The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-25 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, THURSDAY MORNING.—This is a very fine
autumnal morning, exactly suited to the condition of the
crops, and calculated to dry and harden the grain that
has suffered from the heavy rains.
The reports of the crops, hitherto, have been drawn
up under the influence of the dreadful weather for several
weeks past, but we may now expect less desponding ac-
counts. Respecting the effect of the rain in the western
districts, the Evening Post contains the following most
disheartening letter, written, it will be observed, some
days since:—
" GALWAY, Arc. 20.—The rain is still descending.
Nothing can look more bleak and desolate than this
town—and you cannot see anywhere a countenance
that is not overcast with sadness. You would not be
surprised at it if you witnessed the appearance of the
fields—not merely in this locality, where the ground
is not of the best at any time, but in all the district
from Loughrea, Tuam, and Ballinasloe. I returned
here yesterday—the low lands lying about the Suck are
flooded. It is quite a lake. The potato•stalks every-
where that I looked at are as black as ink. The corn-
fields are prostrated. They tell me that fine weather
would put the wheat and oats on their legs again. I
doubt the wheat. Your friend--, who you know has
large possessions hereabouts, has a serious notion of
selling off his stock, his farming implements, locking up
his mansion—a very fine one, as you remember, for this
part of the world—and leaving it to the care of a few
servants. He even talks of selling his furniture, and of
allowing his lands to lie waste. He will fly, he says,
from the wrath which he sees approaching—from fa-
mine and from pestilence. I do believe their are other
proprietors who would imitate his example, if they
could. As to any expectation of rent, it is out of the
question. We cannot pay poor rates here. We are like
people upon whom sentence of death has been passed.
You will soon see me in Dublin, without being able to
execute the business for which I came down. In fact I
cannot. It is nonsense to think of arranging any mat-
ters at present. I find the parties reasonable, nay,
anxious to do what is right. But they can do nothing,
and I should not advise any proceedings. What will
become of this country I do not know. Property is for
the present virtually gone. And the poor—God help
them! God pity them!"
The Limerick Chronicle gives :accounts of the
destructive effects of the floods on the Shannon.
Many fields of grain near the river have been laid pros-
trate. Flour in the Limerick market has advanced from
2s. to 3s. per sack, and whisky, for which there is a
great wholesale demand, to 7s. per gallon. There are,
however, favourable accounts of the potato from Wex-
ford, in which county, the local journal says, " the tubers
unless in few instances, do not exhibit any appearance
of taint;" from Waterford and Newry, in which places
the potatoes brought to market are said to be free from
disease to any extent.
THE STATE PRISONERS.
Yesterday morning at six o'clock Mr. Martin was re-
moved from Newgate to Richmond Bridewell. At the
hour mentioned one of the prison vans was in attendance,
and Mr. Martin, accompanied by Mr. Mack, one of the
turnkeys of the gaol, and three constables, entered the
vehicle, which was escorted by a body of mounted
police. The' van drove off to Richmond Bridewell,
where Mr. Martin was delivered into the custody of the
Governor.
It is understood that Mr. Martin will remain in Rich-
mond Bridewell, the prison in which the late Mr.
O'Connell was confined in 1844, pending the writ of
error which has been lodged.
The Pestonjee Bomanjee convict-ship has arrived at
Kingstown to embark male convicts.
The Pilot contains the following :
" Messrs. Smith tO'Brien and Meagher enjoy good
health. They are permitted, we understand, to occupy
the same cell in Kilmainham, in consequence of the h-
railed accommodation of the building, in its present
crowded state. Mrs. O'Brien provides the meals, and
visits her husband daily.
" Mr. Whiteside has declined to act for Mr. William
Smith O'Brien, and sent back his retainer. Indeed we
do not see how the Learned Gentleman could take a
fee in the case after his recent appearance for the Crown
against Mr. Martin.
" An application to the Under Secretary, on behalf of
Mr. Duffy, for removal to a more healthful prison than
Newgate, has been made on the certificate of Dr. Stokes,
who apprehends the most serious consequences to the
health of Mr. Duffy from further incarceration in this
crowded and most unhealthy gaol, which, our readers
may not be aware, is built upon the site of the vast
burial-ground once attached to the ancient Abbey Saint
Mary. The result of the application is not yet known.
Mr. Duffy seems to have suffered dreadfully from his
imprisonment."
The Limerick Chronicle says:—
" Smith O'Brien is anxious to accept the Chiltern
Hundreds, but the Government will not give their con-
sent. In the case of his retiring from Parliament, Mr.
Alexander M'Carthy is named as his successor. We
know of no claim the rejected of his own sweet city bas
on this county, and whenever a vacancy occurs, we trust
that some intelligent, independent resident gentleman
may be selected by the freeholders, who will feel their
interests aro identical with his own."
ESCAPE OF DIR. R. O'GORMAN.
The Limerick Examiner says that Mr. O'Gorman and
his friends left the Irish shores several days back, and
are now quite beyond the reach of pursuit. The Lime-
rick Chronicle states that it is the general opinion that
Mr. O'Gorman, Mr. John O'Donnell, and Mr. Doyle,
have escaped to France. The same journal contains a
letter:from Abbeyfeale, which states that all was perfectly
quiet i❑ that locality.
Regarding the affair of General M'Donald in Thurles,
brought before the House of Commons by Mr. N. Maher,
the Evening Post contains the following letter from Mr.
Cahill, the Crown solicitor for Tipperary.
" Landaff Lodge, Thurles, Aug. 21, 1848.
" Dear Sir,—l only this day, to my surprise, saw my
name mentioned in your paper of the 19th instant, in
the report of a conversation in the House of Commons
as to the conduct of General M`Donald. I think it right
to state that General M`Donald did not present a pistol
at me, or threaten me in any way; and if he jostled a
' lawyer' in the street, I certainly was not the individual
You will oblige me by inserting this in your next paper.
I am, dear sir, yours very truly,
" JOHN CAHILL."

On the subject of the reported arrest of Mr. Tod-
hunter, of the Society of Friends, the Evening Post
has the following letter:—
" Adrigoole, Clifden, Aug. 22, 1848.
" Sir,—A paragraph appeared in the Galway Vindi-
cator of Wednesday, the 16th ult., under the head of
' More Arrests,' stating that William Todhunter, Esq.,
of the Central Relief- Committee of the Society of
Friends, had been arrested, and detained on suspicion,
by the commander of her Majesty's war-steamer the
Bloodhound, &c. So long as the statement, which
was a mere fabrication, was confined to the columns
of the Vindicator, I considered it quite unnecessary
publicly to notice it ; but observing that it has been
very generally copied by the Irish press, I deem it
my duty to state, as having had the pleasure of
accompanying Mr. Todhunter in his cruise (which had
for its object the promotion and encouragement of the
coast fisheries), that this article is a most unfounded
and unwarrantable fabrication, Mr. Todhunter's eutter
not having been boarded by any officer from her Ma,
jesty's steamer Bloodhound; nor bad Mr. Todhunter
any communication with her commander, officers, or
men; nor did he set his foot on her deck. Having in-
spected the fishing stations arid banks, and arrived at
Arran and the coast of Galway, we returned early on
the morning of the 17th to anchor in the Galway Roads,
and were of course visited by the coast guard from off
shore, and by the boat of the Andromache sloop of war.
My not being known to the commander occasioned an
order that I should appear on beard the Bloodhound,
when, after a short conversation, I was allowed to return
to the cutter. I have only to add, that although we
were several times boarded by the coast guard at the
stations where we called, and by the commander of the
cutter on duty here,wbose searches were conducted with
a proper regard to their service regulations, we were
treated by all with every kindness and attention. Where-
ever Mr. Todhunter communicated with the officers and
men of these services, he found them most active assist-
ants in furthering his views.
" I remain, Sir, very sincerely yours,
" THOMAS FRANCIS EASTWOOD."
TUE RELIEF SYSTEM.—We understand it is not the
determination of the Poor-law Commissioners to dis
continue the services of the relief inspectors in the dis-
tressed districts of Ireland. We hear it is contemplated
to retain them for the next six months.
WRIT OF ERROR.—The following notice has been
served upon the Attorney-General, with a view to bring
the case before the House of Lords:—
" THE QUEEN V. JOHN MARTIN.—We have read the
challenge put in by the prisoner, John Martin, in this
case, to William Duff, one of the jury by whom the said
John Martin was tried and convicted, and the demurrer
to such challenge put in by her Majesty's Attorney-
General, and we are of opinion that there are rso
reasonable
grounds for holding such challenge to be good in point
of law, and therefore for issuing a writ of error
.to rhei-s
verse the judgment against the said John Martin, in t
case:
"Dated this 19th of August, 1848.
" ISAAC BUTT.
" ROBERT HOLMES.
" COLMAN M. O'Loainsti.
" Jam O'IIAGAN."
FATAL AFFRAY NE,AiutGlt 78.1_PIT'EbiniltyY
an in-
TEMPLEMORE BARRACK:,
quest was held at this barruaCk4 AUG. 18.--
Thomas O'Meara,
Esq., on the body of .!osh aolville, private of the 43d
in•uries received in an affray
Regiment, who died tr
with the people, on thtelin6thi inst. Charles Hunt, Esq ,
.officers of the 43d Regiment
R.M., and several of pt.
The following evidence
were present at tho inquir).
was given:—
John Irwin, COrporal, was on his return from the
town of Tipperary on Sunday, the 6th instant, in corn-
poly with a comrade. He saw a crowd of people as-
sembled round a man on horseback. The man seemed to
be exciting the people, who then ran away from him, and
threw stones at tour soldiers of the 43d. Deceased
was one of that party. The people also threw stones at
himself and ethers of the soldiers, and continued to do
so until dispersed by the picket. Saw the deceased
, knocked up against a wall by the blow of a stone.
James Mason, private of the 43d regiment, deposed
that he and nine others of the military were returning
from a public-house to their camp, between eight
and nine o'clock, when they met (about fifty yards
from town) a friar on horseback. He asked their
busineu, and was asked in turn what right bad he to