The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-19 00:00:00

IRELAND.

Thirteen young men, who had been quietly prae-
Using military exercises in the rear of a house in
Ship-street, were seized last night by the police
and committed to custody. The charge entered
against the d:hulants was for " unlawfully assem-
bling and practising military exercises." 'lhe secre-
tary of a rifle club was present at the inauspicious
gathering. A search for papers was made, but none
of consequence were discovered. It appears the thir-
teen formed a drilling section of a rifle club, presided
over by the editors of the Unittql Irishman. Their
military propensities had for some time been under
the notice of the authorities, and had just reached a
point at which it was deemed expedient to interfere.
A report is appended of the inquiry to-day at the
head police-office, when the thirteen were fully com-
mitted to trial fur drilling, training, and exercising
to arms.
The police authorities yesterday put a stop to the
rifle practice on the North-strand, w here, as usual,
the " national guard " muster% d in full force, for the
purpose of drilling, &c. With the exception of one
or two remonstrants against the order, the men of
war quietly reversed arms and marched peaceably
home.
Contrary to general expectation, there was no =-
usual display in Conciliation-hall to-day. The omis-
sion of " O'Connell's memory" from the list of toasts
at Saturday's soiree, had angered the members for
Limerick and Tralee, which, combined with the fra-
ternisation of moral and physical force, and the perils
of falling within the Convention Act through the
council of three hundred, has, it is said, estranged
the real Old Irelanders, and must inevitably lead to
the secession of the O'Connelle. To-day, however,
matters assumed a less menacing appearance. Lord
Miltown spoke at great length; so did the Rev. 1)r.
Miley, who impressively warned the people against
violence of any kind. Mr. John O'Connell commenced
a review of his parliamentary conduct at half-past 4,
and had not ended before post hour. Up to that time
there were no indications of attack on either side.
Messrs. O'Brien, Mitchell, and Meagher were to
apply by counsel to-morrow for leave to appear by
attorney, an omission on their part which might have
been easily remedied on the informations having been
sworn. The court would concede the favour if the
Attorney-General consent.

ARREST OF MEMBERS OF A RIFLE CLUB.
Bean Pottes-orrice, DVDLIN.—The avenues leading to
this office were thronged ti.day in consequence of a charge
being pet down for hearing against thirteen individuals, for
having violated the 60th Geo. 111., e. 1, sec. I. At one
o'clock the magistrates (Messrs. Magee, Port. r, and Wyse)
took their seats on the bench, but the proceedings did not
commence for come time, in consequence of the absence of
Mr. Kenimis, who (with Mr. Bourne) were solicitors for the
crown. Messrs. Baldwin, Q.C., and Perrin were for the
crown. The board-room was crowded, and several lawyers
and other gentlemen were present—amongst them were
Messrs. O'Hea, Doheny, Mitchel.
At ball-past one the following prisoners were placed at the
bar :—Patrick Gogarty, Andrew English, Patrick Kelly,
John O'Brien, John Brennan, Michael Murphy, Bernard
O'Sullivan, Peter Decoy, Patrick Farrell, Chas. M'Namara,
Wm. M•Namars, Frederick Bridgeman, and Wm. Ball.
The charge was set forth as follows—" With unlawfully as-
eembling and practising military movements in a house, in
the rear of Great Ship-street, in the parish of Saint Bridget,
contrary to the statute."
Luke Prender examined by Mr. Perrin : Ii
a sergeant of
the metropolitan police charged the prisoners at the her
ce
with unlawfully assembling for the purpose of drilling and
going through military exercise, and further charged Gogarty
with drilling them. Went last night (Sunday) at near ten
o'clock to the house, No. 11, Great Ship-street, through
which he passed into a yard, at the ead of which was a step
ladder, leading to a large loft which had been a workshop,
and found the apartment lit with candles, and several men
exercising. Saw flotsam drilling them. Heard him tell
the persons to " fall in," to " stand at ease," " atten-
tion." and using other military terms.—Craesexaminedt
How many persons were :hire present'?—Prender: I
should say about fifteen. There were twelve exer-
cising, and Gogarty drilling them. There were a few boys
there, one of whom, quite a child, said he was the brother of
English, and he (Prender) let them go.—Where there any
arms there?—Prender said there were not, to his own know-
ledge.—Mr. Porter asked Prender how lung he was in the
room I—Presider : Not many minutes. He saw them " fall
in," "stand at ease," &c. Sent constable Hilliard (who
accompanied him, for the police, and had them all arrested.
Mr. O'llea : Were you ev, r drilled yourself?—Prender : I
was.—Mr. Porter : Did you hear or witness anything else 1—
Prender Not on that oecaston.—Mr. Porter : Did they fall
in line i—They did.— Mr. Purer: Did you ever see these
proceedings before 1-1 did, mi Friday night last.—Mr.
l'urter asked witness did be see any of the present prisoners
on that occasion ?—Prender replied that he could not take
upon himself to say that he had seen the ethers, but swears
to sr
0'
Mr. 0' ea argued that any previous transaction could not
be brought forward to use in ref. react to this case.
Mr. Porter said no time bad been mentioned in the in-
formation against these men.
Mr. °lieu said it was very wrong that it should be so. It
was a gross breach of the law not to specify the time, con-
cerning which the offence was charged.
After some further conversation between Messrs. O'Hea,
Doheny, and Porter, the latter said, the question confined
itself to this, whether he should send the case to trial for
drilling, training, and exercising to arms?? Weirs. O'Hea
and Doheny again pressed their view of the case.
Prender's examination was resumed. Re produced sere.
ral papers found upon the prisoners Gogarty and English.
On Gogarty was found a paper en which were drawn the
figures of pike heads and pike handles. (The papers were
handed round ; and the witness caused much laughter by
eating, in reply to a question from Mr. O'Hea, that the
figures were no " diagrams" at all, but pike heads and pike
handles, nothing else.) In answer to Mr. Baldwin, Premier
said he was banded four or five other papers by Englith,
who acted as secretary to the club. [These papers consisted
of lists of contributions to the riffs club, lists of named, and
small sums of money ; no Immo.
papers, but the words '•
Another paper contained
in which it appeared
latter.
Mr. O'Hea here said
IN THE ENGLISH BOItOUGHS, culated to blow up bet
Six having 1,573 registered elect•ns, send twelve repre- (Laughter.) He would
sentatives to parliament : whilst sr other cities and boroughs to a dancing school I—Pr
with 79,524 registered electors tr.dy send the Name number of Yet in all dancing schools
representatives. In the UV, six boroughs the population similar amnia's.

1)lo. of Llootors.

iu.564
23.593
33.332

403.494
80.807

464.101

Abdract of 114 Cosaleaned p 17.473.7 a) Elocmr+ 464,01
253
Abdrut '43l' B"r'ughM Population 6.855.952 and Electors 348834
4..5 Members-

T0ta1.... CM

812.%36

INo. at lascioni.

14,649
1,309
31.333

317,290
31,646

I 309 0,64M962 406 i 348,831
Being in. Lreat Idtrindolpeter. to 4 mdttlei of 20 yrs and upwards.
Or 1 Elector to every 7 Males of 40 y and upwl'r'do the United
Marion, - - - -

The analysis made in 1836, by a committee of the House
of Commons, and stated to the house in their " Report on
Election Expenses" in that year, proves that 331 members
of the House of Commons were elected by 151,492 electors.
The total number of electors registered that year in the
United Kingdom was 956,272, and the number of adult
males of 20 years and upwards, by the census of 1831, was
6,148,468. Thus one-sixth of the electors, and leas than one-
fortieth of the adult male population, have the power of
mating laws to bind the other five-sixths of the electors, and
the other 39-lortietbs of the adult male population.
Let these facts be explained to the electors, and I think it
would be impossible that much a state of the representation of
the people in the Commons' house of parliament should long
be endured. And the inequality of the number of electors in
counties and boroughs is so great, that it ought to be pointed I
out to every man whom the Complete Suffrage Union shall
endeavour to convert to the principles of reform and free
trade. I subjoin abstracts of the number of electors in seve-
ral counties, cities, and boroughs of the United Kingdom,
that are worthy of the attention of the council, in proof of
the view I have submitted to them. In the counties of Eng-
land, the following three, having only 8,677 registered
electors, elect six members, whilst three other counties, with
62,189 electors, send only the tame number of repre-
sentatives.
ENGLISH COUNTIES.

INo. of male'
:bove
2

No. of
Electors in
1839-40.

m.i.,..

liuniingdongure
EMI
Rutland..hFe .

11,453
4,633
1%432

Watmorel Dd...

Total

26,441

Kiddlari

rancsshire .
Yorkshire W.

o. of males
above
20 yeara

li.T.s.

63,23$
9.1,184
166,146

ToisL

SIS Sep

2,624
1,373
4,490

No. of
Electors in
1131140.

13,919
.111,1411
30,123

62,119

r ; no purpose was mentioaed in these I 1
is " Rifle Club" were printet.t top.)
Lined a list of receipitandiespenditure,
KI that Gs. 6d. •wu the =teat* the
Id that VC/A tor a tiUsly ataebtti
her hisjegy's government in Ireddid.
mid wish ,oast Prender did Ito ever go
—Prender I.gd he did notlrtift. 0'040:
hook and Othias the ock4ioaspaVauglat
j,\.