receive from the keeper of such house of ........, together with such decent clothing as the court into which such return shall be made as aforesaid shall ap point; and if any such offender, whilst confined to hard labour in manner afore-said, shall by industry and other good behaviour, show such signs of reformation as shall induce the said court to recommend him as an object of mercy to the Lord Lieutenant, or other chief governor or governors of Ireland for the time being, and it shall be thereupon signified by a letter from such secretary to the keeper of such house of correction or penitentiary, that the Lord Lieutenant, or other chief governor or governors of Ireland for the time being, thinks or think fit, in consideration of such good behaviour, to shorten the duration of such offender's term, such offender shall be accordingly set at liberty at the time mentioned in such letter, and shall receive a sum of money from such keeper, and clothing, in the same manner as if he or she had served the whole of the term, for which he or she was adjudged to serve. And be it further enacted, that such keeper shall receive such sum of money, and the reasonable price of such clothing so given by him as aforesaid, from the treasurer of the county city or town, by order of the justices of the peace thereof, at their quarterly or other general sessions, who are hereby required to make such order accordingly; and the same shall be presented by the grand jury of such county, city, or town, at the next assizes or presenting term. And be it further enacted, That if any suit or action shall be prosecuted against any person or persons, for any thing done in pursuance of this act, such person or persons may plead the general issue, and give this act and the special matter in evidence at any trial to be had thereupon, and that the same was done by the authority of this act; and if a verdict shall pass for the defendant or defendants, or the plaintiff or plaintiffs, shall become nonsuit, or discontinue his, her, or heir actions, after issue joined, or if on demurrer or otherwise judgment shall be given against the plaintiff or plaintiffs, the defendant or defendants shall recover BELFAST MAG. NO. XXIV. costs, and have the like remedy for the same, as any defendants have by law in given to any plaintiff in any such action or other cases; and though a verdict shall be suit as aforesaid, such plaintiff shall not have costs against the defendant, unless the judge, before whom the trial shall be, shall certify his approbation of the verdict. tions, suits, and prosecutions to be com- Provided always, and be it enacted, that it shall be lawful to and for the Lord Lieutenant or other chief governor or governors of Ireland for the time being, to order that any such offender be removed to any house of correction or penitentiary in Ireland, and there kept to hard labour for any term not exceeding the term of confinement which shall then remain unexpired, under the order by virtue of which such offender shall be then so confined; and also to order at any time during the said term, that such offender shall be sent back to such former house of correction or penitentiary for the residue of such to the contrary notwithstanding. time; any thing in this or any other act DINGLE MEETING. A most respectable and numerous meeting, held at Dingle, county of Kerry, have paid that tribute to Counsellor O'Connell, which his patriotism, his talents and exertions in the cause of his country so justly merit. The following is an abstract of the proceedings on the oc casion : At a meeting of the Gentlemen Clergy, Magistrates and Freeholders, of the torn and vicinity of Dingle, held in that torun, on the 13th day of June, 1811, in pursuance of a public requisition. MATHEW MORIARTY, esq. in the Chair. fied, firm and patriotic sentiments, deliver- ૪, Law, at the aggregate meeting of the Catholics of Ireland, held in Dublin, on the 28th day of May last, meet our warmest approbation. That we highly approve of the candid, manly and ingenuous manner in which he has developed and laid before the public the machinations of a set of men stiling themselves orangemen and purplemen, men confederated for the express purpose of putting down the great and growing majority of our countrymen being Catholics,-men who assume to themselves a power unknown to the constitution, and hostile to the Catholics in an alarming degree, dangerous to the peace and good order of this our beloved, though illfated country,-men who have arranged a system of exclusion and controul, forming an imperium in imperio, which if not speedily checked by the protecting power of government, and the laws, must necessarily produce the most direful consequences. Resolved unanimously, that an address be prepared and presented to Counsellor O'Connell expressive of the sentiments we entertain towards him. Resolved unanimously, That the address now drawn up and read, merits our ap probation, and that it be transmitted by our secretary, to Mr. O'Connell. Resolved that our proceedings, and the said address, and Mr. O'Connell's reply be published. which you have, at the aggregate meeting of the Catholics of Ireland, held in Dublin on the 28th ult. developed the tendency of the intended transfer of our militia, and displayed the machinations of those deluded men who style themselves orangemen and purplemen. We anticipate, from your exertion of talent and consti tutional firmness, the most beneficial consequences-as that exertion has, we trust, roused, to the consideration of those sub jects, every individual who feels interested in the welfare of the country, from the prince to the freeholder. Your object is the same with ours, to prevent internal feuds and animosities, which have been hitherto so injurious to our unfor tunate country, and to promote that unanimity, which alone can save and exalt those realms. We request of you to accept our most cordial thanks, as a small tribute of merit pre-eminently resplendent on every oc casion. And be assured, that it has made an indelible impression on us who repose a pleasing confidence in your exertions, disregarding and despising party-feeling, and looking only to the cause of our native country, equally dear to us all. Signed, by order, EDWARD FITZGERALD, Junior Secretary Mr. O'Connell's Reply. GENTLEMEN, Your Address has surprised me almost as much as it has pleased me. I cannot but owe it to private friendship, that you have noticed so humble an individual.-I am proud of your approbation. The principle on which I have been, and am the advocate of Catholic emancipation, is not confined to Ireland. It embraces the cause of the Dissenters in England, and of the Protestants in the Spanish and Portuguese territories. I need extend it no farther-the crime of tian nations, almost exclusively to England intolerance is now confined amongst Chrisand her allies. Arbitrary as the military ruler of the French may be, and enemy much common sense to commit the useas he is of civil liberty, he has had too AGRICULTURAL REPORT. From May 20, till June 20. Tue fine dry weather which appeared to set in about the 16th of last month, and rais ed the hopes of the farmers, of a change more favourable for their operations, proved of a short duration. A few days only had elapsed when the rains returned with their usual violence, and have continued ever since with very little intermission to the almost total obstruction of every species of field work; it seems generally believed, that there has not been so wet a season for nearly 40 years, and as it appears to be general, there is reason to fear that the crops will be deficient in almost every part of the kingdom; on all the flat grounds, and heavy wet soils, they are evidently much injured. The potato crops have never been known to be so late in planting, and unless the latter part of the season turns out remarkably fine and free from frosts, it is hardly to be expected they will be productive. In many parts of the country, both the oats and flax have an unfavourable appearance, except in light open soils, Wheat in general looks better than any other of the crops, and the produce may probably be such as to compensate for the smallness of the quantity sown this season. Grain has advanced in price since last report, and oats, oatmeal and potatoes are also looking up. The hay crops are likely to be abundant in all the dry soils, but great quantities are likely to be lost in some particular districts where the meadows are subject to the overflowing of rivers. COMMERCIAL REPORT. THE question of the depreciation of bank notes is established by such indubitable evidence, that it is unnecessary to dwell on the sophistry of those who attempt to evade the certain conclusion, by alleging that bank notes are not depreciated, but gold has risen. In the last report, it was shown that the rise on gold had not taken place in other countries, but from the operation of our paper system, was confined to these countries. From this point of view it must be evident, that landlords have a just claim for some remuneration, if they are paid in a depreciated currency, when such a circumstance was not contemplated at the period of granting the lease; but as discount frequently arises from accidental causes, not entirely depending on the question of depreciation, it would be a hardship on the tenant to demand from him the full discount of the day. The landlords ate in many instances manifesting a disposition to make a reasonable compromise. The depreciation of paper at present, the chief and almost only circulating medium, will be found to bear peculiarly hard on annuitants, and all possessors of fixed incomes, Landlords, persons in trade, farmers, mechanics, and most others, even day labourers by an advance of wages, can find means in the shiftings of trathc to throw a part of the burden off themselves, but annuitants have not the opportunity; they are often helpless already, and the depreciation is likely to increase their burdens. The rejection of the Bill which proposed to equalize the duties upon Sugar and Grain, was productive of an immediate and powerful effect upon the English market: the demand for all descriptions of Sugar was immediately checked, and the prices of the brown and middling qualities declined considerably. A good deal of business has been done, although the inferior sorts have gone off heavily, and at rather lower prices; but good and strong Sugars, as well as the fine qualities of which the new crop principally consists, are scarce, and being much wanted, have been freely purchased by the Grocers, upon terms fully equal to those which were previously obtained. The sales of Foreign Sugars have been so trifling as to render any particular enumeration of them unneces sary, and while there is scarcely any possibility of re-selling, the disposition to purchase must, necessarilly, be very limited. Connected with this subject is a curious fact, the sugars of the captured islands, which cannot be sold for home consumption, in Great Britain and Ireland, have been offered so low as 178. per cwt. or less than 2d. per lb. Although this would, we must admit, be a losing price to the holders, yet still the disproportion between sugar without paying the duty, and after the payment is made, is very great, and forcibly demonstrates the injury we individually sustain by wars, and the consequent taxes laid on to support them. Wars enhance the prices of all the articles of life, because as taxes are laid on articles of consumption, both of what we eat and wear, in the prices of them we have to calculate not only the original value of the articles, but the amount of the taxes which are either directly or indirectly laid on to support those fleets and armies which defend distant possessions, and for the other general purposes of war. Considered in a fair point of view, war is an evil, which presses on all ranks of the community, and we have to pay highly for the pleasures which many take in hearing true or exaggerated accounts of the destruction of those with whom their nation is at war. Besides the cruelties of warfare, it is a costly game to play at, even at a distance, and a very expensive gratification of the bad passions. Coffee is still in a state of great depression. No relief is experienced, either from the small shipments which are occasionally sent to the Mediterranean, or from our home consumption. The stock is already immensely large, and from the abundance of the crops, we may expect heavy additional imports, which will tend still further to reduce the prices, unless the effects of an increasing supply, are counterbalanced by the opera tion of some political change. In this country some little revival has taken place in the cotton trade, owing to a demand for a summer supply, but as this trade is almost entirely limited to home consumption, it may be expected that the additional stock will soon be more than commensurate with the temporary demand, A letter from Liverpool gives the following gloomy prospect of their market for cotton wool. "Since our last Circular, our Cotton-market has presented nothing to our view, but a continued and uniform depression; increased difficulties have been experienced in effecting sales, and at the close of every week, the prices are found to be lower than those which marked its commencement.-This gradual decline, although naturally resulting from the vast disproportion which exists between the demand and the supply, has, we must allow, been accelerated by the operation of other causes.-Owing to pecuniary necessities, forced sales have frequently been made, at prices under those which were, generally required. The prices which have been obtained in these and similar cases, are certainly lower than what may be reckoned the current rates, but they nevertheless tend to esta Blish a precedent, by which the dealers have endeavoured to regulate their subsequent purchases. Since the beginning of this year, our supplies have exceeded the quantity taken out of the market by upwards of 45,000 bags, and from the pressure of an immense and accumulating stock, we can scarcely look for any relief, until the sources of consumption are greatly enlarged. From facts like these, it seems reasonable to conclude, that unless the face of affairs should be very materially changed, we cannot calculate upon any decided improvement in our market, and to entertain a hope that this will take place, while the present unnatural order of things remains unaltered, will, we fear, only lead to those disappointments, which have before been so frequently experienced." The advance of duty on cotton wool imported into Great Britain, appears to have been abandoned, but an additional duty is laid in Ireland, on all imported in vessels not Irish or British built. America only permits the export in their own vessels between these measures of mutual hostility trade suffers. It appears that the bank of England is about to issue a number of tokens at 3s. and 1s. 6d. and a bill is brought into parliament to prevent the counterfeiting of them. These tokens in England will probably be similar to the tokens issued by the bank of Ireland. The mint owing to the high price of silver bullion cannot afford to issue a coinage of the established legal value or fineness. The banks step in, and give a depreciated silver currency to suit the paper circulation, either by re-stamping dollars, and charging a higher value on them as is the case with the 6 shillings pieces, or by giving silver with a very large portion of alloy, as in the case of the five pennies, tenpennies and 2s. 6d. pieces. These are steps in the progress of depreciation, and deserve the attention of the intelligent observers of passing events. If by many they are disregarded, the future historian will mark them as so many descending degrees in the scale of public credit. Exchange on London 94 to 9 per cent, and discount on bank notes 13 14 to 15 per cent, have been the general currency of this month in Belfast. NATURALIST'S REPORT. From May 20, till June 20. " May 21...Fine-leaved Paony (Paonia tenuifolia) flowering. 22...Pontic Rosebay (Rhododendron Ponticum), and Rusty-leaved Alpine Rosebay (R. ferrugineum) flowering. 25...St. Bruno's Lily (Phalangium Liliastrum), and Entire-leaved Peony (Pœonią Corrallina) flowering. 26...Grass-leaved Iris (Iris Graminea), Medicinal Peony (Paeonia officinalis), and Little Field Mater (Sherardia Arvensis) flowering. 27... Various coloured Iris (Iris versicolor), Double Cinnamon rose (Rosa Cinnamo mea), and Alpine Rose (Rosa Alpina), flowering. 29...Siberian Iris (Iris Siberica) flowering. 30...Spotted Flowered Palmate Orchis (Orchis maculata), Meadow Pink, or Cuckoo Flower (Lychnis Flos Cuculi), and Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus Crista Galli) flowering. June 1...Bulbbearing Orange-Lily (Lilium bulbiferum) flowering. 2...Irish Rose (Rosa Hibernica), and Yellow Flag (Iris Pseudo Acorus) flowering. 5...Medicinal Speedwell (Veronica officinalis) flowering. 6...Medicinal Hedge Mustard (Erysimum officinale) flowering. 8...Oval Leaved Lychnidea (Phlox ovata), Narrow-leaved Kalmia (Kalmia angusti. folia), and Orange Hawk weed (Hieracium aurantiacum) flowering. 9...Bloody Crane's-bill (Geranium Sanguineum), Glaucus Leaved American Upright Honey Suckle (Azalea viscosa glauca), and Fairy Fingers (Digitalis purpurea) flowering 11...Thorny Rose (Rosa Spinosissima) flowering. 2,.,Marsh Hawk-weed (Hieracium paludosum) flowering. |