by famine, and arguing that their extermination, should be regarded as a public benefit.

14.-The French Ambassador at Rome, published despatches, stating that during the Christmas festivities, Mr. Odo Russell, the English charge d'Affaires, had recommended his Holiness to quit Rome, and take refuge in Malta, under the protection of England.

Large numbers of unemployed labouring poor, paraded the streets of Tralee, carrying a black flag, as a signal of famine. The authorities assembled the police from the neighbouring districts, and some arrests were made, but no relief administered.

16. The Rev. J. Deery, P.P., of Killevan, diocese of Clogher, died; the estimable and venerable clergyman had been 40 years on the mission; he was succeeded by the Rev. John Hoey.

17. Martin Burke, Esq., of Stephen's green, Dublin, proprietor of the Shelbourne hotel, and memorable for the stand he took against the government, on the celebrated state trials of 1849, died at an advanced age.

A new Ministry was formed in Madrid, under the Presidency of Marshal O'Donnell.

News arrived from America, confirming the rumors of a Federal victory, at Murfeesboro, and their defeat at Vicksburg, and the foundering of the celebrated Federal iron steamer, Monitor, off Cape Hatteras.

18.-His Highness Said Pacha, Viceroy of Egypt, died. Ismail Pacha was his hereditary heir.

20.-The Annual Meeting of the Catholic Young Men's Society of Dublin was held, J. B. Dillon, Esq. in the Chair, the room being decorated with national emblems. A num. ber of dignitaries, clergymen, and influential laymen were present.

A most influential meeting was held at the Mansion House, Dublin, under the Presidency of the Lord Mayor, for the purpose of urging on the Government the restoration of the Galway Packet Subsidy.

A terrible storm from S.S.W. commencing at midnight, raged over the country, causing much loss at sea.

22.-His Grace the Archbishop of Tuam, addressed a letter to Lord Palmerston, commencing thus :-- "In despite of the elabor

ate and long continued efforts to conceal the severe destitution of the people, and to divert attention from their sufferings, the truth has fearfully broken out through all these artificial obstructions."

23. A minute was received by the Emperor Napoleon from his Holiness, giving an account of the organization of the Administration, and of the reforms decided on, and in course of execution.

Between one and two o'clock, p.m. the tide rose so high in the Liffey, in consequence of the storm, that the Quays were overflowed at the Metal-bridge, and the Royal Canal overflowed its banks at the Dublin and Drogheda Railway, doing considerable damage.

An important meeting, convened by the High Sheriff, was held at the Court House in the City of Galway. The Lord Bishop of Galway, the Right Rev. Dr. M'Evilly, was present. Unanimous testimony was borne to the extreme distress prevailing amongst the working classes, and a Committee was appointed to collect funds for their relief. From Sligo, Louth, Meath, and almost every part of the country, there came reports of the great destitution of the people.

24. An influential meeting was held in Limerick, the High Sheriff in the Chair, for the purpose of applying for an amendment of the Drainage Act, with the view of relieving the distress of the agricultural population.

An insurrection broke out in Poland, in consequence of the harshness of the Russian administration, and the forced conscription.

25.-His Grace the Archbishop of Orleans, preached a brief Sermon in his Cathedral in favour of the poor, and £610 was collected.

26. A violent storm blew from the S. W. The Emperor of Russia addressed the officers at St. Petersburgh, in a spirit of conciliation towards Poland, and alluded to traitors in the ranks of the army.

27.-Order was reported as restored at Warsaw, but after fearful slaughter of the people; 40,000 Russian soldiers had been concentrated there, and the Grand Duke Constantine demanded 50,000 more. The insurrection was spreading in the country districts.

The Annual Meeting of the Sick and Indi

gent Roomkeepers' Society was held in Dublin, the Lord Mayor in the Chair. The Report showed that 8,000 families, consisting of 27,000 persons, had been relieved during the past year.

28.-There was great excitement amongst the Catholic inhabitants of Clonmel in consequence of insults offered by seven Protestant clergymen, to the Redemptorist Fathers, who had been holding a mission, and by a man being sent to scatter offensive tracts amongst the people at the door of the Catholic Church, at the close of the ceremonies.

29.-Aletter appeared from the Rev.Edward Colman, P.P., Kilchreest, Co. Galway, complaining that the Rev. Mr. Burkett, the Protestant Minister, locked up the ancient exclusively Catholic burial ground of Kilchreest. The obstruction was removed by the Catholic people, and a trial ensued for riot at the Galway Assizes, but the charge was dismissed, and a civil action was laid for the coming Assizes at Galway.

A man named Patrick Tuomy, died of starvation in Limerick.

30. The address to the throne in the French Senate, was carried by a majority of 121 to 1, the single dissentient voice being that of Prince Napoleon.

The insurrection in Poland was still spreading, and the insurgents had gained several slight advantages.

31.-The Waterford Citizen records the fact that, from the 23rd of July, to the 3rd of December, 1862, the number who had approached the Blessed Sacrament in the Catholic Cathedral Church alone, amounted to 28,000.

The Right Hon. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, K.G., Marquis of Lansdowne, died at his country seat of Bowood. He was born on July 2nd, 1780, and was consequently in the 83rd year of his age. In his 26th year he was Chancellor of the Exchequer in Fox's Administration. His death was accelerated, by a fall while walking on his own terrace at Bowood.

II.

V.

C.

IN the circumstances in which it is placed, it is a great source of unhappiness to Ireland that it is so large and so fruitful. This may at first sight seem a strange assertion, but a little reflection will show it to be a very plain fact. The fears and jealousy of England are at the bottom of all her legislation and administration in reference to this country. She dreads Ireland as a foe or a rival, and seeks therefore to reduce her in population and wealth, so as to be without apprehension in her regard. Hostility and cupidity have doubtless their influence; but a base fear of Ireland's capabilities and possible power, has far more influence in the councils of our rulers than either, or even both. They never could bring themselves to try justice as a remedy for the difficulty, nor have English rulers ever been willingly just towards any country over which they acquired sway. An English Statesman has said, that were the British Government to be honest for twenty-four hours, the Empire would cease to exist. Yes, it is a fact that British rulers have never placed any reliance on the exercise of justice, nor have they ever sincerely sought to make friends of a people over whom they ruled. There are no such instances of generous justice to be found in English History, as have been recently furnished by France towards Algeria. By force and fraud solely has England sought to sustain her dominion, and exhaustion and ruin have naturally attended such a system. These are sad, but unquestionable facts, and by none are they better recognized than by the well-informed English themselves. The innate sense of justice in the breasts of some of them have admitted and deprecated such a state of things; but like the still small voice of conscience in the breast of a hardened sinner, these remonstrances have produced no practical results.

The Irish Census Returns of 1841, and the Repeal Meetings of 1843, struck far more terror into the heart of England, than did the revolt of the Sepoys in India. There was then plenty in the land, and between

eight and nine millions of inhabitants seemed determined to exact justice from the Government of the day. There appeared no practical way of dealing with the difficulty, except by concession, and even the Times began to coquet with Repeal, and talk of a Federal Parliament. But divisions arose in the popular ranks, and the famine came to the rescue of England; all hopes of even a Federal Parliament vanished, and the Times in jubilation at the destruction of the Irish people, exclaimed in a sort of ecstacy-"they are gone with a vengeance !" Were Ireland only as large as the Province of Leinster, or were it as barren as a Russian steppe, there would be no grounds for such terrors in the breasts of her rulers rule they ever so harshly. There would be no apprehensions of rebellion on the part of an outraged people, nor would such a development of material resources, as suddenly resulted from a few years of an independent native Parliament, produce such a British commercial panic as to require a reign of terror, and the instrumentality of a "Rebellion" to put an end to it, by a union of the shark with its prey. It is indeed painful to reflect that our greatest advantages should be the sources of our miseries, yet so it is; and those who wonder at the anomalies they witness in Ireland, have here a clue as faithful as that supplied by Ariadne.

The famine was turned to the best account; and in the midst of plenty, more men were starved to death in Ireland than Xerxes led into Greece, or Napoleon into Russia. The policy was so perfectly successful, that it was eagerly followed up in order to sink the country down to such a depth, that no inherent buoyancy might raise it to the surface, for, at least, the present generation. Meantime, to cover the proceeding, a flourish of trumpets was persistently kept up, by all the agents of the Government, on the alleged prosperity of Ireland. The Lord Lieutenant lost no opportunity of lending the weight of his official testimony to the cruel gibe, and the desolation was