The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-04 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, JAW. 2.

All is bustle in the crown-office in smoothing the
way for the special commission. Chief Justice Do-
herty will be replaced by Chief Baron Pigot. The
latter, together with the chief of the Queen's Bench,
leaves Dublin to-morrow for the Cashel Railway.
On arriving at the terminus at Ballyhophy, troops
of cavalry with mounted police will escort their
lordships to the borders of the county of Limerick,
where the high sheriff and his cavalcade will receive
them. The calendar contains 110 names, of whom 20
are charged directly with murder; ten with con-
spiring, aiding and assisting in murder, and the rest
with various grave offences, including robbery of
arms, attacking dwelling-houses, shooting and wound-
ing, assembling by night in arms, harbouring the
famous Ryan Tuck, by which he evaded apprehension
as a felon, and concealing Whiteboys. The attorney
and solicitor-general, with Messrs. Bennett and
Plunkett, Q.C., will conduct the cases for the crown.
The resident magistrates are proceeding with great
caution in granting licenses to possess arms. In
Limerick city only fifty had been granted. In the
country more liberality was shown, as in Newcastle
seventy-six were privileged.
The sanitary movement has found its way into
Belfast, and already struggles for precedency with
the " classical." At a meeting of the principal mer-
chants on Friday last, the Rev. Dr. Drew in the
chair, the question was forcibly brought under the
notice of the community. Nor is the necessity for
sanitary measures at all premature in Belfast, for, ac-
cording to Dr. Malcolm, who furnished some
interesting statistical facts, the average of life
in Belfast did not exceed nine years—the lowest
in Ireland. In conjunction with the classical
and sanitary, the agricultural takes a decided
lead in the public mind. The Chemico-Agricultural
Society has had a meeting on the confines of the old
and new year. The change of the society from
l)ownpatrick to Belfast is likely to be attended with
prosperous results. A paper in connexion with the
society, and to be called The Irish Agriculturist, is
on the eve of starting into existence. Amid the
various movements, tenant-right takes the lead in
the North. That old centre of Orange turbulence,
Ballihay, is to be the theatre of a tenant
gathering on the 11th. Sharman Crawford
has been invited, and will attend. In his
letter accepting the invitation be observes, " The
tenant question is now arrived at a great crisis.
I think 1 may say with certainty that a bill will be
introduced by the government ; but I do not expect
they will either have the inclination co the purse to

carry an effective bill through the two houses of par-
liament" Without a just revision of the law of
landlord and tenant he despairs of either peace or
progression for the country.
the " threatening notice" system is spreading far
and wide through the north. In Tyrone it is quite
as extensive as in Limerick or Tipperary, though
from an investigation which took place last week in
Omagh it would appear that the local wickedness has
its origin in a different class from that which circu-
lates the missives in the south.

DISMISSAL Or IME BALLINA HUARD OF GUARDIANS.
—The Commissioners have dismissed this board of guardians
because, while acknowledging the difficulties with which it
had to deal, the guardians were found in the m.qority of
caste to have utterly neglected the discharge of their duties.
This union of Sams stands debited iu the public returns
with the highest amount of temporary advauces given to any
district in Ireland.

A TEAT FOR THE ABLE-BODIED.--The guardians of the
union of Mullingar having complained to the poor-law com-
miseioners that they were unable to obtain in that town a
suitable building fur en additimal workhouse, and the com-
missioners having satisfied themselves that the fact is so, they
have issued an order 1 mutating out-dour relief to the able-
bodied. In order, however, to guard against imposition. the
commissioners considered of a test, and had two before them
from which to select. The first was a proposition to employ
the able-bodied on the completion of the unliai‘hed roads.
But this the commissioners rejected, as affording, especially
when tried on en extensive scale, no adequate test, of desti-
tution. They suggest the employment of the labourers in
the breaking of stone of a hard and durable nature, and that
this shall, wader proper overseers, be done by tank-work, in
return for the rations given by the union the men to be
employed 9 hours per day at a minimum.
THE LAND QUESTION IN DAELAND.—The late candii
date for Tipperary on whig prioc;ples, Mr. Bagwell, o
Medfield, Clouniel, a gentleman of high station and large
fortune in that county, has published his seutintents upon
the question of land settlement and popular disturbance.
The following portion deserves attention, as conveying the
opinion of • calm and sensible man: " I beg to exaress my
belief that the present evils under which we are labouring
mainly arise from the insecure tenure of land and the odious
depopulating stern, and that until thee,: causes tf jou dis-
content are removed, it is vain to look for improvement in
the habits or conduct of the people. Let, therefore, her
Majesty's ministers, taking advantage of their strength, brave
the landlords of Ireland, and pass an act giving every holder of
land a right to at least 31 years' lease of Lis farm, the poorest
cattier as well as the wealthiest farmer, and leaving the
owner of the soil no power of ej. ctment but for non payment
of rent, or sub-division without mutual consent ; they, by
thus protecting tho people from the caprice or tyranny of the
landlords, will Dave the way for the regeneration of 'Wand,
and enlist on the aide of the law every honest and industri-
ous men in the community. I believe this to be the best
Coercion Act, and the only practical mode of securing
tenant-right; and that while it gives an opportunity tor
small capitalists to invest their savings in land, it f,cilitatee
the enlarging of holdings, by enabling the wealthy farmer to
purchase the interest of such of his neighbours as may be
either unable le meet their engage:news, or who wish to re-
move their indumry to other climes.—l have the honour to
be, Sir, your obedient servant, Jolts Ba.owutt."