IRELAND.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 709, 29 January 1853, Page 3

IRELAND.

(From ilic “• Momin; Clironie!f's Ct rrcspohrttut.’*) Dublin, Wednesday, September 22. There is a remarkable degree of steadiness ii| our corn markets, notwithstanding the general abundance of our grain crops, and the large supplies from the farmers. During the last week the deliveries at the Cork Corn Exchange amounted to 2170 barrels of wheat, 2521 of barley, and 42728 of oats, for all of which there was a brisk demand. In previous seasons, since the famine, the week's supply very often did not amount to one-twentieth of (he above. In the county of Cork, and generally (|\}opgljoul (he country, oats form the great staple crop, and the produce at present is very full, and the quality excellent. As the market price of that grain is fairly remunerative, whilst all other agricultural products, except wheal gre high, the farmer is now in a better condition than for a long period. Horned rattle pay well, and store sheep are actually higher than they were in the height of (he war or before the adoption of Sip Upheld Peel’s tariff. Still, however, w jllf all these gv«denpcsof the steady recovery of agricultural enterprise, after (he exhaustion of the famine, the emigration is rapidly increasing day by day, even w here (he scarcity of labourers is leading to an enhancement V wages. Landis much increased in value, farms fairly circumstanced are in brisk demand, hut the holdings generally arc large, for the smaller classes of occupiers are gradually disappearing, except in Ulster, where the juicy weavers ■contrive to retain Iheiv lit tle tenements —dividing (heir linjc between the loom and the labours of the field. Taken altogether, the condition of both landlords and farmers will be considerably improved by (he harvest, now very nearly brought lo $ termination ; and (he losses by the potato failure will not be fell so severely, in consequence of the prosperous slate of other branches of agriculture. The continuance of the Might, however, has the effect of still further stimulating the cspdus. The constabulary throughout the country have received orders from Government to make out returns of the quantity of oats, wheat, flax, green crops, £e., under cultivation in their respective districts. The inquiry was commenced yesterday jji |he county Anlrinj, IbnT/i-PriOK oe the Duke of Wellington.— A correspondent of (hjeFreeman’s Journalsnys: —“ The Freeman’s Journal of May, 1709, settles controversy as to the birth-place of the Duke of Wellington. The number of that paper published on the oth of May, 1700, professes U) record the jpcjdents from the 2nd lo the 6th inclusive. Under the Dublin head there arc the metropolitan occurrences, and amongst others— ■ Marriaggs,’ ‘Deaths,’ and one ‘Birth.’ The single birth is announced in the following words: —‘ Birth— In Merrion-slreet, the Bight Hon. the Countess of Mornington, of a son.’ There can be no possi= Me doubt that the son was Arthur, afterwards the great Duke of Wellington, and IhalMerriom street was a locality in (he pity of Dublin. Will you permit me to ask what tlio foundation is for the assertion that flic Duke of Wellington, on any occasion, or under any Pjl'cuinslances, ‘ denied his' country’? 1 heard, Many years ago, (hat when there w a s wind he considered an obtrusive reference to h) s obligations as an Irishman, he said something to Pie effect, that ■ what he troubled himself about was his duly lo the Crowm of these realms.’ This was hot, and could not have teen intended as, a 4 denial of his country,’or even a discourtesy towards it. The duke was never in Ireland since his chief secretaryship. He never was in Scotland at all. The fact is, he was a man of routine, .and with incessant public occupations, he did not carp, as far as self was concerned, whether his migrations extended farther than 4 from the brown room lo the blue.’ There is not a doubt that he was much and constantly abused for his imagi-

nary ‘ denial of his counlry.’ How can we he sure that this very circumstance did not indispose him to revisit our shores ? All his brothers had their national sympathies very strong, and the greatest of them, the Marquis Wellesley, never lost an opportunity of claiming Ireland as the land of his birth and affections.” A v luisp Packet Station,— For some long time past the utility, nay, even the peccssily, of ait lijsli transatlantic packet station has been ovpr and over again urged upon the Mritish Government, but up till Ihe present tipic with no satisfactory conclusion. This, however, was no doubt partly owing to the wan| of facts and figures h> prove (he length of time which might be by having such a transatlantic port for the mail atnl passengers, ar\d indeed, generally speakpig, ihe arguments hitherto advanced for its establishment have been more of a theoretical than practical nature. This can now be said no longer, as the statements which havg heretofore bpen made haye been within the last ten days reduced iq practice, and Ihe result shows a saving of lime of two opt ire dgys, as will be seen from the following facts. On Saturday last, about mid-day, the Sarah Sands left the Mersey, Jkjuiul for Australia, and entered to touch at Cork amongst other places. By curious circumstances business of the utmost importance required several persons resident in Liverpool, Manchester, Shrewsbury', Bath, and London, who had taken berths iq her, to remain at home until Monday, and consequently they gave up all hopes of reaching Australia by the Sarah Sands this voyage. On communication,’however, they learned that she touched at Co,rk, and would not leqve the harbour until Tuesday (yesterday) evening. This was all they required, for by the rapid coiqmunication now’existing between Eng.and and Ireland, via Holyhead, Cork is within twenty-one hours of London, fifteen hoars of Liverpool, the same Manchester, the same Shrewsbury, and about tvypnty-Jwp hoars from Bristol. So that those persons were enabled to transact their business, arid yet catch Ihe vessel which had left the port of cpjhqrkalion three days before, not leaving their various places of residence till Monday evening. They arrived yesterday morning at half-past six, and took the ten o'clock a.m. train to Cork, where they arrived about half-past four, in ample |ppe Jo hoard the Sarah Sands. There were thirty persons who availed themselves of her touching at Cork, and making that their point of embarkation instead of Liverpool, —Dublin Saunders. Emigration to Australia.— The Limerick Reporter of yesterday contains the following : “This day, at eleven o’clock a.m., oO female emigrants from the Limerick union, and 30 female emigrants from the Nenagh union, left the quays of Limerick by Ihe European screw steamer for Plymouth en route to Australia. The Nenagh emigrants were accompanied to the steaiper by Mrs. Walsh, matron of the workhouse of that union ; the LirpcricK emigrants, by the master, Air. APlnerney, and the laundress, Mrs. Denmeade, and were seen on hoard by the Bev. J. Moore, P.P., Thomondgate, the pious and exemplary chaplain of the Limerick union. In the morning the Bev. Mr. Moore celebrated mass for the emigrants at the administered holy coinnpmipn (o (hem, and im r parted Religious instruction to them in an impressive exhortation. The appearance of these young women, especially Ihose from (he Limerick union, was jcomfortahle in the extreme. They are well and warmly clad in excellent plaid cloaks, and looked healthful. Their wailings however, and distress at parting with friends and relatives, were most .painful, and wrung sympathetic tears from many of Ihe bystanders. Captain Elliott, Government emigration agent, and a constable of police were present—the former to see that the regulations in such cases were carried out, the latter to lake down the names of the emigrants. Mr. Carrol Naish, clerk of the union, was also present.” Departure of Convicts. —The Lord Auckland Transport, Captain Thompson, has arrived in Queenstown for the purpose of conveying 260 convicts from Spijie Island convict depot to Van Diemen’s Land. The convicts frotp Spikg Isjjjnfl cany with thejp (jfkets of leave, which have been grafted tor good conduct daring imprisonment These tickets, it is said, will enable Ihe prisoners to go where llicy please in the colony, ancj work, for whom they please without restraint. An escort of the 14th Begimept of Foot, consisting of one npjjojf, eye subaltern, and fifty rank and file,* is to with tlip vessel, and on arrival at its destination will jojq the service pompayics, which embajked for Aus r trylia July, 1843. Dr. Davidson, H N-, as superintending surgeon, {iroceeds in the transport, A Government inspeplor, an otlice lately •created, is also to accompany The convicts, and tljp gentlemen elected is Lieutenant Molloy, formerly attached to the army, jjiis officer is to act as moral instructor over the convicts; and ip (lie event of neglect, or any appearance of insubordination, report such to the superintendent surgeon. These -convicts .are comfortably provided with wearing apparel, and will he liberally supplied with good food during the voyage. The cost Of transport wilf average about TO/, a head. The Lord Auckland will sail on Wednesday or Thu rsd ay. —C orh Const it 11 l,i on.

THE OBLIGATIONS OF A PROMISE. The following correspondence has taken place between an elector of Limerick and the Rev. Dr. O’Brien, parish priest of St. Mary’s, in that city : “ Thursday, July 8,1852. “ Rev. and dear Sir, —Will you kindly tell me the moral qnd religious obligation of the promise of an elector at all times, or on any contingency 1 “ Believe me, rev. Sir, faithfully yours, F. J. O’Neill. “To the Rev. R. B. O’JJriep, D.D., St. Mary’s,” “ St Mary’s, Friday, 11 o’clock, a.m. “ My dear friend, —Absence from home on last evening, and professional duties on this morning will explain and excuse my delay ill replying to your note. “ Your question is a most important one. I wish the time of proposing it were more convenient ; but I will not for any accidental circumstance refuse you tlje benefit of my counsel, Your right #nd my duty render this course imperative. “ I need not inform you that the franchise is placed in the hands of an elector for the advancement of tji,e public gopd. Common sense and the repeated declaration of the Legislature sufficiently attest this principle. If the yote for a pandidate, then, be calculated to advance the public interests I look upon the ‘ moral and religious obligation of the promise of an elector, at all times and in all places,- to be unquestionable, “ The conscience of the elector must ? of course be the tribunal at which the qualities of the candidates must be judged. “ But what if the voters believe that the return of a certain candidate will injuriously affect the interests of society, religion, and public morals 7 . The same principle answers to the interrogatory . The elector who supports such a candidate violates the condition upon which he has been trusted with the franchise, and sins against God and his fellow men. The * promise’ made to such an individual was a crime against, morals, and the fulfilment of such promise w T ould he only a perseverance iri the iniquity of which he has been guilty. “ In fact, the citizen was first of all under the obligation to God Almighty to sustain religion nd the social well-being that springs from wise

and prudent legislation. It would be absurd to suppose that by violating sudi obligation he removed it. Hence he is still bound. And the ‘ promise’ is wicked, unless you suppose that God sanctions an obligation to resist himself. “ Let me suppose that at the time of the * promise’ the voter was convinced of the elligibility of the individual who sought his suffrage, and that subsequently he became better informed, and believed that the candidate’s return would bp mischievous. The answer is obvious. He has unknowingly acted against God, and cannot d hjs fault by knowingly repeating the transgression. His ‘ moral and religiqus obligation* is to pay no attention whatsoever to the ‘ promise,* unless to lament it. “ Finally, let us advert to, perhaps, the only remaining case worthy of our consideration. Suppose a candidate well inclined to do his utmost; ready to mab.e any pledges, and, as far as he can ready fo redeem them, lie has wealth, character, connexions, addres&r-and you ‘promise* him. Circumstances arise, however, after this ‘ promise,’ that for the good of society apd religion demand a different persop. He has not the information which is required~the class qf feelings that is needed —the devotion and energy in a great public cause, on the success of which you believe the existence of society to depend—what of the promise made tq him ! I suppose that you anticipate my reply. The fulfilment of the * promise’ is au act against God ; because the fulfilment of it assails the interests of society, for which interests you are bound to consult in the exercise of vour priviledge. Hence the ‘promise’ must liave ceased to avail, us circumstances make the performance illicit. “ If a son * promise’ to lend his father’s arms, and finds, about the time of ‘ keeping his word,* that the house is to be attacked by plunderers, you would not even though his friends laughed at his fears, have him consult for courtesy at the expense of his family’s lives. In fact, were he so civil or so servile, you would very likely deem him little better than a parricide and murderer. Now, the votes are the arras of religion and society in a representative Government; and if the citizen, for sake of a promise, intrust them to men who cannot employ them for religion and society—who will not employ them for these ends; or whom circumstances render incapable of using them for tliese essential purposes ; lip leaves his family exposed to ruin, and instead of performing an obligation of conscience violates a most important law of nature and God ‘ The moral and religipus obligation of the elector’ is to abandon such a ‘ promise.’ Its fulfilment is a crime. “ Let me not be misunderstood. Men may be saved by their ‘ Invincible ignorance’ from the sin of performing such ‘ promise but it is only ignorancf can save them. “ TI IU §3 my dear friepd, we have viewed the case of a ‘ promise’ made to, a bad candidate — kno\yn tq be bad—and we have seen that it is null, void, an<i| a pyime from the beginning. We have seen the case of a candidate whose badness is discovered after the ‘ promise,’ and have found that the ‘ promise,’ as • a bond of iniquity,’ shares the same fate. And finally, where after the ‘ promise,’ circumstances render a particular individual totally unfit for the public service, and liave concluded that such ‘ promises’ are * snares of the evil one,’ who goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. “ 1 here take the liberty of transcribing the doctrine ,pf Dr. Paley, a Protestant teacher of morality who is sufficiently well known. Of course he has only copied it from some of our schoolmen, and pqt it into English, rather incorrect-; ly, too. “ In what cases promises are not binding I “‘l. Promises are not binding when the performance is impossible. “ ‘2. Promises are not binding when the performance is unlawful.’ “ The parties in this case are not obliged to perform what the promise requires—because they were under a prior obligation to the country. “ ‘ Then if you promise a man a place or your vote, and he afterwards renders himself unfit tq receive either, or if a better candidate appear, and you are hound by oath, or otherwise to govern yourself by the qualification, the promise must must be broken through.’—Chap. V., sec. 3, p--522. London Ed., 1838. ‘i Having now answered your question, I will not affect ignorance of your object—an object in which I fully sympathize. I do not intend to interfere in the election, but the concealment of my opinion is just as far from my inclination and intention. [Here follow some comments on tha loca| plection then pending.] * * - ■ - “il. B. O’Brien.”

A Hint sou the Admiralty.—Commodore Sir Henry Leeke, Commander-in-Chief of the East Indian navy, bids fair to be a very popular man in Bombay. He has ordered all commanders all vessels of war, on entering harbour, to forward to the Master Attendant’s Office, for the use of the public and the reporters of the press, a list of passengers and summary of news; and all the commanders of the Indian navy ships who may come across conveying mails or parcels, which have met with any accident, are to send aboard and offer to bring on the said mails and parcels; theCommodoretellingthemthat,inacting thus they will, at once, be performing their duty and rendering an obligation to the public. — Portsmouth Times. A Discovery at Nineveh. —Among the latest discoveries at Njueveh, one coffin found contained the body of a lady of the Royal house. Many of her garments were entire, also the gold studs whic|i fastened her vest. The most singular discovery, was a mask of thin gold placed upon the face, so as to assume apd retain the features ,ot the deceased.„