The Express.
London, England, 1867-11-19 00:00:00

THE CONDEMNED IdNIANS AT MANCHESTER.

EXTRAORDINARY PROCEEDINGS AT THE HOME-OFFICE.

Yesterday afternoon a deputation, appointed at
the meeting held on Clerkenwell-green on Sunday morning,
attended at the Home-office for the purpose of presenting a
memorial to the Home Secretary, praying that the lives of
the condemned Fenians at Manchester might be spared.
The deputation, which was composed of between 60 and 60
working men, assembled in Whitehall shortly after two
o'clock. Before that hour an intimation was conveyed to
some of its members that Mr. Hardy would refuse to re-
ceive them, and that a letter to that effect, written by the
private secretary of the right hon. gentleman, was await-
ing Mr. Finlen, who had written to ask for the in-
terview. Mr. Finlen, however, accompanied by his friends,
entered the Home-office at half-past two o'clock, and after
some parleyingwith one of the officials, succeeded in obtain-
ingadmisaion to a room immediately adjoining that usually
occupied by Mr. Hardy. An " indignation" meeting was
immediately constituted, and Mr. Finlen, who was ►y
general assent voted to the chair, read the following com-
munication, which evoked loud and strong expressions of
disapprobation:
" Sir,—l am directed by Mr. Secretary Hardy to acknow-
ledge the receipt of your letter of this date, acquainting
him that a deputation had been appointed at a meeting
held yesterday at Clerkenwell-green, to wait upon him in
reference to the Fenian convicts under sentence of death
at Manchester, and expressing a hope that he would re-
ceive them this afternoon. Mr. Hardy desires me to inform
you in reply that he has already declined to receive depu-
tations on that subject, and equally declines to do so in
this instance, though prepared to receive any memorial
that may be sent for his consideration".
An official of the Home-office here interposed and in •
formed the deputation that noisy discussion could not be
permitted, whereupon Mr. Finlen peremptorily ordered
him to hold his tongue, telling him that he was " a mere
servant of the place," and not a member of the deputation.
Mr. FINI.E.N, addressing those present, said he hoped
their endeavour would be regarded as a work
of humanity. They had no political sympathies
in this matter—they simply desired that Eng-
land should not he disgraced by handing over four
political offenders like those of Manchester to Cal-
craft. (Cheers.) In that Home-office, and before the
Queen, he would say that they would move heaven and
earth to defeat Mr. Hardy. (Loud cheers.) They would
go to Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham, and arouse
the Irish spirit; and that spirit would be responded to
by the Irish in America, and the government would bring
blood upon its head if it did not receive the overtures for
mercy which were being made to it. (Applause.) Mr.
Hardy committed a disgraceful and egregious blunder, but
nothing better could be expected from a member of the
party which was designated as " the stupid party."

Mr. CLEGG said that not a stone would be left unturned
in arousing the Irish spirit in the principal cities and towns
of England. They looked upon the condemned men as
their brothers, and as their mission of mercy had failed,
they should adopt other measures with theview of meeting
with success.

Mr. ot(BOBNE begged leave to move that they adjourn
to make arrangements for a great torch-light meeting on
Clerrkenwell-green. The spirit which animated them
wss abroad, and it only wanted calling out to enable them
to hold a meeting of 20,000 people on Thursday night.
Mr. M'SweExer drew a parallel between the course pur-
sued by the government in the case of the Six Mile bridge
riot, when the presiding judge ruled that conviction could
only ensue upon the positive identification of soldiers as
having caused the death of one or more persons, and that
adopted at the recent trials in Manchester, where the us-
cused were convicted upon evidence which failed to show
that they were the actual perpetrators of the act which
resulted in the death of Sergeant Brett.
Mr. CONNOLLY said that as there were certain forms
to be observed on occasions of that kind, he regretted
that the members of the deputation had not got a member
of parliament to introduce them. He attended there, not
as a sympathiser with the Fenian., because his experience
led him to the belief that the redrew of national grievances
could be obtained by peaceful means. (Mr. Finlen—ln
this country.) The condemned men, if hanged, would be
dignified by the titles of martyrs ►nd apostles of liberty,
whereas if they were dealt with in a different manner,
they would not occupy the same position in the minds of
their countrymen and others. If the sentence on Burke
had been carried out, he would now occupy a more digni-
fied position than he does in the eyes of the Irish people.
If the government hanged the Manchester Fenians, they
would incite the spirit of revolt in the young Irish mind,
whereas if they adopted a different course, and dealt with
them as ordinary criminal., they would be advancing a
step towards making Ireland a source of immeasurable
strength to England, instead of being a source of weaknees
to her.

Mr. F. CAMPBELL, addressing Mr. Finlen " as the Home
Secretary pro tem.," asked why he was denied an inter-
view because there was a rent in his garment. If an Byre
were there he would be received, but because the depute.
tion was only composed of working men Mr. Hardy de-
clined to receive them. (Cheers.)
Mr. FINLEN said he would make this question too hot
even for en obdurate tory government. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. M'Swrizert moved a vote of censure on Mr. Hardy.
(" Hear, bear," and chgers.)
Mr. Furcsat—So faro this government is concerned—l
say it in this Home-office, under the roof of authority—
that it has disgraced itself by refusing to meet a body of
working men who have sacrificed • day's work to come
here. (Hear, hear.) I say deliberately that I would
throw all the tory governments that ever existed into the
sea rather than see those glorious, brave, and plucky Fe-
nians, who had rescued Kelly and Deasy, immolated on
the scaffold. (Loud cheering.)
One of the messengers h►ving attempted to put a stop
to Mr. Finlen's remarks,
Mr. Filmy( told him he would not be prevented from
giving expression to his feelings, and continued. If the
government abed the blood of these men, their lives shall
not be held sacred, or their position as advisers of a good
Queen rendered secure, by their paltry, bloody, and mi-
serable conduct. (Enthusiastic cheering.)
The deputation then retired, and on leaving the Home-
office they found that their proceedings had caused a de-
tachment of police to assemble in front of the building,
and that Sir Richard Mayne and Captain Harris had
thought it their duty to appear upon the scene. A large
crowd had also assembled.

The deputation afterwards met at the Nag's Head,
Leather-lane, and Mr. Finlen gave in a report of the pro-
ceedings at the Home-oflice. Several strong speeches were
made, and a resolution was adopted pledging those pre-
sent to hold public mooning' on Tuesday and Wednesday
evenings on Clerkenwell-green, and to send deputations
down to Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and other
great manufacturing towns, to hold public meetings there,
and request the inhabitants of those places to send depu-
tations to a great torchlight demonstration to be held at
Clarkenwell-green on Thursday night. It was further de-
cided to Mime placards calling upon the people to meet to
petition the Queen upon the question of the fate of the
convicted Fenian.

NEW HOMPrEkL IN SUFFOLK.—The foundation
atone of St. Leonard's Hospital was laid on Friday last by
Major Parker, M.P. There were present the Ven. Lord
Arthur Hervey, Archdeacon of Sudbury, Lord Augustus
Hervey., M.P., and the neighbouring gentry and clergy.
The building is being emoted on an eminence at the en-
trance to the borough of Sudbury, and will command a
fine view down the valley of the Stour. It will afford
accommodation for twenty patients. The necessity of such
a building has long been felt, as Sudbury is sixteen miles
distant from any general hospital. The building is faced
with red brick', and the whole expeedisure including
land, is not expected to exceed 1,10 W., three-fourths of
which have already been promised. Mr. Salter, of Sudbury
and London, is the architect. The hospital is named after
a local charity, from which an annual income of between
4(0. and 50f. will beobtainod.