Widnes Examiner. — 1882-06-17 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

TRE STATE ()F IRELAND.  Mr. Michael Davitt sailed from Queenstown for New York on Friday. In taking leave of his friends he denounced the continued outrages. A Parliamentary return shows that the number of" suspects" now detained under the Protection Act is 263, as compared with 512 in February, 587 in March, 511 in April, and 386 in May. A parliamentary return issued on Tuesday shows that the number of families evicted thr mghout Ireland during May was 698. In the cases mentioned tenants refused to piy their rents. A Dublin correspondent says, notwithstanding the statement to the contrary, it is a fact that the Lord Lieutenant received a threatening letter last week. The police have had the matter in hand since last Friday. The Irish correspondent of the Observer states that Mr. Davites scheme for the riortionalisation of the land has not at all received general approval amongst the ranks of the Nationalist party. In fact, already many of the Land League leaders have pronounced strongly against sit, and letters, it is stated, will appear on the subject immediately. Mr. Sexton, M.P., speaking at a meeting on the land question, held in Dublin on Saturday evening, referred to the amelioration effected in the condition of the tenant farmers of Ireland daring the past two years, and said that if the Irish people continued to use their strength as they had done there was nothing which they could not wring from the preponderating power with which they were connected by an evil and fallacious union. The detailed report of the attack on the man Hickey, near Castleisland, is a horrible story. Hickey, who was caretaker on a farm from which his brother Michael had been evicted by another brother, and who was returning from the petty sessions court, where he bad been prosecuting Michael for trespass, was met by two men armed and disgaised, accused of being a "land grabber," and deliberately shot twice in the leg. Four men are in custody on suspicion of being concerned in the outrage. .  On Saturday the ten-ants of the Duke of Leinster met his grace's agent, Mr. Charles It. Hamilton, in the Town Hall,. Athy, for the purpose of considering the rents proposed in the revaluation of the estate just completed. The result, as announced, is that a substantial reduction on the present rent has been made. It varies in each case, but all round, so far as the revision has gone, it is about 24 per cent , the tenants acquiescing in the proposed arrangetnent, and nearly all, who have done so have signed a form of originating notice for the Land Court, where the rent agreed upon will be declared the judicial rent. His grace's action is the subject of very favourable comment. hum Meats-rnkrEs.—A parliamentary return moved by Mr. Callan, was issued on Saturday, showing the names ot the lords-lieutenant of each county, and of the local magistrates, with the dates of appointment, distinguishing resident from nonresident, and giving the amount of property for which each magistrate appeards rated for the relief of the poor as occupier and as immediate lessor. Among the names of magistrates in this return is that of Mr. Walter M. Bourke. of Curraghleagh, Claremorris county Mayo, who is described as "usually resident." He was appointed on October 11th, 1879, by Viscount Massareene, Claremorris being the petty sessions district he usually attended. The amount of property in the county for which he was rated for the relief of the poor as occupier was £ll4 be., and as immediate lessor £B5 Gs. It does not appear that the deceased was also a magistrate for Galway, in which county he held property, and where on Thursday he was murdered.  The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland made reference to the prevalence of outrage, in replying to an address presented to him on Saturday by a deputation of teachers. He said that the atrocious crimes committed in Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, and Kerry proved, though proof was abundant before, that organisations existed in Ireland which maimed and murdered in open defiance of the law. It was the duty of society to destroy these organisationa and this was an object which the Government and all law-abiding classes of the community must strain every nerve to secure. As an essential means of attaining that obj,)ct, he earnestly hoped that the bill now ly.tfore Parliament would speedily be passed. If law and order were actively supported and maintained by the people, the Government would be able without :lindrance to devote themselves to the congenial work of developing the resources of the country, and extending the system of education which civilised and elevated a nation.  MR. P. J. iiMYTH AND Mn. DAvrrfs