The Express.
London, England, 1847-11-06 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DestiN, NoT. 1.
The Irish council held its session of the " lords,
commons, and gentry," to-day. In respect of numbers
it did not at all equal the meeting in January last,
which may be accounted for by the imposition of a
2s. Gd. tax on all but members of the council. As to
rank, the lords were singularly fee, the commons
pretty numerous, embracing all the members of the
National Council, and none others of that class, while
gentry did not incommode themselves by a distant
visit to the capital, leaving the "filling up" of the
assembly to the Four Courts and a few attendants
from the neighbouring counties. Altogether it failed
as an expression of the general will, and even among
those present there was a very decided absence of
unanimity. After some abstract propositions having
been adopted, Mr. Smith O'Brien proposed, and Mr. J.
O'Connell seconded, a resolution that an income or pro-
perty tax be adopted in aid of local taxation. Not being
very definite in his opinions as to the expvdiency of
the imposition, Mr. C. G. Duffy, of the Nation, inter-
rupted the universal harmony and twitted the mem-
ber for Kilkenny
.with something like a " shirk " of
the proposition ; immediately the meeting got em-
broiled. Mr. Dixon, late candidate for Sligo, fairly
started the inexpediency of an income-tax, when a
host of opponents and supporters started up on every
side and embarrassed the question with additional
complications. The most energetic of the inceme-
taxers was Mr. G. H. Moore, member for Mayo,
and e contra, Mr. Roche, member for Cork, who
stoutly resisted this attempt on the part of the Irish
landlordato shuffle off their just responsibility, and in-
volve the industrious classes of the community in a
burthen which should be exclusively borne' by lauded,
and if a rate in aid should be required, by the mode-
rate taxation of other realised property. A
tax upon income was a tax upon industry ;
sad, as the absence of industry was the most
crying of our social grievances, whatever retarded
the industrial movement, such as an income-tax, wu
eminently injurious to the condition of Ireland. This
discussion was of very long duration. In vain did
Lord Miltown enforce the necessity of karmony, to
which Sir Colman O'Loughlin very properly replied,
that the meeting was not convened to pass a string of
resolutions blindly and without discussion, but to
evoke an expression of opinion on the subjects under
debate, even though the penalty might be an interrup-
tion of harmony. After a sharp and tedious fusillade
the resolution was carried. The session is likely to
progress de die in diem, varying with the meeting of
the national council—so that the ensuing week will
scarcely see the double consecutive at an end. In
one respect the Irish has had the advantage of the
national council. In the former, the work was cut
out for the speakers, and presented a decided plan of
action ; in the latter, there was no preparation, and
their policy in nubibue. To-morrow will afford t
clearer glimpse.
The demonstrations still continue in the south.
There were two meetings : one on the banks of the
Blackwater, and another on Knockane.hill, county
Limerick. The authorities were well prepared for
tho Blackwater demonstration, having mustered a
large force of military, with a crowd of magistrates.
When this imposing power had taken its ground.
about 300 peasants approached, and declared their
intention to commit no violation of the law, but that
their families were starving, and they
had no employ-
ment. Mr. Hugh Massy, a benevolentlandlord
addressed them, and they immediately and quits
peaceably retired. All agreed that the outward state
of these poor men was most distressing. At Knock-
ane there was repressing physical force. The morelforce of a sensible individual, Mr. Armstrong, of
Newmarket-on-Fergus, was brought to bear on the
meeting. He advised them to obey the laws, and
conform their actions with the desires of the germ-
ment, who would not desert them. This was suffi-
cient, and they dispersed.

SCOTLAND.
EDINBCIOII, Nov. 4.
Something like sanitary movement has at last
begun. Notice is given of a new municipal bill fcs
Leith, which craves power to enact claims for the
better cleansing and draining of the town. In Aber-
deen the state of certain back streets has been
prominently brought before the police commissioners.
not merely as unsightly objects, but u the immediate
cause of fever and death ; and in Port Glasgow the
electors met in the town-hall and unanimously ee•
solved that no candidate for a seat at the council
board, of whatever creed, should receive support un-
leas he agreed to a more regular and copious supply
of water to the burgh ' • 2. To have the streets kept in
a cleaner state •, and, 3. To a large reduction in the
price of gas. In one sense, local attempts at pent)
of air and pathway arc good, but if the particular
localities which obtain special measures are from this
cause to obtain exemption from the operation of any
general act that may be paired the state of such
places will in a short time be as bad as ever. From
the indisposition, if not positive determination, of Scotch
towns not to avail themselves of the sanitary provisions
of acts of parliament already in existence, we have no
confidence of the way in which they will work mea-
sures manufactured by themselves. Use and wont
blind the eye, and deaden the nasal sense of local
inspectors; and more delicate standards of propriety
must be looked for. Despite the cry of centralisation,