Star. — 1822-01-04 (London, England)

IROM THE FREEMAN'S JOURNAL OF WEDNESDAY.  The LORD MAYOR has issued a Proclamation, calling on theinhabitants of this city to illuminate their houses to-night, to testify their joy at the appointment of the Most Noble the Marquis WELLestaz to the Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland. Notwithstanding the exultation which, in common with our fellow-citizens, we-feel on this auspicious occasion, we must confess the Proclamation of the Lord Mayor gave us surprise. We do not much approve of illuminations as a mode of expressing public joy, under any circumstances. They are almost sure to produce inconvenience, expense, trouble, and idleness; and are not unfrequently attended with danger to life and property. In addition to these standing objections to illuminations, we cannot forget that not more than a fortnight has elapsed since the Lord Mayor commanded the publicans of Dublin to close their houses at eight o'clock at night, at the risk of destruction to their trade, and that within the short time the city was almost in a state of blockade; and yet now his Lordship is pleased to order a general illumination, when, if any spirit of riot or misrule was abroad, it would be impossible to restrain it, without sacrifices too painful to be contemplated. The Commission opened yesterday, when Judge FLETCHER, in his charge to the Grand Juries, congratulated them on the lightness of the calendars.— He noticed the alarms and reports which had prevailed, and said, that even in the county of Limerick (the scene of so much disquiet) no conspiracy existed against the laws or ieligion of the country. The Limerick Chronicle contains a letter from a Gentleman, dated Charleville, December 28, which gives the following account of some disturbances in that neighbourhood, during the week that the Special Commission was sitting ar Limerick :  On the nights of 'Wednesday and Thursday of that week, after numerous convictions and executions had taken place, several houses at Ki.ockmoor, betwten Pruree and Hawardstown, were broken into, and where they did not get arms they demanded and got money. As several statements will be made of an affray that occurred on Christmas-day, at Ballyagran, between the soldiers stationed there and the country people, wherein one of the countrymen was killed and one or two wounded ; to prevent misrepresentations, permit me, who attended at Ballyagran on the 26th instant, and yesterday at the Coroner's Inquest, to give you the following correct statement of the facts and circumstances :—About two o'clock, during Divine Service there, within the Chapel a vicious and false report was made, that the soldiers had surrounded the Chapel, were setting fire to it, and were to lire on the congregation; nay, in the remote part of the Chapel it was said that the soldiers were striking the Priests and driving them from the altar; on which the whole congregation rushed out through doors and windows, and took up stones to repel the soldiers. It has been proved that not a soldier was near the Chapel-yard, or nearer than the high read, which is at a distance from every side of the Chapel. The two Priests, in a most praiseworthy manner, have proved this, and on this occasion, as well as on many others, exerted their endeavours to dissuade the parishioners from violence or outrage; however, an affray began, the soldiers were assailed and struck, and wounded with stones: in their own defence, and to prevent being disarmed, they fired three or four shots, when one man was killed, and one or two wounded. Sir Richard Ilarte and Mr. Odell Upton arrived from Drew's-court, at Ballyagran, within half an hour after the affray, and both gave testimony of the sober and regular state of the soldiers, and of the blood, bruises, and wounds which the several soldiers exhibited and had received.  " I am, Gentlemen, your's, with truth, 0 AN OLD hIAGISTRATE"  The man's name who was killed in the above affray is James Lane. An Inquest was held on the body on Thursday, by JoHN Cox, Esq. Coroner, and a highly respectable Jury, who, after a patient investigation of two days, and examining nearly seventeen witnesses, returned an unanimous verdict of Justiflabk Homicide.