IRELAND. [Collected from our late Files.]
DECREASE OF CRIME IK THE SOUTH. The summer commission for the county of Limerick was opened by Mr. Serjeant Howley, who is acting as one of the judges of assize. His Lordship, in bis charge to the grand jury, referred at considerable length to the marked decrease of crimes arising out of the old confederacy for the possession of land, that fruitful source of Irish misery, which has made this country a byword among the nations of the civilized world. " There is no doubt of this," said the learned Judge — u That in latter times all offences connected with a confederacy among the people — those offences against the public peace which resulted and grew out of a confederacy among the people, havo entirely disappeared from amongst us. One cause may be that that confederacy frequently grew out of a contention and strugglo about lnnd. When land, gentlomen, was the only means of subsistence, men struggled for it as they did for their lives j and hence many of those serious and heavy crimes arose that we remember to have been committed in this and other counties. <\ That, gentlemen, has passed away. It has passed away not without leaving a bitter and memorable lesson behind it. It has not passed away without deep suffering amongst the people — without destitution amongst many, and, I may say, without pain and suffering amongst all; because I may say that there is no class whether of the veiy lowest or of the very highest, that has not felt the calamity that has swept over {the land, and has left so many prostrate. But it may be, gentlemen, a useful dispensation of providence tnat that which strikes down the lower classes never fails to reach the higher order. I say it may be a dispensation of Providence to show us how nearly united in fellowship we should be, and that whilst the man in high condition is a watch over the interest of the poor labouring man, he is not only exercising a n act of chaiity, but actually looking carefully to his own interests. Gentlemen, the decrease in crime may be also ascribed to the admirable system of police which baa prevailed for latter years. This better system of police, gentlemen, has tended to prevent crime ; for all manner of police are useful and valuable, much more so when they prevent crime than merely when they punish the offender. Then, gentlemen, it may be also ascribed to this cause — namely, that there never was a peiiod in our recollection when the criminal justice of the country was carried out by the higher powers with a more equal, and a more steady, a more firm, but a more considerate and meiciful haad. All these things, gentlemen, may have had their influence, all contributing to that general tranquillity which, I am happy to say, now reigns throughout the country, and which, let us hope, may continue to prevail."
Tirpuiuny, past and presfnt. j The assizes for the north riding of Tipperary— but a few brief years ago the Irish Aceldama — closed on Tuesday evening, having only lasted a day and a half. Commenting upou this happy reformation, the Nenagh Gum dmn asks— " Who would have imagined four years ago — even so late as two — that the assizes for the north riding of the county of Tipperary would only last for such a short period? It is truly gratifying that it has proved maiden with regard to capital conviction, and that only two persons have been transported for seven years. This is cause for congratulation, as manifesting the tranquillity of the country, and the disposition of the people not to bring themselves within the meshes of the law. It shows that, although for a time heinous crimes may bo committed, aud the spirit of agrarianism and murderous onslaught spread themselves over the land, yet the administration of justice, the conviction and punishment of those who engaged in them, are sufficient to crush those crimes, and to deter others from following the footsteps of the evil-disposed. There is no county in Ireland, perhaps, in which so much angry bickering, litigious proceedings, and heavy offences against person and property existed as iv this great county, and for which it became proverbial. But a very short time has wrought an extraordinary change. Now the talent of the bar is not required to be displayed in the defence of prisoners — lawyers are briefless, and the legal services of solicitora are dispensed with."
STATE OP THE WEST. The foregoing is " Conservative" testimony to the improvement of the south. A " Repeal and Roman tjatholic authority (the Uoscommon Journal) thus speaks of amended prospects in the west :— " That Ireland will shortly be restored to the position that Nature and Nature's God intended her is beyond all floubt. Our English neighbours, our best friends, having located themselves in the vicinity of Roscommon, have rendered incalculable advantages to the landed proprietors, to themselves, to the labouring classes, and to society. Employment and a remunerative payment was all "our peasantry lequired — the want of which naturally led them to commit crimes at the very idea of which they would (under other circumstances) shudder. They are now employed and paid for their labour, and the calendar at the assizes fully demonstrates our fond anticipations that peace and' order would again predominate. In our adjoining columns will be found an advertisement from Mr. Miller, of Edinburgh. With that shrewdness which characterizes our Scotch friends, Mr. Miller made a tour through this country, made himself perfectly conversant with the resources of our 6011, minutely inquired into every circumstance relative to the position of our localities, and on his return to his own country, so self-satisfied is he that Ireland is the place for the capitalist and industrious farmer to find a 'California/ that bepioposes to afford every facility, as well to the landlords to let their lands, as to the emigrant to settle with us instead of seeking a home m a distant and probably an unhealthy clime." Phogre&s op Emigration, — The Ltmeiick Examiner says, that he has nevpr seen the quays of Limerick so crowded with emigrants, and adds : — the only surprise is, wbcie do the numbers come from? The remnant of the substantial farming classes are evidently those who aio now on tho niovo — those who have bravely fought against accumulating difficulties for the last six jcars. * * * Already, we hear on good authority, that even for the saving of the approaching harvest it will be veiy difficult to obtain hands iv several rural
districts What will it be next year? What the your after 1 Where is the drain to Btop 1 The tide of emigration already remarked in other seaport towns continues to flow on without any visible abatement.
6TAI C OF THE CLARE..UNION 3. An application from the guardians of the Killadyserfc Union, requesting assistance to allay, if notremore, tb*. present pressure of distress by Bending out a number of paupei a to America, has been unfavourably received by the commisioners, who in their reply, state that, having given the fullest considerat'on to all the circumstances of the case, they must decline i to apply for any further assistance from the rate in aid [ fund for emigration purposes. The condition of this union may be best learnt by the wording of the rei solution adopted by the board and forwarded to the commissioners :— • " That we request the serious attention of the Poor Law Commissioners to the state of this union, in the earnest hope that they will adopt speedy measures to assist this board in suppressing the distress prevalent at the present time ; having since May, 1850, struck rates in the several electoral divisions to the amount of £5,700 (nearly 10s. in the pound on the valuation), £4,600 of which has been collected with debts (exclusive of Government debts) of over ,£6,000, to meet which the outstanding rate of £1,100 only remains, and not more than £700 of this sum canbemada available; having six auxiliaiy establishments, and their staff, &c, to support in this union, together with our proportion of the support of the establishments of Ennis and Kilrush unions under reservation orders ; with an enormous weekly expenditure attendant upon the support of 2,500 persons in workhouses, and 500 on out door relief, and with an overtaxed and miserable class of ratepayers to satisfy the claims consequent upon this expense, upon whose resources no reliance can be placed, we find an almost total inability in carrying on the affairs of this union; and \ye earnestly and respectfully Lope the commisionere will afford our state the consideration it deserves, and grant us the means if not of removing, at least of allaying, the extreme distress in this unfortunate union, and enabling us to cancel our reservation orders ; as a means of doing which we would respectfully suggest to the commissioners the propriety of sending out a number of our workhouse inmates to America, where alone a field of industry presents itself, and from which place, by means of their earnings, they will assist their relations here by supplying them with funds to enable them to leave a country reduced to the most miserable condition, thus reducing the taxation attendent upon their support as paupers at home."
The Great Exhibition.— The attractions of the sg. day begin to fade, and complaints arise among the management that they are losing money by it. For all practical purposes it is found that a half-crown entrance fee keeps the interior of the building sufficiently select, and we should, therefore, not be surprised (says th« Times) to hear that the Commission had reduced the price on Saturdays to the level of Fridays. A model of the Koh-i-noor, with its two attendant satellites, has just been placed in front of Mr. Apsley Pellatt's collection. <Tlie velvet cushion, the gold stems and wires on which the diamond i 9 supported, the glass shade, and a miniature iron gilt cage, surmounted by a crown, have all been successfully imitated ; and we believe many persons, after looking at the original, and the copy, would be puzzled to tell which is the great Indian diamond, valued at £2,000,000 sterling, and which the piece of British crystal glass, value— say one shilling. The glass is of the purest colourless crystal, and the size, shape, cutting of the facets, &c, have all been most accurately reproduced. For some weeks past (says the Spectatw), the Exhi • bition reports of the morning journals have indicated a current of vexation and jealousy on behalf of the English exhibitors in reference to the award of prizes ; and there have not been wanting assertions that the foreign jurors were asserting, and were likely to carry, their national claims to supremacy, in some departments where strict fairness would have given them only secondary rank. Some change of decision has been made, or some new principle of award adopted ; for the Times, in whose reports these indications of jealousy had been strongest, on Thursday announced that there was "every prospect at last of s satisfactory escape from, those broils and contentions in which but a few days ago the conduct of some foreign jurors threatened to involve us." The awards are not, .it is announced, to be made till after the closebf the Exhibition. The Commissioners have finally decided upon the issue of a medal to each of the jurors — foreign as well as British. The medal will be executed in the highest style of art, and will bear the inscription— "Pulchor et ille labor palma decorare laborem." What appears to have boen a case of oppression, by the Woods and Forests, came to light at Marlboroughstreet Police-office. Ann Hicks, a miserable-looking woman, was charged with attempting to sell cakes near the Crystal Palace. She stated that she had once been the happy occupant of a stall in the Park, which' had descended to her from her grandfather and father ; the former having assisted to save George the Second from drowning in the Serpentine. About seven years ago, Lord Lincoln permitted her to build a stone lodge in the Park; she spent all her savings, £130 in erecting it. In November last, Lord Seymour ordered all stalls to be removed from the Park. Mrs. Hicks appealed in Tain ; she was ejected, her lodge pulled down, and only a year's lodging -money at ss. a week given to her -—no compensation for her lodge. To gain support, she had tried to sell cakes in the Park. Mr. Hardwick had I some difficulty in making her understand that it was an < offence to sell cakes in the Park. If she would promise never to do the like again, be would discbarge her. She could not promise. What was she to do to support herself 'and child? She supposed her fate would be the same as had attended the other poor creatures who had been deprived of their bread by the Commissioners, one who had kept a stand for twenty years at the Victoria Gate had gone out of her mind in consequence of this eviction ; a second was in Kensington Workhouse; a third was in St. George's Workhouse ; and she met a fourth that morning, nearly broken hearted, trying to sell medals in the Park. Mr. Hardwick said the law must be obeyed. Mrs. Hicks said she would sell no more she would beg. Mr. Hardwick told her that was equally a crime. After some further parley, a reluctant promise not to sell cakes in the Park again was extracted, and she was set at liberty. Subscriptions have begun to arrive for the poor woman j who would seem to have been sacrificed, with the other keepers of stalls, that no refreshment might be sold in the Paik except within the " free trade" Crystal Palace.
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New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 596, 31 December 1851, Page 3
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2,312IRELAND. [Collected from our late Files.] New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 596, 31 December 1851, Page 3
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