the principles and effects of such a measure, must contribute towards the gratification of this pious pair!

Is it not an outrageous violation of national rights that the property and interests of the people of Ireland are disposed of by the imperial legislature upon such paltry pretexts, and so trivial a foundation; and that it should meantime be not permitted to them to make the slightest shadow of effectual resistance to what is nothing less than a combination of open robbery with insult!

Until lately matters were not so bad, for although the magistrate had the power of issuing a warrant for the amount of church-rates; yet there was the consolation of an appeal to the higher tribunals; but Mr. Goulbourn determined to deprive the Irish of this last refuge against local oppression or clerical rapacity, and by this act one magistrate is empowered to decide and act upon the question of church-rates.

ness.

To be sure there is an appeal to the Ecclesiastical Court, but what business would he have in such a court, upon such a busiThere is a very familiar saying, that it is like going to law with a certain gentleman, and holding the court in a certain very warm place-(laughter)-and that adage might with great truth be applied to such a case, referred to the most im partial, and most learned of all arbitrators-country magistrates -(laughter). Then let the English freeman turn up the white of his pious eyes, and exclaim with indignation against the Irish bondsman, followed with a law which embodies such injustice, as makes it impossible not to resist its oppressive gallings. Nay will the passive Englishman believe, that so determined was Mr. Goulburn not to satiate the Irish with too much justice, knowing how unaccustomed they were to such wholesome fare, that the church-rates are declared by his bill to be assessable, notwithstanding all informalities, omissions, or defects in the mode of assessment (hear, hear).

Then who will say the Irish people are not the most patient and forbearing that ever lived, when such a monstrous law has been suffered to endure for any time?

The present petition prays nothing more than to have the law of church-rates reduced to the same footing as it is in England, they claim no exception; although they are the great majority paying for the accommodation of the few, yet they are content to pay for Protestant churches, upon the same principle, and upon the same law as Protestants themselves.

Mr. O'Connell proceeded to read the petition, which excicod very general approbation, and was agreed to unanimously.]

Mr. Conway called the attention of the Association to a fact that had recently come to his knowledge, and of which there could be no doubt whatever.

A very snug trade had grown up between London and Dublin booksellers, for which the state, as it would appear, had to furnish the capital. The books and bibles which the Kil lare Place Society had published here, and held up for sale in Ireland for twopence and Fourpence a piece, were sent in considerable quantities to London, and there sold at one filling and sixpence a piece.

Mr. O'Connell remarked that that was one way of accounting for the disposition of the 10,000 grant, and that it was a matter which should be laid before parliament.

Here a very considerable interruption of the business occurred, owing to the irruption before alluded to, of the College boys, who came determined to disturb, and, if possible, entirely upset the new popular organization. After a struggle, however, they found they were over-matched, and were compelled to make a hasty retreat in disorder. The people wanted to follow and punish them, but Mr. O'Connell interposed to prevent it, and order was restored again

'MR. FINLAY

MR. O'CONNELL read a petition on church rates, which was received with general approbation. He said it was the production of a Protestant who never yet refused to do a kindness to his Catholic countrymen, or aid them in pursuit of justice.

From his extensive knowledge of the subject of parish cess, Mr. Finlay was applied to draw up the petition on church rates, and it could not have been committed to an honester man, or one of greater industry or more powerful talents. Although Mr. Finlay came to his profession with no very considerable portion of this world's means, he had uniformly evinced a liberality of conduct and independence of spirit which would have reflected the highest credit on the possessor of a large fortune. It had been his (Mr. O'C.'s) lot to witness in the hall of the Four Courts the whole of the bar professing to repudiate bigotry, and to scorn promotion if only to be got by adopting the principles of intolerance, or accommodating their conduct to the rules of ministerial subserviency. Many had however climbed to importance, not by merit, but by that road which they found the readiest; and during that period of persecution when Lord Manners and Mr. Sauriu had employed the privileges and terrors of office for the extermination of liberality among the bar, John Finlay retained an untainted principle and independent spirit, and he has now advanced to such a lucrative practice as his professional talents and signal private worth so justly merit.

Mr. O'Connell then moved the thanks of the meeting to Mr. Finlay which was carried with several repeated rounds of applause.

CATHOLIC AGENT.

MR. O'CONNELL said that there were many circumstances to cause their attention to be drawn to the state of the Catholic question in England.

They had to contend with an adverse press in that country; but the Catholic Association had now assumed such an attitude, that there was every reason to expect some proceeding in their favour during the next session of parliament.

The Association had determined to lay their supplications before their most gracious sovereign, previous to presenting their petition to parliament. But there still remained a great leal to be done in disabusing the English mind from the calumnies which prejudice, and the arts of insidious enemies had implanted-to proclaim, and make known the real tenets of the Catholics-their principles, and their expectations. He (Mr. O'C.) sincerely believed that the opposition of the generality of Englishmen to the Catholic claims was founded on honest opposition, because founded in prejudice on honest principles, and what they conceived to be proper motives. It would, therefore, be an object with the Catholics to have a superintending genius at the press, that would meet every calumny the moment it ap peared, or was uttered, by a prompt, decided avowal of the genuine prínciples of Catholicism, and procure conviction by truth and

reason.

Agitator, as he (Mr. O'C.) was termed, he did not wish for Catholic Emancipation by other means-he wished for Catholic freedom by Protestant confidence and, by showing that the Catholics deserved the glorious boon of becoming partakers of the British Constitution. The Catholics, by their agent, would protest most solemnly and sincerely against entertaining ona view, or one tenet, inconsistent with Christians and freemenwith the strictest morality and national liberty-and, by so doing, secure their motives and conduct from misrepresentation and injustice.

It is fortunate, said the learned gentlemen, that at this moment, there is in London a gentleman eminently qualified to effect the objects desired by the Association-Mr. Eneas M'Donnell-(cheers.)—Whatever intimacy may have subsisted between him (Mr. O'C.) and Mr. M'Donnell, had for some time ceased, and he merely noticed that circumstance to show, that his recommendation did not proceed from personal feeling, but a conviction of Mr. M'D's. abilities; because, although the Association is not the representative of the Catholic body, yet it acts for

them, and in so essential a matter no personal partiality should prevail. Mr. O'Connell moved that he be appointed the general agent in London for the Catholic Association.

This appointment of Mr. Eneas M'Donnell was in a manner forced upon Mr. O'Connell by a party whom he had found, on all occasions, prompt to thwart and counteract his views To this party Mr. M'Donnell's readiness in debate and adroitness in acquiring and keeping a certain influence in the western parts of Ireland, had been several times of much service, and enabled them to impede, if not entirely to baffle, various plans of Mr. O'Connell. Partly to recompense their partisan, and partly as a trial of strength, they had resolved, from the first mention of an agency in England, to insist upon his being the person appointed.

Mr. O'Connell readily yielded, making one of those prompt concessions upon secondary points, which so helped him in his management of men-and glad, as the thing was to be, that one who could, when it pleased him, give trouble at home, would have the temptations to do so, limited and diminished by distance and want of sufficient opportunity.

Mr. M'Donnell continued for several years in the receipt of a very comfortable salary— £300 a year-from the Association, giving, as value, long pages of “special correspondence,” three or four hours' attendance on nights of Irish debates in the house, and an occasional little bit of petty diplomacy with the gracious patrons of the Catholic cause among the members of the two houses of parliament. Mr. M'Donnell named his own salary at £500, as the following extract from a letter of his, dated November 8, will show :

"Upon the subject of remuneration, I shall be as candid as upon any other. I showed your letter to three different gentlemen, one suggested £700 a year, a second £750, the third £650; but, taking into consideration the many urgent occasions for your funds, suggest £500 per annum.'

The committee of the Association, however, decided upon the sum of £300, though Mr. O'Connell recommended the larger sum.

Mr. Maurice O'Connell reported from the committee of nomination, that the following names were those recommended for the committee of finance and correspondence:-

Rev. Mr. L'Estrange, Daniel O'Connell, Richard Sheil, James Sugrue, Hugh O'Conor, John Bric, William Forde, John Redmond, Laurence Clinch, Michael Staunton, Patrick Fullam, T. T. Dolan, J. D. Mullen, M. J. O'Rielly, P. J. Hart, John Burke, Pierse Ronayne fheobald M'Kenna, John D'Arcy, James Keally, J. A. Curran, and the secretary.

MR. O'CONNELL rose to correct an erroneous impression tha had gone abroad with respect to the new journal about to be established. The rumour was utterly unfounded that it was to be so established with the funds of the Association.

No portion of the Catholic rent was applied to such purpose, for no money could be appropriated without due notice, and the consent of the Association; but as he constantly consoled himself on his pillow with the reflection that he was the author of the present system of the Catholic rent, he considered it a duty to devise other means also for promoting the great national cause; and therefore it had been determined to establish a journal that would represent truly the proper sentiments of the Catholics.

Mr. O'Connell then proceeded to describe the Orange press very severe terms, and went on.

That portion of the press affecting to be liberal, was conducted with a silly apathy that foolishly compromises the Catholic interests, and not daring to do wrong, never does right.

The new

paper would require no support nor countenance from the Catholics, that its own services would not most amply repay. It would be true to the best interests, religious and political, of the country; and would be the organ of popular opinion, and the untiring advocate of civil and religious liberty.

The learned gentleman concluded by moving, that the advertisements of the Association be inserted in the Morning Register, which is to publish its first number to-morrow (this day.) As to an evening paper, Mr. O'C. said, they had the advocacy of the Dublin Evening Post, which was in itself a host, and he was glad to hear its circulation was increasing as its merits deserved, and having these two good supporters they could afford to laugh at their assailants.

Mr. Conway felt great satisfaction in seconding the motion.--Passed unanimously.

GENERAL PETITION.

MR. O'CONNELL read the draft of the petition for general emancipation. The petition, which was drawn up by Mr. O'Connell, was unanimously adopted, and it was ordered that it should be presented in the Lords by Lord Donoughmore, and in the Commons by Sir Francis Burdett.

MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION.

MR. O'CONNELL informed the meeting, that the members of the Association should be supplied with tickets by the secretary, against the next day of meeting, so as to prevent the unpleasant interruption that had taken place during the present meeting.

Order had been completely restored after the students' interruption, and even the ladies had remained for the conclusion of the proceedings. Mrs. O'Connell and daughters had been conducted to a seat by Mr. O'Connell, previous to the taking of the chair, and were received with loud demonstrations of respect and affection, several rounds of clapping, waving of hats, &c.

About thirty new members were admitted.

The meeting, upon this occasion, was more numerously attended by members and auditors than on any since the commencement of the Association. Long before the hour of meeting, it was scarcely possible to obtain a passage through the avenues of approach to the room; and during the business of the meeting there were many wailings and screams occasioned by the pressure outside the door, which was at length burst open, but no inconvenience ensued.

It is a singular fact, that among all the crowded meetings attended by Mr. O'Connell throughout his life, there was not one in which an accident of any "onsequence was even reported to have occurred!