The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-15 00:00:00

OF TRIAL.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—What hour will your
Lordships sit on Monday morning ?
The CIIIEF JUSTICE—We have been thinking about
that, and on Monday morning the Court intend to sit
punctually at ten o'clock.

THE GREAT AGGREGATE MEET-
ING OF THE CATHOLICS OF IRELAND.

DUBLIN, SATURDAY.
The great aggregate meeting of the Catholics of Ire-
land took place this day, at the Music-hall, Lower Abbey-
street. To the requisition by which it was called an
immense number of names were attached, and as the
interest attached to the proceedings had been much in-
creased within the last few days by the decision of the
Court of Queen's Bench against the motion on the part
of the traversers to postpone the- trial, on the ground of
the illegality of the jury panel, the anxiety to attend the
meeting was great in proportion. The admission Was
by tickets. The body of the ball, the side galleries, and
the space beneath them, were crowded. The gallery
fronting the platform was appropriated to the ladies,
and it contained ladies of some of the most respectable
families in Dublin. . .

The entrance of Tom Steele was greeted with several
rounds of applause. Mr. O'Connell entered soon after
him, and was received with unbounded enthusiasm, the
cheering continuing several minutes. He is evidently in
the best state of health, and appeared in excellent spi-
rits. Mr. Shed was also most loudly cheered.
Among the gentlemen present were the following :
lion. Charles Barnwell, Esq. ; James Blackney, Esq.,
Fort Castle, Phillip's Town; W. Ferregan, Esq. ; C. D.
Duffy, Esq. ; A. R. Stritch, Hugh Macgill, Henry
Marray, E. Campbell, P. M'Gowran, C. M'Allister,
C. Lennon ; Roe, Blessington-street ; S. O'Brien,
Esqrs. ; Rev. Mr. Scudy ; Doheny, barrister ; Dr.
Nagle ; G. Hamilton ; T. Joyce ; Valentine Blake ;
Walter Joyce ; S. J. Murray; Richard Barnwell; Mar-
tin Henan ; Richard Ferrall, J.P. ; Sir John Power ;
James Nugent ; W. Reynold, T.C. ; Mr. Moran, T.C. ;
Mr. Atkinson, T.C. ; Mr. Loughman ; Very Rev. Mr.
Stewart ; Rev. Mr. Tierney, one of the traversers ;
Reverend Mr. Andrews ; Reverend Mr. Hopkins ;
T. Sheridan, T.C. ; Rev. Mr. Lynch ; J. T. Devit,
Barrister, Limerick ; C. Walsh, solicitor ; Dr. S.
Murphy ; J. White, J. P., Shannon ; J. Chester, D. L.,
Stone House, South-bridge ; Johnson, J.P. ; Major
Kearney, J. P., Gerald Aylmer, county Kildare ; Cor-
nelius Egan, Alderman of Dublin ; Richard O'Connell;
H. S. Reynolds, D. O'Connell, Mr. Duffy, barrister ;
Mr. Kelly, T. Kerwan, T.C. ; Dr. J. Murphy, James
M'Kean, ; Sir T. Esmonde, J. C. Egan, John Es
-
Mond, James M'Owen, G. Fitzgerald, Martin Madden,
Sligo ; J. Troy, Rey. Mr. O'Malley, T. Wise, M. P. ;
F. J. Moony ; Philip Taggard, George Graham,
Coyan, T. N. Redington' M.P. ; J. H. Talbot, county
of Monaghan ; Robert Irwan, Roscommon ; James
Hogan, Robert Cassidy, J.P. ; James Power, M.P. ;
Hogan, Fairview ; Thomas Dwyer, J. Mackenna,
T.C. ; the Lord Mayor ; the Rev. Miley, D.D.
Michael Staunton,Edward Dowell, Esqrs.,county Galway;
W. Ford, P. Kelley, Esq. ; B. Andrews, T.C. ;
O'Flannagan, barrister; Alexander Macarthy, barrister ;
Barlew, I'. C. ; G. Gilchrist, T. P. Curtis ; J. Flan-
naghan, Rs+ ; Galway, Esq. ; Thomas M'Mahan,
J. Kirwan, Richard L. Sheil, M.P. ; James Barnwell,
Dr. Harker, &c., &c., &c.

The proceedings did not commence till two o'clock,
when, on the motion of Sir T. Esrnonde,.Bart., the Lord
Mayor of Dublin, T. O'Brien, Esq., took the chair.
The LORD MAYOR on taking the chair observed, that
it was now sought by the Government to deprive the
Roman Catholics of Ireland—the loyal subjects of this
realm—of that privilege to which even aliens were
entitled ; namely, the privilege of being represented on
the jury before which they were to be tried. No less a
number than seven millions and a half of the subjects of
the British Crown had been thus excluded from the en-
joyment of their undoubted right and privilege. To
express their abhorrence of that inroad upon their liber-
ties, the Roman Catholics of Ireland had assembled there
that day ; and, for his own part, not remembering the
exertions of those to whom he, as a Catholic,
owed his elevation to the office which he now
filled, he felt that gratitude and duty both
urged him to take en active part in the proceedings
on the present occasion. He wanted words to express
his sense of the high honour conferred cn him by being
called on to preside at the present meeting. He would
not then take up their time further, particularly as
they would be addressed by men who had won high
fame in former i.truggles for civil and religious liberty.
—(Cheers.) After some further observations, the Chair-
man, who was all but inaudible throughout the entire of
his observations, resumed his seat amidst loud applause.
On the motion of Sir 'l'. ESMONDE, Bart., T. V. Fitz-
pataielt and Alexander M'Carthy, Esqrs., were nomi-
nated Secretaries of the meeting.
Mr. APCARTHY having read the requisition convening
the meeting, which was signed by a host of the most in- ,
fieential and wealthy Roman Catholics of Ireland, in-
eluding the Earl of Kenmore.
Sir T. ESMONDE, Bart., came to the front of the
platform, and was received with the most enthu-
siastic applause. He said he attended there that day
with, he candidly acknowledged, very sincere regret,
for he came from necessity, as a Roman Catholic
tlowiefbirtemhlr rit
termination
tla,haataeniumnoddnd,
itthnohbayeditvindicate his own character . and prin-
ciples,gnAFr
cope
atrutot many
cause years
o f
civilhe andli d agitatedreligious
f to that
species Emancipation,
0 hf
e agitationthoughtin
which they had acted together for so many years., But
within those few days there 'had arisen proof positive
that Roman Catholics were considered unworthy of
belief on their oath. That foul imputation which had
been cast upon them by itinerants from period to period
was now nearly obtaining the sanction of those in power.
It was to protest against that that they were now assem-
bled.—(Cheers.) And if they should have to struggle
again in the cause of civil and religious liberty, he was
much mistaken if his countrymen would not be more
firm and more persevering, if possible, than when they
had been seeking for emancipation.—(Cheers.) They
were now a temperate people, and in the pursuit of civil
and religious liberty, they would be consistent, perse-
vering, united, and firm.—(Cheers.) He concluded by
moving the first resolution, which was to the following
effect :—" That the Roman Catholics of Ireland yielded
-to no portion of the Queen's subjects in true loyalty to
the throne, and the strict observation of the religious
obligation of an oath."
Sir J. POWER, Bart., seconded the resolution, which
was carried amidst the most vehement applause.
Mr. WYSE, M.P., then addressed the meeting. He
said it was but a few days after the first granting of
the great claim of Catholic Emancipation, that a great
meeting was held in that city, for the purpose of
stating what were the feelings, prospects, and claims of
the Catholic body, after the emancipation had become
law. He read the resolution carried at that meeting,
expressive of their gratitude for the measure so healing
and conciliatory ; that was then the manifesto of the
Catholics of Ireland, that the differences of the past
were buried, and that they would do all in their power
to promote the interest of the common country. It was
hoped that that feeling would have continued. That was
fourteen years ago. But what must be their feelings
now, when they were called together again, once more,
to claim the common rights of their fellow-subjects, of
which they had been again deprived? Who would not,
on looking round, believe that the Emancipation Act had
never been passed, or that it had been repealed ?
(Great cheering.) Since the time their claim was
granted, had not the deeds of the party leaders proved
what they said at the period—that that claim was
granted unwillingly? And when that party was suc-
ceeded by one of more liberal and generous nature, were
not the efforts and acts of that party continually thwarted
when they endeavoured to make the Emancipation Bill
more than a dead letter? It was the party of Wellington
and Peel that always stood in the way of all their
municipal and political reforms ; and the same spirit
had been manifested. To be a Catholic was a crime ;
that a man was of the opinion of the majority of the
people of Irel 'lid was a sufficient excuse for striking a
man off the list of the jury. There had been no proof that
they entertained any peculiar political opinions ; it was
sufficient that a man was a Catholic--was of that reli-
gion that had been branded in Ireland in every way,
and had been accused of a disregard of oaths ; it was to
destroy the confederacy of Catholic feeling that would
always lead them, inside the House or out of it, to repel
such imputations upon their honour, that Catholics were
now struck off thejury. During the last year they were
taunted with a disregard of the obligation of an oath by
a Minister of the Crown, and that Minister was com-
pelled, in the face of the House and of the empire, to
apologise for that imputation. The same principles on
which the names of Catholics were struck off the panel
would form a ground for re-enacting the old penal lows
against them in all their severity. He contended for an
equality of rights in every respect. Did they think that
while every country was gaining its rights and fran-
chises, and were regaining their position in the scale of
nations, did they think the people of Ireland could sit
down contented and not do all in their power to make
themselves felt and known in the great incorporation of
the British empire ?—(Cheers.) It was impossible that
the laws of the land could be respected unless they were
loved, and, by being administered impartially, made the
shield to defend, and not the sword to attack, the people.
Ile concluded by proposing a resolution, stating, that in
striking off the names of the Catholics from the list, the
Government had inflicted a wrong and an insult upon that
body, and against which they now recorded their opinion.
The •resolution was seconded by J. H. TALBOT, Esq.,
who stated that he was himself a victim to his religion,
having been dismissed from his deputy-lieutenancy be-
cause lie would not be the slave of any Government.
W. Folio, Esq., then addressed the assembly, stating
circumstances that attended former prosecutions, to show
that the striking off jurors on account of their religion
was no new practice. He also quoted the opinion of Mr.
Smith, the Attorney-General, expressed in his speech at
the great Protestant meeting of the 24th of January,
1837,—then Catholics had very little regard fur the
sanctity of an oath, that oath being the one taken
by Mr. Wyse and Mr. Sheil. He also adduced the in-
stance of Lord Roden casting the same imputation upon
them. Ile alluded to the fact of the Catholic people of
Dublin having returned three Protestants and a Presby-
terian to decide on the franchises of the citizens. They
had done everything in their power:to show their confi-
-deuce in the Protestants, and were they now to be told
that Catholic gentlemen were not to be entrusted to
fit Qll it jury ? Who wll9le ptaceeding was want