holding ninety-seven acres of land, had sold
off everything, and, with the whole of the produce in his pocket, had
reached Limerick, to emigrate, when he was arrested at the suit of his
landlord and other creditors."

_Advent of Cholera_.--Many as were the social and political evils of
Ireland during the sorrowful year of 1848, there was a providential
visitation which added to her miseries. Cholera made its appearance in
several places during the autumn; the cases were not very numerous, but
were in general fatal, and excited great apprehension as to the progress
of the pestilence, which, in the following year committed fearful
ravages. It was observable that the famine fever disappeared as this
still more deadly enemy approached.

Such was the history of Ireland during one of the most eventful years in
the annals of the world. She had passed through a terrible ordeal,
and although not wholly uninstructed by it, yet any lessons it was
calculated to teach were reluctantly received and imperfectly learned.

ENGLAND.

_Political Events_.--On former pages we sketched the violent political
convulsions of continental Europe, and the relation which England bore
to the changes which so rapidly took place: within her own confines
there was much uneasiness, and some danger, but law and order triumphed
over their adversaries.

The chartist confederacy put forth all its force, and its leader, Fergus
O'Connor, assumed unwonted boldness, both in and out of parliament.
Meetings were held in various parts of the country, in which the
government was denounced for not employing the people; and the virtue
(as it appeared to these assemblages) of appropriating the property of
the landholders and manufacturers, was loudly insisted upon.

One of these meetings, which excited considerable apprehension, was held
at Kennington Common, on the 13th of March. Much preparation appeared
to be made by the chartist leaders to give it the appearance of a very
great popular demonstration. Nearly fifteen thousand persons assembled,
the greater number from curiosity, the love of mischief, or any other
than political feeling. The speeches were inferior to those usually
made at such meetings, and except in the more than usual amount of abuse
offered to all who were not operatives, the meeting was not remarkable,
and was dispersed by a shower of rain. The consequences of the
assemblage were of more importance: many respectable persons were robbe