The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-25 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FRO3I" TINA EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
GLOBE.—The Irish State trials proceedings of
Monday are before us. With the exception of
Saturday's—the whole of which were occupied
by the evidence of that most imaginative wit-
ness, Jr. Jackson, the Morning Herald's veri-
table correspondent—the proceedings of Monday
were the most stale, fiat, and unprofitable for the
purposes of the prosecution (and this is saying a
good deal) of any of the preceding days. The pro-
prietor of the Morning Herald receives anything but
commendation from the Dublin Tory journals for his
anxious solicitude on behalf of the Government.
Whether the break down of the witness he sup-
plied has caused the Tory organs to treat his fond
concern with such cold, insulting comment, we know
not. There may be, and possibly is, a general feeling,
that to hand a confidential agent over to the Crown
Solicitor, and to forward letters to this officer which
had been written under the seal of such confidence,
without once consulting or communicating with the
writer—just as though he had been " a horse, a dog,
or a mule," are acts which reflect discredit on the en-
tire press ; and are therefore visited, as they deserve
to be, with reprobation. The following allusions by
the Dublin Mail to the Morning Herald's "supply in
aid," are anythingbut complimentary to the obsequious
journal Mr. Jackson, a reporter connected with
the Morning Herald, was put upon the table to
verify sundry reports transmitted by him to London.
It appears that. the manuscripts forwarded by Mr.
Jackson to the Herald office, were placed in the
hands of the Crown Solicitor, by the proprietor
of that journal, without the knowledge of Mr.
Jackson. On a cross-examination, it was made to
appear that several of the reports were mere com-
pilations from the Dublin morning papers, and con-
sequently Mr. Jackson's evidence was rendered
nugatory." This witness was evidently regarded as
one of the main props of the prosecution. His de-
ployable " break down" was therefore felt to be a
serious and most untoward event, which could not be
counteracted. Mr. Jackson was to have proved all
the matters—the sayings and doings with which
the, indictment charges the traversers in connexion
with the Corn Exchange meetings of the
Repeal Association. The following are the dire
forebodings of failure to the prosecution, resulting
from Mr. Jackson's short comings, which the
Dublin Mail utters on this sad mishap :—" We know
not to what extent this lache may affect the indict-
ment with respect to certain transactions of the Corn
Exchange Association; but we cannot refrain from
censuring the culpable carelessness which left so im-
portant a portion of the case to the accidental care or
negligence of any chance reporter whose notes might
turn up. The Government of Lord Grey was far more
vigilant in this respect, and when the occasion of
watchfulness arose, two Government reporters were
officially attached to the Association of the day,
with its collateral meetings." The witnesses
examined on Monday have proved nothing
which—taken in its fair and legitimate connec-
tion with what had been previously sworn to—
can in any way serve the prosecution. Not a single
circumstance had occurred at any of the later " mon-
ster meetings," which had not marked those of the
earlier dates. Criminal negligence, on the part of the
Government, is proved beyond question, if it be assumed
that the public peace has been perilled by them ;
while, if they be regarded as mere public demon-
strations of a general dissatisfaction in the people
with their condition, and a vague hope that by a repeal
of the Act of Legislative Union of the two countries
that condition would be improved ; they determining.
to seek, by constitutional means, the attainment o
that object—lawful in itself, though chimerical in
t
the highest degree, as a remedy for their social griev-
ances ; we can scarcely conceive of anything more
impolitic. For the Government to imagine that such
a state of feeling, in such a people, could be allayed by
first spreading an immense military force over the
peaceable country, i*itil every district in it wears the
appearance of a military depot, and the whole as
though it were held in its subjection to the British
Crown by the presence of an army of occupation—
was a scheme so &alight with folly, and so pregnant
with all the elements of real danger, as to justify the
worst apprehensions for the peace of the country
it was designed, we suppose, to protect and pre-
serve. One of the witnesses for the prosecution—Mr.
M'Namara, a short-hand writer employed on the part
of the Government to attend the Tullamore meeting
herd on the 16th of July, examined on Monday—
was asked, in cross-examination, whether he knew
be was going to the meeting to take a note of the
proceedings for the purpose of being used on any
prosecution ? The answer is worthy of note. It
seemed to take the counsel for the Crown perfectly
by surprise ; and produced, as it well might, a hearty
laugh at their expense from the Bar and the
audience :—" On my oath I did not. I thought,
after so many meetings had passed over where the
very same language was used, and the same pro-
ceedings had taken place, that no notice would have
been taken of that meeting in particular.." It is
now pretty evident that the Crown lawyers are
beginning to wish these proceedings at an end. The
"shine " has been taken out of the vain boastings of
the Attorney-General in his opening speech. A more
lame and impotent conclusion never followed promises
so boldly made, and predictions so confidently uttered.
The proceedings on the trial will be published, of
course. The "mountain in labour" would be an apt
frontispiece to the book, and

" Parturiunt montes, nascitur ridiculus mus"
t► Et motto for its title-page. In the prospect of de-
feat, the Tory organs seek consolation in the Royal
speech at the opening of Parliament, which the Ali-
nisturs are now laboriously engaged in concocting
for Tie occasion.

STANDARD.—The proceedings in the Irish
Court of Queen's Bench were resumed on Monday
morning, the Court having overruled an objection
taken by one of the counsel for the traversers, to the
effect that the trial should not proceed in the absence,
through illness, of Mr. Justice Burton. The At-
torney-General proposed to read part of a docu-
ment Aeved on Saturday by the printer, enti-
tled, " A Plan for the renewed action of the
Irish Parliament." Mr. O'Connell insisted upon
the whole being read, which was accordingly
done. It contained a list of the constituencies to be
created, with the number of members for each, and
some other regulations respecting the Irish Legisla-
lature, subsequent to the attainment of Repeal.
" The Rules to be observed by Arbitrators," were
then read. They comprised very minute instructions
for the conduct of the Arbitration Courts. The
" Report of a Sub-Committee of the Repeal Asso-
ciation," recommending that such persons as refused
to obey the awards of the arbitrators should be ex-
pelled, was next put in evidence, after some opposi-
tion from Mr. O'Connell. Thomas Packer, a
lithographic artist, late in the employment of
• Mr. Holbrooke, lithographer to the Repeal As-
sociation, was then examined. He proved the en-
graving of two descriptions of cards, and a docu-
ment entitled " the diploma of a repeal warden,"
for the Repeal Association. The cards were those
referred to in the opening speech of the Attorney-
General. The evilness stated that he designed the
portraits in the borders. They represented Mr.
O'Connell, Mr. Flood, Owen Roe O'Neill (a leader
of the Roman Catholics in the merciless war-
ihre carried on under pretence of favouring the
monarchy in 1641-5), Brian Boroihme, and Allan
Fodlum (an apocryphal character celebrated in
the Irish annals as a lawgiver). This likeness the
witnesA sketched from his imagination, as he did that
of the rebel Hugh O'` Bale. There were also por-
traits of General SaarAeld and " King Daltran."
The designing and engraving of these cards were
carried on under the inspection of four of the tra-
verser'. 'The cross-examination of these witnesses
elicited nothing material. Isaac Gardner, a writing
engraver, John Annesley, a lithographer, and Joseph
Annesley, a printer, proved the printing of the cards,
a% well as of the " deed of submission,' and " award
of arbitrators." The latter documents were, after
sortie opposition by the traversers' counsel, read to the
Court. John Uhck Macnamara, a short-hand writer,
eonnected with an Irish provincial newspaper, stated
that he was present at a repeal meeting, attended by
Mr. (.7Connell, at Tullamore, on the 16th July, and
took notes of the proceedings. He read to the-Court
fhe addstLises -of three Roman Catholic, priests,
Plinagan, 4ain, and Kearney, and a portion of the
speech of Mr. O'Connell. Ihe witness also de-
scribed fhe banners displayed on the occasion, one of
which bore the motto "Ireland and her Parliament,
or the World in a Blaze." He was cross-examined
at greot length, and stated that he had been employed
to take notes of the meeting by a stipendiary
magistrate, but had not been yet paid. During
the examination of this witness the Attorney-General
informed the Court that two of the traversers
(understood to be Mr. O'Connell and his n) had
loft the precincts of the Court , that
them although he was disposed to give
every
reasonable liberty during the trial;* ehme
not permit them to attend meetings elsewhere , could
con-
sequently, if they did- not return immediately he
would entreat their recognisances. Mr. O'Connell,
who hato,:been attending a meeting of the
Repeal AtAociation., shortly afterwards entered the
Court. John Simpson Stewart, a sub-inspector of
constabulary, gave evidence respecting the Tullamore
meeting, in corroboration of that of the last witness.
Mr. Neill Browne, a stipendiary magistrate, gave
testimony to the same effect. James Johnson,
a hep.d-constable, was next examined respect-
ing lik" 'meeting held at. Longford on the 29th
of May. He 'took notes, which he read, of the
st;eecti of Mr. O'Connell, and proved that banners were
exhibited bearing such mottoes as "A population of
nine millions is too great, to be dragged at the tail of
any other nation," &c. IVith the cross-examination
of this witness the p's6ceedings terminated. We
observe with regret "tOltatement to the effect that