The Sun. — 1869-01-12 (London, England)

IRISH MATTERS.  Ireland has peculiar grievances, but that fact can hardly account for the very strange way some of the people have of shewing that they are dissatisfied. What good, for instance, can come of shooting at a train ? Except as an exercise ala the running deer, the whole thing seems senseless. Yet that is what has now been done several times. True, in one case the story resolved itself into a hoax ; but in the other account there is more evidence of reality. The driver of the up-mail train from Waterford to Limerick on 'Wednesday states that about four miles from Pilltown he observed two men, one of whom levelled a gun and fired at the train. The window glass of the engine protection van was broken. Did the "miscreants " fire at any one in particular, or was the shot levelled at travelling humanity in general ? It might have killed the best head of " repeal," if " repeal " be the object, or the foremost upholder of State Churches, if the men are aggrieved at the way the elections have turned. They must have done the deed out of pure (or rather impure) love of wickedness. The best thing that could happen to them would be that they should be sent to gaol for a few months. There are some leaders and pictures in the " national " prints this week which will give the Conservative journals a good text for a sermon on Irish wants. First, there is the Irishman condoning, if not altogether excusing the murder of Mr. Baker. The TVeeldy News condemns the murder, but has a much more " pronounced " cartoon. The chief figures are " Erin,' Mr. Gladstone, and Mr. Bright. Mr. Gladstone is consoling the disconsolate Miss Erin by first taking away the odious Church and giving her the one she is fond of ; next, by presenting her with the Portland prison key ; and then by giving her a tenant-right charter. But she refuses to be comforted. She still wants more. " What is it ?" aslis the Prime Minister, puzzled. " Here it is," says Mr. Bright, bringing in a heavy trunk labelled " Repeal of the Union.' Dublin is to be en fête on the 16th inst. She then welcomes the new Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. Earl Spencer made a public entry yesterday as the representative of the Queen. - his will be no easy task to please after so popular a man as the Duke of Abercorn.  The Mayor of Cork, whatever may be said by the party papers, must be an eccentric man. The other night he was in the local theatre during the pantomime. An allusion was made to the Tories, and one of the characters exclaimed "Down withthem." Up rose the Mayor, his excitement boiling over at the name of those he disliked. " That's right !" he exclaimed, making threatening gestures towards the boxes. " Down with Orangemen." The boxkeeper had to come to the eweedingly political first magistrate and intimate that he was breaking the law. Mr. O'Sullivan had to subside, amidst loud hisses. Let us charitably hope that he was suffering from "a heated imagination."  LORD ELCIIO ON THE VOLUNTEER& On Saturday the prizes were distributed to the London Scottish Volunteers in Westminster Hall, and after the ceremony Lord Elcho addressed the assembly. The noble lord noted that the past year had been one of criticism for the Volunteer force, and unfortunately the Windsor review did not exhibit that amount of discipline which the nation had a right to expect in such a body as that of the Volunteers. Lord Elcho did not approve of the reinstatement of a corps that hail been struck out of the army. He hoped that they would all profit by the criticism passed upon them. He then referred to the answer given by the Secretary of State for War to the deputation which had waited upon him, to the effect th:kt the present grant was sufficient to cover all the expeqes of the Volunteers. This opinion was not shared by those who were well qualified to judge of the matter, and he did not believe that the rul,lic whed the Volunteers themselves to contribute to the expenses of the undertaking.