The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-25 00:00:00

THE SENTENCES.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL then prayed the Court to
bring up for judgment the three prisoners who had
been found guilty.
Directions were accordingly given to conduct the
prisoners, Thomas Francis Meagher, Terence Bellew
M'Manus, and Patrick O'Donohoe, from the goal,
and shortly afterwards they were placed in the dock.
The Clerk of the Crown, having read over the in-
dictment, and in the usual manner read the re-
cord of the arraignment, the pleas of the prisoners,
and their convictions, asked each of them what he
had to say why sentence of death should not be passed
upon him ?

The first prisoner whom he addressed was Mr.
M'Alanus.

-
Clerk of the Crown—Terence Bellew M`Manus,
11r. 111`Manus tta.- c accah shall not
enough of a Christian and enou,s..
stand the awful responsibility of the question that
has been put to me. My Lords, standing on this
my native soil—standing in an Irish court of justice,
and before the Irish nation—l have much to say why
sentence of death or the sentence of the law
should not be passed upon me ; but, my Lords, on
entering this court I placed my life—and
what is of much more importance to me, my honour,
in the hands of two advocates; and, my Lords, if I
had ten thousand lives and ten thousand honours I
would be content to place them under the watchful
and glorious genius of the one, and the high legal
ability of the other. My Lords, lam content in that
regard. I have something to say which no advocate,
however anxious, can utter for me. I have this to
say, my Lords, that whatever part I may have taken
through any struggle for my country's independence
—whatever part I may have acted in that short
career—l stand before your Lordships now with a
free heart and with a light conscience, ready to abide
the issue of your sentence. And now, my Lords,
perhaps this is the fittest time that I might put one
sentiment on record, and it is this—standing as I do
between the dock and the scaffold—it may be now or
to-morrow, or it may be never, but whatever the re-
sult may be, I have this sentiment to put on record,
that in any part I have taken I have not been actuated
by animosity to Englishmen, for I have spent some
of the happiest and most prosperous days of my life
there; and in no part of my career have I been
actuated by enmity to Englishmen, however much I
may have felt the injustice of English rule in this
island. My Lords, I have nothing mare to say. It
is not for having loved England less, but for having
loved Ireland more, that I stand now before you.
Clerk of the dr,ocyo77llT)kat....llavg- yolai to say,
Valrick o'Donoho, Icyhy,aelate,nce'..of %death shall not
aPassed upon you ? --
_— Mr. O'Donohoe said---;My rhirjer written
out a few-remarks, which, with your Lordshilis' per
mission, I will read.

The COURT having assented,
Mr. O'Donohoe said—My Lords, I beg to say that
the Attorney and Solicitor-General have conducted
the came against me fairly, but strictly, and I find no
fault
with them nor with the evidence given against
me, so far as it was acted on by the jury. My
Lords, I do complain that in such a country the
jurors summoned to try me, a stranger, for a political
offence, were exclusively political opponents, and with
such a panel I regret that your Lordships did not, as
my counsel requested, allow my jury to have been
called from those who had not served, or been re-
jected, on a former trial. My jury, thus selected,
could not be supposed to overcome all bias, and I be-
lieve they found a most mistaken verdict. Mr. Justice
Moore, in his direction, told the jury that if I assisted
Mr. O'Brien whilst engaged in a treasonable design, I
was guilty of treason, although I might not know of his
intent, and from their recommendation it appears
that they found me guilty on that direction. To one
unlearned in the law, and supposing that treason
depends on intention, it seems contrary to common
sense that I can participate in a treasonable design of
the existence of which I am ignorant. I do not,
however, presume to dispute the law as you Lordship
has stated it, but no earthly judge is infallible; and
as the doctrine is so startling, and one stamped with
the authority of' Mr. Moore's high constitutional
character, would form a precedent dangerous to the
lives and liberties of the best men, I humbly request
your Lordships to reserve the point for the considera-
tion of the Judges. If your Lordship be in error
that error ought to be corrected—if not, it will be a
protection to every one to know that the law so laid
down has been confirmed. It is not fit on this solemn
occasion to defend my opinions or conduct—l will,
therefore, only say that those opinions have
always been tolerant, sincere, and consistent. I
am grateful to my eminent counsel, Mr. Butt, for his
eloquent and truly able defence, the more so because
that defence was generously given without fee or
reward, and given, too, to his political antagonist. I
cannot but express my admiration for the ingenuity
and great talent shown by my junior counsel, Mr.
Francis Meagher, and his zeal in my defence. I also
beg to thank my solicitor, Mr. Laffan, for the ability
with which he conducted my case, and the general
exertions made by him on my behalf. I thank your
Lordships for this patient hearing.
The Clerk of the Crown then asked Mr. Meagher
what he had to say why the sentence of the law should
not be passed upon him.
Mr. Meagher, with fluency of utterance, and re-
markable firmness of manner, then spoke as follows :
—My Lords, it is my intention to say a few words
only. I desire that the last act of a proceeding which
has occupied so much of the public time should be of
short duration ; nor have I the indelicate wish to
close the dreary ceremony of a state prosecution
with a vain display of words. Did I fear that,
hereafter, when I shall be no more, the country
I have tried to serve would think ill of me, I might