The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-06 00:00:00

THE REPEAL MEETING.

This demonstration came off last night, according
to announcement, in the Round-room of the Ro-
tunda. The attendance was crowded, and the
platform, on which a number of Roman Catholic
priests were assembled, was occupied for the most
part by the overflow of the meeting. A green
banner, bearing the motto "Aid yourselves, and
God will aid you," the staff terminating in, the
form of a spear or pike-head, was placed in a con-
spicuous position, and was waved vigorously when-
ever the speakers made " a point," to stimulate and
increase the enthusiasm of the audience. The
O'Donoghue, M.P., presided.
The secretary, Mr. T. D. Sullivan, stated that
the signing of the national petition was progressing
through the country, and would receive, no doubt,
a great extension. Already it was signed by up-
wards of 300,000 ;bona fide male adults of various
classes and of different creeds. (Cheers.) There
were a number of letters received from eminent
Irishmen, ecclesiastical and lay,
A Voice.—Viva la Fran shay.
Mr. Sullivan having read a letter from Dr.
M'Hale in his usual style,
The Secretary also read a letter from Mr. William
Smith O'Brien.
The CHAIRMAN, in addressing the meeting, said
—He could assure them that, notwithstanding the
distress of late years, the Irishmen of 1860 had not
degenerated. Although the question of repeal had
not occupied a very prominent position of late years,
yet it had never passed away from the public mind,
and never could, unless the inhabitants of Ireland
became abject slaves—(" Never !")—or unless they
be turned into, or be removed to make way for
Englishmen. Might God preserve them from these
calamities ! (Cheers.)
A Voice—No more English famine. (Cheers.)
CHAIRMAN—They all knew that the Union, as it
was called, was carried by the exercise of every
fraud. (Hisses.). Before it was carried the sense
of Ireland was not fairly taken, and since it had
been carried it had never met with national appro-
val. (" Never !") In the year 1800 the Irish Par-
liament might be said to have consisted of the
independent representatives of a small class of their
fellow-countrymen—of the pensioners, placemen,
and nominees of the English Government.
A Voice—A groan for the Castle hacks. (Groans.)
The CHAIRMAN—Many good men sat in College-
green with Curran, Grattan, and Flood—(cheers)—
but the numerical superiority of the venial crew at
the disposal of the Minister overcame all oppo-
sition. On the 22d of January, 1799, the
union between Great Britain and Ireland was
first proposed in the Irish Parliament. The house
divided, and the numbers were—for the Union, 105;
against it, 106. There was a majority of one in
favour of Ireland. The attack was again renewed
on two subsequent occasions, and the friends of Irish
legislative independence were left in considerable
minorities. Once it was 115 to 160, and the next
time 108 to 152. When they remembered that the
Irish Parliament was Protestant, and that English
Ministers were obliged to resort to every species of
corruption in order to obtain these majorities, in
that Protestant Parliament, they might safely affirm
that the sound Protestant opinion of Ireland was
opposed to the Union. The object of the men of
1848 was the Repeal of the Union. They failed,
and wet e imprisoned, having been condemned by
packed juries—(hisses)—but he availed himself of
that, the first public demonstration in favour of
repeal since 1848, to tell the patriots of 1848 that
those who condemned them did not represent the
opinion of Ireland. (Cheers.) He had thus glanced
at the history of the last 50 years in order to show
that the Union was carried without the consent of
the Irish people, and had not since met with na-
tional approval. The longer it endured the more
insupportable it became. (Cheers.) The repre-
sentative of English 'power in this country, by
bringing brute force to bear down a disarmed
people.—(Uproar, which lasted a considerable time,
the chairman several times vainly endeavouring to
proceed).
Mr. T. O'SULLIVAN came forward and said—
Boys, will you not hear The O'Donoghue?
(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then continued—They might be
able to imprison and banish Irish patriots, to sup-
press their meetings, but there was one thing they
never could suppress until they banished the Irish
race, and that was the spirit of patriotism, and the
longing for self-government which was the inevit-
able result of that patriotism. They now sought to
carry their object under circumstances more favour-
able than their predecessors, for the statesmen and
peers of England had recently declared that every
nation had a right to govern itself. Were they
satisfied to be governed by Englishmen ? (Cries
of " No.") They now came together for the pur-
pose of declaring in the name of Ireland, that Irish-
men could never rest satisfied or tranquil until they
had secured for themselves the blessing of a native
Parliament—a Parliament that would faithfully
represent the people, that would be guided by their
wishes, and would make the development of Ire-
land's prosperity its sole object. (Loud cheers.)
An Irishman had no business in the English House
of Commons.
A Voice—Unless he can speak. (Laughter.)
The CHAIRMAN—He could not second them
unless he agreed to forego the principles of his
race, and adopt the manners, customs, and feelings
of the English.
A Voice—" Deasy" (Loud hisses.)
After some observations as to the manner of
despatching Irish business in the House of Com-
mons the Chairman concluded amid loud cheers.
Mr. DAUNT moved the first resolution, viz.,
" That we desire to obtain for our country her
ancient and rightful native Legislature."
The Rev. Mr. MULLEN, in seconding the resolu -
tion, said he rejoiced at the awakening of national
feeling which had taken place. He asked the
meeting were they satisfied that Ireland should
continue he robbed ? (Cries of "No !") He would
not ask them, Were they willing to be overtaxed
because England was afraid of invasion ? (Great
cheering and waving of hats, which lasted several
minutes.) They wanted to be united to England
by the golden link of the Crown, but to be
governed by Irishmen. (Hear, hear.)
The resolution was put and passed.
The CHAIRMAN said the meeting would next be
addressed by John Martin, one of the patriots of
1848. (Cheering.)
Mr. MARTIN, on rising, was received with
renewed cheering. He said the only claim he had
to political reputation was the part he took in the
sad affair of 1848. (Cheers.) He did not intend
to take any part in the conduct of the meeting, but
he took advantage of that opportunity to declare
publicly his unswerving loyalty to the national
cause. (Cheers.) He was not satisfied with the
rule of England over Ireland. He desired liberty
for all countries—he desired that for the Italians.
He sympathised with every people who were strug-
gling for liberty. He rejoiced in the national
greatness of France and of the great republic of
the West that had shaken off the yoke of England
—(cheers)—but his first duty as an Irishman was
to strive for the liberty of his own country, which
had suffered more from misrule than any other
country in the world. The Union cost Ireland
£20,000,000 a year. The sacrifice of heart's blood
of as many Irishmen as would fall to obtain the
object they had in view would be well bestowed.
(Tremendous cheering.) He hoped to see the
day when the end of Ireland's torture would
come, and it would come as sure as God was just.
Mr. JOHN FRANCIS MAGUIRE, M.P., moved the
following resolution :—"That British Ministers and
other influential persons in England having recog-
nised and supported the principle that people, who
are discontented with their Governments may
rightfully change or abolish those Governments by
violent means if they cannot do so peaceably—and
in place of them set up rulers and Governments of
their own choice, we are now assembled, peaceably,
to inform our rulers that they and the existing
form of government for Ireland are not of our
choosing, and do not possess our confidence ; and
that we earnestly desire the restoration of that
native Legislature of which our country was frau-
dulently deprived." He said he had no love for
agitation, but, being a nationalist, he felt bound in
honour as a public man to take a part in the present
movement. He believed that there was no real
safety, progress, or prosperity for Ireland but in the
administration of her affairs by men,sprung from the
soil--living in the atmosphere of Ireland, and under-
standing the wants, interests, and necessities of their

country. What chance had they of the grand jury
laws being placed on a better footing by an English
Parliament? [Mr. Maguire was here interrupted
by an individual in the gallery, who was instantly
treated by his neighbours on the physical force grin•
ciple, while loud cries ascended from the body of the
meeting to " Smash him," "Throw him over," and
" Fling him out of the window." The tumults con-

tinueefor a considerable time.] Mr. Maguire con-
tinued to address the meeting a considerable length,
and impressed the necessity of followinq the advice

of O'Connell, and to endeavour to carry their
object only by the force of public opinion,
and not to adopt any of the wild and impracticable
schemes which too ardent men would endeavour to
suggest. _ _

Mr. LAWLOR, of the Queen's county, seconded
the resolution, which was carried unanimously.
Mr. UNDENWOOD, Presbyterian, moved that a
petition to both houses of Parliament be presented,
which was agreed to.
The meeting then broke up, but not beLre a
person on the platsorm, who had endeavoured
,to
ohtain a hearing, had received some rough
handling.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT.—MAIDSTONE, Dec. 5.
(Before Mr. Justice Byles.)
Mr. Frederick George Eyre, the chaplain of the
Feversham Union, an elderly man, surrendered to
take his trial upon a charge of feloniously assault-
ing Sophia Foreman.
Mr. F. Russell conducted the prosecution. The
prisoner was defended by Mr. Barrow.
The prosecutrix, a young and rather good-looking
woman, deposed that she was the wife of William
Henry Foreman, who was a pastrycook at Fever-
sham, and she and her husband lived in the same
house with the prisoner at Ospringes, and witness
acted as his housekeeper. The occurrence com-
plained of took place on the 4th of October, and on
that day her husband had gone to attend to his busi-
ness at Feversham, leaving her alone with the pri-
soner in the house. Soon after her husband was gone
the prisoner called to her and told her to get him
his boots. At this time witness was in the sitting-
room on the ground-floor and the prisoner was in the
kitchen, and she took the boots to him there, and gave
them to him, and he then made an improper pro-
posal to her, and witness told him she did not
understand him, and left the room and returned to
the sitting-room. Shortly afterwards the prisoner
came into the sitting-room. She was on her knees
at the time, engaged in sweeping, and the prisoner
caught hold of her wrists and pulled her into a
room up stairs. She did not recollect that he said
anything while he was dragging her along, but she
did all she could to prevent him, although she was
not able to offer much resistance on account of her
weak state, from having been recently confined of
a still-born child. The prisoner then pulled her
into his bed-room, and forced her on the bed in
spite of her struggles, and committed an assault
upon her. (The witness detailed the particulars,
which are not fit for publication.) She went on to
say that she was almost insensible at the time, and
was not aware whether she shrieked out or not, but
she endeavoured all she could to prevent prisoner
from carrying out his intention. The prisoner left
the room and went down stairs, and as soon as she
was sufficiently recovered she also went down, and
saw him in the act of going out at the street door.
No one came to the house during the day except
Mr. Alvey, the master of the union workhouse,
who called in the evening, and her husband did not
return home until 12 o'clock at night, and she told
him that the prisoner had been pulling her about.
He said "Fulling you about ; what do you mean
how did he pull you about ?" She then told him
that he had pulled her up stairs, but he was in
such a rage that she did not like to tell him any
more, particularly as he said that if he had come in
at the time he would have killed him. On the
Sunday after the occurrence she told her husband's
mother how the prisoner had behaved to her, and
said that he had forced her up stairs into his bed-
room, and assaulted her. She remained in the pri-
soner's house until the 10th of October, but he was
not there during the time. He had gone to attend
the funeral of his brother at Bath, and he told wit-
ness and her husband where he was going to before
he left ; but he did not say when he was coming
back. He told them that he was going away before
the offence was committed. Witness went before a
magistrate on 10th October ; but she did not then
make any particular charge against the prisoner, and
her reason for that was that her husband wanted to
get the furniture away without any bother. She
told the magistrates' clerk and superintendent of
police that she could say a good deal more than she
did if she was not afraid of her husband. Her
sister subsequently told her husband of all that
occurred, and he immediately obtained a warrant
against the prisoner, and he was taken into custody
upon this charge.
The prosecutrix was subjected to a very search-
ing examination by Mr. Barrow, and in the course
of it she stated that the house where the offence
was committed was one of a row, and there were
houses on both sides of it, and she believed that
persons in the adjoining houses could have heard if
there had been any noise or screaming in the pri-
soner's house. She struggled as much as she could
when the prisoner laid hold of her, and she believed
that she screamed while he was forcing her up
stairs. When the prisoner forced her upon the
bed she resisted with all her strength. She first
told her husband the whole of what took place at
Ramsgate, but he had heard the story from her
sister before.
Reexamined. —Witness suffered a good deal after
her confinement, and was subject to palpitation of
the heart ; and when she was so attacked she lost
all her strength. The reason she did not tell any
of the neighbours was that the prisoner had told
both her and her husband not to have any commu-
nication with them.
In answer to questions put by the learned judge,
The prosecutrix said that she had only been
married two years. She had no family. She would
be 29 years old next birthday. When she saw her
mother she told her that she wanted her advice,
and she then informed her how the prisoner had
behaved to her; and whey she had done so her
mother said, "For God's sake, don't tell William
(meaning her husband), he is such a violent temper.
something serious will occur." Her husband was
a violent-tempered man.
William Foreman, husband to the prosecutrix,
deposed that he was formerly a private in the Royal
Marines, and was now employed at Faversham.
He and his wife went to live at the prisoner's house,
at Ospringe, a short time before the 6th of October.
He remembered going out on that day to attend to
his business, and he did not return home until
late at night. He observed that his wife did not
seem well, and he asked her what was the matter,
and she made a complaint of the conduct of the pri-
soner. On the following Sunday he went with her
to his mother's, at Faversham, and in consequence
of something he heard afterwards he obtained a
warrant against the prisoner ':charging him with
this offence. The prisoner upon one occasion asked
him where his " missus" was, and he told him that
he could not expect that she would stop in his house
after the manner he had behaved to her. The reply
the prisoner made was that we wanted to catch him
in a trap. Witness told him they did not want
anything of the sort; and the prisoner then told
him to go into his study with him, and he then said
to him " What is all this bobbery about ?" and then
inquired what witness's wife had said to him. He
told him that she said he had dragged her up stairs
and made obscene propositions to her. The prisoner
thew inquired whether he had taken any steps on
the matter, and he replied that he had been before
a magistrate and had obtained a warrant; and the
prisoner then said that if he had not done that he
would have made it all right with him, and witness
replied that all he wanted was to get out of his
house as soon as he could, On the morning after
this occurred the prisoner came to him in a very
excited state and asked if he wrote a letter to his
wife to ask her to come back whether she would
do so, and witness told him he knew that she would
not, for he would not let her. The prisoner after
this did write a letter to his wife and read it over
to witness, and asked him whether he thought it
would do, and he at the same time said that he
could not be expected to commit himself. Witness
told him that was his (prisoner's) affair, and not
his own, and the prisoner then said that if his wife
did not come back the people would think there
was something up, and they would hoot at him
and he should lose his living. He also said that
if she would only come back for a day or two
he would not mind.
The letter referred to was put in aid read. It
was addressed to the prosecutrix, and in it the pri-
soner expressed his astonishment that she had left
his house, and said it would be much better if she
came back and the matter was settled amicably.
Examination continued—When witness told the
prisoner that his wife had made a charge against
him, of pulling her about ho said he did lay held of
her wrists, but he had no motive for doing
eo, and made use of some other word which witness
did not understand. At this time lie did not know
all that had taken place.
The mother of the last witness and the sister to
the prosecutrix were then examined, and they
proved that she made a complaint to them of the
manner in which the prisoner had behaved to her.
Mr. Alvey, the schoolmaster to the union,
deposed that he called at the prisoner's house on
the evening of the 6th October, and saw the prose-
cntrix, and inquired if Mr. Eyre was at home ; and
she told him he was not.
By Mr. Barrow—The prosecutrix made no com-
plaint to him at the time, and there was nothing at
all particular in her appearance that attracted his
attention. The partitions of the houses in the row
where the prisoner lived were very thin, and he had
frequently heard voices through them.
This concluded the ease for the prosecution.
Mr. Barrow then made a very able a.ddrc ss !sa the
jury on behalf of the prisoner, and he commented at
some length upon the improbability of the story
told by the prosecutrix: and also thug if she had

made the resistance she represented her cries must
have been heard in the adjoining houses.
The learned Judge then summed up, and the jury
retired to deliberate upon their verdict. They were
absent about half an hour, and upon their return
into court they gave a verdict of Not Guilty.
There was a slight manifestation of applause
when the verdict was delivered.