The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-18 00:00:00

incited • • the people to an m relistance, -end state
• 411/ _.
what he •(the Attorney e ref) alleged, it -wo • -
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quire a great deal of ment of his Leareed + riends . = I "
lz
thejuryi that
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ot. t tahi
aiding
i nloght he Attorney
-General
-General then detailed
sai bd ee t titno satisO'Brienfy
in h '3 l r
,
4 e:' —' , "ons which occurred on Saturday, the 29th
of July, .at, Farrinrory, . and . alto read . the letter
written by Mr. Meagher from Cahirmoyle to Smith
O'Brien, and already given in evidence. against O'Brien.
There was ' another .; letter front- Mr; Meagher,
found on the 26th or 27th of July, in the posses-
sion of a gentleman named Smith, who was arrested for
having taken part in these transactions, from which' he
read the-following extract:" Well, as to the public
affairs, the Nation is admirable this seek, and I am de-
lighted to find that Icenyon's speech was so splendid.
As to the Freeman, we must do our hest to crush it.
With, regard to Cork, Barry (this is. a secret) is rather
tame—is adverse to a corifedurate move—while Charley
Murphy and Denny Lane are decidedly for it. I' am
urging them with all my might, and expect to carry
my point triumphantly. There's no doubt but we shall
have the-,upper hand in thue----the clubs will do the
work. Don't forget France and her revolution. I got
the inclosed-this morning." These letters were mate-
rial as showing his intentions. He would admit that he
was bound to prove that Mr. O'Brien's object was a re-
volutionary one. If, however, any question could arise
on that point, there was another document which, in his-
humble judgment, was decisive upon it. It was a letter
written by. Mr. O'Brien himself, and by which he (the
Attorney-General) considered Mr. Meagher was also
bound. [TheAttorney-General then read the letter of Mr.
O'Brien to the Mining Company, which has been already
published:] lie would offer no comment upon that letter,
because he did not anticipate that—the talehret- In-ft--
nuity of any counsel could put a different construction
upon the document than what he contended for. How-
ever,lhe question for the jury to consider was, wither
Mr. Meagher had so mixed himself up in these transac-
tions as to bean actor in them? If the eiidrnce satis-
fied them of, the guilt of Mr. Meagher, he asked, on
the part of the Crown, for that verdict of conviction
which, in discharge of their duty, they would be bound
to return, regardless of the consequence which might

[Pluck: SD.

ensue. • . _
Mr. John George Hodges, the Government reporter,
was then. examined for the purpose of proving the
speeches of Mr. Meagher referred to by the Attorney-
General in his opening statement. He was proceeding
to read the speech for
.which Mr. Meagher bad been al.
ready prosecuted, when he was interrupted by
Mr. WHITESIDE, .wlio contended that this speech could
not be given in evidence. He made the abjection, in
order that it might be established once for ali,whether,
in the feture trials in this unhappy country, every speech
which a man might make during his past, life was to be
read against him on an accusation of this kind. The
speech was delivered six mouths ago; and it was not
relevant to the pint at issue, as it consisted merely in•
vague, declamatory abuse of the Government. He ob-
jected to its admission, becaune the• Crown were hound'
to show. that it had reference to the levying of war
which was charged against Mr. Meagher, whereas, on
the contrary, it consisted of an eulog,ibuil on the French
gyration, and other topics of a general nature. If this
speech were admitted, on like grounds an intern'perate
speech made by him six years ago might be read against
him.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the objection,
and Mr. Burr followed up the arguments of Mr. White-
bide.

Mr. Justice MooßE—lf, when the speech is read the
,Court thinks it not relevant, we will, of course, say that
it cannot be received.
The examination was then resumed, and Mr. Hodges
proceeded to read the i•peeeh in detail, as weir as another
speech of Mr. Meagher s, delivered on the 15th of April,
at a soiree, held at the Music Hall, and also a speech do-
livered on the evening of the 6th of June at the Music
Hall, which had reference to the conviction of Mitchel.
Mr. WIIITEsIDE—Do you remember a document have
ing been read under the title of "Trial by Jury in Ire-
land ?" and can you tell me whether the speech was not
founded upon it ?
Witness—A paper such as you mention was read, and
I think I have a copy of it with me in Clonmel.
Mr. WHITESIDE (handing a printed paper)--Can yeti
tell .me whether this is an accurate copy ?
The witness having looked at the printed document,
stated that he believed it was the same which was read
at the meeting in question.
Mr. WHITESIDE—Did the paper so read at the meet-
ing state these facts—" That before Mr. Mitchel was
arrested, and before the Sheriff knew that he was to be
tried at the late commission, several persons were sum-
moned to serve at that commission whose names were
afterwards struck off the panel ?"
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—I want to know by whom
the document was read ?
Mr. WHITESIDE—I don't know who read it, but it was
read at the meeting, and the observations of Mr.
Meagher were founded upon it.
Chief Justice DonEiTY—Who read the paper at the
meeting ? Witness—l think, if my memory serves me,
it was Mr. Halpin, the secretary.
Mr. WHITESIDE then read the document in question,
which gave a detail of the proceedings on the part of the
Crown with reference to the formation of the jury panel
in the case of the Queen v. John Mitchel, and Mr.
Hodges stated that he believed he had heard the
same paper read at the assembly where Mr. Meagher
delivered the speech under consideration.
Cross-examination continued—Had announced to the
secretary of the Confederation at the first meeting he
(witness) attended that he was the Government reporter,
and had frequently told the chairman and secretary to
announce his presence at the meeting. The secretary
had occasionally given him exclusive!), documents read
at the Confederate meetings. There were ladies present
at the soirée on the 15th April. The Queen's healtk
was drunk. Ono gentleman proposed that hvr Majesty
should be given as the Queen of Ireland, but she wat
given as " The Q.ieen. ' Read two of the speeches
given in evidence. to-day in a prosecution for seditiou
against Mr. Meagher; the jury could not agree in that
case. Could not report a speech from memory. Could
not say that other persons might not be able to do so, as
some people had marvellous memories. Cannot say
how many jurors were struck out on Mr. Mitchel's trial.
Heard that there had been a discussion on Mr. Mit-
chel's principles, in which Mr. Meagher took a decided
part against that gentleman.
Mr. William Shearman, a solicitor from Waterferd,
proved the laandoriting of Mr. Meagher to some letters
produced.
The Court then adjourned till half-past ,nine o'clock
to morrow morning.

INQUEST AND VERDICT ON THE BoDIEs DROWNED
AT SPITHEAD.—The jury having assembled for the third
time yesterday, at the Isle of Wight Tavern, to inquire
into the cause of the late deplorable accident at Spit-
head, B. Newnham, mariner, of the Gipsy cutter, was
first examined, but merely detailed all that has already
appeared. The next witness called was the surviving
waterman, S. S. Lock, who said—l am a Gosport and
Portsea waterman, and had a partner named H. Laiahley
(the man drowned). The wherry was a second-class
one. I have been apprenticed and accustomed from my
childhood to boats, and am twenty four years of age.
On Monday, the 9th instant, I left Common-hard at
two P.M., wish a faro of five women, and agreed to go
to Spithead for Is. each out and in, and board fl:o
Grampus. We went to Gosport, and got into Lai.,h-
ley's boat. I had no small sails; that is why we used
Laishley's boat—a new one. The women were very
anxious to go. lam not sure if the dangerous flag aas
up. It blew very hard south-west. I did not consider
there was any danger. Two women sat to windward,
one midship, and two to leeward. Within half a mile or
South Sea Castle, I said, "As soon as we get a chance
we will go about," and then, " Now we have a chance,
jib's got her mate." After which the foresail was
shifted and made fast. Two women got up to put their
cloaks about them. My mate had before said, " What-
ever you do, sit still." About half a mile from the castle
the boat capsized. By the jury—We had 2 cwt. of bal-
last in the boat. On going about the boat had no way
on her. The sea struck her, when the two women to
windward got up, and they were knocked to leeward and
the boat upset, The size of the sail Was about eleven
yards. I had the hold of the jib sheet in my hand at the
time. Another boatman named Sweet hailed us as we
were going out, and said we should not got on board the
Grampus, but did not say there was any danger. Ido
not believe any boatman would have objected to go to
Spithead. It came very suddenly upon us. I was quite
sober, and apprehended no danger. The Coroner then
summed up the evidence, and the jury immediately re-
turned a verdict of "Accidental diaths ly drowning.'
HIGH TIDE. Yesterday the river presented it
most remarkable appearance, the tide having risen to
such an unusual height as to cause very serious damage
to property in the warehouses on either side of the
Thames. At Lambeth, the houses near the Bishop's
Palace were completely inundated, and in many instances
the inmates were compelled to make a precipitate re-
treat. In Pore-street, which runs from the end of
Bishop's-walk to Princess-street, Vauxhall, a number of
poor families were driven from their habitations until
the tide receded, and the water had been pumped out.
The licensed victuallers at Bankside, and other parts
were very great sufferers, their cellars being completely
filled with water. At Vauxhall, Battersea, Wandsworth,
Chelsea, and Milbank, waterside premises were similarly
floated. The Loneon Does, in some parts, appear to
have been visited, but immediate steps were taken to
check the unexpected flood. Towards evening, when
the tide was at its highest point, the steam-boats could
scarcely pass und,r the bridges. No accidents of aoy
consequene, have taken place.

THE EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT. -- Last night
a Meeting of shopkeepers and their assistlnts, in West-
minster and its vicinity, was held at the S;.ar, Dart-
mouth-streets for the purpose of taking measures to oh-
tsin'a cessation of business at an earlier hour in the
evening. Mr. Shipton took the chair, and alluded to
the great success the early closing movement Lad met
with during the last few v ells. Whitechapel and
Shoreditch shops of all kinds were now closed at a much
earlier hour than f.:rtner!y ; and he taw no r.asofi why
the same system should not be adopted in the district of
Westminster. Mr. Fincttsh informed the meeting, that.
the shops in -the City, Tottenham-court-road, Oxford-
street, and. Regent-street were now rarely found open
after eight o'clock in the evening, while a snort time ago
they were kept .open until ten o'clock. Ile moved a re-
solution pledging the meeting to discourage the late-
hour system, and to support the :11, trop.ditan Early
Closing Associatinn. The resolution, with several
others, having been carried unanimously, the meeting
separated.
At the meeting on Monday last of tl:e I'VeA London
Anti-Enclosure Associatio 1 and Sauiti,:y Improvement
Society, -at Clark's Rooms, Edgeware. road; Mr. Patten-
denin the chair, a memorial to the General Board of
Health was adopted. praying for.the immediate drainage
ot that great leviathan ot cholera, the open sewer of
Kensal Neiv:town; which hat oierti Aved even into the
adjoining fields, polluting the air Jar and wide.