The Sun. — London, England, 1844-01-25 00:00:00

et trti Nbition SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAY. GLOBE.—The case on the part of the Crown is evi dently approaching its termination. The witnesses examined on Tuesday might as well have been at home, for any thing they contributed toward strengthening the proof of any one of the allegations of the indictment. As it now stands, the case exhibits the sheer folly which originated the proceedings, and the cruel imposition practised on the Government by those to whom was assigned the duty of inquiring into the sayings and doings at the monster meetings, and of reporting to the authorities the result of their investigations. The affair has ceased to excite any extraordinary interest beyond the precincts of the Court. Even there, the feeling which prevails is nearer akin to the ridiculous than the respectful. The ennui produced by the humdrum character of the questions; by the Counsel for the Crown, is relieved by the cross-examination of the learned gentlemen engaged for the defence. The police-constables who were examined on Tues day furnished rare fun for the audience. The men evidently considered themselves as raised in the scale of importance by their elevation to the table of the Court on such an occasion, and indulged in vulgar jests and equivoques in replying to the questions put to them by the counsel for the traversers. They were humoured until they had lost their self-command. Their cruel questioners then so confused them respecting " dates," " notes," " reports," and " statements," to which they had alluded in their examinations in chief, as to involve them in contradictions and cover them with confusion. The effect upon the audience was too powerful to be suppressed. The Court rang repeatedly with peals of laughter. The counsel for the Crown interposed frequently to protest against the " indecency" of such interruptions. Their gravity only heightened the effect by contrast ; and, as one of the traversers' counsel remarked, on being requested by the Solicitor-General to pause in his cross-examination until the laughter had subsided, " Sure, then, I must wait all day." The • Court (as the Post observes) "was for some time con verted into quite a temple of Momus." All but the Counsel for the Crown—who evidently feel that the laugh is against them—seem to enjoy the scene as one got up for their special amusement. We should not be surprised to learn by the next post that the Attorney-General has cut short the case for the prosecution. He must ere this have felt the utter inutility of attempting to bolster up his monster in dictment by such pigmy proof of its allegations as that with which he has alike mocked the jury and the country. The counsel for the defence will have little difficulty in divesting the case of the trilling importance which is left to it. The solemnity of the early pro ceedings—the monster indictment, which when unrolled, measures nearly a hundred yards—the awful-looking briefs which fill the bags of the counsel for the Crown—the twelve hours' opening speech of the Attorney-General, in which he pledged himself to prove against the accused parties the existence of a con spiracy more fearful than had ever perilled the safety of the country in any former times !—is there any one who suffered himself to be imposed on by this assump tion of pomp and circumstance, who does not now feel that the case for the prosecution is a miserable failure, and that it is now of comparatively little moment of whom the jury is composed—at least so far as the result of the inquiry is concerned ? No twelve men, not positively incapacitated, mentally or morally, for tile duties of jurymen, can arrive at any other couclusion than that the evidence for the prosecution has not sustained the indict - ment. We will not conceal the gratification we derive from the destitution of all proof, so far as the evidence has yet gone, of the conspiracy, and other high crimes and misdemeanours with which the indictment charges the defendants. That gratification does not flow from the fact that the acquittal of O'Connell and his co-defend ants would be a triumph over Ministers, and hasten their downfal. It has its origin in a higher class of feel ings. We rejoice that the efforts employed to impress the people of this country with an apprehension that "privy conspiracy and rebellion" were corrupting from their allegiance the people of Ireland, and that it was therefore essential to the crushing of the one and the suppressing of the other, to occupy the country with 30,000 troops, and to surround her shores with ships, hovering in sight, to lend their aid in putting down the rebellion when it should burst forth—we say, we rejoice (and who will not participate in the joy ?) that not a solitary instance of any such disloyalty has been adduced throughout the pending investigation. Every witness produced by the Crown has completely nega tived the charge of conspiracy by establishing the fact, that so far from concealing, the Repeal Association ac tually threw open their whole system of action to the observation of all, without reference to politics or creed. The meetings—large though they were, beyond all prece dent—were emphatically peaceable. On the ground, the utmost good humour prevailed; the police constables in full uniform passed from one part to another, perfectly unmo lested by the people ; and when the proceedings termi nated, the crowds dispersed without doing the slightest injury to the person or property of any one. That there was much nonsensical bombast uttered at the meet ings by the speakers, there can be no doubt. The harangues were of the description best described •by the appellation of Irish eloquence. They contained many passages the taste of which we cannot ap prove, and the sentiments of which we decidedly con demn. They vanished into air ; and would have been utterly forgotten by this time, had they not been re vived in the recollections of the people by the in stitution of the ill-advised prosecutions. We believe the Irish people to be as well-affected to the Throne as any portion of the English. Had the present Go vernment, when it entered upon office, adopted a just and generous system of policy in Ireland, the prejudice with which the bulk of the people re garded its return to power, would have subsided, and the country would have been as peaceable under its rule as it was under that of the Whigs. An other and an opposite system has been adopted ; the effects of which are seen in the existing state of the people. Sir Robert Peel has been, we believe, goaded on to the adoption of coercion and intimidation. Those who have been impatient for the possession of those exclusive advantages, which they could not hope to ob tain, except by producing discontents which would seem to justify a prejudice against their Catholic fellow citizens, have prevailed over his better judgment. His compliance has already cost him much, and will, ere long, cost him more, trouble. STANDARD.—The first witness examined on the Irish trials on Tuesday morning was John Maguire, a bead constable of police, who detailed some of the oc currences at the Longford meeting. He proved that the peasantry entered the town in military array, pre ceded by bands and bearing banners. This witness was cross-examined by Mr. Whiteside amidst " much laughter," excited apparently by exceedingly little wit, but there was nothing elicited to damage his testimony. John Jolly, also a head constable, gave a very graphic account of the monster meeting at Mallow. He repeated portions of the speech of Mr. O'Connell upon that occasion, in one of which that gentleman informed the meeting that " when the Union was repealed all labourers would be farmers, all farmers gentlemen, and all gentlemen Members of Parliament and Lords ;" adding, that when he asked the crowd to hold up their hands, in testimony that they would be ready to meet him at a future time, " a wood of hands were held up." In his cross-examination, the Learned Counsel attempted to turn the evidence of the witness into ridi cule, but had the misfortune, not uncommon at the bar, to get the tables turned upon him. The incidents and speeches at the meeting at Baltinglass were described by Henry Godfrey, a police-constable. The witness read from a note-book some of the remarks made by persons in the crowd ; one of which was, " That is a shout that will frighten Protestants as well as pigeons ; and another, " This is a day that will frighten Saunders" —meaning the lord of the soil. At this period of the examination, a question having been put by Mr. Freeman, one of the Crown counsel, the following dia logue, which could not occur anywhere but in an Irish court, ensued : "Mr. Fitzgibbon objected to this question. It, however, was re peated, upon which " Mr. Cantwell (one of the agents for the traversers, who stood at the traversers' side-bar) likewise objected to it ; but " The Chief Justice told him it was not his duty to interfere. s' Mr. Cantwell---I know my duty, and will do it. I hope, my Lord, you will do yours.---(Sensation in the Court.) " The Attorney-General---If Mr. Cantwell presumes to conduct himself thus, I must call upon the Court to exercise its authority. " The Chief Justice (who spoke at the same moment with the At torney-General)--If you presume, Sir, to instruct the Court in its duty, you shall be removed forthwith. " Mr. Cantwell---I am quite satisfied the Court will do its duty, but I felt it to be my duty to call attention to the highly illegal and l e ading question put by the Counsel for the Crown. " The Chief Justice---It is not your duty to address the Court at mil when you have Counsel." Several sub-constables of police were examined, and corroborated the statements of Godfrey, respecting the meeting and the sort of remarks made by the crowd. John M'Cann, a constable, detailed a conver sation which he had had with the Reverend Mr. Tierney, one of the traversers, respecting the meet ing held at Clontibret, in the county: of Monaghan, in August last. The Reverend Gentleman on that oc casion stated, amongst other things, that "the Union, was not binding upon conscience," and " that the army would not be easily led to spill the blood of the people," with other similar remarks. The witness was cross-examined without injuring his testimony. The meeting at Clontibret, and the speech of Mr. O'Neil Daunt on the occasion, were proved by Mr. William Thompson, a head-constable. Mr. James Walker, a sub inspector of police, and Mr. George Despard, a,magistrate, w ere examined relati ve to the monster' meeting at the hill of Tara. The desc r ipti on o f that meretving ed at was similar to that of the others. Mr. De s p ar d he was :addressed by one of the peasantry, who said, t " You are not the sort of gentleman O'Connell wants. H e wants men of bone and sinews, lik e me, who will be able to do the work when it comes." He heard them saying, " Long life to the foreigners !" and some of them cried out "Long life to Mr. Leather Roland !" which the witness afterwards was informed meant M. Ledru Rollin ! The last witness examined was constable John Robinson, who gave evidence re specting the Clifden meeting, in the county of Galway, similar to that furnished of the other monster meetings. The Court adjourned at five o'clock. FROM TSB MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DIY. CHRONICLE.—What is called the Anti-League movement appears really to get on a little, and, sin gularly enough, its progress seems to give entire sa tisfaction to the Government journals. It is true that the oratory of the Anti-League meetings consists, generally, of abuse of the League, and abuse of the Government, in about equal portions ; but the advo cates of Ministers are willing to wink at much that is disagreeable, in the hope that the new agitation may counterba lance and check the League, which has grown too strong for the Government to cope with. We are happy to see the encouragement thus given to organisation and discussion amongst the farmers ; for we are satisfied that agricultural combinations, even in favour of protection, will ultimately contri bute hardly less than the League itself to the triumph of free trade. In the first place every one of these meetings helps to damage the Government. Look at the Conservative dinner at Buckingham, of which we published a report yesterday, and at which even the presence of Sir Thomas Fremantle, Member for the borough, could not suppress the expressions of distrust and discontent with regard to Ministers. Mr. Pigott, indeed, felt it decent to propose their healths, but prefaced the toast with a speech, in which, after hinting that the honour of making such a proposition was not sought, but thrust upon him, he brought forward a number of reasons why no man who cared a rush for the agricultural interests should join in his pledge. He suggested that Sir Thomas Fremantle should speak for the Government; but Sir Thomas's modesty—a feeling not injured in his case by over exercise—came to his aid, and saved him from the task. Mr. Dayrell, who followed him, was not to be deterred by the defencelessness of the Cabinet from giving them a tart lecture on the Ca nada Corn Bill, and other similar misdeeds. In the same spirit, at the Northampton meeting of Monday, Lord Southampton declared, amidst the cheers of the auditory, that the Ministers ought to be made to declare themselves, and that all further shuffling ought to be out of the question. The next advan tage of these agricultural meetings is, that they ex hibit the advocates of protection in the most absurd and ridiculous light. As long as the squires re main silent, and rely upon the mere vis inertia of the class, they can oppose a very formidable resistance to any movement ; but when they get up meetings, and form societies, and, above all, make speeches, they are putting the rope about their own necks. Monopoly is bad enough with the best defence that can be made for it, but it becomes in tolerably absurd in the hands of such an advocate as Lord Orkney, who figured at the Buckingham dinner. Lord Orkney gave a deplorable picture of the west of Scotland, which was desolated by the tariff. Foreign cheese, let in by faithless Sir Robert, had ruined that once prosperous region. It happens, however, unfortunately for Lord Orkney's argument, that foreign cheese is one of the few articles on which the duty was not reduced by the new tariff. Another proof, according to the Noble Lord, of the injury done to the agricultural interest by free trade was, that the tariff made meat dear; and so it is, he added, with a felicitous illustration of the principle, "if you change the uniform of a regiment, it is ex pensive. Changes are always expensive." Then, passing from logic to invective, he attacked the League—the standing topic in all the " pro tection" speeches—for want of charity. " They won't give a subscription," said he, "to relieve distress ; but only , kick up a bobbery about the corn-laws, and then see how quickly the 5001. came down." Sir Charles Knightley, in Northampton, evinces a familiarity with language equally choice. He calls the Leaguers "ragamuffins," and enlarges upon the resemblance between them and a " scratched pack of hounds." The reverend speakers who take part in these meetings lean rather to deliberate calumny than to foul-mouthed abuse. We find, within a few days, two of them—one named Fisher, at Newport Pagnel, and the other named Lichfield, at Northampton--coolly charging the League with incendiarism. It is notable that if a peculiarly shocking and unchristian imputation is made on any of these occasions, it is sure to come from some poli tical parson. Others may use weapons as sharp ; but they like to add a touch of poison. But the speeches of all these agitators, whether they be silly or malicious, will only excite the minds of the farmers to additional reflection, and increase that feeling of uneasiness which will lead, at no distant period, to a settlement on which all can rely. And this brings us to the greatest benefit which, as we think, the agricultural agitation will help to confer, on the country. Public men will be com pelled to declare themselves. Ministerial shuffling will soon become impossible. Farmers and Leaguers will agree in insisting upon a plain straightforward answer to the question, "Is the present corn-law to be maintained or not ?" The more farmers are in duced to reflection, the clearer and stronger will their conviction become that security is the main point. They will see that with no corn-law, or a bad corn law, they may be prosperous ; but that with a corn law which no Minister will bind himself to, and no man in his senses ensure for a twelvemonth, the thing is wholly impossible. From both sides of the House, therefore, we expect that Sir Robert Peel will be told, "We want to know the permanent policy of the Government, not its general intention, or what it will do or refrain from doing during the present session. Tell us, therefore, frankly, whe ther you will uphold this corn-law or not ?" A Minister who knew his own mind, and who knew that the agricultural interest was in a fever of anxiety, could not hesitate a moment in such a case. If he were satisfied that the present protection ought to be maintained, he would at once say, " I have revised the corn-law, and placed it on what I think a good footing. It may have some defects, but I will not cast into the ' lottery of legislation' for another which may have as many. I will not, for the sake of minor improvements, keep alive the ap prehensions of indefinite change. I will abide by the corn-law of 1842, and stake the Government upon its continuance." This would be not only manly and honest, but even statesmanlike in a Minister who was really favourable to protection. But no such declara tion will be made. The paltry evasions which sig nalised the commencement of last session will, we verily believe, be repeated next week. We should not by any means regret, however, to find ourselves mistaken in this respect. A bold and honest decla ration by Sir Robert Peel, that he would stand by the corn-law, would recover in some degree the character he has lost, but it would also simplify the the business of getting rid of both law and Minister together. TIME S.—The Buckinghamshire Conservatives have dined and spoken. The speeches were as various in flavour as the dishes. Sir T. Fremantle, who repre sented Ministers on the occasion, may report that their censure seasoned the curry, and their praise iced the champagne. But it is not to the general po litical aspect of the dinner, nor to its bearings on the present state of parties, that we wish to advert. Our attention has been drawn to a seemingly unimportant passage in the speech of a Mr. Pigott. This gentle man, in proposing " the health of her Majesty's Mi nisters," diverged from the hacknied road of Minis terial eulogy, not only into something very like con demnation and suspicion, but also into the suggestion of certain plans, the relevancy of which to the sub ject-matter of his speech can only be explained by the association of ideas. He had alluded to the Anti- Corn-law League, and had expressed his satisfaction that the " lion of England had roused itself and shaken its mane." But in the next sentence—at least in the next reported sentence—he seems to entertain a serious doubt whether the aforesaid lion had really aroused itself in earnest, and whether the shaking of the mane was likely to frighten the objects of its wrath ; for, by a rhetorical figure, which skips over two terms of a proposition at once, he jumps at once to an inference : " There are one or two points on which I wish to add a few words. In the first place, there must be an alteration of the law of settle ment ; for the manufacturers, after having drawn the agricultural populatloninto the towns, are now threatening to turn them, unfitted any longer for agricultural pursuits, back again upon the country, and thus swamp the agricultural interest." So there must be a new law of settlement, must there ? The country gentlemen are now beginning to find that out. And the poor are to be ejected from the factories, wherein they have grown old, feeble, and worthless, and turned adrift upon their own hamlets by the task-masters they can no longer serve. It is a hard case, involving much suffering, and no small oppression. It is indeed enough to make any man exclaim, " Alter the law of settlement." But stop a moment, gentlemen, stop a moment. You complain of the rural population having been seduced by the allurements of speculating manufacturers into a course of employment which, at its termination, left them destitute, infirm, and a burden to those who ought to have enjoyed the fruits of their labour in the season of unimpaired vigour. We agree with you that it i s an oppre ss i ve b ur d en t o suppor t th ose i n th e decline of life fro m w h om you never got a day's labour in their prime. But how stands the case ? Is the burden which you be ar , or are appre h ens i ve o f bearing, oppressive though it be, wholly unmerited? Or is it not rather of your own imp os it ion ? L et us see. You complain of the manufacturers having se duced the rural population into the towns. Has this been the case universally, or even generally ? Recollect yourselves, and answer this question as best you may—Have not the agricultural poor been tricked by the misrepresentations of their natural protectors into a migration contrary to their wishes, and duped into a drudgery uncongenial to their habits ? Have not landowners and farmers con spired to clear the land of its superfluous population, and carted whole families into the factory districts of the north ? Have not fraud and falsehood been too often employed to swell the mass of spinners and weavers from the ranks of a credulous peasantry ? We beg leave to offer the following! extract from a Manchester par, quoted in the House of Commons Yesterday afternoon, shortly on the 24th of February, 1843 : New Bailey left the Court, a case of before the sitting magistrates at the hard ship was brought before them. Two extraordinar y fresh-countenanced, noyeity and hlebltohuyr, the extremity indipresented of them Court but somewhat emaciated a them selveswere e r in ang t e h d e in w v it i n ew eas o - f bo :t x, he v , idu e s w in hil agi st str a a t te a female, about 30, with two infants in arms, eight children, ap parently all of them under 10 y ears of age, and three whose ages might be from 13 to 16 years, t wo o f them girls, and the third a boy. There were two others whom we did not see, making up a party of 18. One of the men stated that they came from Tower bey, in Buckinghamshire. The farmers, he said, called a meeting to know If any of the parishioners would go down to Manchester, as everybody there was doing well. Several of us said we would go. They told us that they thought our families would do well to come down. They said there would be houses for us to go Into when we got there, and grerytlitlii provided 911.1' use. They employed a • man named Clark to see after people who would go down, and we went to him. He asked what families we had got, and said we should do well indeed to come. We started accordingly to Mr. Waterhouse's, at Glossop. In answer to questions, the man said, six of the children whom the magistrate saw belonged to him, and two were his brother's. The other man said, two of the rest were his own, and four belonged to another person ; but he had promised to take charge of them to bring them down, and do the best for them he could. The first speaker then continued his story:—` We were brought,' he said, 'from our own county to Glossop in a boat, and from Glossop Mr. Waterhouse sent us forward in a cart. When we got there, there were 45 of us. We were put in a bit of a warehouse, and I have been there with my family three weeks lying on a bit of straw, which is the only bed I have had. The parish,' he said, in answer to questions, ' paid the expenses of our journey down. We went by the boat to Marple, where they told us there was to be a cart to meet us, and take us forward to Mr. Waterhouse's. We did not kiow to what person in Glossop we were coming when we left our own parish. We were sent from our own parish to Codrington, where we met with a gentleman named William Clark. We travelled nearly forty miles, partly in a wag gon, to the boat to where we embarked. Clark came back with us to the boat, and when we had embarked he told us that we were going to Mr. Waterhouse's at Glossop. Two other families came with us. I cannot tell whether Mr. Waterhouse had desired our overseer to send any hands. I worked at Mr. Waterhouse's three weeks, but yesterday he hired a cart, and sent us in It to Manches ter. The carter put us down in the street, and left us. He has sent another cart-load this morning. I have seen them in town, and he would have sent them yesterday, but the cart would not hold us all ; so he told one of the women he would send them this morning in his own cart. I don't know what has become of them. I saw them in town this morning, and they said they were going to the boat. We two (the men) are farmers, and the children are lacemakers ; we were in work at the time we left Buckinghamshire. " And this piece of flagrant imposition upon the credulity of poor and ignorant men, women, and children, was enacted in the very county where we hear these indignant denunciations of the seductive charms by which the manufacturers have allured the peasantry into their mills, only to return them, worn out and starving, upon their native villages. We know not which to admire most, the senseless policy which first prompted the fraud, or the convenient misstatement which now falsifies its authors. But, at all events, " 'tis sport to see the engineer hoist with his own petard." We have for years denounced and deplored the suicidal infatuation which signalised the conduct of the landed gentry in legislating for, or rather against, the poor. Our predictions are being fulfilled. The enemy is at the gate. The an cient territorial lords are assailed by a force, conspi cuous neither for its gallant bearing, its chivalrous gait, its high courage, nor its resources. Perseverance, energy, and money' it has ; but not more than many other confederations. And perhaps it is more defi cient than any previous political association in one important weapon of political warfare—we mean the sympathy of the lowest classes. And yet it advances, slowly indeed, but not without show of growing strength ; and the position of the assailed becomes daily more perilous. Why is this ? Because, al though the feelings of the poor are not with the League, still they are not with the League's enemies. They stand neutral in a contest wherein their active and hearty co-operation might have turned the battle as they listed. The foul juggle between the upper and the middle classes has frozen the heart of the poor into stubborn indifference. They look upon the conflict between the landlords and cotton-lords, mut tering moodily, " A plague on both your houses," and—they bide their time. History may be ran sacked in vain for a parallel to the wretched infatua tion by which the ancient aristocracy of the realm flung the cards of the political game from their hands. They might have retained a reserve-corps of stal worth and vigorous dependents ; but they preferred selling them for the most sordid purpose into the power of their joint and inveterate enemies—men whose hatred of ancestral wealth is only equalled by their oppression of indigence, and now they wonder that they are themselves helpless in the day of need. POST.—Mr. Muntz, as will be seen by the letter from him, which we publish in another column, re turns to the defence of his position, that a reform of our money laws would enable the agriculturists of Great Britain to dispense with a stringent corn-law. Mr. Muntz observes that the Post has "repeatedly admitted that an abstract corn-law cannot alone protect even the landed interest." Such, undoubt edly, has been the doctrine of the Post. Let that doctrine, however, be fairly understood. We have contended that the agriculturists of Great Britain require a twofold protection. They require a law re strictive, or prohibitive, of the' importation of those commodities which British industry is able to pro duce. They require, moreover, another law supple mentary to the former—a law protective of the wages of British labour. British agriculturists require, in short, to be directly protected from the rivalry of fo reign corn growers ; they require, at the same time, the benefit of protection, indirectly, in the persons of their best customers. It is possible to conceive a corn-law that shall be effective in securing the exclu sion of foreign grain from our markets. It is possi ble to conceive the establishment in England, at the same time, of a system of production, under the in fluence of which the value of manual labour shall be perpetually lessening. The best corn-law imagin able will, in such circumstances be, to a great extent, neutralised by those causes which abase the English labourer's condition. A stringent corn-law appears to us an indispensable portion of an effective system of protection. An effective system of protection, again, must be based on the axiom that " labour is the source of all wealth ;" but unlike the system which our " Liberal" economists recommend, a system that is truly protective of labour, must regard the enhance ment of the labourer's reward as the only sure evidence of the prosperity of the community. Our " Liberal " economists babble about " wealth," as de rived exclusively from "labour," and then lend themselves to every scheme for robbing the labourer of a fair measure of reward—the pretext being a desire to increase the national wealth. Laws directly protective of British labour seem to us, in short, the most sure and comprehensive basis of British corn-laws. Our remote forefathers possessed laws, of which the object was to raise the value of labour. They enjoyed and enforced, at the same time, laws prohibitive of usury—pro hibitive of the action of that principle to which the daily money power owes its existence. We, less wise and less happy than our remote forefathers, give unlimited scope to usury, while we leave labour unprotected by law; nay, we pass laws, like the New Poor-law, with the view of lessening the market value of labour. Laws tending to lessen the value of labour—laws which stimulate and ex tend the practice of usury—are laws antagonistic of the spirit of our corn-laws. Labour-cheapening laws, and usury-favouring laws, undermine and ren der nugatory that system of protection of which the corn-laws are the expression. In this point of view we have, as Mr. Muntz observes, repeatedly declared that " the corn-laws alone are insufficient to protect the agricultural interest of England." Nor do we admit that a reform of our currency-laws—even in addition to a sound corn-law—would yield to labour that full measure of protection which labour requires. A sound system of currency is, doubtless, protective of labour—so is a sound system of corn-laws—yet both systems are only indirectly protective of that creative power which is the exclusive source of na tional wealth. Labour-laws—laws directly pro tective of labour against the encroachments of capital —are necessary to secure to the labourer his fair mea sure of reward, and so to impart efficiency to a sound system of corn-laws. THE SUN, LON'DON, THURSDAY E%ENING, J.A.NUAR v 25, 1844. IRELAND. THE STATE TRIALS. NINTH DAY-BY EXPRESS. (FROM OUR OWN REPORTERS.) DUBLIN, WEDNBSDAY, JAN. 24. As I informed you some days ago, the Crown is likely to close this evening, or early on Thursday. There was a report that the traversers would not pro duce any evidence, the peaceable character of the meetings being established by every witness called by the Crown, but I have since ascertained it is their in tention to call evidence, and particularly Protestant evidence,:to prove the perfect repose of the country, and the peaceable character of the agitation. Not a point is raised by the Counsel for the traversers which is not ruled against them by the majority of the Bench. Mr. Justice BURTON, who is not likely to sit again during these trials, was cer tainly disposed to decide according to law, and there was at least an absence of bad feeling on his part. His illness is a loss to the traversers. The contrast between those he left behind on the Bench is now more prominent. The " sliding scale" is gone, and the Chief and his left hand brother are left to rule or overrule as they please. With regard to the jury the opinion becomes more general that they will prove " good men and true," on one side, though I have seen gentlemen of Conservative principles offer ing bets that the jury will not agree. Whatever be the result, the cause of Repeal will be strengthened. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. THE QUEEN 1. DANIEL O'CONNELL AND OTHERS. The Lord Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Crampton, and Mr. Justice Perrin, took their seats upon the Bench at ten o'clock precisely. The travcrsers and jurors answered to their names. The Clerk of the Crown—Direct the Crier to call Samuel Maunsell, of 42, Leeson-street. The Crier called Mr. Maunsell three times consecu tively, but there was no reply. Mr. Henn, Q.C., rose and said that he appeared on behalf of Mr. Maunsell, with whom he had an interview that morning, and who assured him that he had not been apprised until a late hour on the night preceding that the Court had intimated any desire that he should be in at tendance. He promised, however, that he should be in attendance punctually at the sitting of the Court, and he (counsel) did not know to what circumstance his Cl w eot a tur s er n t o wi t hh h iit absence to be attributed. Mr. Maunsell requested him to address their Lordships on his behalf, and to state that it his n t it wt i nt en t i on t a niseti yesterday r : i e ta m y : , t it t n ut y es t butsetsifia to justificati o n assuret uh h dee under feelings of great excitement. He had also ex pressed a wish that he might be permitted to make an affidavit explanatory of the circumstances under which the letter had been penned, and was anxious to know whether, after the making of such an affidavit, the Court would be satisfied with the expression of his regret for what had occurred ; but he (the counsel) had told him that it would be much better fur him to attend the Court in person, and thus ascertain their Lordslilli4' feel ings on the subject. He concurred in the propriety of this suggestion, and after again expressing his regret for what had occurred, had distinctly promised to attend at ten o'clock. Judge Crampton—lt is very possible Mr. Maunsell may be here by and by. It is only ten o ' c l oc k. The Chief Justice—l trust he may be in attendance, and I am very happy to find that he has had the good sense to place himself under Mr. Henn's directions. I trust that he now sees the impropriety of his conduct, and understands the predicament in which he has placed him self by writing a very improper letter to the High Sheriff in the execution of his duty, thereby offering an affront to a public officer, and committing at the same time a very gross contempt of Court. Mr. Henn—l do not intend to make any excuse for Mr. Maunsell's conduct, my Lords ; and all I can say in ex tenuation, is !what I have already stated, that he wrote the letter under great excitement. Your Lordships are aware that the letter had no connexion whatever with the present trials. Chief Justice—Oh, none whatever. James Healy, g police-constable, examined by the At torney-General—Was at the meeting which took place at Mullaghmast on the Ist October last. Came from Cork there. Can calculate on the numbers that were at the meeting, and think there were about 250,000 pea sons there in my opinion. "Chief Justice—How much?—About 250,000 ; was in several parts of the field, and along the road. There were several bands came before Mr. O'Connell arrived in a boisterous manner, and were screeching, driving all before them. The bands which preceded Mr. O'Con nell were in the greatest order and regularity. The bands came from Carlow and Kilkenny side, and from every direction. The principal portion of the people came through the long avenue. Can posi tively say there were about 30 bands there. some of them were dressed in military uniform. Some of them had caps like Hussars, at least they resem bled them very much ; saw documents handed about then amongst the people ; saw this (a document) ended about. It was purchased by a constable. Pur chased one himself for a penny, though the price was only a halfpenny.—(Laughter.) Mr. O'Connell—That was very generous of you. Witness—Saw thousands of such documents distributed about the field, but the people were more attentive to Mr. O'Connell's speech than they were to the papers at the time. Tore up the paper which he bought. Saw this one purchased by . John Dennehy, a sub-inspector of police. , Thinks the papers he saw distributed were the same as this one ; he read it twice ; they were distributed about from early on the morning till night fall. Saw Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Steele there. They arrived about three o'clock. Saw a great many persons with labels on their hats. They were cards, with the words " O'Connell's police." They had pieces of tim ber five or six feet long in their hands. Those pieces were not thick ; they were like wands, and quite small. Saw flags and banners there. One of the banners had the words "No Saxon Threats" (the manner in which the witness uttered the word Saxon elicited a shout of laughter as he pronounced it Sock-son); another had the words No Irish Slave—No Compromise but Repeal ; it was a large flag ; I think it was the Castlecomer file that had it ; I was informed that the Castlecomer colliers were theie ; heard persons say so at least. Mr. Macdonough—Don't mind what you heard any one say. The witness, in continuation to the Attorney-General, said—There was another flag on which was written, The men of the border countries greet O'Connell with a Cead Mille Fa:law ; saw several flags with the word Repeal on them; one had—We tread the land that bore us • do not remember anything else on that flag ; saw another with " The Queen, O'Connell, and Repeal" on it. There was another flag on which was Ireland dragged at the tail of another nation.—(Laughter.) Attorney-General—What, witness ?—lreland dragged at the tail of another nation.—(Loud laughter.) A Juror—Say that again, Sir ?—(Laughter.) Witness —lreland dragged at the tail of another nation. Attorney-General (looking very sharply at the wit ness)—Are you sure that was it ?—Yes, Sir, Ireland dragged at the tail of another nation. Observed one flag attached to a private carriage, with the words " Repeal, and no separation." There was another motto—" Mullaghmast and its martyrs—a voice from the grave"--(Laughter)—there was another representing a dog with a harp, and something I cannot well describe before him, like' a tree without branches, and lions or dogs looking up, and underneath it was written— " No Saxon butchery shalltive blood gout for a repast ; The dog is roused and treachery expelled from Mul laghmast." There were some other mottoes in the pavilion, but did not think it necessary to take them, as they were of no consequent. The words God save the Queen; or the Queen God bless her, were there also. Mr. O'Con nell arrived about three o'clock. The platform was occupied for about two hours. The people did not all go away after the meeting broke up. Some of them staid there until near morning. Heard no obser vations among the people except shouting for Repeal and Old Ireland, or words to that effect. Cross-examined by Mr. M`Donagh—You heard no expressions among the people, except those you stated? —No. You mixed among the crowd very much that day in the discharge of your duty ?—I did. And very minutely and attentively observed what was going on?—Very much so. You listened attentively to what was said ?—I You mingled with the groups of people, and attended to what they were saying ?—Anything I could see or hear I noticed it. And all you did see or hear them say or do was to shout for Repeal and Old Ireland ?—That's all. Although you were there from eight o'clock in the morning until next morning ?—Yes, I was there the evening before, and all that day, and up to eleven o'clock at night. And you were sent specially to Cork for that pur pose. I presume it was because you were a stranger that you were selected ?—That may have been the rea son, but I can't say. Now, as we have what you heard, I want what you. saw. Was not this a very peaceable assembly ?—ln deed, it was very much so as far as I saw. No riot or breach of the peace?---All was very quiet in that respect. There was nothing wrong that I eould either see or ascertain. When you told the Attorney-General that parties re mained there at night, did you mean to convey that they remained for the banquet?—Persons remained in tents and places enjoying themselves. In peace and quiet ?—Yes, in peace and quiet as far os I could see. You stated that you saw bands coming from the direc tion of Carlow and Kilkenny. Do you know if there were temperance band ?—I think they were. Now, as you are from the South of Ireland, you must have seen several of Father Matthew's processions ?—I did, a great many of them. There were temperance bands at the processions ? There were. How many bands have you seen at one of them ? More than there were at Mullaghnaast ; a good many more. How many ?—I counted forty-five bands at one time at the great temperance procession, in Cork, on Easter Monday. And about how many persons do you suppose were there ?—I suppose about 300,000. Were the temperance bands who were with that meet ing of 300,000 persons in uniform ?—Yes ' some of them. Had they flags or banners ? — A very few, and they were small ones. I presume they bore infcriptions?—They did, but they were all connected with the temperance movement. Those processions are, I believe, common in the south of Ireland?—Very common. Have you been long in the constabulary?—Nearly twelve years. Have the people improved in their habits in conse quence of the temperance movement?—l should say they have. Very much so?—(After a pause.) In point of drunk enness, there's a great improvement among the people. —(Loud laughter.) Were you at the great procession at Nenagh P—l was not. When the bands were coming to the ground from the direction of Carlow and Kilkenny how did they come? —They appeared to be very wild and tossed all before them. Were you one of the people that they tossed before them ?—I was. But wasn't that all from high fun ?—lt was. Mr. O'Connell (to Mr. Hatchell)—Ask him did they injure anybody. Did they injure anybody ?—Not that I could see, except to knock down a couble of gingerbread stalls. Were there any persons there disposing of these things ?—Several were there ; many people selling gingerbread. Yes, and grog, and coffee, and other eatables of that sort ?—(Laughter.) Did you know any of the people who sold these papers that you bought one of ?—No, I did not. They were sold, and not circulated gratuitously among the people ?—Yes. You did not perceive any one giving them away for nothing ?—I did not. I suppose in these large assemblies in the south of Ireland, you have frequently seen persons hawking about ballads, and selling them ?—Yes• Don't they usually take advantage of these large meetings, and hover about the precincts of them, to sell these ballads ?—I should think so. They hover about the outskirts of a meetings, and en deavour to retail these things for profit ? Every place where they think they can make sale of them. And I believe at assizes, while the judges are sitting in the criminal courts, these ballad -singers are generally to be found in the vicinity of the courts ?—I have seen them there. SUMMARY of the STATE TRIALS. DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24. (NINTH DAT.) The evidence to-day commenced with that of one of the constabulary from Cork, named HALEY. He stated he attended the Mullaghmast meeting, at which he purchased a paper purporting to be "a full and true account of the bloody massacre of four hundred Roman Catholics at Mullaghmast," and also that he saw a banner flying at the front of the platform inscribed with the words—" Ireland dragged at the tail of another nation." On his cross-examination the witness, not withstanding the frowns of the Attorney-General, persisted in swearing that those were the words, and not that quotation from the Morning Chronicle— " a country containing a population of nine millions, is too great to be dragged at the tail of any other nation," which really was the inscription. Mr. MOORE and Mr. MONAGHAN, on the part of the traversers, objected to the paper mentioned by the witness being read in evidence, inasmuch as it was not proved to have been printed by the printer of the Association, nor with the authority and con sent of the traversers. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL contended that such proof was not necessary, and that the fact of its having been distributed in the presence of the tra versers, and therefore with their knowledge and con sent, rendered it admissible evidence. The document was admitted. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL then applied to put in evidence that portion of the speech of her MAJESTY on the prorogation of Parliament, referring to Ire land, and expressing her determination to maintain the Union. Mr. MOORE objected to this course, but the speech was admitted by the Court, on the ground alleged by the Crown lawyers, that it had been commented on in several speeches of Mr. O'CoNNELL, which formed the subject matter of the indictment. The speech, or rather the extract from it, was read from the London Gazette of August 29. JAMES IRWIN, station-house clerk of police at Liver pool, was the next witness examined. He proved the posting of a placard in that town, containing the " Address to all the Subjects of the British Crown." C. VERNON, registrar of newspapers, proved the registration of the Pilot, Nation, and Freeman's Jour nal newspapers, by Mr. BARRETT, Mr. DUFFY, end Drs. GRAY and ATKINSON, as the respective proprie tors of each. The conclusion of the day's proceedings consisted of law arguments on both sides as to the admissibi lity or rejection of certain extracts from the Nation newspaper. It is now determined, it is said, by the traversers, to call witnesses to prove the peaceable state of the country. It was reported yesterday that they intended to call no witnesses whatever, the tranquil behaviour of the people being sufficiently established by the evidence for the Crown. Had they adopted this course, the prosecution would have been de prived of the right of reply. The witnesses to be called for the defence will con sist mainly of Protestant gentlemen. The order in which the Counsel for the tra versers will address the Court has been settled as follows :—Mr. SUEIL opens for Mr. J. O'CONNELL ; then Mr. HATCUELL for Mr. RAY, succeeded by Mr. WHITESIDE for Mr. DUFFY, Mr. MACDOITOUGII for Mr. BARRETT, and Mr. FITZGIBBON for Dr. GRAY. Tom STEELE defends himself; and the whole pro ceedings will be wound up by the speech of Mr. O'CONNELL, as " Counsel for all Ireland." ___ _ The Court was proceeding with an argument on a mere point of law when our express left, but there is every prospect of the case for the Crown closing before the Court rises. COMMISSION OF LUNACY. EXTRAORDINARY LOSS OF MEMORY. A commission, in the nature of a writ de lunatico inquirendo, having been directed to the Sheriff of Bristol, to inquire into the state of mind of Edward Thomas, Esq., a gentleman possessing considerable landed property in the West Indies and in this king dom, and who had been much mixed up in the ques tion of Slave Emancipation, was opened yesterday, at Long's Royal Hotel, Clifton, before the Commis sioner, Mr. Barlow, Queen's Counsel, and the in quiry occupied the whole day. The petitioner was Mrs. Thomas, wife of the alleged lunatic, on whose behalf Mr. Stone, of the Western Circuit, and Mr. Teddy, appeared. The property in question being very considerable, much interest appeared to be excited. Mr. Stone directed the attention of the jury to the singular description of lunacy which he should have to establish against Mr. Thomas, who was 54 years of age, and had a wife and six sons. It was well known that there were three great faculties of the mind which were liable to be attacked with lunacy —the memory, the judgment, and the imagination. In this case it was the first of these faculties which had become so much impaired as to render Mr. Thomas totally unfit to manage his affairs. While on his voyage home to England he was accompanied by one of his connexions, and by various persons with whom lie was well acquainted, and within a day or two of his landing in England he had completely forgotten the name of the ship in which he had sailed when he came home, where he was, or any of the friends by whom he was accompanied. On Friday last the solicitor to the petitioner had waited upon him, and read over and explained to him the day fixed for this inquiry, repeatedly named it to him, and yet within half an hour he had forgotten all about it, and addressed a letter to the solicitor, saying that he should be obliged if he could in form him the day when the inquiry would take place. The disease of the memory had also begun to affect the imagination ; he fancied himself at times in America, and at other times , . in the West Indies, and pretended to point out the houses, trees, and other objects which were familiar to him. At times, too, he was under the apprehension that persons were lurking about the house in order to carry him off and bury him alive. He had also a tin box in which he picked up all the old scraps of newspapers and other things about the house, and fancied that the box was of immense value, constantly kept it under his bed, and when he went out took it with him in his carriage. On general matters and abstract questions the unfortunate gentleman was a man of very superior conversational powers, so that they would have to rely on the medical testimony. The Learned Gentleman then called Mr. John Sealey, Solicitor-General of the Island of Barbadoes, who stated that he was we ll acqua i n t e d with Mr. Edward Thomas, and had married his niece. He left Barbadoes with him on the Bth of July last in the ship Britannia. Mr. Thomas was then in a weakly state of health, and of most decid edly impaired memory. Remembered on one occa sion his coming on deck and saying he had just been and had a pleasant excursion on shore, and on being informed that he had been at sea several days, he ap peared much surprised. Since his arrival witness had conversed with him, and he had completely for gotten his having come over with him in the ship, even when reminded of it. Witness considered him decidedly incapable of managing his affairs. Mr. Benjamin T. Bovell gave similar testimony. At this part of the proceedings the unfortunate gen tleman was brought into the room, and to a casual observer would not appear to be labouring under any aberration of intellect. When, however, he came to be tested by the examination of the Learned Commis sioner and the jurors, he fully bore out the testimony adduced as to the impaired state of his memory. Isabella White, a servant of Mr. Thomas, was next examined. She stated that Mr. Thomas kept asking her what her name was almost every minute in the day. He would also ask her to tell him where he was, and not to deceive him, as he was almost sure he was in Barbadoes. One day he thought Mrs. Thomas was going to place a keeper over him, and he armed himself with a carving-knife and two razors, which he carried about with him the whole day. He would sometimes sit down and cry for hours, saying the learning he had had was of no use to him now. Mr. Mortimer, Dr. Young, and Dr. Pritchard, one of the Metropolitan Commissioners of Lunacy, were then examined, and gave it as their opinion, that his memory was so impaired that he was not at all capa ble of managing his affairs. The Learned COMMISSIONER briefly summed up, and The Jury returned a verdict, "That Mr. Edward Thomas had been of unsound mind and incapable of managing his affairs since the 12th of August last." THE GENERAL CITY OF LONDON PENSION SO CIETY.—A festivity yesterday was held at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, emanating from the Direc tors, Committee, and supporters of the Society, for the purpose of presenting to their secretary, Mr. H. F. Richardson, a testimonial in honour of and to record his services on behalf of the charity. About 40 gen tlemen, including the principal officers of the charity, partook of a most sumptuous entertainment, provided by Messrs. Bathe and Breach. The bill of fare was ad mirable, and the wines perfection. The testimonial, which was presented in due form and appropriate terms, consisted of a magnificent and richly-chased centre ornament, the base of which was in burnished silver. From the base, supported by the trunk of the acanthus, rested the figure of Charity, with her attri butes. Surmounted by these rested a vase bearing the exotics which art had, at this season, brought to a sem blance of perfection. The base of the pedestal v% as comprised of three compartments. In the first were engraved the armorial bearings of the individual ho noured, Mr. H. F. Richardson ; in the second was a highly complimentary inscription ; and in the last com partment of the tripod was a memorial of the presen tation, and the names of the committee and subscribers. Mr. H. F. Richardson, on the presentation of the tes timonial, acknowledged the compliment in feeling an d appropriate terms. The evening was spent in the utmost hilarity and good feeling, both of the latter bring ma terially aided by the 'vocal efforts of Messrs. Bruton and Martin. We find the following amusing story in the Journal du iiiivre of Thursday :—" One day last week, at Caen, a young and pretty Englishwoman, with long auburn hair, fresh complexion, rosy lips, and airy step, and with a pleasing smile upon her countenance, entered the shop of one of the principal marchands de nouveautes. On seeing her, the shopmen passed their hands through their hair, stereotyped their most fascinating smile, and each did everything, in his power to attract the notice of the pretty customer. The lady addressed herself as if by chance, to the master; who was not a little flattered at the preference. 'Je voule avoir une chile,' said the lady, with her pleasing English accent, and the gal lant tradesman immediately began to display his choicest ar ticles. Yes, yes,' said the pretty lady, with a smile, Vous etes_ profondement aimable, Monsieur le marchandise,' on examining one, and finding the colour too light. Another was presented to her, which she found of too large a pattern. At length, one of the most beautiful seemed to please her, and the price was soon agreed upon. The handsome Miss was about to take it, when suddenly, as if recollecting herself, she raid, 'Je eller laisser vous la petite chile, je avois oublie le bourse u moi dans le hotel.' The polite tradesman could not allow this, and compelled the lady to take away the shawl. ' Mais,' said she, archly, ' si je allais saucer moi sans payer vous.' The tradesman said he was perfectly easy on that Lead, as it was impossible for so beautiful a lady to be guilty of de ception. . Yes, yes,' exclaimed the daughter of Albion, and disappeared, with the step of a fairy. On the following day the tradesman went to the hotel, and discovered that his beau tiful customer had left by the Ilavre steamer, taking with her the shawl, but forgetting to leave the money. He imme diately set off in pursuit, and, arriving at Havre. was fortu nate enough to find her. On seeing him, she said, ' Yes, yes, je avais oublie de payer vous, la France it etait pas bon pour le memorie 3 moi, voila le argent, je demande bien pardon pour la petite dissgrement."l his time the tradesman forgot all his gallantry, and leaving the lady, without even taking off his hat, returned home with a resolution to be on his guard in future against la perfide Albion." IRELAND. THE STATE TRIALS. (FROM OUR OWN REPORTERS.) ( The examination of John Maguire, continued from our Third Edition of Last Mght.) DUBLIN, TUESDAY. They did not march two and two, rank and rile ? —They did not march two deep, but some of them did. How many of them did so ?—Some more and some less. Were they short or long ?—Don't know. Well, take the largest party, and say how many came two deep ? (The witness made a very long pause.) Mr. Hatchell—Well ? Witness—Well, Sir. Mr. Hatchell—l say ill, Sir ; go on.—(Laughter.) Well go on ?—The largest number of a party might ex ceed 100. Did they come i❑ two deep ?—Some of them did. Will you swear that any one body of them came two deep ? —Some of them came two sleep in a kind of military order. Oh a kind of military order, was it?—Yes. virtue of your oath, Sir, did you not swear a moment ago that they came in rank and file?—lt was a kind of rank and file. Like mounting the Castle-guard ?—Exactly se. by virtue of your solemn oath, will you swear that any one of the parties you saw came in order such as the guard goes in when relieving the other guard at the Castle ?—Some of them did. Was there any entire party who came two and two?—Some of them did. On your oath were there not a great many women and chil dren there ? Yes ; the women and children came after Mr. O'Connell.—( Laughter. ) I mean after he came into town. Did they not come in with the men ?—They might have come in after the men. Were they not with the men ? Some of the parties 1 de scribed had no women. Was there any party with women and children 7—Yes. Were they with all the parties r—They might have come after the parties. Were there not lots of women and children in the military array ?—They might have followed the men.—(Laughter. ) The women and children followed in the rear ?—On the sides. Then the women were beside the men ?—ln some cases. Were they mixed with them?—Not with those men who came in as I described to you before. Mr. Hatchell—l do not want• to entrap the witness, but I want him to give us a fair and honest statement of what took place, according to what he saw. Witness—l am disposed to do se. Now, you talked of a drum-major ?—I did. Do you know what a drum-major is ?—I do. Had he a silver-headed cane in his hand ?—He had a stick in his hand, the top of which was either silver or something representing silver. It was the band-master had that ?—No ; the drum-major. Is that the band-master?—No, it is not. You knew them to be temperance bands, did you ?—No ; they were all strangers to me. 1 know you did not know them personally ; but did you know them to be temperance bands ?—I was informed that some of them were. And when the meeting was determined, and the speeches were over, all the people returned quietly home?—They And their wives and children with them ?—They all went away. At what hour ?—Between four and five o'clock. John Jolly was the next witness produced, and being sworn, was examined by Mr. Brewster, am head•constable of Cork, East Riding. I remember a meeting at Mallow en the 11th of last June. I was there. It was on Sunday. 1 went in uniform to Mallow, but I changed my clothes before the meeting took place. Before the meeting commenced I saw a procession. I saw it pass through Mallow in the direction from which I was told Mr. O'Connell was to come. I cannot recollect the place where it passed. I was a stranger there. The procession was a very numerous one. There were several bands. There were persons on horseback. The procession marched in regular order with bands and banners ; the bands playing and the colours flying. Several of them had cards at tached to their button-holes to distinguish them from others. More had paper round their hats with the words " O'Connell's Police" written upon it. Describe what order they went in ?—They marched four or five deep. The horsemen went much in the same way, ap parently in regular order. Did you see persons taking more particular command than others ?—I Describe in what positions in the procession they were ? They were outside the body, or the ranks, as I may call it, and appeared to give directions to the others. Some of the horse men who did take this command had wands, with something like ribbon tied on the top. It was late in the evening when the procession returned. Mr. O'Connell and Air. Steele re turned with it. Ido not remember ever to have seen se large a meeting. How many think you were there ?—I think there were some hundreds of thousands. I have never seen such a cro•.vd before. In what part of the procession were Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Steele ?-1 did not see them in the procession, but I saw them on the platform. Where was the platform erected?—lt was erected near the shambles in Mallow. Was it a large place ?—lt was a very large open space, and it was very noarly full; I went near to the platform; I was about ten yards from it ; sometimes nearer, but the place where I stopped at last was about ten yards from the platform. Did you take a note of the proceedings ?—I did not. Did you hear Mr. O'Connell's speech ?—Part of it. Are you able to state the substance of any part or parts of it ? —I am. The first thing that was done was to present an address to Mr. O'Connell ; so at least I was told, for at that time I coald Not get near enough to the platform. What did you hear Mr. O'Connell say ?—He first said that he came to tell them a secret, and thought there were enough of them to keep it.—( Laughter.) lie told them, too, that the Union should be repealed by some time that I cannot exactly remember.—( Laughter. ) Did he mention any time ?—He did. He also said that they should have " Ireland for the Irish. They might have England for the English, and Scotland for the Scotch, but Ireland should be for the Irish ; and that he defied them to keep it, for they were too numerous, too determined, and too temperate." He said that on the face of the earth there were not a greater pack of bribers than the British House of Commons, and that was admitted by some authority he then gave. He then asked the crowd, did they ever hear talk of the man with the ugly name ? Sugden—(Laughter.) He said a friend of his in Kilkenny told him he would not call his pig " Sugden "—(Laughter)—and as for the Lord Lieutenant, he was so ignorant that he heard he sent a commissioner to see if Kilkenny was a seaport.—(Laughter.) He then alluded to the police. There were some members of the police there, and he spoke of them. He said that if they had made applica tion to him, he would have appointed several of his own police to keep the peace, and save the police the trouble of coming there. He said they sent the soldiers to shoot them, " but," said he, " they know a trick worth two of that." —(Laughter.) He said, "if we are attacked we will defend ourselves. The sergeants of the English army are the finest body of men in the world, but the worst treated. The French sergeants were generally raised to the rank of officers; they were a great deal better treated than the English, by being promoted to the rank of officers." He also began telling the crowd the effects of repeal. He said the labourers would be farmers, the farmers gentlemen, and the gentlemen Members of Parliament—(Loud laughter, in which the Court and jury joined) —no, not Members of Par liament, but Lords.—( Repeated laughter). He asked the crowd, Would they be ready to come again if he wanted them, and desired as many as would to hold up their hands. The crowd held up a wood of hands. He said when they came again he would require them to come armed, but the arms would be repeal cards. Mr. Brewster—Did you observe anything particular—l mean in his tone and gesture, when he was then speaking ? Yes, he paused when he said " armed," before he said " with repeal cards;" the meeting lasted about two hours. I saw something occur on the platform before the meeting commenced which attracted my attention ; some one on the platform—it was before Mr. O'Connell came—pointed out a person in the crowd, and desired him to leave the meeting ; he said he should be put out by force if he did not leave it. He said to the Crowd, " Cut his reins, drive him out, he is an enemy." I did not see this person, but I think he was on horseback, as the other said, " cut his reins." Cross-examined by Mr. Whiteside—Are you acquainted with Mr. Johnston ?—I saw him. When did you see him last ?—I saw him in the Court to-day. Did you see him last night ?--Yes. Did you then know he was examined yesterday?-..1 did. Did you talk about the trial with him ?—No, he was away from me. Have you not seen him frequently before the trials cem. menced ?—Yes, I have. Did not he tell you he came here to be examined ? He did. When did you see Maguire last ?-1 saw him last night. May I ask your rank in the constabulary ?--Head constable. You are not an officer then ?—No. Pray, where are you stationed ?—ln Ballingcollig, about six miles from Cork. May I ask what newspaper you take in ?—I take in no newspaper. Well, then, what newspapers do you read ?—I am glad to see any of them. I suppose you read the Cork Constitution9—Yes. Did you read an account of the Mallow meeting in any cf the newspapers ?--I will answer candidly ; I did not read any account of the meeting. I have no recollection that I did. Try and remember ?—I cannot recollect. Upon my oath I do not. Will you tell me to-morrow if I meet you ?—I cannot recol lect that I did. Will you swear that you read no account of the meeting in a newspaper will not. 'Were you ordered to go to Mallow ?—I was. How wero you dressed ?—I went in regular uniform. Were you in Mallow the night before ?—I was not. I went there in the morning. Did you meet other policemen there ?—Yes. Were the policemen dressed in uniform?—They were. Waa Mr. Anderson, the sub-inspector, there?—He was. Does not he know Mallow better than you do ?—He does, What time did you undress ?—I can't say exactly. The procession was going through the town at the time. I Do you swear the full procession was going through ? I say a part was going through. The last part of it. What time did you leave the street to undress 7-1 was not in the street then. I undressed in the barracks. What time of the day did you undress ?—I should think (he. sitating) about. I cannot exactly say. You are very precise about the words Mr. O'Connell used. What time did you put on the disguise ?—Was it one o'clock. It might be about one o'clock. Was it one o'clock ?—lt might be more. I think it was. between one and two. Did you see the whole of the procession ?—I don't know that I saw the whole of it. I saw half of it. What half did you see ?—The last half. Where did you see it ?—I saw it going out of Mallow. Are you a constabulary man am. You have fought no battles ?—No. Oh ! then you are not a military man, you are a civil man. Now, Sou have said the procession marched in military or der, with bands playing, colours flying—are these words your own ? Are they your own spontaneous effusion ?—Yes. Were you not frightened by this military array, close columns and marching order ? —No. What tunes did the bands play ? Did they play " Paddy Ca• rey," or " Paddy from Cork," or " God save the Queen ?"-• I took no notice. This was not a military procession ?—No, a civil one. There were bands of music and banners ?—I saw a great many bar.ners. What do you mean by the horses being in apparently particu• lar good order—were they fat ?—That would be good order. Now, what became of the guns and muskets, the cannon, the dead and wounded of this battle 7—There were none at all. The horsemen were mounted five or six a-breast, and mor• after them. Are you sure the horses' tails were not tied together? Were there real living men on them ?—There were. And wo.uen behind the men ?—Yes, on pillions. Now tell us, did they charge you or you charge there ?—I did neither. had the women their arms about the men?—They were holding on. Now, I have to ask a question suggested by Mr. Ilatchell. Do you conceive that an offence against the arms order ? (Great laughter. ) So, with music playing and banners flying, and women with arms round the men, they marched out of Mallow Yes. Were there no children there ?—lt would not be a place foe them in the crowd. Were the bands temperance bands or timperance ?—I do not understand timperance. I beg your pardon. I assure yeu I mean no impeachment on your moral character. I wish to know do you think it better that the people should amuse themselves playing manic or drinking whiskey ?—lndeed, Sir, I prefer the former. Why, you know in either case they are prosed, quocungu• via, as we lawyers say.—(Laughter.) Did you make any report of this battle ?—I made no report. I took no note. How, then, do you recollect Mr. O'Cennell's speech Because I took a great interest in hearing Mr. O'Connell speak. Are you a Repealer? You took a great interest in Mr. O'Connell's speech, you say ?-1 was glad to listen to a good speaker. You had better wait a little, then, and hear Mr. Hatchell and the rest here ?--I would be glad to hear gentlemen of eminence. How did you take a note of the pause? Are you not to allow a pause in speaking ?—Certainly, Sir. I wish to know how, because it is odd a witness yesterday said Mr. O'Connell paused?—l took no notice at all. Mr. O'Connell told the people to come armed with the Re. peal card ?—Yes. Now, when you heard the word armed did not yen nudge the man against you ?—I was nudging him to get on as quick as I could. He said the sergeants in France got promotion—you cocked your ears at that ? Now, do you not expect to be promoted to the office of Head-constable when the trial is over ? I have s a great respect for the constabulary, and like them in any cha racter save witnesses ? That is for the Inspector-General. Well, the Inspector-General is a reasonable man, and don't you think it reasonable that a useful, active man like you should be promoted?—lt is reasonable.—( Laughter). So Mr. O'Connell said when we got it (Repeal) the labourers would be farmers, the farmers gentlemen, and the gentlemen all Lords?—There will be no commoners then.—( Laughter). You will be a Lord yourself—(Laughter)—Lord collig ?—( Great laughter, in which the whole Court save the Attorney-General joined).—He said so. Tell me now, which is all this treason, conspiracy, sedition. or flat burglary?—(Continued laughter). —I never joke when I am on my oath. There was a country fellow on the platform, who told a per. son in the crowd, whom you did not see, to be gone, not creating a disturbance ?—I did not know what he might be doing. You have idle times in the north, I think ?—lt is very sin gular, the less I have to do the better I like it.—(Laughter.) Now did you not say you never joked when on your oath? —.That is, really, no joke Sir.—( Loud laughter. ) You were not much pressed on that day ?—lndeed I wets by the crowd.—( Continued laughter.) Why you are joking again ; but there was nothing more to incommode you—your whiskers were not pulled ?—The crowd was very great. Were there ladies and gentlemen among them ?—Neither. Did you dine comfortably that day, and had you a good bed ?—lt was pretty hard.—(Laughter. ) When did you leave Mallow ?—That evening. When did they ferret you out as a witness ?—About the month of December. Are there any respectable people in Mallow ; any propriee tors in the town • shopkeepers or landholders near it ?—Plenty. Why, then have they pitched on yon, a policeman, who escaped to tell of your imminent hair-breadth scrape from the scene of slaughter "?—( Laughter. )—I was sent here. Now, Sir (here Counsel addressed the witness in a tone of the most dramatic gravity, amid the roars of the whole Court) sincerely trusting you may speedily obtain that promotion which you so richly deserve, I have to wish yon a very good morning! Re-examined by Mr. Brewster—Mr. Anderson was near the place of meeting. He was in the Court-house, and could pot hear what was said. The witness then withdrew. The next witness called was Henry Godfrey, police con. stable. He was examined by Mr. Freeman-1 was a con stable in August. 1 remember the 6th of August. I was in Baltinglass on that day. I was stationed at Donerd. It is about eight miles distant from Baltinglass. I was ordered to Baltinglass the evening before the meeting. The meetinf took place on Sunday. I saw a great number of persons there between twelve and one o'clock. I observed persons coming in on large waggons ' from the Rathvilly side. They had a band with them. I saw banners. I did not observe any inscriptions. The meeting was held a little outside the town. I saw the Rev. Mr. Nolan before the meeting toot place. I heard him desire the people to go and meet Al" O'Connell. I heard a. man say the shouting will frighten tLN pigeons. Another said, " Yes, and the Protestants too. This was before the Rev. Mr. Nolan desired the people to p to meet Mr. O'Connell. I was dressed in plain dress. 30 ' Mr. O'Connell came in about cne o'clock. I heard a man sal " This is the day that will frighten Saunders." A gentlema n named Mr. Robert Saunders lives about two Eng lish from the town. The exp ress i on was ma d e before Dr. (nw e nell came up. Mr. Fitzgibbon—Wh en did you ma k e t h e memorandum cut w"of which you a r e rea di ng ?—O n t h e d ay the meeting w over. miles To Mr. Freeman---I attended the place of meeting ; lO f Mr. O'Connell, there, and Mr. Nolan, Mr. Farrell, and 3 11. ' Copeland ; I saw the two Aletcalfs there, and a person whf was pointed out to be Mr. Steele ; I would know Mr. Steele • person (the witness here identified Mr. Steele who was sitting near him in Court). Mr. O'Connell was there also ; he r e. collected him saying that he did not despair of getting the Be: peal, fir he had the people t o b ac k hi m ; h e a l so sa id there were some millions of money sent out of the country ' • he did ou: say how much; he stated th a t th e t axes were to be paid on' of some fund; he heard him say something about Lord Wick; low ; he heard him call Mr. Felton a " bog-trotting agent; does not recollect that he heard him say anything more. Did you hear Mr. O'Connell say anything about meeting the people again ? Mr. Fitzgibbon objected to the question. Mr. Freetnia had no right to be leading the witness this way. Mr. Freeman—Did you h ear hi m say anyt hi nga b out tithes Mr. Cantwell said—R ea lly i n j ust i ce to my cl i ent I t aus interfere ; this is not fair. Chief Justice—You must not interrupt the Court, A irS Cantwell. Mr. Cantwell—l must, and hope I shall do my duty, psi' Lord, and I hope your Lordship will do yours. Chief Justice— fhe Court will do its duty, and if you inter' rupt it again you will be removed forthwith. Jr.A Cantwell—l am satisfied that the Court will do Il i° duty but I must bring under its notice an illegal question- Chief Justice—lt is not your duty to address the Cot" when you have Counsel to do so. Mr. Freeman—Do you recollect that Mr. O'Connell stie anything more?—H e sa id w h en he came again he hoped all t"; people would be there to meet him. He heard the pecipte °L i r say that they would g e t th e R epea l , now they were e).l sor and determined men. He saw Mr. Lawless, a Romr_n Cstu i ,%' lic clergyman there. H e h ear d hi m say that tithe', would '""/ done away with. He t a lk e d a b out go i ng to Debi:in, and said the Protestant clergymen were civil, and would join him, they s • would get the tithes during th e i r li ves. H e teJuld not sal "fra many people were there. He was in a crowd , and there a great number of people around him. He w.as not alone, O h was sometimes another man with him, s.nei sometimes not. r Cross-examined by Mr. Fitzgibbor,--Were you a stra n g e in Baltinglass ?—No. I had known it. ten or eleven years. You were very well known there as a policeman ?—Yes' How long have you been a policeman ?—Twelve years. 0 Were you all that time in Balt,inglass ?—I was no t. Iyr stationed eight miles from it. At this meeting you were mot molested? —No. No expression was used pai n f ul to your feelings ?.....One Prri'n A said, " This is the day th e : t will frighten the pigeons, Baltinglass dialect, police , uen.) There was no atte tr. pt to remove you front the crowd No. No attempt to do , you injury ?—N o . You might brie got up to the front of platform you -ha the if liked ?—Yes, Like any other person in the meeting?--The same. other person la .„itla Can you tell us t h e name of ayt was "'" you ?—No„ 1110 When the ob serva ti on was made about the pi g e on o ti p there not some one who replied, " and frighten the Protest" e too ?"—Yes. You plainly heard him ?—Yes. Were you within a yard of him ?—Yes. Did yott do anything 2 —No. Did you know the person, or ever see him ?—No. min° What sort of man was he ?—fiet appeared to be a e tryman. Then you cannot nam e an y person w h o h ear d that OP reo sion besides yourself?—No. at tba You cannot name any person who was about yo u time ?—I cannot. There were millions of people about, o f (Laughter.)—l made it my b us i ness to keep oat a di... , all _people you whomean I thou to would know me. . Then gen d° say that du r i ng that day you yoo voured to avoid the eyes an d not i ce of those w h o knew —I did. What did y ou d o t o avo id t h e eyes of those w h o knew / o ou t her I would shift f rom any p l ace w h en I saw t h em into part of the crowd. Lest they should see you ?—Yes. iu Did you expect th a t shuffling for to another p•ac k perf crowd, would p reven t your being seen by those wb o° you ?—I did. Did you dip your head?—N o . Did you hide your head? —No. aa g to Then, what you did when you saw an aequaintance,througb shift your way through the crowd ?—I worked my WO' Inv 101 the crowd with my f ace up. I endeavoured to ma ke through them, aroun d Did you find a n y p l ace in the crowd when l oo k i n g' • you, you could not sea any men who knew you' —.l ca nno t tsY Where was that r—ln front of the platform ; tyards, how far that was from the platform; perhaps tw en I Dlevel sometime* it might be ten yards ; I was in front 0 t he Thee' •• I Hotel, which is about a mile from Baltinglass, when . e _ words, " This is the day when we'll frighten Ssulisr"cilbs;,,= cannct tell the name of man, woman, or child, that hear d might phrase ; I was close to the man who said these woro nt I din " • J have seized him; I cannot tell ou who he was ; ___ bis R 4 rfle; recorded thy ;phrase on paper the Pam A i N 1 1 , but mg) re i „, — , A pi,i 404 I I% the 1.16