The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-01 00:00:00

IRELAND.
DISTURBED STATE OF THE COUNTRY. '
DUBLIN, Nov. 26.—The promised meeting of •
magistrates of the County of Westmeath was held yer4
terday, the Marquis of Westmeath in the chairaairk
proceedings were COsiductasla in secret batasetsoirespon;
dent of the Evening Mail states, ria ti the resolution" t
which were of the strongest character that languag
could convey, were carried unanimously, and thas
between 40 and 50 magistrates were present. An ad
dress to the Lord-Lieutenant was agreed upon, repre-;
seating the frightfully disorganised state of the country
and praying protection for life and property. An ex-
pression of the marked thanks and approbation of dui
magistrates, accompanied by congratulations at his for-
tunate escape from assassination, and the gallant defence=
made by him, was voted to Sir Francis Hopkins, Dana
signed by every person present."
Another attempt has been made by the magistracy of
Tipperary to convince the Irish Executive that the law,
as at present administered, is totally insufficient to pro-
tect the lives and properties of her Majesty's subject
resident in this ill-fated district. The brutal murder, is
open day, of Mr. Patrick Clarke, led to a county meet,
ing, which was held at Nenagh on the 10th of Not
vember, Lord Dunally presiding as chairman, when I
memorial, of which the annexed is a copy, was sulanitest
to the consideration of the Lord-Lieutenant:—
" ADDRESS TO HIS EXCELLENCY WILLIAM, BARON HEY*
TESBITRY' LORD-LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND.
" My Lord,—We, the undersigned magistrates of tha
North Riding of Tipperary, beg leave, with grey
respect, to lay the following statement before youi
Excellency :
" Often as we have been compelled to memorialise tilt,
Government upon the unhappy state of the Norea
Riding of this county, we feel assured that upon tic
former occasion have more serious grounds existed fes
apprehension and alarm than are now presented by th
state of things which it is our urgent duty to brir
under your Excellency's consideration. The varie
character of agrarian outrage seems now to have settle "
into a systematic course of private assassination, whi
utterly defies all the ordinary powers of the law ;
unless the Government think fit to demand from I tr'
Legislature the assistance of some more stringent 4, fa
than any now in force, to enable them to pat down tF
frightful system, we much fear that the very foundatior+,
of society will be shaken. We must remind your E: s
cellency that last winter was walked in this riding of th
county by an amount of crime, of the nature alluded tea
quite nnp.ralleled. The assassin's aim was levelled
all alike, of every rank and creed. The existing power.
of the constitution were in vain exerted by Government
to creel,: , system Additional military posts were.
established. Government oflicers with extraordinai:
powers were sent down to communicate the best in-
formation, and stimulate the existing authorities to the
utmost diligence. Our resident magistrates were moss
active and assiduous. The police force of Tipperary dis-
tinguished themselves, it must be owned, in a very
remarkable manner upon several occasions. Instances
of individual intrepidity and determination, among
persons of humble rank, were not few; and we presume
that the law-officers of the Crown were not wanting ire
their duties with regard to the prosecution of offenders.
We ask, have all these exertions resulted in the esta-
blishment of any greater degree of security for life and
property? On the contrary, the unfavourable antici-
pations contained in addresses forwarded to Government
upon similar occasions have been fully realised, and a
degree of intimidation has been established which affects
all classes of the community, and interferes with the
assertion of the most ordinary rights. During the
summer months a short period of calm, as usual, suc-
ceeded, but we have now, with deep regret, to inform
your Excellency, that not only has the approaching
winter been ushered in by several murders, or attempts
to murder, occurring in rapid succession—not only have
we to deplore the awful death of Mr. Patrick Clarke, a
most respectable gentleman, and of amiable and inoffen-
sive character, but we have evidence to satisfy us, that
the lives of very many persons whom we could name are
in imminent danger. A wholesome dread and terror of
the law does not exist, but, on the contrary, our county
seems to be in the possession of a set of hired assassins,
whom the law cannot reach, and we are only surprised
that among the middle and lower classes, in their un-
protected state, individuals can occasionally be found
bold enough to come forward as witnesses in a court of
justice. We fe.el convinced that all sources of informa-
tion are dried up through the sympathy of the ill-affected
with the evil-doers, and the intimidation exercised to-
wards the well-disposed.
" We do not dwell on the numerical amount of crimes
committed, because it is to their character that we wish
to point attention. Ejectment from land is no longer the
sole origin of these sad occurrences. The slightest cause
is now sufficient to endanger life, and no one can tell
when that cause may arise. We do not urge the inse-
curity of landlords' rights—we do not complain of want
of support being afforded to ourselves by your Excel-
lency's Government, but we point attention to the inse-
curity of the peasant's hut—to the scenes of desolation
there constantly occurring—to the prevalence of that
species of crime which saps the root of every virtue, and
is rapidly eradicating all trace of the original character
of the Irish peasant. In the name of God and our
country, we protest against such a system being further
allowed to continue with impunity.
" In the firm belief that no one more than your Ex-
cellency regards with horror and detestation the state of
things to which we have alluded, and which we make
bold to say is not exaggerated, and in the earnest hope
of some prospect being afforded us that an early appli-
cation will be made to Parliament to strengthen the
hands of the Executive, by the enactment of some sta-
tute which shall decisively check the existing system of
assassination, we now beg leave to present to the repre-
sentative of our Sovereign this humble and dutiful ad-
dress, to which we shall await the reply with the utmost
anxiety.
We have the honour to be, my Lord, your Excel-
lency'ti 'most obedient servants,
" DI:NALLY, Chairman. " ADAM WALKER.
" T. B. DANCER. " EDWARD WALKER.
" B. U. RAYLY. " J. R. Mmarr.
" B. E. PHILLIPS. " RICHARD GA/SON.
" CHARLES CLARKE. Joiapr GOING.
" GEORGE GARVEY. " THOMAS G. Samerza.
" CALEB GOING. " GEORGE JACKRON.
" JOHN CARDEN, D.L. " JAMES WILLINOTON.
" W. ROE. " THOMAS B. STONEY.
" JONATHAN W. WALSH. " RICHARD M. CARDEN.
" ROBERT CLARKE. " JOHN WILLINOTON."
" HENRY TRENCH.
Four days after the transmission of this memorial
Lord Dunally received a reply, of which the following is
a copy :

"Dublin Castle, Nov. 14.
" My Lord,—The Lord-Lieutenant has directed me to
acknowledge the receipt of the resolutions and statement
of the magistrates of the North Riding of the county of
Tipperary, assembled at the Court-house at Nenagh, on
Monday, the 10th of November, 1845, and presented to
his Excellency by your Lordship ; and to state, that his
Excellency heard with the deepest regret of the awful
calamity which had so suddenly closed the career of an
amiable and valuable country gentleman, and warmly
sympathises in the general feeling of unfeigned regret
at the irreparable loss which his afflicted family has sus-
tained by the event which has deprived the country cf
the serices of the late Mr. P. Clarke.
The representations of the magistrates respecting
the system of outrage prevalent in the North Riding of
the county of Tipperary, and inadequacy of the existing
powers of the constitution to protect life and property,
have received the most attentive consideration of the
Lord-Lieutenant, and his Excellency has caused their
resolutions to be submitted to the responsible advisers
of the Crown.

" I am further directed to state, that no exertion will
be spared by the Government to give to the magistrates
and inhabitants of the county of Tipperary every assist-
ance that is afforded by the existing laws for their pro-
tection from outrage ; and his Excellency trusts that
the persons implicated in this fearful crime may be
soon made amenable to the laws.

" I have the honour to be, my Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient servant,
"RICHARD PENNEFATHER.
" The Earl of Donouglimore, &c., Lieutenant of
the county of Tipperary."
TIIE POTATO DISEASE.
The effects of the distemper have at length extended
to the Dublin markets, and the pressure is already se-
verely felt by the poorer classes. Potatoes yesterday
advanced 2d. per stone, and a further rise is daily ex-
pected to take place. Quantities of diseased are offered
for sale, and even those bring t2s. 4d. per cwt., being the
average price of the sound article ; while those free
from taint fetch from 3s. Bd. to 3s. 10d., and in some in-
stances from the scarcity, higher rates are tendered and
refused. The factors here speak very despondingly of
the state of the crop, and of the certainty of there being
a positive deficiency
in the supplies before many weeks
elapse.

-------- _ _
ALARM OF FIRE AT THE ADELEIII THEATER.
On
during the performances at the Adel-
an occurrence took place which had
Adel-
phi TTliiiiciarst(iica!
Strand, evening,
nigh been attended with the most fearful, if not fatal,
was Loudo l
con-
sequences
d , which Shortly after nine o
clock, f
, during the perform-
ance of Gr
eet
Bushes, a quantity of smoke was suddenly
seen to issue apparently from underneath the stage, accom-
panied cries'lo.iso,efd"hFyiraec,
cry
yfiroet
"Don't mind your clothes—save your lives." Nearly all the.,
plirae,dwbeyreainstantly
f gunpowderrais
audience rose simultaneously, apparentlywith a view of rushin' -
to the doors, and many of the females began les to utter screams of
distress, when Madame Celeste, who at the moment happened
to be the only performer on the stage, instantly came forward
and said, " and Ladies gentlemen, there is no danger; pray
keep your seats." Mr. Paul Bedford and others of the com-
pany immediately joined Madame Celeste in their assurances
that there was no danger ; but some time elapsed before
order was restored sufficiently for the performance to be re-
newed. A number of persons left the house at the first mo-
ment of the alarm being raised, and one lady was carried out
in'a fainting condition. The cause of the smoke did not
transpire.
VESSELS WRECKED.—We have the following
communication from Stornoway, under date of 14th instant :
—" The two vessels which were driven ashore on the
west coast of the island of Lewis, with their bottom!'
uppermost, have not yet been identified, but one of
them is supposed to belong to Sunderland. The ' Uncer-
tain' of Stornoway, Maclennan, master, was wrecked near
Boldero, on the 23d ult., but the crew, after remaining
fourteen hours on the wreck, were fortunately saved." A
gentleman in Sutherlandshire writes as follows:—" On Mon-
day, 20th ult., a vessel came ashore, bottom uppermost, near
Bulzie Island, about nine miles south of Cape Wrath. She
must have been a sloop of from 50 to 60 tons burden. tier
of tar and marks
bottom and sides are new, and she bore
butter. The instant she touched the shore, which is bold and
rocky, she went to pieces. It will be proper to mention this,
as it may attract the notice of some having an interest in the
ill-fated vessel."—Inverness Courier.
WAKEFIELD CORN MARKET, Nov. 28.—The sup-
plies of all grain are very moderate this week. We bays a
pretty good demand for fresh samples of Wheat, and prices
of such are rather higher. In common sorts no alteration.
Good Barley in request, whilst inferior samples are slow sale
at late rates. New Beans Is. per quarter and Old Beans
rather cheaper. Oats and Shelling fully as dear. In Malt
a fair business palming.