The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-11-27 00:00:00

"rfIE STATESMAN'

DARING ATTACK ON THE DUBLIN COACH
FOR CORK, via CASHEL.
A NUMMI' (inc HON. MR. BROWNE) MISSING.
t (PROM TIIE coax SOUTHERN REPORTRR OP SATURDAY.)
The Dublin coach for this City, via Cashel, due at 8, A.M.
of this day, not having arrived at that hour, some ap•
prehension was excited as to the cause of.the delay, which
continued to encrease up to eleven o'clock, without any
account being received. In a few minutes after, however.
it arrived, and it was then ascertained that the delay had
been occasioned hy a daring attack which was made upon it
last night, at about half past nine o'clock, midway between
Littleton and Cashel, near a public house called •• The
Horse and Jockey." The coach was travelling at its ac-
customed rate, and had reached within about five miles
of the latter town, when the coachman observed
that the road was partly blockaded with cars and
stones for a c.'n•iderable way. Almost at the same
moment that theme obstacles were first seen, two shots
were tired from inside the hedge at one aide of the road ;
but the miscreants could not be seen, though the guard,
whose name is Lloyd, made every preparation Eto assail
them. The coachniam, in the u►eamtime, continued to get
the coach gradually on, and succeeded in sornehneasure,
during which he and the guard were exposed to great
danger, as shots continued to be fired from inside the
hedges at both sides of the road, two of which• struck the
coach, and from the directi,in of the balls, which we have
ascertained by seeing the marks they made, a good,
though happily unettccessful; aim appears to have been
taken.

Nothing daunted. however, by the danger that sur-
rounded them, the coachman and guard seemed( to have
done their duty well and bravely ; the coach was got on,
bat in the attempt to steer clear of the stones on the road,
it was thrown against one of the side ditches, and its pro-
gress thus t(d. The murderous gang who made the
attack do not seem to have taken the advantage of this
misfortune, for neither then, nor during any stage of the
outrage, did they appear. In this predicament, it is grati-
fying to be able to state, that the country people residing
about the place; being called upon for assistance, readily
afforded it, and the coach was regulated, and proceeded on
its journey.
These pariculars we hare obtained from written accounts
on the coach way bill, and Post lltber time hill, as none tolf
the passengers who were in the roach at the time of the
attack came ou to this city, and the coachman and Board
who behaved so spiritedly, stopped at Cashel. What
Is thus stated, however, is substantially, perhaps
minutely, correct ; and ate should have to close
our account of fhe transaction with an expression of
indignation at the baseness and cowardice of an attack
thus made upon unoffending individuals, employed in the
pursuit of their several avocations, if we bad not to add,
which we dO with deep regret, that one passenger, the Hon.
Mr. Browne, brother to tbefEarl of Kenmare, is missing.—
When the first shot was fired, this Gent., who was inside,
got out at the opposite door, and there was no account
of hint after. It would be idle, at such a moment of
doubt and uncertainty, to* guess what may have
occurred, and we have only to express a hope, that the
darkness which was favourable to the concealment of the
ruffians who made this murderous attack. may also have
befriended him. Mr. Browne was coming on to Cork,
and was attended by his servant, and was outside (luring
the time of the attack, and who stopped at Cashel when the
coach wired there.
• .

CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION.

The Catholic Association met on Saturday at their
Rooms, Capel Street, Dublin.

Mr Fitzimon, (Barrister) having been called to the
Chair, the proceedings of the last day of Jileeting were
read by Mr. O'Gorman.
Mr. O'Connell then rose to propose a motion of which
be had given notice, that a Committee should be appointed
to prepare a petition to the Legislature, to facilitate the de-
livery of tithe in kind. tie staredrtliat iri the County of
Wexford, the Rev. Mr. Morgan refused..ie take tithe in
kind,which had been left for him by thirty farniers-9 he had it
from a most respectable professional Gentleman, 31r.lEd ward
Carr. In that case citations were left for the parties to
appear, and Mr. Doherty was professionally retained as
Counsel for the farmer,. One of the Surrogates was, at
the time the case came on for hearing, in a melancholy
situation; he was in affliction fee the death of his father.
and when the people arrived, with about three hnadred
witnesses, he could not, in coifsequence of that affliction,
hear the case. The other Surrogate was not there, and
after some consideration, it was ultimately derided that
'Archdeacon Elgie should hear the cases. Mr. Frixell, who
bad been cited to appear, was obliged to retain a proctor at
an additional expense of live guineas, and being prepared
on this point, he waiasked where was his proxy ? He was
not prepared with 'a proxy, and withoet going into the case
a decree was made against him. The moment this case
-eras decided, the grief of the Surrogate returned in its full
force ; he could not possibly hear any more, he was in inch
affliction be dismiseedthe remsinitigtvientynine caseewhere-
in they were prepared ; the counsel received thirty guineas,
and the only case the Surrogate would decide on was that
in which no person was to speak to.

Air. O'Connell concluded, by moving his resolution,
which passed unanisnowly. The following gentlemen
were thennamed on the Committer:—
. Messrs. O'Connell, Shell, llonayne, Mullen, Clinch, John
M•Duitnell, John Lyn. h and Corley, with the
Chairman and Secretary.
Mr. Shen moved fdr a Committee, to report the best
means of enforcing the right of Roman Catholics to scl-
missirin into the Corporation. The right was given by the
33.1 of the sate King, ohapter '2l; that static enacts, that
any Papist may bold any in, or be a member of any
Corporate body; the claims of Roman Catholics and
Protestants stood upon the sauce footing. The right to
the freedom of the City arises in three cases—it is derived
from birth, marriage and servitude; any person who has
duly served his apprenticeship to a Pree:nan—who marries
the daughter, or is the eldest son of a Freeman, is entitled
to the freedom of the City. Mr. Shell here stated the
formal process of admissions anti mentioned that the peti-
tions of Roman Catholics were uniformly suppressed, or, to
use this Corporation parlance, were cushioned in the in-
ferior Ouilds. This stratagem of the Corporation could he
readily frustreed by a mandamus from the Courtof
Bench. The right of the Catholics to their freedom, and
the facility of its enforcement. were equally obvious. He
was astonished at the sluggishness of the body which was
most interested in this question, that the Corporator'
should surround their monoply with a palisade of form
was quite natural: They levy numerous contributions upon
the City.—they possess immense patronage—they are
vi rt nal ly the masters of the Courts of Justice—they appoint
the Sheriffs, the Sheriffs appoint the Juries; the Juries
have our lives and liberties at their discretion. It is not
the. a matter of wonder that they should guard theitimono-
poly with jealous vigilance; but it is matter of equal
wonder and reproach that we should tamely acquiesce in
that monopoly, which was not only unjust, but (what
was not always synoniotous) tnani icily illegal. The hum-
blest Corporator, tottering on the verge of bankruptcy,
had more substantial sway than the most eminent Roman
Catholics in the city. If their patriotism could not invite
the merchants to an effort, they should find a sobstitittod
primulas in their insulted pride. In the Court of King's
Bench they might be certain of redress; an
application to that Court would be attended with
a further benefit. It would throw light upon the 'Delo-
tions that the Rosman Catholics were in the practical enjoy-
ment of all the rights afforded them by the law. This had
been the boast of Mr. Peel, who, of coarse, for and in his
own official conduct, a verification of the unmodified and
somewhat bold assertion which it suited his official conve-
nience to make. It was pleasant by the way, to contrast
the ostentatious liberality of Mr. Peel with Mr. Plunke t's
singular vindication of Lord Wellesley. Mr. Plunkett had
stated, that it so happened (and a phrase founded upon
mare accident, was the most felicitous that could be employ-
ed), that no single Roman Catholic had been promoted
during Lord W ellesley's administration. But the favors
of Government depend upon individual choice. The rights
of the comnaticity, thank Bon, rest upon a noble basis. It
is not upon offi.ial grace, but upon abstract right that we
must rely. It is not at the Castle that we must seek for
patronage, but in the King's Bench that we must demand
redress. In that Court. learning, integrity, anti talent are
unite I. Let us prove in that Court, that we are entitled to
relief, and we may entertain an unhesitating confidence
that it will not he withheld. Mr. Sheil concluded by mov-
ing for a Committee, to report the best means of enforcing
the admission of Roman Catholics, entitled to their freedom
into the Corporation.

Mr. O'Connell, in speaking to this question, stated, that
he had, at a former period called a meeting fur the purpose
of establishing that right. 'this Meeting was attended by
about fifteen or twenty Gentlemen ; they intended ro have
established it in the case of a Mr. Cole, who was a Roman
Catholic, and who had a right to his freedom of the city.
Mr. Woolf. and Mr. Costello were active in their support
of Mr. Cole. He (Mr. O'Connell) defrayed the exposes
incurred. Before the case was decided, Mr. Cole died, and
Sir Harcourt Lees said, that his death was a providential
interference to save the Corporation from the contamination
of Popery. The Corporation really regarded it as a
miracle in their favour ; as it ended in death, perhaps it
was an Orange miracle.

Mr. O'Connell, in concluding, stated, that there were
five Catholic Gentlemen who had a right to their freedom
of the City, Who were ready to come forward.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Mr. Hugh O'Connor rose.—He should be sorry to tree.
pass on the time of the Meeting, but he had a few observa-
tions to make, for which he hoped their indulgence. He
was urged to make them solely from a sense of duty, and
he trusted that he gave no just cause of exception in any
observation that he should make. The posture of Catholic
affiirs was sa sad, that whilst lie indulged in the
melancholy privilege of complaining, he hoped he should
incur no censure. They could not but remember the hopes
which were raised by the presence of their beloved King.
It was impossible not to remember the affectionate demean-
our of the Monarch, or to doubt the benetieient intentions
of the Sovereign towards his I rich Homan Catholic sob-
, erts. By whom those truly Royal intentions had been
frustrated, he di .I not with any certainty, but he believed
that by the majority of his Majesty's Ministers, amongst
whom he thought they had many sincere friends, they were
rendered abortive. He never supposed that the King,
tower of strength" u he is, could remove all the evils of
this unhappy country, but he had hoped to have seen same
amelioration of the condition of the Irish Catholics before
this time. He would ask, what is the condition of the
Catholic now? It is absolutely worse than at the period
to which he had alluded. lie should not waste the
time of the Meeting by contending fur that which
they all knew to be tree.--(Hear, hear.)—lt was
a melancholy fact, that the whole Catholic people, from
the highest Veer tp the humblest peasant, were disappointed

:4161, •

and discontented. They were discontented because they
were ill used; they must be more or less than men, if they
were not discontented; they mutt be more or leeeitkan
human beings, if they were not disappointed. Except the
persons u fro thrive by the dist of Ireland, all over
disappointed. Humble as was the individual wiw. all,-
dressed them, he felt anxious to speak those senticaents
aloud; he would have them made known to the King'anal
to Ilia, glorious British people, who, at a time of peeuliar
calamity, come forward to extend their benevolent and
liberal aid to our countrymen. (Hear, bear) to the last
Session of Parliament it was said by the Minister fiir the
Horne Department, that out of eighty four days. Of this
Session then elapsed, forty nine were given to the •omeideen-
tion of Irish affairs. To what good purpose they were so
employed, no person present nas at a loss to determine.
They [night have done much towards the relief of the
country in forty-nine hours, instead of forty-nine days.
Did they hut manifest a real desire to do good, the ohje
wonlii he half accomplished. Ile would advert to another
observation. The Alinister said, that if "Catholic Ellllo.
cipation was cianted, it would cause the nverthrow of the
Established Church." He (Mr. O'Connor) diol not hesitate
to express his belief that the Church was in danger, but
not from the Catholics.—((leas.) It was in danger front
the pride, the fillies, and the cupidity of Church•n—
(Hear, hear.) tn
He did not mean to say, that there were
not worthy and dignified exceptions—(ilear, hear)—but
would ask was there no danger from partisans and monap
Hate, who were the real enemies of the Established
Churgb, and who were sapping the fonndation of its 'truce
tare. In Ireland, Protestantfsm is quite a stock in trade ;
he never knew, in any other country in which he Lad,
travelled, the Established Religion of the country male a
traffic of except In Ireland. He, as a Catholic, declared
that he should ;feel debased in his own mind, if he fir a
moment conceived that he could fe I any enmity to
a Protestant on account of his r-ligion. hLa re.
ligion required hint to " pay Cesar his tribute," and of
the Church, as established by law, formed a pars of the
State, he would ask," where was the danger?" He wonkl
advert to a motion made by the Duke of Devonshi:e, and
in giving utterance to that name, be could not but express
the unfeigned respect he felt for that Noble Lard. It was.
a motion to institute an inquiry into the state of Lreltnd,
made in the House of Lords by the Duke of Devonsh're,
who introduce I it in an able speech and urged many erg
meats in support of it, but all in vain. One Noble Lori
moved the previous question, which, as a matter of course,
took precedence, and Was carried! The Minister atteinre t
to justify the system of exclusion ; he (Mr. O'Conrms)
heard him, the End of Liverpool, to whos- general charac-
ter he offered the tribute of his respect; he heard him say
that forty-nine out of every fifty of the landedfproprietifts
of the country were Protestants, and that the Catholics hart
so right to complain if they had one-fiftieth part of tre
privileges of the Protestants. He should have donhted hit+.
having spoken these words had he read them iu a newspaper,
but he beard him speak them ; thus, by this argument, the
poverty of the Catholics was made a barrier to their ecru-
fort, as their religion had been made
.an obstacle to their
advancement. What was it that caused the poverty of
the Catholics ? Was it not a system of spoliation? Was
it not the cruel penal code whereby the son disinherised
the father, and the friend was converted into the fiend?
Was there not au universal spoliation of Catholic poverty
and be was warranted in stating, that many of the desces.l-
- of the ancient gentry of thecountry was then laNguisU-
ing in obscurity, in degradation, and in want, in conseq,e,ce
of these spoliations. The Catholics were branded with in-
gratitude because they did nut consider as a paramount Loon
the sum of two hundred thousand pounds, granted in tt e
space of twenty-two years. to Maynooth College, Another
Noble Lord had stated that he was informed by two of t ;a9-
trio Ruck's men, that it was the intention of Catholics to
extirpate Heretics, and posses themselves of their property
and a Clergyman, in Wales, who ptrliaps felt anxious for
translation to some champaigne country; actually preached
a sermon on the text of Captain Rook ! The Cirtliul:.4
bad another opponent in a man whose fame was known In
the two heitnspheres—a Cabinet Minister also. He sa.d
that " they must continue the Penal Code against tt e
Catholics, because, as the Catholics had been diaposse.s.eil•
of their property, it was impossible that Catholic fidelity
could he relied on." He (Mr. O'Connor) would ask toe'
Noble Duke, bad he not, for many years, experience of tae
fidelity of Catholics, and did lie ever find them wantine in
their duty to their King or Country? lie would ask th
Noble Duke, did nut the Irish Catholics greatly coutribuse
to his obtaining the high place place which he at preser.t
holds in the Temple of Fame? The Noble Duke's reasoning:
and experience are greatly at • variance. It would appear
that Lingland had improved in every art, except that of
governing Ireland—in that she is as barbarous as ea—v..
Ilse policy on which she acts is, that of sacrificing tile
interests of a great majority of the people for the advan-'
tare of a few. To the illustrious Chief Governor, he con-
ceived they owed a deep debt of gratitude, for his wise and
benevolent views.

The following Gentlemen were then named on the Com-
mi. tee

Messrs. Sheil, Ronayne, Mullen, M`Longhlin, David
Lynch, Hayes, with the Chairman and Secretary.
blr. O'Connell gave notice of two motions, the first was,
that the Association should nut meet daily during the.
menthe ofJanuary—the other, that subscriptions should
be received for the ensuing year.
Mr. Corley was then called to the Chair, when thanks'
were voted to Mr. Fitzimon, after which the Sleeting
journed.

AFFAIR or trONOVß.—Tuesday morning a meeting took
place near Clapham, betwixt E. M—, Esq. end
Esq. the former Gentleman attended by Captain 0---, late of
the Othit Regiment. the latter by a Mr. J---. On the first.
fire. Mr. M. was very slightly wounded-in the thigh, end his se-
cond beingabout to interfere in preventing further hostilitiee„
Mr. M. assured hlm that he was not all hurt, and beaged for a
second pistol; Captain 0. still pressed for an eceommodet,on,
when Mr. J. remarked that they bad come to fight, and not to
talk. Capt. 0. replied, that they came with a similar intention, '
hut that he felt it hit duty not to endanger the valuable life of
his friend, when his honour was no longer at stake. The lair-
cipals, who had not left the ground during this conversation,
called to their seconds for pistols, and at the second distils rg
Mr. L. received his antagonist's ball in the right shoulder, J nd
the affair terminated.

Bowic.—A battle took place yesterday at Warnstead, be-
tween M-ss, the Bath tinnier', and Collins, the navigator.—
Simpson, the cricketer, seconded Moss, and Jones, the na%:-
gator. After a short but severe contest of five rounds, victory
was declared in favour of Moss. The battle lasted fourteen
minutes.

DEATH a v BOXINII.—On Monday evening the neighbourhood
of Old Ford was thrown into a considerable state of •gitatiou
and alarm, in consequence of being the scene of a pugilistic
contest, whereby one young man lost his life.
The combatants were Ttiosnaa George and Samuel Gitiann,
both journeymen bakers; after fighting near one hour and a
quarter, the spectators and frieods, in place of interposing, ra-
ther encouraged them, by cries of '• Go it. Sam: your
eyes go it, I would rather bring you home a corpse than that
fellow should beat you." Gibson became exhausted, and •m 2.1
carried off tie.ground by his friends, to the Three Colts. •-•-•
house, where they laid him upon a door and a fier admi
some cold water, it was in a little time after disco,

the vital spark had del.
Ilis agonised father, upon hearing of the melanclim
stance, immediately appoied to Worship street Pol
when Attfield, Weed, and Artustrone, jun, went to
deuce of Thomas George, the surviving combatant, .
Dill row, Bethnal green, and brought him before Robert
Esq. who, after hearing the statement of the father -
ceased, committed George for further examination to
wary at Clerkenwell.
A porson of the name of John Fassett, a baker, who
employer of George, is also in custody, and stands r
for further examination.

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