During the rioting the High Sheriff, Thomas Alexander Esq., continued within his lodgings. Whether this arose from timidity or not we cannot say; but this we are certain of, that the great anxiety of certain officials to appear impartial placed them in the apparent position of partizans of Mr. Johnston. It is most disgraceful to the county Donegal that such rioting was permitted that a lawless body was allowed to be so long triumphant, and to trample upon all law and order, in the face of the High Sheriff and a numerous body of constabulary.That Mr. Johnston placed great reliance on the "physical force gentry" to secure his return is illustrated by a fact which is as amusing as presumptuous When the riots were at their height in Lifford, the would-be representative hastened to the High Sheriff, and besought him to persuade Sir E. Hayes to retire from the contest, and thereby to prevent bloodshed, as he had not the most remote chance of success. On the second day of polling (Wednesday) the voters for Sir E. Hayes and Mr. Conolly had to be conveyed on cars from their residences to the booths, escorted by the constabulary, with fixed bayonets, so great was the intimidation prevalent throughout the barony. Many of the voters for the Conservative candidates were kidnapped during the night of Tuesday, and many more induced, through terror, to violate their pledges, and most reluctantly give their votes for Johnston. For instance, a tenant of Mr. Colhoun's pledged to vote for Hayes and Conolly, was threatened with death if he did so, and whilst working in the turf bog a message was sent him, that if he did not at once proceed to Lifford and vote for Johnston, his house would be levelled to the ground. This man, in haste and terror, proceeded, in consequence, to the county town, and voted for the League candi

date.

It is gratifying to find, however, that such a system of terrorism and lawless intimidation, has proved fruitless.

The polling for the barony of Kilmacrenan took place in Letterkenny. Here, as elsewhere, the voters in the interest of Conolly and Hayes had to be escorted and protected by the constabulary. Two electors on the Conservative side were forcibly dragged off a car, and two more carried away, and compelled through fear, to vote for Mr. Johnston. Some others were kidnapped. The mob paraded the country during the night-in bodies two hundred strong-leaving threatening notices with the electors, and in several instances smashing the houses of the Protestant voters. Thanks to the vigilance of the authorities, who had a strong military and constabulary force present, no serious rioting occurred. In Letterkenny, as elsewhere, the power of the Priests was abortive, and although many were deterred from voting, a sufficient number nobly came forward and placed the Conservative candidates at the head of the poll.

The electors of East and West Ennishowen voted in Buncrana. At an early hour in the morning the roads leading to the town were crowded with multitudes of people proceeding to the election. As their spirits flagged under the fatigue of travelling, they were cheered on by the priests, who occasionally called for groans for all the landlords and agents in the county, which was lustily responded to. Arrived in Buncrana, these desperadoes commenced hooting and groaning the supporters of Hayes and Conolly. Dr. O'Hagerty took a most prominent part in this election, occasionally haranguing the mob. In this he was supported by Priest M'Aleer, of Burt, and several others of the same fraternity. The voters from the island of Inch made several unsucessful attempts to land on the first day of polling at Buncrana, but were prevented by the fury of the mob. On the second day, the Inch men were brought into the booths, supported by the constabulary. They voted for the Protestant candidates. Many infirm men, however, were deterred from coming up, from the lawless spirit manifested towards them by the mob on the previous day. When the popish party saw that their game was up, on the second day, they became most outrageous. An attack was made on two most respectable farmers. Messrs Lynch, of Drumskellan, father and son. The former was desperately beaten but it is gratifying to know that some of his dastardly assailants are known. Four persons

have been arrested for this unmanly assault, and are now in custody, bail being refused, owing to the condition of Lynch, Dr. O'Donnell, of Buncrana, tendered his professional assistance to the unfortunate sufferer, and seemed to sympathize with him although himself a supporter of Mr. Johnston. Mr. Baldrick of Buncrana, had Mr. Lynch removed to his own house, after his wounds were dressed, and, like a good Samaritan, paid him every attention. Mr. Hart's Malin tenantry were so intimidated by the lecture they received from the altar on Sunday, that they refused to come to the poll. A man from Clonmany, who voted for Conolly and Hayes, was knocked down after leaving the booth, in presence of a large constabulary force.

As another proof of the system of intimidation practised by the Romish clergy in the district, we may state, that two or three of the tenants of Mr. Young, of Coldaff, were forcibly carried off, and obliged to vote for Johnston. The windows of several other electors, pledged to vote for Conolly and Hayes, were smashed, to deter them from voting as they wished. Informations have, however, been taken against the offenders, and we hope an example will be made of them for such ruffianly acts. Considering that this is the most radical district in the county-that terrorism prevails to a great extent, and that the priests were present, watching every voter, we are only astonished that the Conservative candidates had a majority.

Mr. Conolly, the Member for Donegal, on 1eturning thanks

at the close of the poll, amongst other observations said:And now, a word to the Roman Catholics, and particularly to the Roman Catholic Priests. [A voice-" The Ecclesiastical Titles Bill."] Yes! as if I was about to address the Roman Catholic priests without being fully prepared to enter into the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill; I will come to that directly. (Hear, hear.) They are, no doubt, a large and important class in this country, and the attitude which they have assumed in this contest, and the violent opposition which they have given me, deserve some remarks on my part. How have I deserved this at their hands? Have I not always, and my father before me, treated them in social life with kindness and consideration? Have I-in my family, my tenants, my dependants-made any invidious distinction on account of religion? Have I ever failed to show to your bishop or your clergy that respect which belongs to their office, whenever they were entitled to my respect? Have I not on all occasions, in the position of a landlord to his tenants, stood upon friendly relations with the Roman Catholics? I say here, that as far as a true and consistent Protestant could go, I have gone, nay, I will always go, to stand on good terms, aye, as a friend to my Roman Catholic fellow countrymen. Well, then, what have I done to deserve an opposition of unparalleled heat and virulence? I ask your bishop himself, who knows well the relations of amity and good-will which have long subsisted between me and my Roman Catholic neighbours, not merely here, but also at my other residence ; I ask him, why has he countenanced, nay headed, this fell opposition against me? Is it simply and solely because I am a Protestant? And now I come to the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill. I will enter freely into the reasons which weighed with me in voting as I did in favour of that measure, and I will ask you. Roman Catholics, and you, Roman Catholic priests, who stand here before me, whether I could have done less? I hold in my hand some remarkable words of Dr. MacHale-no mean authority with you in church matters-referring to this question. He says, speaking of the Protestant Church, "That excrescence of Christianity, which disgraces the world." That is this meek and Christian Prelate's way of designating the Protestant Church. I find him-himself an Arch-Prelate of your church, presiding over nearly one-fourth of this island-on a public occasion, nay the most public, proposing a member for a western county, using these terms, "Protestantism that excrescence of Christianity, which disgraces the world." Well, gentlemen, with that definition thus put forth, would I not in your eyes at least, be insulting the bishops of my own church, and denying the validity of their sacred office, if I were to consent to their territorial titles being conferred by the pope upon others? Do you call upon me then, as an honest and consistent Protestant, to deny my own bishops? Do you, Roman

Catholic priests, who stick at nothing to advance the interests of your own church, call upon me to deny the authority and validity of my own bishops, in order to confer their titles upon the bishops of a church opposed and antagonistic to ours? Have I overstated the case? You know I have not. Nay more, when that bill was before the House, I stated then, as I state now, that if there was any thing in that bill which denied the full and free exercise of his religion to the Roman Catholic, I would vote against it. Well, I ask you, has the Roman Catholic been restrained in ought which concerns his full and entire exercise of religious freedom, by this bill? You know that he has not. I am not so presumptuous as for one instant to think of dictating by what denomination of religion, or according to what school, any man is to worship his Creator; that is too awful and important a question for a fallible fellowman to decide, and must rest with him whose eternal condition is at stake, between him and his God; but this I do say, that every man should be free to worship according to the dictates of his own conscience, and that this liberty is one of the vital and essential elements of our glorious constitution. That constitution I will defend against all invasion; and although I deeply regret, and I say it with pain, that the Roman Catholic clergy, nay the bishop himself, should have felt himself justified in lending the influence of his position, and the power of your religion, to a violent electorial opposition-though I regret deeply that your office and ministry, and the sanction of your ancient church should be thus employed, yet now, in the hour of triumph, I am willing to forget all, and to join once more, overlooking what is past-to join, I say, once more, my Protestant, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic countrymen in one bond of brotherhood to promote the good of our common fatherland. Applause.

CONNAUGHT.

SLIGO ELECTION.

AN INCIDENT AT SLIGO ELECTION.

From the Sligo Chronicle.

As there was reason to apprehend resistance, the presence of the Dragoons was required, and these magnificent fellows were following their colonel to the scene of demolition, when, as was said, the heroic Verdon, 66 came upon the stage," accompanied by the law agent of Mr. Townley. "Colonel Balders," said Mr. Verdon, "I command you to return to your barrackI am chief magistrate." "I do not know anything about you," said the colonel; "I have received the requisition of two

county magistrates, which I have in my pocket, and I am prepared to act on it." "Will you obey them, then, before me ?" said the astounded Verdon. "I will," was the cool reply. "Return to your barrack immediately," stammered Verdon. "I am chief magistrate;" and here he shook the reins of the colonel's charger. Now, Colonel Balders had fought at Moodkee and Ferozeshah, and he was not a likely man to be sent to the "right about wheel" by Verdon. "If you don't take your hand off my horse, sir, I'll cut you down." A sudden forward plunge of a charger, and the exceedingly precipitate retreat of a chief Magistrate, followed close at the heels by an English law agent, succeeded these words.

THE PRIESTS AND THE LANDLords.

From the Sligo Journal of September, 25, 1852.

In all the chapels throughout the county, the priests appear to have had but one text, "opposition to the landlords." Accordingly from every altar. the loudest, strongest, and most threatening denunciations are heard against any landlord who shall dare to exercise the right of distraining the goods of a defaulting tenant, The priests are, however, we can assure them," reckoning without their host," for though we know well that the landlords of Sligo as a body are too high-minded to act harshly towards their tenantry, however provoked to do so by the audacious language of an ungrateful and politically unprincipled priesthood, yet we also know that when fit occasion answers, they will not hesitate one single instant in doing whatever may be necessary to maintain their rights. In the meantime we don't find fault with the language of the priests; the worse it is the better, for the sooner the question will come to be decided, whether the laws of the country are to be trampled upon by the priests, or the rights of a free people are to be defended against popish tyranny and priestly violence.

LEITRIM.

From the Sligo Journal.

We regret to state that this county is relapsing into a state of sad disorder. On Tuesday night, over a district extending twelve miles in length, all the hay cocks were tossed in the most wanton manner, and a great many of them set on fire. The same night the pound-keepers house, near Manorhamilton, was broken into, and his firearms carried off. The centre of the mischief is the land called Glenfarn, and the sufferers the respectable farmers who voted for Mr. Montgomery. The