ge to themselves
in the present movement, for they give but short credit to their
tenants, while they enjoy the full benefit of a "hanging gale," or
owing always half a year's rent, according to the custom of this
county.

ENNIS, COUNTY CLARE, _November 28th._

The first news which greeted me on Friday night was, that, at a
meeting of magistrates on Wednesday morning, Mr. Richard Stacpoole had
been persuaded to accept police protection, and that two men living at
Ballygoree, near Ballyalla, had been taken out of their houses on
Thursday night and severely taken to task for having committed the
atrocity of paying their rent. The poor fellows urged, in extenuation,
that they had the money, that they owed it, and that their holdings
were not "set" at an extravagant price. All this availed them nothing.
They were compelled to kneel down in the midst of the muddy road, in
the dead of the night, and to solemnly swear never to behave so
wickedly again, after which six guns were fired in a volley over their
heads, and they were allowed to regain their houses.

The event which had drawn me back to Ennis was a meeting of the
magistrates of Clare, specially called to consider the state of the
county. A large attendance was looked for, and Saturday being market
day in Ennis, two more things were certain--the first, that the town
would be full of people, and the second, that the people would be full
of whisky. A great crowd assembled to greet the magistrates on their
arrival, but, owing to the meeting taking place two hours before the
published time, a grand opportunity of hooting the more unpopular
justices of the peace was lost, and the "makings of a shindy"
evaporated in some sporadic groaning. There was a very large
attendance of magistrates. Lord Inchiquin, the Lord-Lieutenant of the
county, was present, as well as Mr. Burton, of Carnelly; Mr. T. Crowe,
of Dromore; Colonel Macdonell; Mr. Hall, of Cluny, who has outlived
sundry attempts at assassination; Mr. Dawson, of Bunratty; Mr. Hewett;
and thirty-eight other magistrates. The formal business of the day was
got through without speechifying, and after some little consultation
the following resolutions were adopted:--

First Resolution--That the state of lawlessness and intimidation
at present existing in this county is such that the law is
utterly unable to cope with it, and urgently demands the
attention of her Majesty's Government.

Second Reso