The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-21 00:00:00

DISTRICTS.

SECRET MEETINGS IN LANCASHIRE.

- -
Our correspondent, writing under date " Ashton- I
under. Lyne, Saturday, midnight," says. " The hopes of the
chartists, or confederates, do not appear to have been crushed
by the miscarriage of their project on Monday night, nor
does the revulsion of public feeling, or at least of the feeling
of that portion of the public supposed to have sympathised
with them up to the time of the cowardly assassination of
Monday night, and the almost universal horror with which
the crime is regarded, appear to have discouraged them from
the farther pursuit of their object. They still hold their
armed meetings, but they have changed their rendezvous,
and instead of their clubrooms prefer the commons or hill-
sides, in the open air, to discuss and arrange their plots. The
favourite time is midnight, and at that hour they repair in
small bodies to the spot azreed upon—making but ilittle
secret of having arms with them, for their pikes are seen
gleaming in the moonlight es they steal through the lanes--
and then regain their homes by circuitous and the most pri-
vate routes. I have heard of many of these meetings since
my arrival in Ashton tonight,—no longer since than last
night, it appears that • body of them were assembled be-
tween 12 and 1 o'clock, on Ashton-moss, a flat, swampy
common, on the Manchester side of the town ; another was
seen on the canal side, near to Staley-bridge, and a third
party, consisting of about 100 men, were observed in deep
comultation for a considerable time, in • lonely spot by the
side of the Peak Forest canal, near to Hyde.
Tonight is fixed uponfor another series of meetingeof this
kind, and a rumour afloat that a combined movement upon
the town is to follow has again put the authorities in a state
of feverish preparation. At the moment 1 am writing,
the Town-hall is filled with police and military. There is a
company of the 90th Regiment under arms; and the whole
reserve of the borough police force, with a large reinforce-
ment of the county constabulary, and a division of special
constables, are also on duty. The constabulary, as well as
the soldiers, are all armed, and scouts on horseback are out
scouring the neighbourhood in every direction, to bring in-
telligence of anything that may come under their notice of
an important character.
The writers for some portions of the London pros speak
of the town being " in a state of great excitement ;" but it
certainly is not such excitement as would strike the attention
of a stranger. Apparently all is quiet. There does not ap-
pear to be anything like general excitement or alarm. To-
morrow will be the first day of the annual wakes or least, and
the early part of this, the eye, was puled as merrily, and
enjoyed apparently with as much indifference to any exter-
nal casualues that might threaten, as it ever was. The
streets were thronged with immense numbers of towns-
people and visiters from the surrounding townships, in-
cluding motley crowds of all ages and conditions, and of both
sexes; and in the Market-place cake and gingerbread stalls,
with shows, and roundabouts, and whirligigs, ming:ed with
the standings of the more sober and business-looking people
woo usually occupy the place. But all have now retired,
the clatter of the clogs has ceased upon the pavements, and
rioting seems as tar off and unlikely as the realisation of a
dream.
Mare facts are continually coming to light regarding the

affair of Monday night, and from what I have just learnt the
actual murderer of the unfortunate policeman, Bright, will ,
probably be in custody before this letter is in type. The ,
Manchester Times protesteagainst the attempt of the London
Times to turn this Ash•on affair to ace stint in a political
point of view by confounding physical-force chartists with
reformers, and creating a prejudice in the pubde mind
against every class which shall raire its voice to ectreet mis-
government. It contends that the affair is nothirg mere nor
less than a cold•bloeded murder, and asks, " why is nut a
larger reward than 501. offered for the apprehension of the '
miscreant who shot a defenceless man ?" At the very mo-
ment this question was being put the authorities of Ashton
appear to have been directing their attention to this v. ry
point, and the conrequenc.• is that there are large placards on
the walls offering in the name of the mayor a reward of 1001.
in addition to the 501. previously offered by her Majesty's
government ; and the notice adds that " the Secretary of
State will advice the grant ot her Majesty's gm, icon pardon
to sa y accomplice, not being the person who actually fired
the shot, who shall give such information as will 1 ad to the
discovery and conviction of the murderer or murderers." It
is a circumstance worthy ot notice that in times of excite-
ment this vicious cold-blooded spirit of revenge has been
before exhibited in Ashton more than once, and that there-
fore the clubs in Manchester and other neighbouring towns,
whose object has been generally understood to be merely
annoyance and harassment to the police out of revenge for
interfering with their public meetings, may not have acted in
concert with them, or have been privy to their diabolical
design. It is not many years ago since.a manufacturer in the
neighbourhood, during a strike for wager, was assassinated
as he went home ; and subsequently, in another turn-ant, a
sawyer, who had accepted work at a lower scale of wages,
was deiberately shot whilst engsged in his employment by
candlelight, with a rude cannon made of a cast-iron pipe, and
loaded with slugs. The three events, (quay in daring and
atrocity, stand out broadly and distinct from wive:dog which
has exhibited itself in other parts of the manufacturing dis-
tricts during the contests, social or political, in which, at so
many and various periods, they bare been embroiled, with a
more or less bit cr or exasperated feeling.
It appears that more than one attempt ot murder was
made upon the police on Monday night. County Constable
Seiner' whilst an patrol with another officer, at about 12
o'clock on that night, encountered a body of men, armed
with pikes and guns, at Moseley, three mil& from Ashton.
These men were marching with the regular tread of a body
of weU trained infantry, and as they passed Baines one of
them said, " Now, stand back, friend." Another said, with
an oath, " Shoot him ;" and immediately upon this expression
one man fell out of the rank, levelled his gun at the policeman
at but • few feet from his head, and pulled the trigger. but
it fortunately missed fire. Soon after, when they had gone
on about a field'e length, the policemen heard the report of
two guns fired by the same party. This party, the policemen
state, formed a junction with another similar body, said pro-
ceeded towards Ashton.
81INDLY Mous NG, --The night has passed over peaceably
after all, and the various forces have been dismissed to their
quarters—the constabulary at four o'clock, and the military
at six. The /dices of meeting of the confederates arc sup
posed to have been beyond the immediate neighbourhood of
the borough, as the scouts sent out did not succeed in coming
up with any of these nocturnal assemblages. Shots were
heard fired in the direction of Dukiefield as late as one
o'clock this morning, end again at three. A discharge of
fire-arms was also heard between two and three o'clock in
the direction of Stalybridge. A patrol of about 20 remain
and special constables from Diikinfield reached the Town
Ashton, about three o'ciock, and report' el that nothing
had attracted their attention beyond the occasional discharge
of fire-arms. Several of the mills have been lighted up all
night, with workmen in attendance to defeat any attempt to
injure the property.

IRELAND.
TRIAL OF O'DOHERTY-NO VERDICT.

DUBLIN, SATEMILLY EVENING.
The jury in the case of Mr. O'llohcrty were locked
np from twelve o'clock till five, when they were dis-
charged! Two of the num'wr complained of illness,
and a physician having been called in pronounced
that their condition was Inch that further confinement
would injure them very seriously. The court there-
fore consented to their discharge. One would suppose
no room had been left for this result. After a
very able charge by Baron Pencefather, that learned
judge said that if they believed the evidence of
Mr. lel'Kever as to Mr. O'lloherty's handwriting,
they must be convinced of his entertaining the intent
charged. Still there was no verdict ! This circum-
stance has caused real alarm in the minds of those
who do not desire to see any more inroads on our con-
stitutional freedom ; and they say, and dread, that
when, in a case so clear, a ,onvietion cannot be had, a
ground is laid for the establishment of military tri-
bunals, and that we shall have martial law in force in
Ireland. I can assure you this matter has caused
general anxiety, and is the topic of di,enssion in every
circle. There are, it is true, men foclish enough and
wicked enough to express themselves pleased at this
issue, but this only rende:s the case more annoying
and more serious. _ . .

Mr. Butt's defence of O'l)ohcrty consisted of two
parts. First, he contended that the jury should re-
gard the evidence of Mr. M'Kever as to Mr.
O'Doherty's handwriting in the light of approver's
testimony, which would need a corroboration not bete
supplied. Next, that supposing the jury should be
of opinion that Mr. O'Doherty had written the article,
" Our harvest prospects," still, Mr. Batt contended,
that did not support either of the charges laid in the
indictment. The article recommended that the food
grown in the country should be kept in the country, if
necessary, by the use of force and arms. The charges
in the indictment were, that the prisoner intended
the levying of war for the purpose of deposing the
Queen of her style, title, and royal name, &c.; and
again, that be intended to levy war for the purpose of
compelling her Majesty to change, by force, her
measures and councils. The article, Mr. Butt con-
tended, maintained neither of those felonies.
It is believed the commission will close this even:
ing. The Attorney-General suggested to the court a
more brief adjournment than to the 19th October, as,
the learned gentleman observed, the time between
that and the commencement of term would not be

such as; to enable the trials then to be had to be
concluded. From this we might almost conclude that
the trials for treason will be proceeded with at the
next adjournment, and without any special commis-
sion being issued.
Four young men in the haberdashery warehouse of
Messrs. Cannock and White were arrested this day,
under warrants from the Privy Council. They were
taken at once to the Lower Castle-yard, and thence
to Newgate. They were prominent members of the
late clubs, especially of that known as " The Mercan-
tile Assistants'." The names of three of them are
Malhare, Lombard, and NPKenzie. Mr. *Kenzie is
a Scotchman, who has been in Ireland some years.
He is, it is said, a relative of a celebrated Canadian
leader of the gams name, and of a well-known gen-
tleman in Glasgow. Mr. Taaffe, a young gentleman
for whose arrest a warrant had been issued for some
time, was taken in Tipperary last night, and brought
in this afternoon from Nenagb. Mr. Shea Lalor is
said to have been placed in arrest. If so we shall
have another removal from the magistracy.
Rumour to-day says that many of the letters found
with Smith O'Brien, or rather in his portmanteau,
and promising him countenance and help, from
various influential priests and laymen, are forgeries.
That each letters exist there is no doubt, but the de-
nial of theieauthenticity, you will easily perceive, may
be:made for a purpose.
Mr. Doheny's brother was arrested the other even-
' ton at Bundoran, in mistake for hie more celebrated
..adon. Mr. Doheny, who never was a politician,
holds some appointment under a public board.
The government having found at the recent assizes
that the repayment of the labour rate and relief ad-
vances were about to be " put upon the long-finger,
and that indeed pretty strong intimation was given
that payment would be adjourned to the arrival of the
millenium, resolved to take the matter tight in band.
Wherever this temper was manifested application was
made to the judges for orders for peremptory pay-
ment of the instalments demanded, and the funds to
the credit of the county treasurers' accounts in the
bank were seized and entreated. Among others,
9,0001. was recovered from Mayo in this way. The
poor law commissioners have sent peremptory orders to
the several unions to pay up a portion of the relief ad-
vances by an immediate rate ; in consequence, how-
ever, of the presence of the times they do not require
that there should be levied in any union or division
both for repayment of advances and maintenance of
paupers a higher sum than 53. in the pound on the
rating value: The one-fourth amount of paupers in
receipt of out-door relict in those unions whose dis-
tress justified the continuance of the system to so late
a period was struck off on Monday last.
Mr. Martin's brother, after a salutary lecture, was
sentenced to one month's imprisonment in Newgate.
His ready and deep apology enabled the court to deal
with him so lightly.
The number of arresla which have been recently
reported would prepare us for learning that the prison
of Newgate, as also that of Kilmainham, are in a very
crowded state. Not only were the parties incar-
cerated 'abject to inconvenience, but medical men
predicted that disease would probably be generated
by the overcrowding of prisoners. Those parties
who were first arrested were treated with considera-
tion and kindness. They were allowed to have
their own beds and other matters of convenience and

comfort. But they were placed at the debtors' aide
of the prison, and that soon became filled so as to
afford no additional accommodation. The criminal aide

was then necessarily resorted to, and here, of course,
all extra accommodation was impossible. Here, tben,the
prisoners accumulated so fast that so many as twelve
were compelled to sleep in one cell. The governmmt
with considerate humanity immediately set about
clearing those prisons to some extent, and yesterday
sixteen of those imprisoned under the Habeas Corpus
Suspension Act, but who it is probable will not be
subjected to any trial Of heavier punishment than
damage, were removed to the House of Correction at
Belfast, in the Reynard gavernment steamer. This
movement was effected unexpectedly at an early
hour in the morning. Six were taken from Netvgate,
and ten from Kilmainham, in the police van, to the
Kingston railway, and despatched by the first train
down. The Reynard rounded Howth Head
before eight &clock, a.m. The names of those
removed from Newgatc w, re Messrs. Meany and Bren-
nan, said to be charged with treason ; and Messrs. W.
T. Meyler, Charles Taaffe, barrister, I'. Kennedy, ar-
sted in Killaloc a few days since, P. Marron, pro-
prietor of the Droyheda Argus; and fro:n K.lmalialtarn,
Patrick O'Higgins, the Irish aide-de-camp to Feargus
O'Connor in all his movemerts, and weo bad 1,300
gun stocks on his premises; Oltorke, Clontarf, who
was taken recently en route to an armed rendezvous;
Bergin, recently from America; Crotty and Baker,
of Tim's haberda.hery house; E. O'Reilly, late a cor-
respondent and ambassador of the Nation at Paris;
and Mr. Walsh, and some other parties unknown to

notoriety.
[lt will be seen by the letter of our Paris corre-
spondent that Mr. Ddlon has escaped to France.)

TUE POTATO CROP.

I have collected the following intelligence respecting the po-
tato crop to-day from the public journals and private sources:
In the district of Tullogb, in Stribbereen, 100 potatoes were
dug indiacriminatelv in several fields, and of these 20 only
were undiseascd. In oth, r portion. of the parish one third,
and in some one-half the crop is said to be lost already,
whilst of that which is especi illy the pro: mane. crop—that
which was sowed late in the season, and the Lead for which
was in many cases gratuitously had, it is cell there is no
hope. The person who states tee case of SkiLbereen thus is
the Rev. Mr. Fitzpatrick, R.C. Admiriqrater. Mr. Alex-
ander O'Driscull, writing from Kihnoc, of melancholy
tame, states that in baggy ground one-third the crop is
black, with some rotten ones. The early-sown crop has
nearly escaped. Mr. Atkins, Csatletowu, li.re haven,
thinks the potatoes are much worse than in '45 and '4O, and
he adds that the early wheat is a good crop, but the late
sown a light one. Tee ace: crop is " very good." The ex-
tensive potato-growing district between Ballyeothn and
Youghal is said, but the writer's name is suppressed, to be
one-third safe, one-ebbe' affected, and one third entirely
decomposed. Thu Limerick paper states that the potato
crop is " irretrievably ruined " and speaks hut bets. Mora
consolatorily of the corn crop. All the pulii•hid ac. mints,
indeed, to-day are most do:mul in their tone; but after all
I am by no means inclined to thick that the Wet° is so
utterly lost. I shall give you my reasons for that belief. A
gentleman as intelligent in all that relates to agriculture as
any man in this country, ore who tries, Is in three of the
four provinces more than any man in it, and soh: se agents
are located in ev:ry Friocipal tiwn, stated to-day that I.e bad
20 letters front various quarters, sod in every case without
exception the state of that crop was described its (resenting
still good grounds fur hope, ard, though atiected, it it as Out
so by any means to such an extent as the printed accounts
would lead us to conclude. In convers.aion to day
with a clergyman from the King's County he in-
formed me that around Tullamore thinks ear:. not 93 Lad
as they were represented, and he added that inasmuch 96 the
quantity sown was double that which lie L d ever known
within his recollection—even a large quantity being lost a
inefficient residue wedd remain. He lest his district yester-
day, acd spoke as to the present condition of the crop. A
gentleman from Majo today that he Lad just returned
from thence, and that certainly th.' disease was not advan-
cing. He spoke of the neighbourhood of Claremorria, adding
that some of his fields had rather recoversd. A gentleman
of the metropolitan county stated to-day that around Dublin
the potato crop would supply the usual consumption until
Christmas. Now, if we reflect that around Dalin the
ground is highly stimulated by rich manure, and that it in
said that in highly cultivated soils the dieter.t has always
shown itself most destructive, we shall be more confident as
to the results elsewhere. Casual trasa Hers, obstrvirg the
complete withering of the stalks, augur a similar destruction
of the crops. But the conclusion is bad. All will, however,
depend 'n the prevalence of good weather. let toikwiug
from the Tipperary Vindicator sustains my own informa-
tion :
" With very few and far between exceptions, all the
potato fields present a black appearance; but we have been
assured that the crop is not so bad as it is judged from the
stalk or haulm, and that in very many fields escellent pota-
toes are found under withered and decayed stalks. At the
'IMP time, that the disease has progressed these can be no
doubt; and that the apprehensions entertained regarding
the entire crop, or at all events the greater portion of it, are
just and reasonable is certain. From the Thurtca, Tern-
plemore, Roecrea, Cashel, Carrick- -n-Suir, and otl,r dis-
tricts, our accounts are of the sime description. From
Moneygall, a correrpontleat says, ' there is ne news here
save the badness of the potatoes. Pt op!e arc mowing the
tops off—more are pulling Ott the stalks, lcavir ca potato
in the ground. In consequence of the consiant rains the
crops in general are in a deplorable state in this neidhbour-
hood.' We may observe, that in no part of Ireland dal the
potato crop look finer than about Mencygall three or four
weeks ago. In fact, the potato fields in that distrtat were
delightful to behold "