The Express.
London, England, 1861-11-12 00:00:00

SIB SOBER? P.M IN SLIGO.

Sir Robert and Lady Emily Peel, accompanied
by Sir Hoary Brower*, laspector-posral of constabulary,
arrived at Sligo from Balboa at twelve o'clock on Saturday,
en route to the earth, and put up at the Imperial Hotel.
At three o'clock • deputation from the Sligo corporation
waited we Sir Robert Pad, to present him with an address,
of which we subjoin • copy, maim Sir Robert's reply :

: -
" The corporation of Hito to express their gratifi •
cation at your visit to the est oe Ireland. The name you
bear Is Hear to the people of this thus , and your own
independent course commands their appeobstioe.They are
not unaware that in many instances., regardless of party
ties and personal Wrap, yeti have sited is the
with your unbiassed coavicitioz. The corporation consists
of members of all parties, religions, and classes, and its urea.
nimity is a proof that the Irish people plies coulldenos to
your uprights's, and honesty of purpose. As repots the
district with which wp are connected, we ate happy to be
able to tell you that, notwithstanding the partial Ware of
the potato crop, there will sot be any great distrees wath
of food. The trade of Sligo is daily illolllllog. There is
full employment for all dame of our town pope/atlas at
lour own ex without ever receiving owe ffaarrtthhiing of
public money. We have anode great impwsaasto in our
harbour, so that vessels dnwleg Maras feet of water can
reach our quays, and ships of the Lrpettoanage and greatest
draft cif water can safely amber at =triune of our river.
The mereantileiaterest ask math* but be be left thane.
In 11347, while, no doubt, moth relief was given, them were
lathy great abuses in the expeoffiture of public mosey ; the
commissariat had refused to sell err part with say potties
of its food stores, although called on by public bodies
here while provisions were scarce and prices high
when the famine had dose its work and ample
supplies had been imp rted, then entered into competition
with the merchants, shut the market, reduced the prima of
food to one-third of the cost, and ruined the enterprising
importers. While we can most truly assure you that in
this town and neighbourhood we do not apprehend any
severe pressure of want, we know that in the backward
parts of this country and along the mountain ranges where
the farms are small sad the land poor, there meet be great
distress. To supply a sufficiency of importers' food the
mercantile interest ie fully able ; aod already 'Argo quanti-
ties have been beought into this poet ; but we hope the wis-
dom of the government will devise some mode to "sable
those poor people to acquire the means of purchasing, as
there is little employment in the districts we refer to, and
there limenot been enough on the grated to feed them. We
would be most anxious that you could spare time to look at
our bay. without a bar, and land-locked harbour—a bosh
industrious, and comfortable population in the district—a
thriving and prosperous town—and you can judge for vow-
ed( whether any other than political influence caused an-
other town in this province which you have lately visited to
be the settee( collegiate edumtion and a transatlantic packet
statics. We cannot conclude without expressing our best
wishes for the health and happiness of Lady Emily Peel on
her Ant visit to this part of Ireland.
" (Signed) " ABRAHAM m Doßa, Mayor.
"Sligo, Nov. 9, 1860."
Sir Router Pret. returned the following -teply :—Mr.
Mayor end gentlemen, I am exceedingly touched by the
kind manlier in which you have welcomed me on the eon-
aim of my visit to this important commercial towu, because
Tam aware that perhaps with respect to Galway it maks
next is Importance in the province of Coothoght. I was
glad to hear from the gentlemen who read the address, that
the apprebensioo of distress in your Immediate locality is
not such as we are led to meows by pertain reports which
reached the executive in Dublin ; at the PAM MIMS I have
DO doubt now, after having traversed • very extensive
range of country within the last three days, about three
hundred miles, on an outside car with my friend Sir
Henry Brownrigg, who, I am sure, is in a condition to
know much better than any MO in the country the pe-
trifies, and he bas given me valuable information, for
which I feel deeply indebted to him, besides much I ob-
tained from persons of the state of things as I came along
—I must admit that I have seen in districts through which
I passed the effects of a boil harvest and the inclement
weather. But much of that I confidently believe—such
is the public spirit of those residing in those districts, and
such the feeliog that animates the landed proprietors in the
surrounding country— that nothing approaching that serious
elate of things which afflicted this country and marred
its progress some years ago, is likely to arise. At
the same time whatever may devolve on the execu-
tive of the country fairly and honestly will be treated
with so far as it can consistent)) with the public interests ;
and, in fact, so desirous have I been to perceive the evict
condition of things, that I have, at this very inclement sea.
moo. traversed the country to see with my own eye and hear
with my own ear the state of affairs that prevails. As I
have stated I have gone over a lane tract of country,
and have witnessed great improvement in some parts,
and in some great want—want, I mean, of that energy
which distinguished the district between &Rica and
Sligo; and I most say it is with extreme gratification
that I have seen during my route the evident progress
which ie influencing the agricultural interests in ge-
neral of this part of the country, and which I believe
may, in a great degree, be attributed, not to any indivi-
dual exertion alone, but to the good example of Sir
Robert Gore Booth, and that of his illustrious chief, under
whom I have the honour to serve, Lord Palmerston. (Hear.)
I believe be holds considerable property in this country,
and in this town ; and it is with pleasure I remarked, not-
withstanding what we may have heard, whether in the
House of Commons or his own little borough, he is not more
beloved than in this town. I must say that in coming to
this town I did not anticipate the honour you have done me. '
I felt it deeply ; I did not expect that I had merited it at
present, at least the honour you have dope me in giving mo
a welcome to your town; but I will endeavour to do my
duty, and hope to merit it in the future. The time is happily
gone by when that impassable lice, religious feeling, prevented
this country from prodecing that state of things and holding
that position which she is evidently entitled to hold.
The right hoc. gentleman having declared it his determi•
nation to discharge the duties of his office irrespective of
creed, said he was sorry to see that there was in Ireland a
disposition hostile to her Majesty's present government, but
assured them that, as regarded hely, the hatemune which
had been pursued by Lad Palmerston 's government, and the
policy of Lord Jobs Russell, would be adopted by Lord
Derby, if he CUM illio power, end he (Sir R. Peel) ac-
quiesced ha that itolley of non-intervention which had bees
carded out and concluded. Sir Robert again thanked the
deputation, who then withdrew.