NOTES FROM THE NATION, OCTOBER 27.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 35, 28 December 1883, Page 19

NOTES FROM THE NATION, OCTOBER 27.

Fob some reason which it is hard to discern the writ for Limerick has not as yet been issued. Of Mr. McMahon's success, when it is issued, there is no doubt whatever. Mr. Spaight has apparently made up his mind to contest the seat ; but he knows well, and, indeed, is ready to acknowledge, that he is fighting a losing battle The popular candidate visited Limerick on Friday week, and he met with a cordial welcome. Hi* first visit was to the bishop of th» diocese, and the interview between his lordship and Mr McMahon was satisfactory in the highest degree. Dr. Butler expressed his his warmest approval of Mr. McMahon's <_ndidature-a_ approval The result fully realised his lordship's anticipations. The parochial clergy were were all visited in succession, and each promised to use whatever influence; he could to assist in returning the National canC* te> B nbße <l u ently an enthusiastic public meeting was held, at which Mr McMahon, Mr. Sexton, M.P., and the Lord MayS of Dublin Bpoke. As was to be expected, Mr. McMahon's speech had a sterliag ring about it, and he was cheered to the echS when he declared that if elected he would do all in hig power to hasten the tome when the right of permitting Ireland to govern herself would bewrung from the British Parliament. The greatest enthusiasm prevails throughout the entire constituency, and it is easy to be seen i™L- *' Wll 48 entered on a hopeless enterprise indeed in opposing Mr. McMahon's candidature.

Statements are being made to the effect that the writ will not bd issued for some considerable time. The delay which has arUen in this matter is very extraordinary. Mr. S«t O n, M.P., has published a letter m which he states that he and Mr. Healy wrote to the Speaker **i * tT 5 ? w f C° mmonß a month ago acquainting him of the fact that Mr. O'Shausjhnesuy had accepted the office of Registrar of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland and asking him to tone a new writ Sir Henry Brand replied on the 29th ult. that he had not received a copy of the Gazette containing the announcement of Mr. O Shaughnessy s appointment, nor had that gentleman countersigned the letter written by Mr. Sexton and Mr. Healv In the absence of these necessary conditioas, the Speaker said it was ?r.LH 9 Z°M ct ctO-fc tO -f. afl , the member for Sli &° It is stated that Mr. Spaight is taking alvantage of this delay, and that he is working vigorously to whip up the Whigs and Tories with the hope of being able to make some sort of » a protest against Mr. Parnells pokey, 'which he avows is the sole object of his candidature. On Thursday morning a letter appeared from Mr. O'Shauehnessy himself in which he state* that he wrote to the Speaker on the Ist September formally notifying his acceptance of the office of Begistrar of Petty Session Clerks and stating that a vacancy had con sequently arisen in Limerick.

The gallant borough of Wexford has set its approval heartily and in a most practical manner on the political conduct and Parliamentary career of its late representative, Mr. Healy, who now aits for Monaghan. It has, too, in tie most thorough fashion given effect to the healthy principle that the Irish constituencies should pay those who labour honestly and diligently in Parliament for them. On Sunday the men of Wexford, taking advantage of Mr. Healy's presence m the r town at the great National League demonstration entertained him at a banquet in the evening, and afterwards presented him with a sum of £600. Accompanying this presentation was an address in which the proposition was distinctly and strongly laid v W^° lft • thoße who have labour e<* on behalf of the people's cause should enjoy some of the reward which in every other country in the world they are enabled to obtain." Beyond this the address expressed the deep feeling of regret with which Wexford had parted with Mr. Healy, and it assured him that he was held in warm regards and profound esteem by everybody in the town, Mr Healy in the course of a graceful reply, stated that the principle embodied in the addres*-namely, that those who work for the people should live by the people- was one which accepted, and .waß. waB . on c which every county in Ireland would sooner or later have to face This happy termination of Mr. Healy s connection with the Parliamentary representation of Wexford is'bonourable alike to him and to the borough which he served so faithfully and brilliantly. _______ J The national movement continues to gather fresh strength every week. On Sunday, although the Inniscarra and Ca.tlelyons meetin-s were proclaimed, four very important demonstrations were held in other parts of the country. The Windmill Hill, outs.de Wexford— a spot whence sturdy protests have often been d.rected against British misrule sin Ireland— was once more turoiij ;ed on Sunday by earnest and patriotic men who assembled to redemand the national ri-hts of their country Of the Irish Parliamentary party Mr. Healy' Mr! T D. Sullivan, Mr. Leamy, and Mr. J.F. Small we're pivsent. and these f£r^« n w A e f e R a^ Om , panie . d by Mr - Michiel I)avitt a^ Mr. John Ferguson. At Baltmglas*, in couuty Wicklow, an imposing demonSSriJS S"p « 'm n V P T ee °, heß Were delive ™* b^Mr." William O Bnen, M.P and Mr. U. J. Corbet, M.P. The constituents of Dr Commins and Mr J. J. OKelly assembled in thousands in Secommon Thom^tx^MT those , two gentlemen. At this mwt^X ™_Si *ni ' ?'?" was 5. l8 ,° P iesent The fourtl » demonstration was held at Closetoken, m Galway, a place where, it will be remembered, a previous meeting was proclaimed.

One truth to be learned fiom Sunday s meetings is that while W exford and Roscommon have entire confidence in their Parliamentary representatives, Wicklow and Galway have not. At thVdeSonstrations held on Windmill Hill and in Roscommon, resolutions were passed unanimously expressing hearty approval or the conJncT of Messrs Barry, Small, the brothers Redmond, Commit, and O'Kelly ThJ^ZvLT tLe ÜBOI - Uti ° U ad ° pted b * the dosetofi? meeting." The demonstration in qu^t:o,, was one thoroughly representative of a large portion of the county G«l«ay. Contingent,* vTere present at

it from Kiltulla, Lougbrea, and other important centres. One of the resolutions declared that the constituency had lost all confidence in Mr. Mitchell Henry, whose name was received with loud huses. The resolution then proceeded to say that while the meeting was not prepared to place Major Nolan "as low on the renegade list " as bit colleague, yet his conduct had not at all been satisfactory, and those present pledged themselves not to support any candidate at the next election who would not pledge himself to act and sit with the party led by Mr. Paruell in the House of Commons. At the Baltinglass meeting Mr. W. J. Corbet was introduced by the chairman as the "only representative" of Wicklow, and the enthusiastic cheers which greeted Mr. Corbet proved how thoroughly everybody present endorsed the chairman's phrase. At another point in the proceedings Mr. O'Brien mentioned Mr. M'Coan's name, and it was received with lond groans.

Cork as well as Clare seems to have fallen under the ban of the Ctstle authorities, and the Southern county is now indicated as a place where popular demonstrations cannot be allowed. Arrangements had been made to hold two meetings in the county Cork on Sunday to advocate the programme of the National League. One of them was to hare been held at Inniscarra, and the other at Castle* lyons. On Saturday, however, the Lord Lieutenant issued a proclamation declaring that the meetings if they took place would " be dangerous to the public peace," and so preventing them as he had previously prevented the Ennisand Mi ltown-Malbay meetings. Capt. Plunkett, who attended as the resident magistrate at Inniscarra, seems to have acted in a very imperious manner. He would not permit even a private consultation to ba held, and he premptorily refused to allow Mr. John O'Connor to advise the people to return home. In spite of the vigilance of the polio*, however, the project of establishing a branch of the League was carried through at about a mile from where the original meeting was to have been held. At Caatlelyonsno meeting seems to have been held after the appearance of the copies of Earl Spencer's proclamation.

It is very satisfactory to find that Colonel King-Harmau, MJ\ cannot have everything his own way in Boyle, Last week we gave expression to our regret that the public spirit of the town— or, rather the want of public spirit— had permittel King-Harman and his agent to enjoy the triumph of an unopposed return as town commissioners. This week, however, we are in a position to congratulate the Boyle Town Commissioners for having refused to accept as their chairman the champion of Orange rowdyism. Emboldened by their recent success, the friends of King-Harman put him in nomination for the chairmanship of the board at the meeting on Monday. The popular party proposed Mr. James Lindsay for the position, and on a division Mr. Lindsay was elected by five voles o four. The minority of the defeated colonel was contributed to by his own vote and by that of his agent, who, of course, voted as his master did. Now that the whole episode has ended so successfully for the national cause, we trust that the patriotic men of Boyle will close their ranks once more, and never again permit a coarse ani vulgar spokesman of the Orange party to enjoy the satisfactory of a walk-over for any public position in their gift. " r

There are very few unprejudiced smnds which willnot be moved to pity at hearing of the sad fate of yon .is? Michael Watters. This poor ad, for he was only nineteen years of *ge at the time, was convicted last year of complicity in the Crossmaslen conspiracy case on the questionable evidence of the informer Duffy. Young Watters at the date of his conviction was in delicate health, and bis case was brojght before Parliament last session i-y Mr. Healy, who asked the Government to release him as he wa* very ill. When making this application it was well known that the authorities had already set at liberty another of Crossmaglen prisoners named Smith, who was also suffering from illness. Mr. Healy's application, however, was refused, and now Michael Watters is dead, and to-day he lies in a convict's grave. On the 7th June Watters was admitted into the prison hospital, suffering from consumption. It was then seen that his condition was hopeless, but the Castle, which had liberated Smith, still refused to let Watters return home. He grew gradually worse and on Monday morning he died. At the meeting of the National League on Wednesday. Mr. Haaly stated that the uncle of the deceased, as - ion as he heard of nis nephew's death, s«nt a telegram to know if he could take the remains home for interment. To this inquiry no reply was given. Mr. Trevelyan ba<just returned to Dublin. It will be for him to say next session in Parliament if it is he who is ) I'sponsible for this cruel act of negligence.