The Press.
London, England, 1858-02-13 00:00:00

rt.lailli.

(Front our own Correspondent.)
DUBLIN, Feb. 11, 1858.
MR. ROEBUCK'S motion for the abolition of the Irish
Viceroyalty has naturally drawn attention to that verata
quastio. Several important secessions from the anti-
abolitionists are reported. It would be premature to an-
nounce them now, but there is one convert, or pervert,
whichever you please, whos3 recantation of this
portion of his political faith is a matter of notoriety.
Mr. Horsman, ex-Chief Secretary for Ireland, is said
to have become an ally of Mr. Roebuck's, and intends
to be his fidus Achates in the ensuing conflict. He
told his constituents at Stroud that he resigned his
office because be found it a useless one. It is
maliciously whispered that he did not form that
opinion until it had been preceded by the discovery,
on the part of the Government, that he was himself
what he considers the office to be. " Poor Lord
Carlisle," at the Mayor's dinner the other day, alluded
to the rumours, which, if true, he said would
" extinguish an office so high, and a person so
humble," and somewhat naively declared that he
had no sympathy with any such movement. No one
ever suspected him of it. His lordship is very corn
fortably placed where he is, he likes the glitter and
pageantry of his Viceregal duties, and though the
world understands that it is Colonel Larcon who
really governs Ireland, it would be too much to CA-
pect that the Lord Lieutenant should admit it.
There was an amusing incident at the Mansion-
house banquet which may be worth noting. Lord
Chancellor Brady took up the cue from "poor Lord
Carlisle," and stood forward as a vindicator of the
recent legal appointments. He must have felt his
case a bad one to have intruded his defence upon a
social gathering ; nor could people refrain from
wishing that Lord Carlisle would give some better
proof of his aversion to religious discord and sectarian
strife than by grossly encouraging it in his unjust
disposal of his patronage.
Two bon mots, attributed one to a learned Chief
Justice, and the other to an eminent Q.C., are going
the rounds in Dublin. Speaking of the Court of
Common Pleas, the former remarked it was strange
that there were three Papists on the bench, and only
one Christian. The latter, when asked which " O'B."
was to have the judgeship, replied, " Why, ' J.0'8.,'
of course ;" and the appropriateness of the retort will
not be misunderstood by those who are familiar with
the names of a recently promoted sergeant.
During the last week Dublin has been greatly
engrossed with a young preacher who has just
returned to his native country, Mr. Grattan Guin-
ness. People who have not seen or beard him talk
of him as a rival to Spurgeon. There is no compa-
rison between them. Mr. Guinness is a refined and
polished gentleman. His manner, his voice, his ges-
tures, his language, the expression of his counte-
nance, are not what are generally associated with the
man who attracts thousands daily to his ministra-
tions. He is a most eloquent and accomplished
speaker ; and in the beauty of his diction, the grace
of his delivery, the fervour of his tone, the vigour of
his illustrations, he has but few equals; nor would
you learn without surprise that these are the gifts of
a young man not yet twenty-one. Enormous con-
gregations crowd to his preaching. On Sunday all
the leading members of the Irish Protestant Bar
were seen in York-street Chapel, handing round the
plates for the collection which followed the close of
the service. On Wednesday the Lord Lieutenant
and the members of his household were present, and
rarely in modern times has such interest attached
itself to one individual. I shall be surprised if a
long and distinguished career be not Mr. Guinness's
destiny.
At Limerick the election fight waxes hot and
furious. Mr. Ball has the lion's share of priestly
popularity, and will win by a good majority, I under-
stand. Limerick voters like a man who is sufficiently
faithful to the Government to be able to command
its favours. Independence they consider a delusion
and a mistake. All the Conservatives will support
Mojor Gavin, who with all his errors of opinion has
no aspirations for place.