5 FEBRUARY 1859, Page 7

IRELAND.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr. Lambert, gave his first banquet on Tuesday. He had deliberately "stayed away" from the Atlantic Tele- graph celebration because Cardinal Wiseman was to be present. A num- ber of peraons, including four Roman Catholic Judges, now stayed away from Lord Mayor Lambert's dinner. The only notable Roman Catholie present was Father Peter Daly, the conspicuous partisan of the Galway packet line. The Lord-Lieutenant was present. In his speech he referred to one or two matters of public interest. He trusted the office of Lord-Lieute- nant would long continue.

"it is no selfish feeling which induces mete wish for that, because, ac- cording to the common chances of party movements and political changes, I am much more likely to be abolished than the office itself. (Loud laughter.) At all events, I must say that I only express that wish because I am tho- roughly and conscientiously convinced that the loss of the Viceroyalty would be most injurious to the general interests of Ireland, and that the consequences which would inevitably follow it would be almost ruinous to this city. At the same time, I am happy to say that, as far as lean see, there seems no immediate prospect of any violent attack on the office, and there appears to be no great party in the state which has the slightest idea of attacking it." Be commented on the national prosperity, shown by the increase of trade, of agriculture, of wealth, and the diminution of poverty. The Atlantic Telegraph and the Galway packet line were the subjects of some remarks. Lord Eglinton does not despair of seeing the existing tele- graph doing its work, and he regards the Galway line as an "established fact." With reference to the conspiracy, he remarked how strange it is that in the midst of an absence of crime that is unparalleled there had been a renewal of agrarian outrages, and the formation of a revolutionary secret society. The former have been arrested by the measures of the Govern- ment; but "there is nothing save the spread of wholesome education— there is nothing but the enlightenment of the people which will ever eradi- cate that curse of Ribandism, which may be sometimes dormant, but has never been put a stop to since it first raised its hideous head among you. Another secret society arose, very different in its character, but seditious and revolutionary to the highest degree ; and if it had been allowed to go on, if it had been allowed to spread as it was spreading, and to gain sympa- thy elsewhere, (and it was gaining sympathy,) it would have inevitably led to tumult and perhaps to bloodshed. But in that ease I think I have an equal right to say that the ordinary powers of the law have routed the band of absurd though mischievous conspirators. I am glad that I have this public opportunity of saying that the great body of the Raman Catholic clergy of Ireland have rendered the utmost assistance, unasked, to the Government in this business; and to assure them—if my voice should ever reach them— that I consider the course they have pursued is as honom able to thenaselves as it has been beneficial to their country." (Loud applause.) Mr. John Orrell Lever, the founder of the Galway packet line, has announced his intention of coming forward for Galway in the event of a new writ being issued.

Lord Eglinton laid the foundation stone of a National Gallery at Dub- lin on Saturday.