The Express.
London, England, 1849-01-16 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, JAM. 15.
Amongst the questions which will be brought be-
fore the House of Commons in the ensuing session
will be the propriety of abolishing the viceroyalty.
An English member for an important constituency,
connected by property and marriage with Ireland,
intends, be says more stn,, " to make a dash at it."
The proposition is unpalatable to the citizens of
Dublin, who conceive that society here would lose by
i•, and that the metropolis would not be visited in the
season by so many country families. But the general
public of Ireland are perfectly indifferent to the
question of giving up or retaining thelord-lientenancy.
It is thought that the iudges will give judgment of
respondent ouster for Mr. Duffy to-day, and that the
accused will in a few days be brought to trial before a
jury. Mr. Napier, Q-C., spoke with great ability in
his argument on Saturday, but Judge Perrin checked
the learned counsel for employing language of unne-
cessary harshness towards the Attorney-General.
It seems not to be very certain whether Mr. Keogh,
the member for Athlone, will persevere in biinging
forward the endowment of the catholic clergy. That
subject is as little popular here with any great party
as in England. The landowners are not in favour of
it, and the popular organs cry out against it
Poor-law reform, in all its branches, is still the
chief topic of discussion in this country. It would be
amusing (were not the matter too serious for sport)
to contrast the opposite views and contradictory
ideas of the professed reformers of the poor law.
There would, probably, be a greater outc'y amongst
the gentry, only for the number amongst them who
are looking for place under the system. A pro-
vincial journal recently stated that on the list
of candidates for the office of vice-guardians,
there were the names of a thousand magistrate...
This, of course, is an exaggeration ; but, in
some parts of the country there have been gentle-
men of high name and great pretensions who have
condescended during the present crisis to accept offi-
cial relief in the shape of a salary of two hundred and
fifty pounds. As many of the paid vice-guardians
perform their duties they must often experience " the
sharp convulsive pangs of agonising pride." Cer-
tainly the crumbling of the old structure of society in
this country is a most extraordinary moral spectacle.
Upon the results of this social revolution it is almost
; presumptuous to speculate.
An express edition of the Cork Reporter, of Satnr-
t day. contains an account of a very important meeting
. held at bkibbereen, of famine zotoriety, concerning
• the working of the poor law and reproductive em-

ployment. The meeting wu very respectably at.
tended by the chief representatives of the local public,
and assumed no partisan character. The titivation o.
a discriminating rate was brought under the conside-
ration of those assembled.

The Tipperary Board of Guardians were distaissed
last week by a sealed order of the poor-law commis-
sioners, fur refusing to strike a rate including the re-
payment of the Treasury advances. The average an-
neal rata tor the last three years of the famine was
less than 2.4. in the pound. It is said the vice-guard-
ians will now lay on a rate of Ss. in the pound.

THE STATE PROSECU LIONS.
CoIIYISSION OOURT.—SATURDAY.
Tut QoszN v CHARLES GAVAN DUTPY.—This day was
fixed tor Destine, the arguments of counsel on both sides as
to whether the judgment of the °oust should be final against
Mr. Duffy, or wit:Aber he should be allowed to plead to the
indictment. Mr Duffy having been placed at the bar,
The S Jlicitor• General argued that the kidgment shouldlbe
conclusive, riot teat the prisoner was not entitled to respon-
eat (nate; Aner citing many authorities in supl ors of
his view ut the law, the S.Aicitor General concluded by sub-
mitting t bat, ex th, demurrer was ruled against the prisoner,
he stood cAivie-d in point of law, and that nothing remained
but to prtn.nunc., such sentenc 3 as the nature of his offence
warranted.

Mr. Napier, Q C., replied for the defence, and conk ndsd—
withou a -ingle decision from the earlien time, without a
single avec. d rat •., warrant such a course, the court was
now called up is, for the first time, to make a decision on the
admicia.ra.i. th - criminal law that mutt., from its nature,
be praiielieial t.. r.,e fair administration of justice. Parts of
the in uctment would be prejudicial to the prisoner, if he pro-
ceeded to trail en it. If he had counsel to a. Piet ►im in
matten of law. it was their duty, and that of the court, to
see that he s not embarrassed by pt ading to the indict.
ment, end they would be perfectly warranted In submitting
the question .o. the opinion of the sort; yet it wu con-
tended that if that was done In a case of felony, where a man
might b transported for life, and the cr .wn could not
wrigule out of the matter by endeavouring to establish
a distinction between capital and other Pees, for hero
was no inetion, if a man's etunsel submitted that
quanta's for the o •anion of the court, it was contended by the
crown that he did so at his peril, and that if his counsel
made a tni.tak.. in pleading, he would lose hie ik or hb-rty.
That was the hold and monstrous proposition put forward
on the part of ; i.e crown. He ref-Iced, fur the honour of
the la e. tt,..t was the lint time any prosecutor dared to
put furor.' d aw h a proposition.
Mr. Ju tie,. Perrin said it was better to argue the case
calmly, and tot make u eof such language, which was not
peon. r.
Mr. Napier acknowledged the patience and propriety
evinced by the court throughout the cue ; hut he felt that
he was en: itled to state his opinion of the mode in which
tkeprosecuti ni was conducted.

M. Justice. Perrin observed, the up to the present the
cue had hrn c..nducted without the use of onk ctionable •
langu.ue, and i.e roped the same proper course would be
continued till i s conclusion.

Mr. Napier pre*, tided to sebmit his view of the law appli-
cable to the case. and quoted several authoriti.s in ripposi-
tio t to those alitue.M by the Solicitor and Attorney General.
Whether in the ancient or modern law, according to the opi-
nion of text writers, the statute or common -mow. it would
be etc reg. OM t 0 tit trip a man be suer his counsel, in think-
ing the I.w in his f .roar, took the opinion 0' the conrt as
to the autliciedey of tee indictment. The Attorney-
General inns ht say he told the prisoner that he would
ask f r anal judgment if the question on the demurrer was
in favour of th crown. Bat the question WAS, were the
prisner's counsel to he prevented from taking the. opinion of
t:te court on tee in•letment, or were they run the risk of
seeing their client transported if be wee not estate, or letting
toe case go to trial on an indictment not properly framed.
Counsel subtnitt. d that it would be a very strong C .use to
estahlish them new decision asked here by the crown. for it
would he a new deeision. Whatever douhts might be ex-
lress..d in the books, it would be a strong thing for their
ordship., notwithstinding their desire to do what was right
&cording to law, to make a new decision °tiptoed to the
eptnion of judges a. el text writers, and inconsistent with
reason and jusice. item should express his reoret it any ob-
servatioid. fed from him that were inconsistent with pro-
oriety ; hut he lioneirly onnfessed he did lied the. the pro-
ceeding agailet the rid:voter was novel snit harsh, aid when
a 111311 f. I strongly and warm on a auhj• v, he t:pressed
him...lt 84. N.. doubt the Attorney-Gate-rat felt he was
right in pressing the matter as he did ; but he (Mr. N elder)
could nut evrii.l s that there well an • 'tempt to estxt‘lish
in this ea., a novel precedent:, that there was no decision to
warrant such a .cred•net, and that it might ho most em-
batrasititt end prejudicial to the rights of the prisoner.
Mt. Butt. Q C., to:lowed on the same ride.
The Attorney-General leaving replied on behalf of the
=WS,
Judge Perrin said that, after conferring with the Re-
corder, he mend triey c.nld not have the court on Moeda,. ;
no Timmer the Court of Queen's Bench would have to de-
clare a very important judgment ; and on Wednesday the
judge woul,t have a meeting to choose their circuits and
maid."' a most iniportsw question (tom the county Cnrk re-
garding the Board of Works ; therefore they could not give
judgment in this case before Tim uraday.
The eonsuitioe adjourned to Thur,day at 11 o'clock.

PRlrwr• —The Lawrie* Reporter says that some
of the prisms e.f the diocese of Kerry are in such • state of
destituuote, that they would abandon their perishes, but fur
the asalstance given to them by the bishop.
THY. WR, CA OF TOP. BARUCH CEYLON WAS • nounced
some dile •takee in this paper. 'ome pat iculara of that dis-
tressing event are communicated to the Cork Southern Re-
porter, by te reesenger named Arch. Cochran t--•• 1 wish
to states few of the pa-ticular, of the ewe, on the 7th inst.,
of the barque Ceylon, commanded by Captain Le Fenn,
bound from Glativow to New York with is heavy general
cargo, .a crew of 19, and 2.5 passengers, with a list of the our-
vivues and t. oat olio met with an marl oily end ; the ew
talo and mate, Mr. John Win. Barry, of your city, being is
very delicate state of health from their exertions, the latter
6eing washed overboard twice, and only saved by the nuts
in attempting to swim from the wreck when all the sur-
view a were landed De centher ri.h, soled from the
Clyde, mud on the 9th loin bulwark, and a boat in
heavy gale from 8.8. W. to 8.8. E., which moderated
until the 16th December, when we were again struck
by a heavy sea, carrying away the lore channels
and springing the foremast; it modersttd for •
shnrt tour, and then commenced with repeats 1 fury,
winbiug the dreks clear, the ship labouring end making
water. The car *in and officers (the rest of the crow being
laid up) . °newt. d ler the gaiety of the vessel end passenger,
and bore up. Tee mate, Mr. Rem, with the passenger,
agreed to pump the ship and to divide themselves into two
watches. We eontinued to gain on it until the 20th ult.,
when it increased with the gale, which carded awry the
foresail and to, sails from the yards. The top.gallant-mast
and other yards erre towered to ease the curl until the
26th. Tne weather then moderated, and a heavy fog sprung
op. We wen not able to see hcf the 1-ngth of the vessel.
Fresh sails were then set, and we cantieuett to go on until
Sunday night last, at 7 o'clock, when the reckoning being up
at 8, to melte tile land the ship was hove to. The weather clear-
ing, th • mute went aloft, but came down without being able to
see land. After remaining sometime on di ck the Galley Read
appeared under our lee, the wind haul.ng round from the
.uth. The vessel broke off, and breakers were then din
eivtred a- head ; they then tried to tack to the westward,
the wind sill veering, and the ship bee' mlng unmanageable
before the got round, struck on the Cro leer's Ruck The
enchor er.s then let go to keep her steady, the sea breeking
over, ano the yesest snaking water fast. The captain and
mate then got the three boata ready, and divided the crew
in them, but the sea and wind continuing, they were only
able to get three women into them, when the vessel broke
up, killng eensal pour creatures. The rest were packed
up by the back tne captain and mite se uraging the
sailors by their example, and at the risk of their lives, to
exert themselves in saving the *theta They are de-
serving our most lasting gratitude for te.eir kind.
MU all through, and particularly at that critical
time. Passengers saved—Arch. Cochran, R. Johnson, J.
Catalog and War, J Rankin, J. Stephenson, Rachael Dick-
son, Rhzabeth M.Cullagh, Alexaeder Caldwell, and two
sons. —Peasengere lost stargaretTaldwell, Matthew Lyons,
Jane Short %eel b ty, Mary Shore and child, Matthew Flana-
gan, Mary Fain...ran, James Wilson, Maraaret Wilson, John
Bowl, Peter Dillon, John Johnson, William M'Cullagh,
Anne Crane, two children of Mrs. Canasta, John M'Ke-
veron, Be.fast, ship's apprentice, Edward Boyd.

PROVINCIAL.
LANCASHIRE.
MANCHESTER COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION.—Yester-
day the mental general meeting ef the numb, rs of this aro-
eiatiou was held at their rooms, King street, and was very
numerously attended. J. A. Turner,-Req., president of the
uFalciatiOn, took the chair, and, alter a tow opening remarks,
called upon the secretary (Mr. li. Fierain--) to r, ad the re-
part of the transactions for the put year. 'I he report entered
at length into a statement of the various sub.ects which had
engaged the attention of the board, a considerable portion
bung devoted to the East India cotton quut on, in which
such en interest had been always taken by the ass elation. it
was stet, d that during the [pet year upwards of 1,700 bales
of cotton, of • greatly improved quality, imported from
various quartets of India, had been consigned by the com-
pany to the sieretary of the association for axle; that public
attention had been care ully directed to each shipment as it
arrived,ancl in every cue satisfactory prices had been obtained.
An amount wee also given ef the cottage saw-gin, constructed
under the direction of the board for introduction amongst
the natives of India as an improved and cheep means of
cleaninst cotton. A table of the results of the comparative
workings of the couture gin, the hand-gin, and the
cheeks, from the pen of Mr. J. Petrie, engineer in the own-
service, was read, showing the results to be greatly in
favour of the former instrument, the cottage gin. It was also
stated that the Rut India Company had ordered 200 cattaie
gins to be furnished with all possible despatch, so as to be in
readiness for the crop of the next season. The rep ,rt con-
duct, d by briefly reviewing the events of the past year, and
stated that unmistakeable evidence was afforded of the re-
turn of more prosperous times. Thanks were voted to the
retiring directors, and to the chairman, and +he proceedings
dosed.
5T,0131 IN MORECAMBE BAY.—Last week witnessed
a most severe storm and • higher tide than has been known
for army years. On Wednesday lasi the gale rose toe per-
feet hurricane, and the high tide occasioned serious damage
to the works of the Furness Railway, near Barrow, and also
to the embankment between Roe Isle and the main land.
The force of the water rushed over the embankment, and
ripped up and carried away the upper pavement on the west
side to a great extent. In some pkces the rails and sleepers