The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-10 00:00:00

IItELAND.

Drnhtwi SEPT. 9.
Mr. John Francis Maguire has only got himself
deeper into the mire by his reply to the letter of
Mr. Commissioner Murphy, the latter gentleman
having addressed to the editor of the Cork Reporter
a second letter, much more damaging to Mr. Maguire
than the former one, as it unequivocally charges him
with offering to sell his support to the government
11 for the consideration of getting Mr. O'Flaherty's
petition against him withdrawn. The following is
Mr. Murphy's second letter:
Sir,—l trust lam too much of a gentleman to bandy the
"lie" with Mr. Maguire. Ile admits my facts, and then
seeks to raise a false issue. Ile assumes that the equivalent
I allude to is contained in his letter written from Cork.
The equivalent was offered two months bef;re, when he
requested me to crave the interference of Mr. Ilayter,
and authorised me to assure him that he would not oppose
the government. Ito will now understand the phrase
about "hawks picking out hawk's eyes," us one supporter
was clearly as good fur the government as another. When
Mr. O'Flaherty and his friends refused to accede to Mr.
May-tees request, alleging as a reason that Mr. Mannae
had broken his solemnly pledged word to Mr. O'Flalferty,
in 18.52, it was then supposed that the Duke of Newcastle
would he more successful. Did Mr. Maguire retract what
he authorised me to state to Mr. Raper ? Stitt ly, unless
the man was a fool, he could not suppose that I would ask
the Duke of Newcastle to interfere for a political oppo-
nent. As to what he says abut the income taa, that is
immaterial. Many staunch friends of government opposed
that proposition.—l sin, sir, your obedient servant,
Cork, Sept. 8, 1883. F. S. MURI'IIY.
Another correspondence on the same subject is
carried on in the columns of the Freeman and else-
where, by Mr. Greene, M.P., who accuses Mr.
Maguire of having suppressed in his public statement
a portion of tbiscompact with Mr.O'Flahertv,namcly,
the concluding clause in which he pledged himself
to accept the Chiltern Hundreds, in the following
terms :—" I solemnly declare and promise that no
circumstance whatever shall prevent me from fulfil-
ling this obligation, which, as a man of honour, I am
bound under every contingency to discharge." Thua
clearly showing that Mr. O'Flaherty's acceptance
of office did not redeem him from the pled,ge. Alto-
gether the affair presents no very favourable picture
of parliamentary life.
In the South Dublin hoard of guardians yesterday
a resolution to the effect that the school for the
Roman catholic children should be placed in con-
nexion with the national education system was car-
ried with only one dissenting voice.
The Exhibition buddirg yesterday was nume-
rously and fashionably attended, the total number of
visitors being 8,816, and the receipts at the doors
satisfactory. By the permission of the Secretary at
War, the commandant of the Royal Hibernian Mili-
tary School will be enabled to send a very large pro-
portion of the boys of their admirable school to ace
the Exhibition. This will be the first opportunity
of their marching through the city with " colours
flying." The Marchinuees of Drogheda provided free
tickets for the children of her schools OA in number)
to the National Exhibition.

The Northern I{%n/ has the fallowing note on
harvest affairs:

Banbridge, Sept. 6,1853.—The weather during the week
has been warm and dry, and has brought a large quantity
of the oat crop beneath the operation of the glade. It should
have been favourable to the putatoc crop; but, with all in
their favour, it is to be feared they are giving way—nnt, I
trust, to the extent reported by "rumour with her thou-
sand tongues; " the stalks are blackened, and some of the
tubers are tainted, but there is • great crop of them this
season, and, should we lose one-filth or one-sixth of thein,
there will be a better crop than we bud since 1841, and the
bad of the crop will feed pigs, and such are now a high-
priced article of commerce. The oat crop will be a light
one, but well-eared. On the whole, the prospects of the
country are pretty cheering.