The Express.
London, England, 1847-01-06 00:00:00

Relief Committee.

After some discussiotlMr. Downing considered that they
were hound to give the statement respecting Smarms a con-
tradiction. He moved:
That tar secretary be requested to write to the clerks of unions
throughout Ireland, or any other competent authorities through the
some, to meertain what and when are-arms are particularly known
to be sold or unpartol in their several localities.
The Rev. Mr. Townsend observed that Sir George Grey
stopped their mouths respecting them.
Mr. Donovan moved—
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Dia the atatements mode with respect to the purchase of fire-
arms are no regard this neighbourhood quite unfounded ; that upon
hi= tom the only trader who engaged in the sal, of these
in the Skibberom Unica, comprising a population of nearly
100,000 persons, we have ascertained that he has of late sold but M.
teen gum and two *idols, which were disposed of to men in the higher
ranks, and we further regard it as our deliberate opinion that if an
looreere in the purchase of three weapon has taken pace throughout
Ireland, it is owbut to the dispotitirrn felt by the farmers to pro-
vide the:ilk-thee with the memo of defence against the labouring
Moses, from en apprehension thot their destitution will drive them
to sets of violence, although their conduct has been hitherto most
pme:able under primacy' that are almost beyond endurance.
Several other resolutions hay.ng been passed, including a
Tote of thanks to the deputation, the meeting separated.
Tea TRISH LANDED PROPRINTARY.—The following ha-
t letter from George Alexander Hamilton, Esq., M.P.=ls University, appears in the Mail of this evening. It is
addressed to R. Osborne, Esq. :
Hampton Hall, January 1, 1847.
My Dear Sir—As one of the representatives°, the Dish landed pro-
pnetary, who, you say truly, are at present bienthelently represented In
Parliament, I Seel It to be a duty to thank you for your manly and en-
ergetic endeavours to brim abxit that united action among the prowl.-
tem whieh soextraordinary snesaermaey requires, and which, with yen
I believe to be easential to the safety of Ireland. Your appeals may not
have been nspooded tom you expected, and es you think they would
have been responded to, under similar circumstances, in England;
bet It would be u4wit to the Irish proprietary to attribute this either
to apathy or tiWthty en their part. I urn persuaded the Irish
hauled proprietary, of every grade, and in ell parts of the country,
are fully alive to the danger of their present position, and are fully
prepared to meet the crisis with becoming reaolution ; but how
are they employed at the present moment! Why, the time
emit thoughts of almost every country gentleman in Ireland are en-
gaged momently, and with painful interest, in his own locality, in
alleviating, or endeavouring to alleviate, the distress. and provide em-
ployment for those around him. Your own experience, no doubt,
Ma premed to you bow onerous those dada are, and how completely
the time of the reddest gentry is now taken up with attendance.
en Relief Committees, cessions, poor houses, and the other local
matters in:tient to the present slate of things There may be little
of notoriety or public dietinction appertaining to the performance
of thok intim; but at • crisis like the present, they are, perhapo, the
most important duties which an Irish country gentleman can be called
upon to perform—for I sincerely believe that it is only by those local
duties being performed judiciously, firmly, and perseveringly by
Le
resident Irish gentry, that the framework of society can be kept
together in this country. The feet is, the resident Irish gentry are
placed now is a situation perhaps unparalleled hi the history of any
sourdry. Serenaded beau &rings of the met appalling characier,whith
Is quite beyond thek power, and, I fear, beyond even the power of
government, now to remove reduced in their circumstances—
in itominent danger of a racial revolution in their own
saunter, and of • confiscation of their ppetmbppeeetla by some
litcsoniidersil measure of the British ent —tide mach
galumnik.-1 body, disregarding ell future conankrationa, are
now rerni,ning at their poste. devoting themselves to their
kcal duties, and proving themselves the friends at the .
This in the mum, and no insensibility to your •pprol, which
IndisTes tharn, to leave
fortheir bores, sn
eery it attend
a dPa initaelltingift
t. Such, at last, I hove found to be"aatheanobjection to aa
is meeting on the part of those with whom f hare been in
marinlinlintiOn on that subject. The necessity of union mom
Irishrni it, of all creeds and politics, is readily admitted and
deolltlY felt by all; but in reference to a public meeting as the
means of effecting It, I am asked whether any definite proyosi-
aim has beer prepared, which will be recognised as sufficiently la-
Mtant to draw the gentry from their homes at such a crisis, which is
Molly, from ltd nature, tote adopted with unanimity, and which an
salty be urged by government es the remedy propooed by the landed
proprietor themselres tor the evils impending over and pressing
upon the country. lam amble, 1 oonlese, to give a oatisfactory
answer to this inquiry. At a public meeting we should have
much iqieschifying, -and I fear no very useful practical ea
salt—ro crude projects meny peculiar crotchets • much
irrelevant discuadoe, and probably much difference of opinion.
A pricate meeting of peers and members of the House of Commons,
So be held in Dublin before the commencement of the; motion, does
not seem to or liable toobjection, at least, to the same extent. By •
private meettng, I means meeting not for speechifying, but for con-
versant:in and dellberation—not, , to undertake the responsi-
bility of proposing MAMMA —a respmsl6flity which appertains to the
executive government, and which it is not desirable they should be in
any great deserts relieved from; but to ascertain as tar as poesitge the
sptnbne of the country gentlemen. to melee the deputations
tom the different counties who would be likely to attend such
a meeting ; sadder the suggestions of the gentlemen who
have been themselves with so moth sandnity to the
have
with the position of this country, and to
with *sea gssidensee • sad, above all, to form the beds
craft Irisll sane bantams it should be to watch over the
Weems of during the approaching fie don—to assert
Ith legit:mate infthente by a combined action as far as possible,
gapportin4 EWE ENOsitres and resiettng anti-Irlah experiments, irre-
spective of party maidetatices. Both • meeting could not fail to be
Melte. The very appurepplayefeellsetina opinions would to itself be
useful ; and If therettelig be ne Ober immediate result than the
pawing of • rerolattha espeeileit ear determination to act in maseert
—to meet out of parlissmot ken tithe to time during the
mmlan—
to dismal and settle am atembem of parlament, connected par-
ticularly with Ireland. the seem le be taken sa regards the smears
that may be intrcdneet—thi s would be a most Itoportoot see.
I, for one, am esdle .11111• If Y Ma Y any "7ba
sock a meotisg pod ellett as ; art I ma em.
that if the Dube et LaMar add be Induced le meld% an/
peeve and comma's wed/ Indietelo le meet se lievatsay
sight be &mad melestelt berg the mein kw So peewee I
have adverted to—theme would be an end to the system ot batty and
operiosental legislation which bee been so long Mobbed open pr-
imed by government of every political hue, and which nothing but
oar internal dieusnalons and divisions could have enabled them to
practie so lung.-4 rens* dear sir, very faithfully yours,
Gannon A. UAXILTON.