The Express. — 1851-04-28 (London, England)

IRELAND.  APUIL The requisition for the "aggregate meeting of the catholics of Ireland," to be held on Tuesday next. has made its appearance, and presents a formidable array of names, at least in point of number. It is headed by three of the four Roman catholic archbishop, and eighteen of the bishops, and contains the signatures of a great number of the Roman catholic clergy ; but the effort has been made to give the preponderance to the laity. I understand that the resolotions to be proposed at the meeting will not go the length of calling on the Irish meinlx.ris to vote against Lord John Russell's government on every question, and will amount to little more than a strong vote of want of confidence in the whin,' government in general, with, of course, a most explicit condemnation of the anti-papal measures. A painful sensation has been created Ly the dia-1 holiest attempt to murder a gentleman named Billing, which was perpetrated on AVednesday evening in a intherto peaceable district of the county of Westmeath. A local journal gives the following details: On Wednesday about one o'clock, pin., Mts. Busby, accompanied by a lady and her nephew, Mr. Billing, were proceeding on a jaunting-ear to Billuran, and when within a few miles of that town, and nut fur trout lirackffn, two men with their faC.Ol blackened, sod handlierchiels tied over their heads, the better to conceal their ttures, suddenly sprang into the road, one of them seined with a cudgel, and the other with a blunderbuss. One of the fellow+ caught hold of the horse and the other walked up deliberately to the side of the ear on which Mr. Billing sat, placed the muzzle of the blunderbuss against that gentleman's breast and pulled the trigger. 1110 blunderbuss missed lire, upon which Mr. Billing seized it by the barrel, and in the struggle which ensued was dragged off the or. Ile still, however, retained his hold of the weapon, and had almost overpowered the assassin, when the other villain left the horse, and hastening to the assistance of his companion, struck Mr. Billing a severe blow with a bludgeon on the back of the head, which stunned the unfortunate gentleman SO much that he was obliged to let go his hold, upon which the fellow again levelled the blunderbuss, and discharged it within three feet of Mr. Billing's person, lodging the contents in the unfortunate gentleman's side. The whole transaction was but the work of a few minutes, nail the servant who drove the car was so bewildered bribe suddenness of the attack that he could make no effort to assist Mr. Billing, and remained on the car until the unhappy gentleman was left weltering in his blood upon the road. After the shot was tired the murderers decamped, and a third party, who had not made his appearance previously, was I seen to issue from a part of the hedge on the road-ide,where he had been concealed, evidently watching the work of murder. Mr. Billing was instantly conveyed home, and • Dr. J. Ferguson, our excellent county surgeon, immediately sent for, who was promptly in attendance, and rendered the sufferer every assistance. From 11 to 20 large leaden slugs were lodged in Mr. Billing's side, some of which were extracted by Dr. Ferguson, but such is the dangerous nature of his wounds that very slight hopes are entertained of his recovery. The district in which this desperate outrage occurred has been long considered one of the west Unproved and peaceable in the county Westmeath, and the circumstances which led to the horrible occurrence are enveloped in complete mystery, unless that a rumour of Miss Busby having appointed her nephew agent over her estate in that neighbourhood may have indueedithe parties to perpetrate it. 'the Banner of Ulster says: "On Tuesday last, the '22nd inst., the poor law guardians of the Newtownards Union held a special meeting, of which due notice had been given beforehand, and, nt this meeting, Sir W. Somerville's new Valuation Bill was taken into consideration. The result was the unanimous adoption of a petition to the house of Commons, in reference to the inequalities and anomalies of the proposed measure, together with an earnest appeal for their correction."