The Express.
London, England, 1847-05-25 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, Max 23.
The accounta in the London joumals received to-
day, announcing the death of Mr. O'Connell, caused
the utmost excitement, surprise, and sorrow. In-
stant inquiries were made in all quarters where ac-
curate intelligence was supposed likely to be acquired,
and the tendency of those inquiries confirmed the
worst aspect of the intelligence.
Mr. Watson, the object of the recent murderous
outrage at Killaloe, died on Friday last at seven
o'clock in the evening, having remained perfectly in-
sensible to all but pain up to the moment of his death.
The mime to which he has fallen a victim is a fright-
ful one, and terrible must be the retribution, for
though strict in the enforcement of the duties which
devolved on him as agent, his dispositions are believed
to have been most kind, considerate, and humane.
Government has issued a proclamation, offering 1001.
reward for the conviction of the murderers; and the
magistrates of Clare have called a meeting to consider
the circumstances of the attack, and to offer a reward
tor the conviction of the perpetrators.

SCOTLAND.
EDINBURGH, MAT 22.
After the protracted war that has been waged be-
tween the established and free churches of Scotland,
in courts civil and ecclesiastical, through the press,
and in pulpits and platforms, it is gratifying to be able
to state that there is now a prospect of belligerent
appliances being laid aside, and the more peaceful and
christian agency of negotiation adopted. It has al-
ready been mentioned in the Express, that pre-
vious to the disruption of the establishment, 173
chapels were built by voluntary subscription, at a oust
of 303,7471. 1 le. 2141., the greater part of which was
raised by the free church section, who afterwards
seceded, on the faith that the church had the power to
invest the clergymen of those edifices with the func-
tions ordinarily appertaining to parochial ministers,
such as sitting and voting in church, courts, &c.—a
consummation which subsequent legal decisions has
shown to be ultra sires. The free church now claim
as a matter of equity that these chapels should be re-
tained by them, subject to the refunding of such sums
as the members of the establishment, who have
not seceded, may have contributed to the expense
of their erection. This proposal is quite in keeping
with the spirit of the Dissenters' Chapel Act, passed
We sanction of the two leading parties in parlia-
meld. The Free Chinch has embodied this proposal
' in a memorial to government : but besides this, they
have submitted it to the established assembly, and
offered to compromise the matter with them on what
they thus reckon an amicable basis. It would be a
graceful act on the part of the establishment were this
proposal entertained. The law as it presently exists
is must probably in their favour ; but might is not
always nght ; and seeing that some of those chapels
are Indifferently filled for want of establishment
hearers, that others are shut up from the entire ab-
sence of worshippers, and that most of them are liable
in large sums toseceding creditors—a prudent conside-
ration of these circumstances would point to policy
and arbitration instead of law and ejectments.
From the proceedings of the Sites' thmreittee,
it is to be feared that a parliamentary discussion of
the free church memorial would not promote har-
mony ; whereas, were the two communities to agree
to a common method of settlement, parliament would
have little hesitation in confirming it, and Scotland
might soon expect to see its ecclesiastical divisions
abating in their asperity, and passing away.
A requisition to Lord John Hay to stand for
Greenock is now in course of signature. The friends
of Mr. Alexander Dunlop are also on the alert. For
the county of Haddington Mr. Welford is announced
as coming forward, under the auspices of the Anti-
Game-Law Association. The Hon. F. Charteris, sou
of Lord Elcho, is also a candidate. Mr. Morison is
again to stand for Clackmannan.
Roman catholic children will be excluded from the
Edinburgh industrial schools, as the directors have re-
solved on scripture instruction, founded on the autho-
rised version of the Bible.

BTRNB AND THIS SCOTCH PARATHHABBS.—The question
whether Burns or Logan was the author of the best emen-
dations of the Scotch paraphrases has toured an Ossianic
controversy on a small scale. Briefly, the question stands
thus. On minute comparison the handwriting in the manu-
script is fully more like the caligraphy of Logan than Burns;
but the poetic beauty of the emendations is more likely to
have proceeded from Burns than Logan. 'this. however,
being a reserved point, namely, whether it is not possib.e
that a man may correct, although he may not be ►ble to
originate, poetry. Burns's son at Dumfries believes the cite.
rations to have been his father's. As to Logan's literary die.
honesty, it is on one point established beyond doubt. In
1781 he published as his composition, the paraphrase now
commencing—
.° Gcd of Bethel, by whose hand."
That paraphrase was sanctioned by the assembly's committee
in 1751, and being written several years before was necessa-
rily in existence previous to the birth of Logan, which took
place in 1748. As to the " Ode to the Cuckoo," Michael
Bruce, the unchallenged author of the 'trees oa Spring,"
was quite capable of writing it; but giving Logan the benefit
of the paternity of all the poetry published under his name,
there is nothing io his volume that approaches to that
"ode." During his lifetime he attempted to interdict the
publication of this piece as the composition of Bruce, hut he
could not establish the authorship to the satisfaction of the
legal authorities of the day.
PRZTISNDTD SNIPWRECIL.—In reference to the alleged
destruction of the Greenock, of Port Glasgow, by tire, as
given in the /nrerness Courier, the John o' Groot Journal
remarks: We strongly suspect the Inrerneasians bare been
hoaxed in this case. A few days ago several sailors, answer.
Ina the given description, went through our streets singing,
but they soon found it convenient to make themselves scarce,
as peep/e began to be too inquisitive. We suspect they
belong to the same squad. No such vessel en the Greenock,
of Port Glasgow, h u arrived here, nor his any part of a
shipwrecked crew been put ashore.