The Express.
London, England, 1862-02-27 00:00:00

THE LONGFORD ELXCTION.

mAJor, osmr.rs ADDRESS.
Major O'Reilly, wbo has come forward to
contest the represeutation of the county of Lan-
ferd with Colonel White, recently appointed to the post
of Irish Lord of the Tommy, ham issued the following
characteristic addreee to the constituency :—"Men of Long-
foid—A government hostile to your religion—to ita
venerable head, and to its dearest interests at hau—
lms dared to ask you to sauction their esti-catholic policy,
of which the Chief Secretary for Ireland is the exponent.
Hoping to take you unawares, they have directed
your late member to present himself to you for
re-election, in the quality of their official. As might be
expected, you have refused to iudorse their act with your
approval; you have invited me to vindicate the inde-
pendence and dignity of your county, and I hasten to obey
She homemade calL Should I be elected, my conduct
, shall prove your noble confidence has not been misplaced.
I shall oppose in parliament, as I have done elsewhere,
the system of sacrilegious invasion and robbery pursued
by Piedmont, which has received the support of English
ministars.i My opinions on education are wall knowu.
Education, to be valuable, must be ieligious. Thu
clear right, therefore, u well as the most urgent want
of the Irish catholks, le free catholic education, the
radical reform of the national system, and the recog-
nition of our university. Ou other questions, as on these,
which the reckless challenge of the Chief Secretary to the
catholic clergy and people of Ireland bar made of para-
mount iinpurtauce, I believe my opinions will be found to
coincide with your*. I shall advocate the freeing the catholic*
of Ireland from the monster grievance of an alien church
establishment ; such a change of the laws regarding land
as, by promoting permanency of tenure, will encourage the
judicious outlay of the tenant's capital and industry, and
muse him an adequate return, a large attimision of the
suffrage, and the protection of the voter in its exercise
by the ballot ; a reform of the poor law lnc spirit congenial
with the dictates of Christine charity, and the habits and
sweets of our countrymen ; a reform et the grand jury laws,
which would make those share the payment who impose the
tax. Seeking no favour of any, 1 shall hold myself inde-
pendent of every government. My votes shall be influenced
solely by the interests of my con.titueuts, of oar country,"
and of our religion. —I have, Ac., MILLS W. tYltnti.r.
The major arrived in Dublin on Tuesday evening from
Brussels.
The conservative pp of Ireland, without • single ex-
ception, have sdo?tedColonel White's cause. The Areasng
Paced rya :—" The election of Major O'lteWy will Ile
another vote, not for this or that parliamentary leader,
but for Dr. Cullen. Are the landed proprietary of Long-
ford prepared to strengthen the bands of that prelate I
Do they think it would be wise ! Are they enamoured of
an excessive poor rate? Doesit vex them that the • Catho-
lic university' has got no charter! Are they anxious to
see more money lavished upon the College of Maynooth ?
Do they imagine that it will redound to their honour to be
marched to ttui pull under the banner of the crossed-keys
borne by the Longford priests'- Will it be to their hooour or
their disgrace, if,in short,they place upon the benches of the
house, u their spokesman and representative, • person re.
markable only for his fanaticism in rieking his life to prop
rap tyranny sad to tutoro over au emancipated people a
form of rule which they abominate! But we need not
pursue this line of comment. Without constituting them-
'elves the slave of any government or party, the indepeu-
dentcmtestant electors of Longford will against Major
The *ly Express is equally emphatic in its condemna-
tion of Major O'Reilly 's candidature :
"We are happy to be able to announce that the estab-
lished clew slid the protestant gentry will, to a man,
vote for Colonel White. No protestaat elector will shrink
from the discharge of hie duty to his Queen and eountry
on such an ciecesiou ; and se to the Roman catholic, laity,
who have been so urapaUy ignored lay the priests, we
trust they will have the courage to snot their righte, and
that by manfully voting against Major O'Reilly they will
re the most effectual rebuke to those Meilen who have
to denounce their landlords as tyrants sad °ppm.
sore.*

Yesterday evening the annual general meeting
of the benevolent branch of the Provident Clerks' Mutual
hameance Association took place at the London Tavern,
likeeppteatreet ; Mr. T. BASING, M.P., in the chair.
The EINCRITANY read the 21st annual report, which state
that" the income for the year 1861 hadbeen as follows :—Do.
nuapt2.2ll. 5e.; annual subscriptions, 5281. ; ditto of ss. and
from usurers be' clerks, 732/. ; net proceeds of
the dhow in May last, 2,5731.175. 11d. i interest, dividends,
he., 8801. 171.8 d. ; total, 4,765/. oe. 71 The very hand-
some sum realised by the dinner, which was held on the
30th May last, nader the presidency of the Lord Mayor,
would be remarked with satisfaction by the members. It,
would be remembered that, with a view to assist and
strengthen the efforts of the board on behalf of this
veinal. fund, a personal appeal was addressed to every
member, earnestly soliciting his co-operation. The result of
this appeal had been in the highest degree gratifing, not
only from the pecuniary results, but from the kindly feeling
exhibited among the members at large, and the mmourage-
meat thus afforded to the board in their &own exertions.
Several oases of immediate sod pressing necessity hod COMO
before the board daring the past year, and the sum of
2451. 2s. had been expended in gratuities towards sodding
the applicants in their need. Pursuant to the resolution of
the annual general meeting on the 6th of February,lB6l,
en election of annuitants took place on the 28th of May last,
when one clerk was elected to an annuity of 301., one widow
to an annuity of 23/_ two widows to annuities of 151. each,
making a total of eoi. per =num. Three annuities of 151.
each had fallen is during the past year ; one by death, one
by the ire-marriage of the annuitant, and one from the
vol.:eatery reliequishment of the annuity by the widow re-
ceiving it, is oxeseepieres of as hoprevemeet ie her circum-
dawn. There were now upon the fund 11 clerks and 48
widows, who were receiving collectively 1,0701. per annum.
The board now recommended that eight additional annuities
be panted, viz.: two .clerks and six widows of clerks. The
board treated that tie striking evidence which the accounts
of the past year exhibited of the results that could be
achieved when their exertions were cordially supported by
the members, would, for the future, secure a continuance of
that support. The balance-sheet for the year ending 31st of
December, 1881, showed that the receipts amounted to
4,7701. Is. Id., and the expenditure to 1,122/. 17s. 24.,
leaving a balance of 3,1701. 3s. 11d."
The DRAMAS, in moving the adoption of the report,
mid his duty was one of a very agrseamte and easy chanicter,
inasmuch as be bad only to cOocratelate the members of the
society on the peat emcees which had attended their opera-
tions. After an existence of twenty years and upwards, the
institution had now arrived at a state of maturity, which
he hoped firmly established its future prosperity. The
neceasity for such an emendation was abundantly proved by
the peat advantages which accrued from it. He need hardly
tell them that it had the effect of encouraging
amongst its members that spirit of frugality and
providence which was the best guarantee for
mdepanderice ia after life. One great principle
in the working of this institution was, that it granted loans
to mambas who, from misfortune, and not from improvidence,
were reduced to temporary want, and it was gratifying to
learn that the large sum which had been so expended had
been applied in such a manner that the losses incurred had
been very Lithos indeed. As he had been amongst the
earliest promoters of the institution, be was extremely
happy to see it established on so secure and permanent a
bads.
The chairman being now compelled to leave the room in
consequent, of an unavoidable engagement, his plane was
filled by Mr. B. 31. JONES, the chairman of the association,
ztogether t the resolution to the meeting, and the report,
with the balanceabeet, was adopted.
A resolution was then agreed tot on the motion of Mr.
Wtteff, empowering the direetors to grant eight additional
annuities, vin., to two clerks and to six widows of clerks,
which would increase the total number of aenuitants to 67.
A vote of thanks was then passed to the trustees, Mr. T.
Baring, M.P., Mr. Thomson Hankey, M.P., Mr. W. O.
Prescott, and Baron de Rothschild, M.P. ; and to Mr.
John Abel Smith, the treasure,.
Thanks were. next voted to the press, and to the present
chairman, and the business terminated.