The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-11 00:00:00

IRELAND.

PRECURSOR SOCIETY-.-MR. O'CONNELL AND Ma. PURCELL.
—At the weekly meeting of the Society last Tuesday, the
object of which appears to have been the formal denial of cer-
tain statements or inuendos made by Mr. Purcell in a pub..
lished letter, regarding Mr. O'Connell the " Liberator,"
and the Society's funds, Mr. Callaghan read the following
report of the trustees, which was afterwards adopted bpi the
meeting
We certify that we have carefully and minutely examined
all the accounts of the Precursor Society, and have bad the
same distinctly vouched before us, item by item, and we find
them perfectly regular, and correct, and that the accounts
comprise more than six hundred items, from the 12th Sep-
tember, 1838, to the Ist January, 1839, including the cash
account with the Tralee branch of the National Bank, upon
the foot of which there is a balance in bank of 280/. 15s. 9d.,
after giving credit for a sum of 1,0001., which we are to lend
out in mortgage of stock, should this Society authorise us so
to do.
" Dated this Bth January, 1839,
" IGNATIUS CALLAGHAN,
"LAURENCE FINN,
"JAMES MARTIN."
A vote of confidence in, " the wisdom and integrity" of Mr.
O'Connell was also adopted before the meeting separated.
The Precursors by this vote have utterly repudiated the
statements contained in Mr. Purcell's letter.
As we cannot find room to-day for even a summary of the
proceedings at this meeting (which occupy six entire columns
of the Pilot), we transfer to The Sun so much of the com-
mentary of our Dublin Contemporary as will enable the reader
to form some opinion on the merits of the question in dispute
between the two public characters who are parties to it :
" O'Connell and the accounts have been triumphant, and
Mr. O'Connell was as technically empowered to open the
account in his own name, as the use of that power stands un.
impeachej and unquestioned. We re-copy here the restdu-
tion of the 30th of November, under which Mr. O'Co•nnell
acted :
" Mr. Finn moved, seconded by Mr. Redmond, that Mr.
Finn having stated that he cannot conveniently tontinue to
act as treasurer to the Precursor Society, tltat in future all
sums received on account of the Precursor Society be lodged
in the Tralee branch of the National Bank of Ireland, to the
credit of Daniel O'Connell, Esq., Governor of said bank,
until his departure for England ; and that the account be
always open for the inspection of each member.'
" Mr. O'Connell having acted in obedience to this resolution
is the sum and subtance of the charge against him, so awfully
and mysteriously introduced by Mr. Purcell. He acted only
in the case as a servant to the public—he faithfully stewarded
their accounts—he obeyed the letter of his instructions—he
acted, too, under the constant sanction of the Association—
and this was his crime with Mr. Purcell !
" The resolution under which Mr. O'Connell acted was not
in accordance with Mr. Purcell's opinion ; even so. There
was the Committee, the trustees—nay, the Association itself
—to whom, or any of whom, he could have appealed, from
whence the bearings of the question and the statements and
reasons at both sides could have come forth together. And men
naturally ask, why should Mr. Purcell rush into print without
having tried any of those resources, and thrown a letter upon the
world which could only tend to expose in the worst form
the very fact the publicity of which he considered injurious,
and given in such a manner, too, that he became at once the
subject of Tory eulogy, and his letter nutriment and triumph
to every Orange rag, every Tory-Radical, impracticable, or
jobbing Whig, who will use it, and bandy it about as a perpe-
tual instrument of slandering and injuring the very cum:: with
which and the very men with whom Mr. Purcell for some time
acted in such apparent cordiality. The writer of such a letter,
then, is universally condemned.
" But it is also asked why, as it was written, Mr. Purcell did
not attend at the request, three times courteously made by the
man he assailed, to investigate the accounts he impugned ?
Why, too, was the resolution of the 30th of November omitted
in it? Was not that an important fact? and when that Was
omitted, was not the letter an ex parte statement? Nay, the
appropriation of 1,000/. to public purposes, which Mr. Purcell
was told was actually ordered to be invested, t'nereby putting
an end to any immediate alarm why was tk.i.is important fact
also suppressed in the letter? No wonder indeed the people
do wonder."
FUNERAL OF LORD NORBURY.
KILREGGAN, lEESDAY Everittio.—At half-past one o'clock
this day the mortal remains of this deeply-lamented Noble-
man Were conveyed to the tomb amidst the wailings and la-
Thentations of his family, friends, tenantry, and of thousands
of the country people besides, who, notwithstanding the seve-
rity of the weather, came from the most remote parts of the
country,: to pay a last tribute of respect to this public bene-
factor, whose loss will he eceply felt throughout the whole
country. There will be a further investigation on Thursday
with regard to the persons in custody.
Mr. Garsey. the agent of the late Lord, has addressed a
letter to the Editor of the Pilot, in contradiction of the ru-
mour that the unfortunate Nobleman had become a party to
the system of extermination. He says that upon este:tes in
six counties not twenty notices to quit had been served, and
of these, he believes Lord Norbury was not cols'a'aant. He
adds, that on the Durrow Estate not four persons were dis-
possessed in the course of many years, and there were persons
of bad character. So much as 2001. per week have been paid
by his Lordship to labourers on the property.

The police are now engaged in investigating the
circumstances connected with a fire which
,?ecurred a few
Islington, under
days ago in the stables and Tachhouse f,;t. two respect-
able persons living
circumstances which lead to the ham'' that the flames 'rem
in Palmer s-te7ae,,
caused by an incendia7, 02. e premises not having been
used or entered for the ,ast two months. Fortunatwly the
fire was discover before it extended to the neighbouring
premises, or 4.:ne damage must have been grit.
1107:AL FREEMASONS'
.CHARITY FOR FEMALE
CriILDREN.—A Special Court of the Governors of this
Institution was held yesterday, at the School-house, West-
minster-road, when it appeared that its affairs are generally
in a flourishing condition. It is a singular fact that one of
the inmates of the asylum is a granddaughter of the
founder, the late Chevalier Ruspini.
We have much satisfaction in stating that Major.
General S:r Henry Wheatley has transmit' el to the Rev.
H. M. Wagner, Vicar of this parish, the sum of .50/., being
her Majesty's donation to the fund for budding the church of
St. John the Evangelist, situated on Carlton-hill, Brighton.--
Brieton Gazette.