The Express.
London, England, 1847-03-10 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, ll•aca R.
While the Irish party in London threaten the New
Poor-law with "the most vigorous opposition," they
are backed at home by the lengthy resolutions of
grand juries, and the fields, meanwhile, call for seed,
which the landlords will not or cannot afford. The
last striking set emanate from the Limerick grand
jury room—adopted with perfect unanimity, as might
have been expected, and authenticated by the chair-
man, Mr. Monsell, a man of intelligence and rank.
The resolutions are not characterised by mach
originality. They attack the Labour Rate Act as
diminishing the Treasury, encumbering property, de-
stroying self-reliance on the part both of owners and
occupiers, demoralising the peasantry, deranging the
active social system, blighting future prospects in the
production of food, and rendering the state of transi-
tion to a more natural system doubtful and dangerous.
Such failures in legislation are ascribed to an imperfect
acquaintance with the peculiar social condition of
Ireland, which never can be properly constituted
until the enactment as well as the subsequent admi-
nistration of laws affecting Ireland are in the hands of
Irishmen only. The first division of the resolutions
—for there are three—closes with an expression of
" deep and heart-felt gratitude for the truly christian
exertions and sacrifices made by the people of Eng-
land for the relief of the famishing poor of this
country."
The second set states the startling fact that the
expenditure at present for the relief of the poor in
the country at large exceeds 20s. in the pound of the
entire value, including, of course, the expenditure on
the :public works. Even so, the statement cannot be
true. The proposed remedy for the evil is, according
to Mr. Monsell, to diminish the area of taxation, so
as to give increased employment; and, what is of
more importance, it is judiciously stated that the
employment of additional labour would be greatly
" encouraged " be giving tenants compensation for
improvements. this proposition was declared at the
meeting of the Slates-General at the Rotunda, but
lhas not been adopted by any other grand jury in
Ireland, except the Limerick grand jury. The com-
plaint of towns as to high rating it is proposed to
alleviate by fixing a limit beyond which no division
should be taxed for its own poor, and the surplus to
be paid by a national rate leviable off property of
every description.
Appended to the Limerick resolutions is the ques-
tion of equalising the poor-law rate, which continues
to occupy the deepest attention in the towns. The
people of Wexford met on Thursday last, the Mayor
in the chair, to protest against the unequal, and to
demand au uniform, mode of rating. As :an instance
of the unjust operation of the present mode of distri-
buting the maintenance of paupers, the Mayor stated
that the electoral division ofWev ford alone maintained
nearly as many paupers as all the other divisions of
the Union. The number of paupers in the house was
571 ; of these the town of Wexford maintained 269.
The rate for the town division was Is. 7d. in the
pound, while that on Lady's Island, which I may add
is quite adjacent to the town, is only 2d.!
This same question of rating is arresting attention
in Sligo; a new rate has just been struck in Sligo
electoral division of 2s. in the pound for the half year,
or 4s. per annum, and it is stated that in other divi-
sions the rate will be 3s. 4d. The taxation of the
town of Sligo at present exceeds 9s. 6d. in the pound.
This is, of course, for all municipal purposes.
The Wexford Independent states that Lord Rath-
downe has ordered his agent to supply all the poor
tenantry on his estate in that county with seed for
the coming crops. The Earl of Erne has behaved
with similar liberality in the North. In the South
the better class of landlords is pursuing the same
judicious course; every where, indeed, the press
announces individual instances of similar liberality.
M. foyer makes one of his experiments to-day.
On Saturday he attended at the Mendicity Institution
to see the preparation of soup. The proportions used
were, I understand, about 60 lbs. of coarse meat to
less than 100 gallons of water. M. foyer considered
the soup good, but declared, that with 12 lbs. of the
same meat ho would make the mama quantity of soup
and of a better quality. His instructions are likely to
be of much value to charitable institutions.
The receipts of the first concert by the United
Musical Societies of Dublin for the relief of the poor
exceeded 400/.

The Repeal Association held its usual meeting today.
Mr. C. MscLoughßn tilled the chair. The proceedings were
not of much interest. A letter was read from Mr. John
O'Connell, announcing that his father would have addresood
the seeociatioo , but that he was leaving London for Hastings
for change of. air. The rent for the week was announced
to be 181. Liu 4d.

SCOTLAND.
EDINBURGH, Mkucid 8.
The power of Scotch parochial boards to relieve the
able-bodied poor has received unexpected confirmation
from Sir George Grey. A memorial having been
sent from Paisley on this matter, Sir George, in his
reply, states, " He is advised that, although the able-
bodied, poor have no right to relief, which they can

'directly make available in law, it is in the power of
the parochial board, at their discretion, and when
circumstances appear to
the
it, to apply the assess-
' m.vnt, and to assess for the relief of the able-bodied
poor:"
TntOe is reviving in Paisley—so much so, that the
relief-coiAmittee expect to be able to cut oft' 200 por-
tions per a'sy of soup kitchen supplies.
The inade 'pate pay of the Edinburgh police force
is probably a orocuring cause of the numerous street
robberies. To serjeants it is ostensibly 18s. a-week ;
to the firet,dass officers, 15a. ; to the second class,
14e. ;to superminvoraries, 12s. Ostensibly, because,
from the sums stated, one shilling is deducted weekly,
in order to give each into the dress peculiar to the
brotherhood. The men have hnd a meeting, for the
purpose of petitioning for an increase.
The proposed legal and general reforms of the Lord
Advocate are giving general satisfaction. Known
only to the profession and to litigants, &c., the cum-
brous forms of Scotch legal procedure do not form
subjects for popular agitation; and hence the pro-
priety of relaxing statutes being introduced when
general politics are quiescent.
There seems little doubt that the scrutiny of proxies
at the late meeting of the Edinburgh and Glasgow
Railway will result in the sanctioning of the with-
drawal of the Sunday trains. Measures are being
taken for a public meeting in Glasgow to petition for
parliamentary interference.
In regard to food riots, Wick is pretty tranquil ; but
at Thurso the military were resisted, and the mob
had to be dealt with at the point of the bayonet.
Ross-shire is again understood to be in an unsettled
state.
Dr. Sieveright, of Markinch, is talked of as the
Moderator of the Free Church Assembly. The Mo-
derator of the Established Church Assembly has not
yet transpired. Lord Belhaven will, it is said, be, u
formerly, the commissioner.

COMMISSION BY TUB LORD LIRUTENANT or KIIICAR..
DIN/L—Ron. I. Arbuthnot to be Vice-Lientenant
COMMISSION DT TUE LORD Lotveaturre or Ark.—A.
Cathcart, Gent., to be Cornet, vice L G. Campbell, »-
signed, of Ayrshire Yeomanry Cavalry.
AGRICULTURE IN THE SCOTCH HIGHLANDS.—Sir,—
Your strictures on Dr. lifackenzie's fancy, that he can eats-
, bllsli Belgian agriculture in a Highland climate, ate mast
proper and well-timed. Dr. Mackenzie is evidently ignorant
of the proper object of agriculture; and by his advocacy
and practice of the allotment system, he betrays that ig-
norance. Let him, and all Highland lairds, be told, that
the of of agriculture, and husbandry in general, is not
the mere sustenance of the cultivator, but to provide food
for the community at large. That is the legitimate object;
and surely it cannot be attained by planting families on two
or three acres of land for each. Supply is wanted, not for
colonies of drones, such as Dr. Mackenzie desires to esta-
blish, but for the industrious artisan. It is absolutely neces-
sary for the sustenance of the manufacturing population
that the land should be cultivated he as few hands as pos-
sible. Tisk is quite clear to any understanding of tolerable
power; but it ur beyond the grasp of a teacher of Belgian
agriculture to people in the North West Highlands. Our
Highland Factor may yet find his allotment colonies some-
what troublesome, when they come to be delivered over to
the heir on his coming of age.—A Nowt)* MA N.
A ROMANCE or STADE Ltra.—Tbe following quotation
from the Glakgoas Pon—long as it is--will repay perusal by
the curious in romances of real life. The drama of the

"Battle of Sedgemoor," was performed at
Theatre, Glasgow, on Tuesday evening, and while the buaie
nee& of the play was going forward, aad while one of the
favourite actresses (Mrs. De Bourgh), was performing her
part, • tall handsome man, with a military air, in the pit,
was observed to look very uneasy for a few minutes, to gaze
earnestly at the stage as if the lady bad engaged his fixed
attention, rising several times from his seat during the
time, until he at length apparently satisfied himself
with his scrutiny—when, to the astonishment of all
around, he exclaimed at the pitch of a stern mili-
tary voice, "My wife, by heaven ! my Eliza!" Not
knowing the reuse of this sudden outburst, the spectator
far a time appeared at a bus whether to treat the affahe
in joke or earnest. Seeing, however, that the gentleman
was perfectly sober, and quite serious in his manner of
addrus, their merriment gave way to wonder and curio-
sity, which was in no degree lessened when it was noted
that the fair actress who had been thus pointedly
addressed had swooned, and required to leave the stags.
The play, however, went on, notwithstanding this,
but the occurrence excited the most marked attention.
On hearing of the matter, Mr. Miller, the manager, at once
proet mit d to the place where the gentleman sat. in order
to aeecrtain the cause of the unlooked-for interruption
that had been given to the evening's entertainment, and
inquired has meaning for the expression be had made use of.
" I tell you," Raid the gentleman, " that lady is my wife,
whom I hare not seen these nineteen years. I have been
abroad, and during that time have not heard from her; I
thought her dead ; and can you wonder I was astonished ? "
" But," Raid the stranger, " Who are you that inquires ? "
Mr. Miller replied that he was lessee of the theatre—that
be had a respect for this lady, who had now been in his
corps dramatiqur for three years, during which her reputed
husband, Mr. De Bourgh, had died, and as he felt an
interest in the reputation of this lady, as well ea for the
good name of all the members of the company, be hoped the
gentleman would not wantonly make a statement to injure
her character. " Married," exclaimed the stranger,
"to another. My Elise married ! ! But I must see her
i immediately, she s still my wife." Mr. Miller asked the
name of the gentleman who said, " sty name is Lewis,
Lieutenant Lewis, Sir. I've come direct from Liverpool
after haring been on foreign service with my boy, her boy,
Sir. He is twenty.two years of age, six feet two inches
high. You shall see him, Sir." Somewhat doubtful and
yet surprised at this recital, Mr. Miller inquired the
maiden name of the lady. " Stanley," saidthe lieutenant,
" Elisabeth Stanley." After there intenoratories, Mr M.
proceeded behind the seems to satisfy himself as to the
truth of the representation, when lhe found it at once
verified by the actual, who had by this time reco-
vered from her faint. And now for the sequel. The par-
ties had a meeting, and such a meeting . our fair readers
may form some idea. After loving embraces and hurried
explanations, during which the lieutenant seemed to have
lived over again his first three years of marriage, the
following statement was elucidated, which was highly
satisfactory to Mr. Miller and the other particle who had the
fortune to be present at the scene: They had married when
young in England—he, at the time, a private soldier, she a
rising member of a theatrical company in the town of —.
The fruit of their union was a tine boy. The regiment was
ordered abroad, and in vain the young soldier applied to
have along with him his loving wife. The stipulated number
of women to go with the regiment had been made up, and,
as a favour, their child, then three years of age, was per-
mitted to accompany has father. They parted, and during
the lapse of 19 years had not seen or heard of each other.
The one believing the other dead, need we wonder at the
remarkable nature of their first encounter? He had risen in
the army by eteadinees and good conduct to the rank of a
lieutenant, and consoled by the company of his boy had not
married. She about eight years alter the departure of the
vessel with the regiment had been positively informed that
her husband had been killed in battle, and else was married
again. The second husband died about eighteen months
ago, and thus ends our strange eventful story. But no, we
are in error, the tale is not yet t, Id. On Wednesday
morning last, accompanied by a respectable body of friends,
the happy pair, both being of the Catholic pi ',suasion, ap-
peared before the Rev, Mr. Gordon, who, after hearing the
penicillin', again formally reunited two whom fortune and
the chances of war had put asunder.