The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-14 00:00:00

STATE OF IRELAND.

Searches for concealed arms, fruitless as yet, are reported
from Cork. Several of the local companies and large mer-
chants have armed their cashiers with revolvers, under
the fear that the Fenian desperadoes may sink down from
"patriotism" to robbery, or that advantage may be taken
of the occupation of the police with graver business to
commit burglaries, and even daring open-day theft. The
removal of arms and ammunition to places of safety, under
the supervision of the resident magistrate, continues, but
the arrests made do not encourage a belief that the local
Fenian gang of Cork will be easily got at or very soon
broken up.

Several drafts from the Irish constabulary depot in the
Phoenix Park have within the last few days been sent to
different parts of the country for what are called " out-
stations "—rural police•barracks at a distance from towns
to fill up vacancies and strengthen such of those barracks
as arc inadequately manned. During the disturbed months
of last year, when the Fenian raiding bands traversed the
Southern Irish province, the police were recalled from
those out-stations, and this concentration system was
much complained of, as leaving the loyal inhabitants in
remoter places altogether without protection. The timely
adoption of Um opposite method of strengthening the weaker
police parties is calculated to add to the sense of security
•which the many prudent precautions of the authorities are
steadily augmenting.

The reports of Fenian vessels off the coast contmuc to
peiplcx the cruisers. As yet there is no tangible evidence
that either of the "suspicious crafts" telegraphed of from
various points was a real Fenian p:rate-ship. The last
report of the kind is from the coast of Donegal, where
her Majesty's gunboat Rainbow steamed out promptly
after a vessel which the coastguard men considered of evil
aspect, but she was not come up with.

The Ewing Mail of Saturday mentions a statement,
without vouching for its correctness, and with a view to
its being denied if untrue, that a number of Maynooth
students, on being brought, as it is the custom, to the
quarter sessions at Maynooth to take the oath of alle-
giance, refused to be sworn.

MR. GLADSTONE AND STIEFFIELD.—Mr. Glad-

stone has replied as follows to the invitation to visit Shef-
field :—" Hawarden Castle, Chester, Jan. 6, 1368. Sir,
I am sincerely grateful to the meeting which passed the
very kind and flattering resolution enclosed in your letter;
but I regret to say that it will not be in my power to come
to Sheffield for the purpose of addressing the people on
public affairs. If lamtobe of any use during the session
of Parliament, it is requisite to give the mind some relief
during the recess from matters apt to become the subjects
of contention ; and, likewise, having recently declared my
views to portions of the great constituency I have 012
honour to represent, I do not think it would be for the
public advantage that I should at this period reopen the
disen ~ion of the same or similar questions. lam sure that
thi explanation will be received in the same spirit which
pr ,a,pted the resolution and your obliging letter, and I
rely sin, sir, your faithful servant, W. E. GLADSTONE.—
Mr. Thomas Orton."

THE FENIAN "PRISONERS AT WARWICK. —The
incarceration of the Fenian conspirators, Burke, Casey,
and Shaw, in the county gaol, has led to precautionary
measures being taken to preserve the peace in Warwick,
where there is a considerable population of Irish, some of
whom are known to sympathise with Fenianism. On
Saturday, after the meeting of the.visiting justices at the
gaol, the members of the Warwick Rifle Volunteer Corps
and the local Volunteer Fire Brigade were sworn in as
special constables. The number world probably be about
seventy ; but there are in the borough a number of special
constables enrolled every year, on appointment by the
ancient court beet. After the volunteers had been sworn
in the Mayor addressed them, and thanked them for
the manner in which they had come forward in such
numbers on very short notice. He did not believe there
was any Fenianism amongst the inhabitants of the
borough, and he had therefore hitherto declined to swear
in special constables, although frequently urged to do so.
But now that three Fenian prisoners had been brought
to the county gaol, it was thought desirable to have addi-
tional means of defending the prison, and he had there-
fore called them together to be enrolled as special con-
stables. The gaol, which stands about half a mile from
the centre of the borough, on an open space of land, is at
present guarded night and day by the county police, who
are armed with cutlasses and revolvers supplied by Govern-
ment. The gaol is a very large building, containing over 300
separate cells, and the walk round the high boundary
wall is something like three-quarters of a milTo effi
large-
ciently guard the premises would require a . number
of police for this special service, and it is felt that the
duty would be better entrusted to the military.
PROPOSED TESTIMONIAL TO TII E CII ANCELLOL
OF THE EXCHEQUER. —A proposal has been made in the
Bucks Herald, and a subscription, we believe, actually com-
menced among the constituents of Mr. Disraeli for " The
Enfranchised Classes Testimonial to Mr. Disraeli." To
this end "penny contributions co-extensive with the reani-
mated suffrage" arc suggested. The originators of the
movement argue : "If it be objected that Mr. Disraeli
is a Tory, or that the concession has been wrung
fienn him, the former assertion, in the meaning
which their opponents attach to the name, may
be questioned, and the lager disprOved. Mr. Disrael,
a candidate for Mary-lets:me, contended for in-livers:, 1
suffrage and vote by ballot ; he was, at High
Wycombe, also the popular aspirant for a seat in Parlia-
ment. He has since ignored the claim of his opponents to
a monopoly of Reform. There may be shortcomings and
defects in the new Act ; but the Act rests on an intelli-
gible principle. To iirge, in objection, that for some of its
provisions it was not indebted to its putative originators is
simply to commend the Chancellor of the Exchequer for his
skilful utilisation of available forces. If vindication of the
consistency of the Earl of Derby for espousal of the demo-
cratic measurewere necessaryeample m aterial might be found
in the noble Premier's antecedents. The supporter of the
Jform Bill of 1832, the advocate of the Corporations Re-
form Acts, the abolisher of ten Irish bishoprics, the
emancipator of the slaves of the West Indies, may surely,
however indisposed to connect himself with `thimble-rig
Administration,' feel privileged to take the initiativey
the concession of popular rights."