The Sun.
London, England, 1820-03-08 00:00:00

IRELAND.

(From The Dubhn Correspondent, March 1.)
TRIAL OF THE RIBBONMEN.
ROSCOMMON ASSIZES, MARCH 1.
The Crown- t,rosecutinus commenced this day.
The first person put on trial was Stephen U' Garry,
charged with burglary, with intent to commit a
robbery ; 2d indictment, for demanding money-;-
3d India went, tor breaking into the dwelling.
house of Michael lianuully, after sun-set, and in-
juring the same 4th indictment, for forcibly ex-
acting money ; sth indictment, for demanding_
sarti, with intent to rob; 6th indictment, for ap-
pearing by night, armed.
A most respectable Jury having been sworn,
Mr. VANDELEUR, ICAding Counsel for the Crown,
addressed the Court in an able Speech, of whicll
the following is the substance:-
- He said he was pleased to find that, at this awful moment,
lrben the peace of the county was at stake, a Jury of so great
respeetability had been selected. They tang be, one and all,
aware of the critical situation of the county. The Gaokr's
Calendar was rcpiete with crones of the deepest die,-• tendin4
to overturn the Constitution, and to throw the country into
a state of anarchy and confusion. At such an eventful pe-
riod, the state of the country depended on 'i manly and.
zealous discharge of the fluty which devolved upon Jurors.—
Every thing that was dear and valuable in lite was cottiigned
to their protection. Let not those spoliators, said the Le:tined
Counsel, seize upon your properties, and devastate the county.
Tou all have experienced the benefits of social order in, tia.es
of tranquillity, and lain certain you must now feel the reverse,
owing, to thy diabolical machinations of those disttabers of

your county's peace. That county demands. justice at you]
bands—discharge your duty conscieui iouily, and with wanly
fitrairless. The prisoner Brought before you stands charged
with a s. fits of ei noes, alini{st all of which are of an in-
surrectiimary nature.

Accurately and niiiintely inteeti
gate the case; and %%Ali all due lenity towards .the pri-
soner; but let ❑ot prejudice or terror affeiglit you from an
upright discharge of your duty—the influence of terror, in-
deed, Must be foreign to your minds. From what motives
those crimes have been multiplied in this County, is to me

quite inexplicable. Why were they out in theiraufancy ex-
tinguished by the Magistrates It is strange how any wau
could have skulked.from his dirty, When outrage was so pre-
valent. Apathy must have gut the better of that duty, which
the Magistracy at large wet e bound to adhere to. It is to this
the increase of crime is to be imputed. But the arm of
the law is too strong fur those nuctorrial disturbers of your
peace; and, as long as the Juries of this county shall be
auxiliary to that law, those crimes will he put down. Outrage
in the sister Kingdom was promptly put down—why out also
in Ireland? The Irish, taken' in the aggregate, are as loyal
as the English ; but from the apathy and supineness of the
Magistrates, outrage has made such nead in this county, that
an auxiliary force was necessary to be sent down, for the pur-
pose of exterminating its baleful inritacirce. It .must succeed
in putting down crime, if you lend your aid, and peace and j
- good order will be once inure restored. In the sister King-
doni outrage has been most promptly put down ; why is it
not likewise put an end. to here?—Want of surficieat
energy is the cause. The consequence ts, a hideous
. catalogue of crimes appear on the calendar of the County
of Roscoairoun. In the discharge of • your duty, you will
bare the zealous co-operation of the Government, who
ace determined-to put down these disturbances. What ohjeet
can these deluded wretches propose to themselves ?
• delusive prospects have they in view? Some examples
are necessary to recal them to their duty, and to render
them amenable to the law. Let thrill ilivassionately search
their own minds—let theist pause tor awhile, and consi-
der what they could propose to themselves by the perpetra-
tion of such crimes, and the result will be, that all is visionary,
and that nottinig could he achieved by the conumsdon of
such outrages. Tue Learned Couriset concluded by saying,
that he should
.not trouble the Jury any longer on the subject,
conscious, as lie w As, that they would zealously and faithfully
discharge their duty, without fear, favour, or affection.
The evidence. on the part of the Crown here
commenced, end fully supported the indictments.
After a recapitulation ot h by the Learned Judge
(DALY), the Jury, without quitting their box,
foitud the prisoner guilty upon all the indictments.
• The Learned Judge had the prisoner then called'
up for sentence, and, after a most energetic and
feeling appeal to those present, on the extent rind
enorwity_ot .the crimes, which appeared so preva-
lent in the County of Roscommon, Ise passed the
awful sentence .of the law, but has pot yet ap-
pointed a day for his execution.
The next .trial which took place, was that of
Patrick Freelrily, John Coyhe, John Flanagan,
Patrick Conlan, anti Hugh APNatnara, Charged,
under the 15th and 16:h of the King, with assem-
bling by night, and wearing badges, and assum-
ing the name of Ribbonmen. TO support this
case, it was proved, on the pate of the
Crown, that those- p'ersons, in company with up-
wards of fifty mote, were tnet,.at 4 o'clock on the
morning of. the 30th of 'lli:cember last, by Omen
Young, Esq., a Magistrate of this County, who
had pteyiuusiy received information of their in-
tention ; and before they could proceed to any
acts of outrage, he, with a small party, consisting
of 12 persons, attacked this gang of nightly ma-
rauders, luta -Soc.c.octied iii -appreitendng the pri-
soners. The prisoners wt-re all. jOynd...Guilty ;•init
sentence has -not brew s. yet passed:: !flats trial
lasted until eight o'clock ip the evening.
Mr. YOUNG 111,,5t zealously and actively die.
charged his duty as a Al agistrate upon this occasion.

—w hat

Government are determined to render every
assistance to the resident Gentry of Connaught,
to put down the serions disturbances that exist
there at present. The following regiments are
on their march to the counties,of Galway, Mayo,
and Roscommon :—The Bth Royal Veteran Bar.
talion, one thousand strong, from Dundalk ;
and the 93:1 Highlanders, from Naas. Four
troops of the 30 Li'ht Dragoons were. to anise
from Newbridge at BaUlna, on Wednesday last.
Thomas Gelscon, Esq., Co►unhissary itt the Lime-
rick District, proceeded on Monday afternoon
from Limerick to Bal!ilia, to provide forage, &e.,
for the cavalry ordend to be stationed these.
An .t,iTray took place on Wednesday last, in
Ilaloe, in which the usual Gladiators of that
place were the actors. Fire-arms were exhibited
iu abundance on both sides, and-used with effect ;
one man, named Francis M`Namara, received
two balls in his body, and there
.are but little hopes
of his recovery.