IRELAND.
The Physical-force leaders have gone through strange vicissitudes. Mr. Mitchel arrived in Limerick on Friday night, in order to a demonstration on the following day. He had given great offence to the Old Ireland party in that city, by an attack on the, late Mr. O'Connell, in the last number of his paper; and a Reverend Mr. O'Brien appears to have been instrumental in preparing a rough reception for the Young Ireland party. Mr. Mitchel was received by a crowd, who jeered and hustled him as he alighted from the coach. He hastened to the hotel, and shut himself up in. disgust. Mr. Meagher, arriving on the same day, was not annoyed. In the evening, the Old Ireland mob paraded the streets with Mr. Mitchel's effigy, bearing on it placards inscribed—" Mitchel the calumniator of O'Connell!" "Mitchel the slanderer of the Catholic religion!" There was no actual riot, how- ever; so the authorities did not interfere. Next day, it was rumoured that an attempt would be umsta by the people to prevent the soirée in honour of the Confederates; and on Mr. Smith O'Brien's arrival a council was held on the safety of persisting. The council resolved in the affirmative; but many of those invited determined to go armed. About three hundred men and some females attended at the Sarsfield Club. The speeches had scarcely begun when a shower of stones came through the windows into the room—a mob, had assembled, and was preparing to burst into the house. -The window-shutters were closed, and boards were nailed up: the door was strengthened with planks fastened athwart. Some of the men were struck by the stones, but the females be- haved with courageotis self-possession. The speakers resumed, and had gone on for nearly an hour, when signs appeared of desperate doings with- out. Smoke curled through the shutters of the windows—a blazing tar- barrel had been raised against them outside; and the door began to yield ender tremendous shocks—a score of men were battering it with a huge beam of timber. The females having been conveyed into safer rooms, those of the men who had pistols, pikes, and daggers, got them ready, and the furniture was smashed to make truncheons for the rest. A sally was re- solved on. As the door was loosened, the mob pressed in. The first man who entered was shot in the thigh, and fell. This staggered the assailants, and they receded somewhat. Mr. Smith O'Brien raised a cry of " Re- peal!" but was answered by shouts of " Death to Mitchel!" A vigor0113 Irish row was waged in the street for some time; the weapons of the Con- federates giving them much advantage. Cries of " Don't hurt O'Brien!!' or " Don't hurt Meagher!" were heard, but no practical distinctions were made; and. Mr. O'Brien was at last borne off the field wounded and bleed- i,3g. The Mayor and Police arriving, the affray terminated; the Confede- rates returned to their hotel, and the speeches recommenced. We cull a specimen extract from Mr. Meagher's - These sentiments are, no doubt, seditious; and the expression of them may bring me within the provisions of the new Felony Bill-the bill, mind you, that is to strike this nation dumb. Yes, from this day out you must lie down and eat your words! Yes!-you-you starved wretch, lying naked in that ditch-with clenched teeth and starting eye, gazing on the clouds that redden with the flames in which your hovel is destroyed-what matters it that the claw of hunger is fastening in your heart-what matters it that the hot poison of the fever is shooting through your brain-what matters it that the tooth of the lean dog is cutting through the bone of that dead child, of which you were once the guardian-what matters it that the lips of that spectre there, once the pride and beauty of the village, when yon wooed and won her as your bride, are blackened with the blood of the youngest to whom she has given birth? What matters it that the golden grain which has sprung from the sweat you squandered on the soil be torn from your grasp, and Heaven's first decree to man contravened by human law? What matters it that you are thus pained and stung-thus lashed and maddened? Bite the tongue that burns to complain-beat back the passion that rushes from your heart-check the curse that gurgles in your throat. Die I-die without a groan-die without a shriek-die without a struggle-for the Government that starves you desires to live in peace. Shall it be so? Shall the conquest of Irelod bo this year com- pleted? Why. should I put this question, after-all ? Have I not been answered by that flash of arms which purifies the air where the pestilence has been? The mud of Ireland no longer wavers. It has acquired the faith, the constancy, the heroism, of a .predestined martyr. It foresees the worst-prepares for the worst. The cross, as in Milan, already glitters in the haze of battle, and points to eternity. We shall no longer seek for liberty in the byways. On a broad field-in front of the foreign swords-the soul of this nation, grown young and chivalrous again, shall clothe itself, like the angel of the resurrection, in the white robe, and point to the sepulchre that is void; or it shall mount the scaffold-that eminence on which many a radiant transfiguration has taken place-and bequeath to the crowd below a lesson for their instruction, and an idol fca• their worship." Towards midnight, the proceedings were interrupted by the entrance of Colonel Doyle, who held immediate conference With the chairman. The meeting presently after broke up. The crowd being still great, and of un- safe temper, Mr. Mitchel was concealed in a butcher's shop till one in the morning. He escaped from the town next day by a stratagem. The Cork coach was horsed in the closed yard of the hotel, and made ready for in- stant starting; Mr. Mitchel and Mr. Meagher getting inside and closing the windows, the yard-gates were opened, and the equipage soddenly dashed out. The 'crowd got inkling of their scheme and hooted them as they drove off, but did not otherwise molest them'. Mr. Mitchel and Mr. Smith O'Brien hastened to Dublin; and Mr. Meagher to Cork, where a more peaceful tea-party was transacted in his honour. ,
Poor Mr. O'Brien was so chagrined at the "ingratitude" of the people, that he penned and sent instantly to the pipers ao address of retirement from public life; and it was understood that helad 'tubed for " the Chil- tern Hundreds," in .order to the regular relinquisinnellt qt his seat in Parlia- ment. His friends, however, afterwards prevai.lecl'otAbn toxetract these steps. , - Mr. Meagher, Xof the Sword," is said to have made a similar hasty re- solve and retractation. Hewes momentarily of opinion that the Irish were unworthy of the freedom they pretended to value," , Mr. Smith O'Brien appeared personally in the Vona' uf Queen's Bench at Dublin on Monday. His head was strapped and bandaged over, and it is said that some of his ribs were broken, and four ok his teeth knocked out. Mr. O'Brien deoliiild the grace proffered by the.c.Qurt that he might
appear by attorney wbila ia. . . .
Mr. Mitchel presented himself, and demanded the, privilege of appear- once by attorney: but it was, refilaed, after short. argument by counsel. Mr. Mitchel has pleaded two more pleas in abatement,---4hat the former proceedings were not quashed before the eomtuamement of: the present; and that the offences charged are not cognisable on oriofficioinformatione, but only on the presentation of--a jury of lawful mcin. This last plea will raise wide questions of constitatiertal, law. The Crown immediately de- murred to one plea and replieff-to`tiblidther, and coiled ton Mr. Mitchel to take the next step instanter. The'lleart, hoWever, 'determined that he should have four days to join in den:hitter. Even if the 'demurrer:be over- ruled on argument next Tuesday, still notice of trial cannot be given in time for the next sittings after term: thus Mr. Mitolia gains a long delay. The other trials will go on more speedily.
More troops enter Dublin; but Sir Charles Napier's fleet iatirdered round to the Shannon. A step has been taken towards assimilating the Police force to the Army : the three grades of Sub-Inspectors are henceforth to be styled Captains, Lieutenants, and Ensigns..
The Government has " proclaimed " the city of Limerick: it was to come under the provisions of the Crime and Outrage Prevention Act yesterday.
Government has also published a proclamation declaring the proposed Convention [" Council of Three Hundred"] and enrolment of the National Guard to be illegal; therefore warning all well-disposed subjects against taking part in the same; also requiring "all Sheriffs, Magistrates, Consta- bles, and other her Majesty's subjects acting in their aid, to be vigilant in the prevention and repression of all such conventions, elections, associa- tions, and illegal practices."
A prosecution has been instituted against some persons in Youghal- among 'them a Mr. Hodnett, solicitor-for practising the use of arms: the trial will come on next sessions.
An investigation has been ordered into a charge of disaffection by Mr. Henry Sheane, relieving-officer of Banagher, against Johnson and Kil- marten, two constables of Police.
The Tipperary Vindicator announces that the Reverend John Kenyon and the Reverend James Bermingham have been suspended by their Bishop, Dr. Kennedy, till they unequivocally retract their recent speeches and letters on Repeal.
Demonstrations of loyalty continue to be made. The Magistracy of Dub- lin City and County assembled at Kilmainham on the 28th April, and voted an address by 48 to 18, calling on the Lord-Lieutenant to put down clubs and seditious meeting, speaking, or publishing; to prevent the making and sale of arms; and to repress with a strong hand the barbarous efforts now openly made to subvert the Government. The minority wished the ad- dress to be less vigorous, and to suggest large and generous measures. At Ballymena, Viscount O'Neill presided over a meeting, to which Lord Lon- donderry and the Marquis of Westmeath sent letters of approval; and t Hilsborough Castle, the Marquis of Downshire presided over a meeting of the nobility and gentry of his county: both declared their attachment to the Queen and confidence in the Lord-Lieutenant. The Orange Lodges of Armagh, under their Grand Master, Sir William -Verner, have declared that, notwithstanding the lavish concessions which have made bold and strong the enemies of peaee, their own attachment to the British constitution is unshaken. The Lodges of Tyrone have adopted the Armagh resolutions.
On the other hand, the Roman Catholic clergy of' Mill Street Deanery, in Kerry, have declared for Repeal; and the students of the Belfast Acade- mical Institution rejected a proposed address of loyalty till it had been amended by a clause demanding the legalization of tenant-right on Mr. Sharman Crawford's scheme.
The United Irishman was singularly meek on Saturday. The explana- tion may be taken at choice from either of these two announcements, which we extract.
" It is yet fear months to the harvest. We have already, by open and advised speaking and writing, made known our mind to our fellow countrymen. We can- not retract-we need not repeat. Besides, when the harvest-time comes round, the proprietor of this journal desires to be somewhere within the four seas of Ire- land and not in Norfolk Island, with irons on his wrists." "We have farther to inform our readers, that the Gagging Bill has already begun to operate upon us in an unexpected manner. This newspaper is printed by the proprietor at No. 12 Trinity Street, and the presswork is done at a steam- press printing-office, Bachelor's Walk. On Wednesday evening last, the pro- prietors of the press sent word to our office, that they were advised by eminent counsel that they could not allow the United Irishman to be pressed at their establishment any longer without incurring the risk of an indictment; and, as it was then too late to make any other arrangement for the present week, we have been obliged to submit to the degradation of having our proofs revised by a law- yer, in order to satisfy the parties before this number could appear. We have most heartily to apologize to our readers for this, and can only promise them that no lawyer's pen shall touch our writings a second time."
An article in the same paper, headed " Confiscation Communism, Bur- glary, Arson, Rape, and Manslaughter," has a truncated ending. A num- ber of asterisks are at the foot and are followed by these words-" [Our learned censor considers the remainder felonious.] " Sir Ralph Howard, the Whig candidate for Wicklow, Las defeated Mr. Monck, the Tory candidate. The numbers at the eloec of the poll were- 368 to 355.
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