The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-24 00:00:00

TRIAL OF COL BROWSE.

After several witnesses were heard for the prose-
cution yesterday, Mr. O'Hagan,.Q.O., opened the
defence' in an elaborate
,speech. He characterised
the evidence put forward by the Crown as inconsis-
tent,. contradictory, and unreliable, The main
argument in his speech was, however, that Colonel
Browne w.iuld have neglected ills duty add
the peace of theci y,if lie had not acted as
he did on the 12th March. Mr. O'Hagan't o' ser-
vations on the riot ,us dieposition of the students,
and the latitude allowed them on such occasions as
the entry of the Eirl of Eglinton into Dublin, w, re
extremely pertinent. " Were there young men,"
he said, "to be left under the impression that
there
,was one law for them and another for the
poor man ? Had they any privilege because they
were students of Tri n ity College and ed ueated gen t le-
men to teach the law ? The very reverse ought to
be the doctrine. If such a scene of pelting eggs
and stones was enacted in Charing-cross in London,
,Would it betolerated for one moment?. If an as-
sembly of starving weavers and their families, or
peasants in Tipperary or Antrim, were to perpetrate
an offenCe agatnst the public peace as grievous as
had been perpetrated here, no police force in the
world would be•justified in allowing it." The
learned c nsel aualy-ed the evidence carefully, and
endeavoured to show that all the witnesses bad

dis agre,cl in their sta'embets respecting the words
used by Col. Browne, before the police entered the
area. He denied posidvely that the colonel said,
" Draw sabres, chargP," not only on the ground
that it was an unmilitary .phrase, but because he
had witnesies who could provesuch words were not
employed by any one in au hority on that day. In
concluding his address, Mr. O'H Tan said to the
jury : Ido not appeal to roar feelings.. Ido not
ask you to acquit my client because be has been,
for a period near;y as evended as belongs to tee
life' of man, ta"man of worth, and honour, and hu-
manity. Ido not ask you to acquit my client be-
cause he hes been a faithful Fervint o h'sS vereign,
and bcause, - according to the attestati n of the
Crown, he is entit'e I to the grati!ud4 of his collo-
t:y. Ido not ask you to acquit him bee-ape, per-
haps, oftenest of living men' he has dared death on
the battle-fi4d, and spilled his blood 1 ke water for
his Sovereign and his country. Ido not ask you to
acquit him because ha has written a memorable
name in the military annals of his c amtry—be-
cauSe he stood by his great commander through
every field of that &mow war which resulted in
the triumph of his country--because he was at Sala-
manca, and Vittoria, and Albuera, and because he
was amidst the storm and fire at Ciudad Rodrigo,
and led a forlorn hop./ at Badajr z. Ido not appeal
to your feelings, b cause, inw.ead of resting on his
laurels when the war was over, he became a civil
servant, and for a quarter of a century has done
his duty to his Sovereign in that capacity, faith-
fully, feat lessly, as became an honest matt. Ido
not ask you for your verd.ct because an adverse ver-
dict would cover with guil: a man in his rich, ripe.
old age, ",With that which should accompany old
age, as honour, love, obedience, tro.-)ps of friends."
I do not ask for a verdict from any such feeling.
I ask-for your verdict as a right—l demand it as a
justice in the name of that law which ought to be
the minister of justice—in the interest of that law.
ale not, I repeat, Ccl. Browne's case only; it is
your case—it is my case—it is the case of every
law respecting and order-loving man. I demand
your verdict in the name of justice and in the inte-
rest of law, as you would maintain legitimate au
thority, as you would suppress tumultuousviolence,
as you would preserve for yourselves and your
children a well ordered; city and a quiet botne.
(Applause.)
,s;The.Court adjourned at this stage of the pro-
ceedings. •

THE CABINET AND THE TENANT-RIGHT BILL.

The Evening Post is greatly dissatisfied with the
result of the deputation to the L')rd, Chancellor on
this subject. It upbraids Mr. Maguire with his
conduct, and accuses him with helping to place the
"taus.," iu its present hopeless position.