The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-22 00:00:00

THURSDAY N° 19)069.] LONDON, . ,
•S
117 N 7 22, 1850.
. _ ,
. _..„ . . . . . AU-GUST

(1 RAVESEND STAR PACKETS
rare Cabin and Second Class Raves,' NINEPENCE to
or from London and bravcsend.
'eloon and First Class ditto, ONE SHILLING.
To or flom Elackwall.
Fore Cabin .• 6d. Chief Cabin.... 9d.
Intermediate Piers •• • • .... 6d.
,suer Packets call at tl4e Grays, Greenhithe, and Purtleet Piers
the rackal call at the Pies as underlined (weather permating).
FROM TERRACE PIER, GRAVESEND.

TO BE lUD AT ALL THE LIBRARIES.
THE POPULAR NEW NOVELS,
PUBLISHED BY MR. COLUMN.

Skye. They got to sTartert in the forenoon, when
some of the young lady's friends came oe board, and
they all went ashore together. There was no force. Ile
lay in the barb iur from Friday till We lnes,lay, and
Macdonald was on shore all the time. Witness was
afterwards applied to in Skye to go to Harris, but it was
too stormy.
Cross-examined—He had been told by Macdonald
that he was coming with a lady to L)chmaddy. It was
a great storm when they came, and be refused t, sail.
They were anxious to start, particularly the lady. She
seemed exceedingly happy. At Loch Tarbert she
seemed very sorry when her relatives came, and clung to
Mr. Mac lonald determined not to leave him. She said
she would die sooner than part with him. He did not
know what induced her to go at last. He did not see
her leave the vesiel. It ea, true enough that there was
the greatest unwillingness to part.
Mr. John R. Macdonald, Rodil, brother of Balranald,
said that Mr. Cooper was appointed factor for Lord
Macdonald in 1849, and Mr. Donald Macdonald was
seat to North that that summer, as fact n. there. Mr.
Macdonald was on visiting terms at Balranald. On
the day of the elopement, Baran:lM's son came
to Rodil, and said his sister Jessie was am;ssing.
They had reason to believe she was on board the .ELz s
Macleod, and they went from Roth! to Tarbet, a dis-
tance of twenty-four miles. Witness asked her to come
away. She was crying and sobbing very much, and
almost in hysterics. She could say nothing. They
went on shore, Macdonald with them, and next day
went to Radii. Macdonald did not claim the lady as his
wife then, and his niece never while at Rodil said she
was married. She was kindly treated, and was not con-
fined. On the Saturday of the rescue he was awoke by
his wife, who was in a state of —great alarm, and said
that Macdonald. Munkstadt, had come with a party of
men to carry off Jessie. He sprang out of bed, went
down and found Macdonald. Miss Macdonald was
dressing. Witness asked Macdonald how he dared
to break into the house at that hour, and to enter
that room. He said he would not go till be
got his wife. Witness said there was no wife of his

to Lochtnaidy he saw the vessel he engaged a good
way off. He then left the island by the packet, with
'Wrensld; they went to Portree, and on the Saturday
Lilo wing the day he left the islate?, they intended going
to Stornoway. Balranald was then in search of his
daughter, and he intended to accompany him as a friend
wherever he would co. They left either on Saturday
night or Sunday, and went to Shieldai.g. He did not
recollect engaging the vessel, or telling the captain they
were going in pursuit of Miss Macdonald. He had thre •
or four pair of pistols, and sent his servant toCorrybreek
for a pair. [['he drot of a long examination, into which
we cannot entar, was to show that Mr. Cooper perse-
veringly pursued the fugitives, on their first- flight,
armed with phtols.]
Mn. Macdonald (Miss Jessie Macdonald) was then
calk d, but, the public prosecutor objected to her evidence
being received. as she was the wito of the panel. Mr.
Stewart replied that as much evidence had been widuc,d
as to what Mrs. Macdonald had said, he was anxious
that the jury should have it from her own mouth. The
court sustained the objection.
Ronald Macdonald, servant to Donald Ma,-idonald,
aa-
siste,l et the elopement. He was to4l before leaving
Baliloch what to do. He got the trunks outside the
lodge. The lady then came out, and went with Mac-
donald arm in arm to the dog cart. They drove tandem,
and witness rode the first horse. The lady was very
anxious to be off, and they went as fast as their horses
could carry them. " Were they lee;hing?"—" It's she
that was." There was no force required. It was a very
bal morning, with lightning:end rain.
Angus Macdtanaid, policeman, lives near Rodil, and
was employed for nearly a week before this lady was
taken away from Rodil to watch for fear she would be
taken away. He was on the watch nightly till twelve
o'clock.

r.
PETTICOAT GOVERNMENT, By Mrs. TROLLOPS.

The Procurator Fiscal and Mr. Stewart then ad
dresssed the jury, Sheriff Colquhoun summed up, and
the jury retired at seven minutes to nine o'clock. After
an absence of ten minutes they returned, when their
chancellor, Mr. Simon Fraser. Church-street, announced
their verdict to be, by a majority, Not Guilty. The
verdict was received with great applause.
The court was, crowded towards the close of the pro-
ceedings; and upon its breaking up, the crowd accom-
panied Mr. and Mrs. Macdonald to the house of the
legal agent, Mr. C. Stewart, cheering them most
heartily all the way.—lnverness Courier.

there, ordering him away, and took him by the collar;
Macdonald said it was of no use, for he had a party at
hand. He then went to the window, and cried, "Come
on, my lads, come on all of you." It was dark, but he
knew Macdonald's voice and features. He (witness)
then observed that his wife had returned, and he then
went out, locked the door, went to his own room, partly
dressed, and on running down again found three or four
men at the bed-room -door. He pretended he knew them,
and when they went out he locked the main door, and
was preparing to bar the windows, when he heard the
clerk
.cry " for God's sake let me in." He then went
down, let the clerk in, and bolted the door. The clerk's
face was streaming with blood. He and the clerk and
the shephtrd then went to the bed-room, and he took
hold of his niece, and told the others to remove Mac-
donald. There was struggling for a minute or two,
when the door was burst open, and six or seven men
came running up stairs brandishing their sticks, and
swearing they would commit murder if opposed. He
saw there was no use in further opposing them, and
certainly thought there was danger. He appealed to
their better reason, when Macdonald said, " Are you
my wife, Jessie?" and she said "Yes." Macdonald
then said that "is marriage enough when stud
before you, a justiee of the peace." Witness said he
would listen to no such nonsense. He of erwards made
another attempt to retain her, holding her round
the waist, but she was forced from him. His wife and
daughter, and governess were very much alarmed, at,cl
suffered for some time.

DINNER TO WILLIAM KEOGH,
ESQ., M.P. FOR ATHLONE.
(Abridged from the Westmeath Independent.)
This important event came off on Thursday even-
ing last, in the Ball-room of Gray's Hotel, Athlone.
The dinner was largely attended, and served up in
the most excellent manner. Wines in profusion, and
every delicacy which the season afforded. The room
was tastefully and beautifully decorated with ever-
greens and flowers.
At six o'clock the chair was taken by the Rev. J.
R. Moffatt.
Oa the right of the chair sat the guest of the even-
ing, William Keogh, Esq., M.P. ; and on the left
Edward Larkan, Esq., J.P.
The vice-chair was filled by the Rev. Kieran
Kilroe, P.P. of St. Mary's.
The following letter of apology was read by the
secretary, William Kelly, Esq.:—
" Knockbane, Galway, Aug. 1, 1850.
" Sir,—l hope you will accept, and convey to the
people of Athlone, the expression of my very sincere
thanks fir the compliment they have paid me, in invit-
ing me to be present on the occasion of their paying so
well-deserved a tribute of respect to their most excel-
lent representative, Mr. Keogh. While I regret to say
it will be entirely out of my power to avail myself of
this mark of kindness, I am happy in being afforded an
opportunity of expressing my gratitude for the able as-
bittanee and constant and energetic support I have al-
ways derived from your representative in carrying out
those great practical improvements to which you have so
flatteringly alluded; and I consider that the untiring
zeal and grt at ability he has brought to bear in intro-
ducing and promoting such measures—and many most
useful and valuable amendments in the law—fully en-
title him, not alone to the high estimation in which he
appears to be held by his constituents, but also to the
respect and gratitude of the country generally.
" I have the honour to remain, Sir, your very obedient
servant,

Cross-examined—Witness was an old friend; of the
prisoner's father, and had known the panel from his
childhood. He certainly bore an excellent and irre-
proachable character. He did not know, when at Tar-
bort, that the lady and he were engaged to each other in
marriage, and his first idea was that Macdonald had
carried her off from her father's house. In the bed-room
at Rodil, when witness took hold of her, the seemed as
sorry to part with the panel as he was to leave her.
Witness did not suppose that Macdonald had come for
any other purpose than to carry her off.

Kenneth ill:cdonald, clerk, corroborated the preceding
evidence, as did John Maldonald, the sbPpherd, who said
he had received several blows from sticks.

Mrs. Macdonald was also examined. She stated, in
cross examination, that the lady did latterly appear
anxious to go away, when Mr. Macdonald told her that
Mr. Cooper was expected at Rodil that day. She (wit-
ness) did not then understand that Mr. Cooper was a
rival.

" A. OTLIMERTY.

By Mr. MACKLY—Her father had never mentioned
Mr. Cooper's name in her hearing. She herself told
witness so.

---
" W. Kelly, Eeq., Athlone."
Dinner having been concluded, and the usual loyal
toasts given,
The CHAIRMAN next rose to propose the health of
the guest of the evening—Mr. Keogh. He said he
was one who early saw the fitness of Mr. Keogh, their
present Member—(ilear)—and in whose return he
was instrumental.—(Cheers.) lie spoke now to men
who at that time opposed Mr. Keogh's return, but he
was happy at seeing them amongst the party hat had
that evening assembled to meet in good fellowship
their representative.—(Cheers.) To them be would
extend the right hand of friendship. Athlone had
been long misrepresented by men who cared not for
its welfare. They now had ono of a far different
stamp—one who had sacrificed personal gain to pro-
mote the interees of Athlone.—(Cheers) It afforded
him great satisfaction to propose the health of Mr.
Keogh.—(Cheers.) They wasted honest men to re-
present them—independent men—and they hail at last
got an independent man, one whorefused to side with

Miss Landles, governess at Rodil, Miss Christina
Mary Macdonald, and Ann Macdonald were next ex-

amit,ed, and corroborated preceding evidence.
The prisoner's declaration was -taen read. It added
nothing to the inFormatton except that, aft.r escaping
from Ridil, the party reached Gairloch, and from thence
Edinburgh.
This concluthd the prosecutor's case, when an excel-
ratory evidence was led at length.
Mr. Kenneth Macdonald, undo of the prisoner, knew
the handwriting of Miss Jessie M4ckdonatd, and identi-

tied as 11,q's a feler handed to him, which he read to the

lury:-

"Thursday morning.
"My dearest Donald,—lf the bearer of this letter
meets you on your way here, you must return home. It
e-tna that W. Macneil suspects, or else has heard what
we have been intending to do. As ho hal no opportu-
nity of telling papa of it, he d..puted John Macdonald to
do so, which he did last night, and papa immediately
wrote William to find out all he knew of the matter. I
heard this from the grieve's wife. John Macdonald
toll her hu.band of it. Now, my own Donald, we
must be off this night. You had better not come till halt-
past eleven e'clock. I shall be
you."—Tte reading of the letter was followed by
appliii,e, which the sheriff suppressed. The witness
stated that it was not the intension of the party to hay.
gone to Harris that night until he heard Mr. Cooper and
Mr. Macdonald were goingquite ready to start with
direct from Dunvegan to
Ruthl to claim the lady- It was their intention to be
peaceable. There was no bar on the door et Ruda when
they entered—it was simply latched. There was rin
disturbance till the lai appeared with the gun. Rodil
swore at the people, and threatened to shoot them from
the windows. The lady, when she came to the boat,
relined perfectly plea-ed and happy. He knew that his
nephew Donald had firmness of charac•er. He then
read a very complimentary letter from Lord 'Macdonald,
accompanying the appointment of the paeel as factor in
North Mat, addressed to the prisoner's fetter.
By Mr. MACKAY—Witness sail it was a common
thing in Skye tor one gentleman to enter another's house
by the window. Was it common for gentlemen there to
vaster, as some did, a friend's wife's bedroom?—No. He
always took his stick with him, even when he went into
a boat.

the Alinister when the welfare of Ireland was threat-
ened.—(Cheers.) If the grievances of Athlone were
not heard of it was not Mr. Keogh's faulr, but their
wn. It was for themselves to make known those
grievances, and if they did so they had a representa-
tive able and willing to have those grievances re-
dressed. Ile hoped party was at an end, and that
there was now no party but one, and that was—lre-
hind. The Rev. Gentleman, after proposing Mr.
Keogh's health, resumed his seat amidst unbounded
applause.
The lion. and Learned Memter's health was re-
ceived will long and reiterated cheers. Silence being
restored after an interval of some minutes,
Mr. KEOGH presented himself when the same ap-
plause met him. lle said—Although from my pro-
fessional avocations and the duties cf the high posi-
tion to which your kindness has raised me, I must be
considered accustomed to public speaking, yet I can-
didly confess that I fear to undertake the task of
adt quately thanking you. When I look around this
splendid meeting collected from all sections of the
people of Athlone, an assemblage not second to any
which ever met before in the town, either in the
number, respectability, or influence of those present,
I feel that the compliment is far beyond my merits.—
(Cries of " No, no.") My respected friend at the
head of the table has kindly and touchingly alluded
to the zealous and active part which he took in pro-
moting my election.—(Elear, hear.) I well remem-
ber those exertions. It is now three years gone since
I then stood before you to solicit your suffrages.
Mine' amongst you, naturally enough, were slow to
consider that I, an untried man, was fit to become a
representative of the people. All of you might en-
tertain apprehensions that a young man, and especially
a young professional man, might be more anxious to
advance his own interests than to discharge with fide.
lity the solemn duties which unquestionably devolve
upon a member of the House of Commons. Three
years have gone by, and this overflowing meeting,
this heart stirring reception, as far surpassing my
expectations as my deserts, is the best evidence that
you have approved the course which I have taken in
Parliament.—(Cheers.) I confess I am proud of the
position in which I stand this evening, and I have
reason to be proud. I see beside me my valued
anti respected anti reverend friend, backed by the
some men who then by their votes returned me to
Parliament, as firm, as cordial, as generous in their
support.—(Cheers.) But still prouder boast, I see in
every part of this room those gentlemen who did then
give the the most strenuous opposition. Yes, opposi-
tion I received, determined but manly, straightfor ward
and frank. There was everything of political, but I
know from first to last there was no personal hostility.
—(Cheers.) I never experienced any from you, and
on my own part, I can solemnly and sincerely declare
that as no word ever escaped my lips which could be
considered disrespectful to any of you, so I never en-
tertained the slightest to any one by reason of
that opposition.—(Cheers.) Once I became your
representative I knew no distinction. I considered it
my duty to pay the most respectful attention to all
your communications, and as the best evidence that I
acted up to those intentions, I see here present the
men who conscientiously opposed me, led by that en-
lightened, high-minded, and liberal clergyman, the
Bev. Mr. Kilroe.—(Greet cheering.) If it is grati
Eying to me to see at the head of this table the digni-
fied and respected rector cf this parish, how rejoiced
must I feel by finding at the other end Of this room a
clergyman of my own persuasion—(hear, hear)—
one who was before opposed to me, but whom [ am
now proud to be permitted to call my friend.—(Loud
cheers.) It is not, it cannot be to me, that this union
of ell parties is attributable. It Springs from the de-
sire which is every day rising in the breasts of Irish-
men to fo"get angry distinctions, to join fbr the com-
mon good in one common bond of amity and friend-
ship. The records of past centuries have shown how
we were divided and trampled on. I trust that
brighter prospects are opening for us in the aroused
sense and united will of all classes of the population.
—(Cheers.) Speaking of the advantages of union, I
am reminded of an illustration which lately occurred
upon the question of the spirit duties. When that
question was mooted in 1847 and 1848 the Irish
Members were disunited and effected nothing. In
this year a change came "o'er the spirit of their
dream," and how differently did they appear. The
Constituencies called upon their Members to support

By Mr. STEWART —Witness never beard of it being
usual in the Long Wand for wives to leave their hus-
bands and sleep with young ladies. He understood Miss
Jessie Macdonald to have been twenty-one years of age
at that time.
Mr. Cooper, Portree, eommissioter f,r Lord Mac-
donald—Mr. Donald Macdonald was not factor for Lord
Macdonald in North Ui.t or elsewhere. He was sent to
North Uist till his Lordship should see what was to b-
done. He had no books. lie (witness) could not call
him by any name—there was no name at Aberdeen for
such an appointment as the panel held. Witness was
present when the panel's father came to ask the appoint-
meet. It was not recalled, and the fact was that Mac-
donald was unfit for the office. Balranald was asked by
him (Mr. Cooper) to collect the Uist rents fJr 1849.
Witness asked Donald Macdonald to copy a statement
of certain things that took place, and he found it so mi•
serably spelled that he had to do it over again himself.
Witness swore that the prisoner never was a factor to
Lord Macdonald. (Shown his Lordship's letter of March,
1849) as follows: _ _

%A. Ihaernch 15, 1849.
you were in
or Castle,
nin g
"Dear Munkstad‘t‘—ATrrnhidsaime
my room, I spoke to you about your son, and asked you
why did not get him appointed as factor to 8011.'.
body, for with his talent I sbculd imagine that if he
were known to parties in want of an agent 3ou
could find no difficulty in procuring him such a situa-
tion. It has occurred to me that he would suit
very well for my North Uist property ; and as I
am
going to make a change in the management, I now offer
Donald the appointment, and I know full well that if he
accepts of it that my interests in that quarter will be
well attended to; and in offering the situation to your
son, I do it from the conviction that he will serve me
faithfully. Will yen send him over here, and I will
talk over the matter with him—Believe me always
yours most truly, MACDONA.LD.”
It was no appointment, and the panel never had any
books. He (witness) recalled it in October. [Mr. Cooper
then read the following letter:—]
(Private.)
"91, Princes-street, Edinburgh, Oct. is 1849.
"Dear Sir,—l am desired by Lord Macdonald t. ae-
qn you that it is his Lordship's wish that I shall in
tuture collect the rents of N nala Ui,t. As I am expected
by his Lord.bip to re,ide in Skye, you will easily per-1
ceive that I c'in save his Lordship considerable outlay in
the manag, mcnt ef North Uiit by undertaking this
chlrge; and I am sure you know Oat the change, in as
far as you are concerned, has been made by his Ltrd-
ship fur no other reason.
" I am, dear air, yours faithfully,
PATRICK COOPER.
"Donald Macdonald, E.q., Balilocb, Lectimaddy."
He was iu North that in February, 1850, and was ac-
quaii,ted with Miss Jessie Macdonald. He had an iv-
tachment to her, and made a proposal of marriage to
her. Miss Macdonald led him to believe that be might
be successful. He could not say that she ever rejected
him. She seemed to be in some considerable difficulty.
He said that if she had any objection to him he would
not press his suit. The proposal was made out of doors,
and Miss Macdonald's behaviour afterwards was such as
to induce him to remain at Balranald fer a few days lon-
ger than be had intended. She did not tell him formally
not to recur to the matter again—she seemed in great
difficulty, and said she never expected the offer. As
he saw the difficulty she was in, he said no more on
the subject, except that she should not permit it to
distress her. He left the following week in
consequence of as _urgent letter from Portree,
respecting On illneos of o friend. Mau he went

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[PRICE SD.

the just demands of the country upon that subject.--
(Hear, hear.) A highly respectable gentleman of
this town, Mr. Fallon, called upon me to act, adding
(hit he did `so although he felt he had no claim
upon me, hiving been my opponent. I replied to
him that I agreed le ith him in everything except that
remark. I distinctly told him that his opposition I
did not consiter—he was my constituent—he had
every claim upon me, and I supported the Spirit Bill
upon two occasions, when we succeeded by majorities
in the teeth of the Government; and we were only
ulti nately defeated by a majority of orr, at a period
when many Irish Members, like myself, sere obliged
to be absent at the assizes.--(Cheers.) That was
the result of union—a result which will render it
impossible to deny us justice on that question in
the next session.—(Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, when
I addressed you at the hustings I told you that
I thought the great line of railway to connect your
town with the Atlantic ought to be supported by
imperial resources. I joined with others, as my ex-
cellent friend that patriotic representative, Mr.
O'Flaherty, has by his letter testified, in pressing that
question on the Government. I did more, lent the
aid of my professional experience towards obtain-
ing those clauses in the Railway Bill which have, I
heave, enabled the company to obtain speedy posses-
sion of the land, and saved them, as persons connected
with the company have admitted, in legal expenses,
from fifteen to twenty thousand pounds—and now
that railway is rapidly progressing. It will be com-
pleted to Ballinasloe before the next great fair in
October, and at this moment it is giving employment
to hundreds who would otherwise have been in a
state of destitution.—(Cheers.) These and other
questions of a local nature I have to the utmost of
my power advanced. In the presence of our fair
friends, who smile their sympathies upon us, it would
be perhaps unpardonable to dwell upon topics of gene-
ral politics.—(Cheers and laughter.) [Several ladies
crowded the end of the room and passages to hear
the Hon. Gentleman's address.] But even in the
presence of the gentler sex, for whose presence we are l
so much indebted, there are questions to which I must
allude before I resume my seat. I will not detain you
with those legal reforms in which I am proud to say
I took a part, although therefore I was in my absence,
and on the grossest misrepresentation, soundly rated
by some fervid and flaming orators of my own pro-
fession. Of course it was on public grounds. They
had no personal interest at all.—(Laughter.) But I
pass to still greater •questions, and first of all that of
free trade—the great question whether man, who has
been ordained to eat bread " in the sweat of his
brow," shall eat that bread taxed or untaxed.—
(Cheers.) Upon that question you all know my sen-
timents. When I came before you at the hustings I
let you all know there was no concealment at all
about it, that I was a most decided supporter of those
free-trade measures which had been just then carried
by that great statesman whose loss universal Europe
deplores, and Ireland has reason to lament.—(Great
cheering.) I then believed, and I still believe, that
this great country was, by the timely carrying of
those free-trade measures, saved from those political
convulsions which have swept Europe. I saw nothing
in three years of famine to alter my opinions. Great
as was the devastation caused by that famine, believe
me, your miseries would have been more deeply felt
had there been in operation a code of laws, framed,
I say, with the direct purpose of increasing arti-
ficially the ircomea of the higher classes at the
expense of the toiling, struggling artisans in every
gradation throughout this great community.—
(Long-continued cheers) Have I any reason to
change my opinion now ? When corning along to
this town on every side I saw unmistakable evidence of
the existence of the blight upon the great crop of this
country. May Divine Providence avert this crown-
ing calamity ; it would strike down the last hope of
our people.—(Hear, hear.) But if this, too, be in
store for our unhappy country, I ask who is the man
daring, nay—l will use a stronger expression—auda-
cious enough to ask the Parliament of England to
tax the food of the people?—(lmmense cheering.)
Protection indeed! Protection to keep up rents
which were created by war prices in those sanguinary
conflicts which we maintained in Europe at the ex-
pense of those hundreds of millions of debt which are
now pressing down the energies of the country
(Ceeers.) I say the first protection we shall all de-
mand is protection fer the lives of the people, I value
the life of a fellow-creature far more than all their
incomes. I will first guard with a jealous eye the
fold of the millions; and then if thzre is to be protec-
tion let it be fur the industry and the capital of the
tenant, N bo will never improve the soil so long as the
fruit of his exertions is not guaranteed by some legis-
lative enactment,.—(Cheery) I zay that God and
nature intended that the soil should grow and increase
in cultivation, and that the man who by his labour and
in his capital increased the value of the soil should
hive a property in that increased value. That
is the inalienable right of the tenant.—(Cheers.)
That is tenant-right—(clear)—and that I unhesitat-
ingly promise you I will labour to obtain fur him.
Upon these topics we are all united.—(Loud cheers.)
Let whatever party come into power, upon the ques-
tions of free trade and the rights of the tenant my
opinions are unchanged and unchangeable.—(Cheers.)
My Rev. Friend at the bead of the table has alluded
to the course I have taken in Parliament—acting in.
dependently either of Government or oppsitiun. I
have done so to the best of my ability. 1 have given
my votes not as a slave to any party, not at the back
of any Minister. I have endeavoured to serve my
country as my conscience and my judgment dictated
—(Hear, and cheers)—and now will refer to the
Irish Franchise Bill. Upon that question you know
the part I took, and I know it was approved of by
you.—(Loud and continued cheering.) Is it not a
monstrous anomaly that Ireland with her eight mil-
lions of population should be left trusting to twenty
thousand electors ? lam satisfied there are not more,
if so many, in Ireland. I have often been amused in
the House of Commons listening to gentlemen com-
plaining of the paucity of electors in Australia or Esse-
quibo, or mayhap the valuable colony of Tobago
What a pity that those possessions should not enjoy th
constitutional privileges of the franchise.—(L aughter.e
But a k the same gentlemen to give a liberal fra-)
chile to Ireland, and at once you find that, in their
estimation at least, Irishmen are net half so fit to en-
joy the franchise as t'he inhabitant of Australia, To
hago, or British Guiana.—(Laughter.) The men
who remain at home are not so worthy as those who
desert the country. The white Irishman is inferior to
the swarthy inhabitant of Guiana. With those gen-
tlemen I do not agree, and I am for giving to my
countrymen the same privileges in the franchise and
in proportionate numbers that Englishmen enjoy.
Any man who is content with less is not fit to be an
Dish representative.—(Cheers.) Since I came to
town I have heard intelligence which leads me to
think that the Lords will pass the Bill as sent from
the Commons.—(Cheers.) If they are wise they will
do so. It is not all we are entitled to, but still it will
give this country a large constituency.—(Hear, hear.)
Now, have I said a worecalculAted to disappoint or
offend any of you ?—(Cries of "No," and " Go on.")
I fear I have wearied you.—(No.) When I return to
Parliament, encouraged by this meeting, by your warm
friendship, by your enthusiastic greeting, for which
from my inmost heart I thank you, I will pursue
that course which has won your approbation. I will
not follow any headlong leader or play the sycophant
to any Minister. Bat when I think the Minister
right, I shall give him a cordial support, just as
readily as when I believe him wrong I should un-
hesitatingly oppose him. I have already often op-
posed-1 have frequently supported the Government.
And upon a late occasion, when angry parties stood
face to face, I did decline to join in censuring the
Foreign Minister of this country.—(Hear, and cheers.)
Great allowance in times of difficulty must be made
for public men, and for none more than those who
have to adjust the foreign relations of this mighty
empire. Look to the condition of Europe fur the last
three years. In France, the ancient dynasty of the
Bourbons swept away in all its branches, a republic
of a most questionable character scarce established in
their place. What capital is there-which has not
been stained with the gore of civil strife—the streets
of Berlin and Vienna died in blood—the smiling
plains of Italy, nay, even, the consecrated walls of
Rome desecrated by desperate men rushing upon
extreme courses.—(Cheers.) Were these ordi-
nary difficulties or common times ?—(Cries of "No
no.") I own I felt the dangers from which we had
escaped. I heard the accusation, I listened to the
vindication of the eminent man who wielded in such
a crisis the destinies of England, and in my conscience
I believed, and by my vote I declared that, whilst in
the most trying times he saved us from the agonies of
war, he preserved inviolate abroad the honour, inte-
grity, and character of the British name and nation.
—(Loud and' continued cheers) In conclusion, the
Hon. Gentleman said that if he had made omissions
in his duty to his constituents, they were errors of
the bead, not of the heart. He told them on the hus-
tings that he would make any sacrifice, personal or
professional, to promote the interests of Athlone. He
would not Freak of any proressional sacrifices, but one
thing he did not sacrifice, and that was their, and his
own, independence.—(Loud cheers.) He
begged toto
h
tender his overflowing thanks to all present, and.
the bright eyes and smiling faces before him
he
Th"
offered the tribute of his admiring gratitude.—(This
compliment on the part of the Hon. Gentleman was
loudly applauded.) Alr, Keogh then proposed_