopted a " declaration" of readiness to enrol as members of a National Guard: every person between the ages of eighteen and sixty is to be canvassed for his signature.

At the meeting of the Repeal Association on Monday, Mr. Ray said that communications expressing dissatisfaction with the Committee, and espe- cially with Mr. John O'Connell, had been received, and were under con- sideration. Rent 351.

The Protestant Repeal Association held its first meeting on Saturday, at temporary rooms in College Green: the attendance is said to have been a surprise even to the projectors of the society for its numerousness and re- spectability.- The discussions were marked by moderation rend calm argu- ment.

Meetings to establish combined action between the Repea]ers and the Radical Reformers of Great Britain have been held fn Dublin. The speakers were members of the Confederation on the one side, and, two members of the Chartist Convention—Mr. Leech and Mr. Kydd—on the other. The Chartists explained their creed; and Mr. Mitchel offered these terms of cooperation— As the Irish could not form a part of the English nation, so likewise they could not form a part of the Irish nation. He had been elected as a member of the Na- tional Convention; but he could not sit in that assembly in any such capacity ; he could only be present as a negotiator; and he would attend in Manchester in a few days to explain to the Convention the reason why he could not represent an English constituency. Their maxim should be "England to herself," and "Ire- land to herself." Let the people of England render England ungovernable by the English Ministry—let Ireland render herself ungovernable to any English Mi- nistry, and then indeed they might expect beneficial results.

Some resolutions on general principles were adopted, but definite alliance was to be the work of further meetings.

The Cork Examiner republishes the declaration in favour of Repeal adopted by the diocese of Cloyne and Ross, " fortified " with the signatures of the Bishop and 140 of his clergy ; all, in fact, save four who have died, "victims of the fever and famine policy of England's rule."

The Reverend P. Byrne reports another diocesan movement, with a pre- face of his own-

" The priests of Ireland are determined to stand by and with the people, come what may; and should the insane Whig policy drive them to the adoption of those means which the Milanese so successfully tried, like their sainted and glorious Archbishop, the Irish priest shall be found amid the fight, invoking Heaven's blessings upon it. Allow me also, through you, to inform the Premiere that on yesterday was held a meeting of the priests of these dioceaes, (Waterford and Lismore,) presided over by our revered Bishop. An address praying her Majesty to grant the Repeal was unanimonsiy adopted. In the excellent speech of his Lordship, we were exhorted to go with the people in everything their good would demand, without a violation of the precepts of our holy religion; a counsel we'll cheerfully follow."

Dr. Kennedy has again written to the Reverend James Bermingham: he quotes standing instructions from Rome appropriate to the occasion, and concludes by saying—" Retract your abominable letter; of which it is dif- ficult to say whether it be more remarkable for its impiety or its folly." Mr. 1: ermingham at once endeavours to explain away and to excuse his stetter to Mr. Meagher. He denies that he counselled war or a violation of allegiance. effaving supposed that Government, to enforce its coercive mea- sures, .W0is11. attack the lives and liberties of the Irish people, he advised them to he prepared for that extremity. Having thrown off his letter un- guardedly, _he would not defend every expression; but that was his mean-

ing. In fact, abhors bloodshed; and he tried to keep back the Irish peo-

and an opportunity which the good sense of England would never afford them"— "My great regret is, that I, as a priest, should ever mingle in politics; but, ea_ happily, in this country politics are the very existence of the people, and they are almost indissolubly united. If we care for the one, we must more or less mixour. selves up with the other." The Reverend John Kenyon maintained his speaking reputation at a meeting held in Borrisokane on Wednesday. We glean from his speeek some passages on the " Gagging Act "— " I don't say anything against the law; I don't excite you to break the law; I call on you to love it, for oh ! is it not a beautiful law? and is it not reallya most excellent law, that is sending out hundreds and thousands to die from their homes and not like Christians but like dogs? (Sensation.) But, my friends, let us all say before God, that it is an elegant law, that we love it, and we will submit im- plicitly to it. (Cries of "Ns, no; never, never.") Oh! shame upon. you, fie on you, won't you cherish this paternal law? You are all ignorant Irish, they will say; you are all a set of savages who don't know what is good for yourselves. (Laughter and cheers.) You don't, feel the great gratitude you should feel to- wards the English Government for permitting you to fatten on a pouud of por- ridge in the day.. (Laughter.) Would you rather have a tenure in your hold- ings and eat wheaten bread—would you, you savages? (Laughter and cheers.) There is a way of escaping that degradation and attaining this desired end of eating the produce ot your own lands. God Almighty clearly intended that the inhabitants of this rich and fertile land should live like men ; and if we be true to ourselves it should he the case again. I tell you, my friends, the Council of the Confederation is the only immediate means of effecting it. (Cheers.) . . . . Oh, love the Government for this attention to your spiritual goodbeing—only till the lands, sow the crops, grow them care- fully, then let them carry them away, and that is all. . . . . I don't know whether you will be implicit followers of my directions; but I may as well tell you that a good deal of what I am after saying is a figure of speech call irony."

In an article headed "Our Present Position—its Policies and Duties," the Dublin Pilot makes a distinct though cautions advance beyond the old O'Connell principles of Repeal agitation, and towards the energetic princi- ples of the Confederation school- " We freely admit at the outset of our observations, that acts and sentiments which may be suitable and useful under some circumstances may fall short of the necessities or be too stringent for the chances of others. It follows as a mat- ter possible—nay, demonstrable—that while the tactics of O'Connell were those suitable to the period in which they were inculcated, circumstances which have since occurred require and render expedient a considerable development of policy, in adaptation to existing events. . . . . "We wish to bury in generous and patriotic oblivion all the differences of the past, where it can be done without compromising principles, and to embrace every one now working for Repeal as a brother. But it is perfectly compatible with such a presiding principle animating our hearts, to remind those who, while do- claiming for unanimity, allude to past differences in, we are sorry too often to per- ceive a tone of taunt, triumph, and recrimination—that the circumstances are to- tally dissimilar. They might have been very wrong then, and yet be very right now. The tactics they. then promulgated might, and we think were very inap- propriate to the occasion—very subversive of the proposed end, although now they may contain a considerable portion of justification from events which they did not create, but which, on the contrary, were prepared in the very policy they did all they could to thwait and render odious. "O'Connell's policy was strictly suitable to the circumstances by which he was surrounded. Airs of superiority for a more forward policy under different circum- stances are unjust, and not calculated to create unanimity. The circumstances are changed, and with them, not an altered policy, but the old:one more developed. Appeals to physical force when Europe was leagued with misgovernment were worse than insanity. Appeals to physical force merely. now would be equally suicidal if they were such as to stimulate a premature and abortiveoutbreak. But when physical force has recently achieved so much io paher countries, we woeld be neglecting one of the elements a our positioa if we did torPoint to the fact as affording instruction to ,those who may tie imperviontito motives derived from barren appeals to expediency or justice. . . . . "We do not reprove a much more confident and threatening tone now than MUI suitable to former circumstances; and the best proof is, we have adopted such a one ourselves. We do not dress up our editorial sentiments upon the model of any man, or men, or body of Men. We look within our own breasts for the conscientious convictions with which it has been supplied by reason, experience, and observation, of the existing social and political elements with which we have to act; and we take our stand upon the conviction that a higher tone is now more consonant to the position of Ireland, of England, and of the world, and therefore we take it, with a due consideration of the folly of extravagance as of the in- efficiency of 'rose-water.' Perhaps events approach which may justify a more stringent tone; and when they do we shall not be wanting."

There seems to be great distress in Galway, Mayo, and Sligo: returns are given in the papers of very numerous deaths by starvation.

The trade of Dublin, says the correspondent of the Morning Posh, has never been in a worse condition- " Shops are being abandoned, the shopkeepers flying. The number of houses to be let, at all sides, is quite frightfuL The building trade is at a stand. With a decreasing population, there are already more houses than inhabitants to occupy them. House property has fallen immensely in value, partly because of the general decline in the value of all property, but especially on account of the poor rates and the high taxation on houses."