The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-01-30 00:00:00

IRE ),AND.

THE STATE TRIALS.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, DUBLIN.

The Court sat on Monday morning at ten o'clock. Three
of the Judges only were in attendance. We regret to
state that Judge Burton's absence was owing to indispo-
sition. An attempt was made on the part of the traversers
to suspend the investigation pending the illness of Judge
Burton, but the objection was overruled.
The first witnesses examined were Thos. Packer, John
and Joseph Annesley. all persons in the employment of
Mr. Holbrooke, Crow-street. who were questioned in
reference to the engraving and printity, of the different
cards used by the Repeal Association, and the source from
which Mr. Holbrooke had received the order.
In the course of the day Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Steele
left the court for the purpose of attending a Repeal Meet-
ing at Conciliation Hall. The circumstance having be-
come known to the Attorney-General, the Right Hon.
Gentleman very ,nroperly insisted on the traversers ay-
pealing in court. Messengers were accordingly dis-
patched, and after a short interval, both the traversers
resumed their places, and continued to occupy them
the remainder of the day.
John Ulick Macnamara, examined by Mr. Tomb,
Q.C.—I am a shorthand-writer, and was present at a re-
peal meeting at Tullamoore on the 16th July last;
arrived there the evening before the meeting; the pro-
ceedings commenced about two o'clock ; I observed the
people coming into Tullamoore as they would have seen
coming to a market ; there were great crowds ; I took a
not.e in short-hand of what passed at the meeting, and
copied my notes out with the exception of a few senten-
ces ; my short-hand notes have been destroyed ; I have
my transcribed notes here. (Witness produced the tran-
scribed copies of his notes, and said he saw Mr. D.
O'Connell and Mr. Steele at the meeting ; the Rev. Mr.
O'Rafferty presided.)
Mr. Hatchell—State what the Rev. Mr. O'Rafferty
said at that meeting-? The witness proceeded to read the
following speech:—
" Fellow-countrymen and brother repealers, the regene-
rator and liberator of our country has come to pay you a
visit. Allow me to tell you that the mighty leader of the
Irish people has come to address you ; this is the first
time we had the honour to see him at a public meeting in
the town of Tullamore. I don't say too much for the
people of this locality when I assert that they were at all
times the ardent and sincere supporters of every measure
introduced by that great man for the benefit of the coun-
try. He has come to talk to you about r^peal. I believe you
all know what that means ; he has come to bring back our
native parliament, to establish a legislature in this country
thatwill make the laws for the benefit of the people ; that will
respect the rights of the people, and that will give them
good government. They have been too long trampled on
by the representatives of Saxon authority ; too long have
they been trodden down and treated worse than slaves.
That great and illustrious man will address you ; he will
tell you, as he often told others, the great and lasting bles-
sings that a domestic legislature will bring to this coun-
try. I return you thanks for the honour you have done
me ; for thirty years I have laboured sincerely for the pub-
lic cause. I have been a supporter according to my bum-
ble means of every measure introduced for the good of the
country, and my exertions shall not be wanting to forward
the great cause of repeal."
The witness then detailed what was spoken by the
Rev. Mr. Spain, Mr. Nolan, Mr. Kearney, and others,
and stated that continually during the speeches the mob
uttered cries of " Repeal, repeal." He also gave a long
report of Mr. O'Connell's speech. The meeting was
held on Sunday, at Tullamore.
Mr. Tomb.—State to the jury if you saw any of the
inscriptions on these banners what they were. One was
" See the conquering hero comes." Another

" Breathes there a man with soul so dead
Who never to himself hath said—
This is my own, my native land. (Laughter.)

Mr. Tomb—Any more? Yes—" Ireland, her Parlia-
ment, or the world in a blaze," and " Cead mile failtha."
A Juror—Was the banner on which were the words
" Ireland, her Parliament, or the world in a blaze." dis-
played at the meeting or in the town? I saw it before
the meeting took place, in one of the streets.
(To Mr. Tomb.l—There were a great many bands of
music there ; the meeting lasted about two hours.
Cross-examined by Mr. Hatchell. Q.C.—I arrived in
Tullamore on the evening before the meeting : I went to
the market-place before any crowd had gathered; there
was a platform erected for the speakers ; 1 was on it ; I
saw one reporter there, and I understood there were
others ; there was not the least obstruction to my taking
notes; the people assembled as if they were coming to a
market or a fair; there was a great number of females
amongst them, and some children; everything appeared
perfectly peaceable, so far as the conduct of the persons
there ; I do not belong to that part of the country.
Mr. Macnamara was then subjected to a severe cross-
examination from Mr. Hatchell, but his testimony was
not shaken.
John Sampson Stuart examined by the Attorney-Gene-
ral—l am a sub-inspector of constabulary ; was stationed
at Tullamoore ; was there at the great meeting which was
held upon the 16th July ; was on duty there ; I looked
about the town on that day ; I saw mottos and banners
before the meeting was called ; there were a large number
of persons in the town ; a great number had come early I
in the morning, between nine and ten o'clock, but the
great body had not come in ; thousands were there at
that early hour ; I know " Iligh-strevt," Tullamoore; I
observed banners and mottos in that street, and I took
them all down. What mottos or inscriptions did you see ?
On the arch in High-street I saw on one side, " the slave
master may brandish his whip, but we are determined to
be free !" and on the other side I saw, " Beware, phy-
sical force is a dangerous experiment to try on the Irish
people—Repeal shall not be put down by the bayonet."
Where in Tullamoore is the Roman Catholic Chapel?
Opposite the Corn-market, where the meeting was held.
Was there any banner or motto in the Chapel ? No. Was
there a banner or motto opposite the chapel? Yes, there
was a motto on the archway which extended from one side
of the street to the other, opposite the chapel. What
motto was there ? " Ireland, her parliament, or the world
in a blaze." On what day of the week was this ? Sunday.
And this was opposite the chapel gate? Yes. Did many
of the thousands of persons who were assembled pass in
that direction ? Yes ; the greater part of them went under
that arch. Where was the platform erected ? Exactly
opposite the arch. Was there a banner opposite the plat-
form ? Yes ; stretched along the wall, and on it was in-
scribed—" Ireland must not he—ought not to be—a serf
nation." Was there any motto on the platform ? Yes ;
" Nine millions of people are too great to be dragged at
the tail of another nation. Mention any other mottos?
" See, the conquering hero comes ; " " God save the
Queen ;" " Breathes there a man with soul so dead,"
&c. ; " Repeal ; " " Justice, and prosperity to all creeds
and classes." At what hour did the crowds begin to en-
ter the town in the morning ? The greater number came
from ten o'clock to one by the Birr road. Did many
bands come into the town that morning? I saw about
nine bands, exclusive of the Tullamoore temperance band.
Did any horsemen come into Tullamoore that morning ?
Yes. Did you observe anything particular in their man-
ner of coming? Yes ; the horsemen who arrived by the
Birr road came in sections of four—that is, four abreast.
Did you observe anything particular with respect to one of
these horsemen ? I did. What was it ? One of them
wanted to leave and alight at a house before going into the
town, and another got indignant at it, and said to him,
" D—n you, sir, keep your ranks." Did he do so ?He
did. How many horsemen did you observe there? I
counted from seventy to eighty sections of four. That is
about three hundred and eighty ? Yes. Did you observe
anything particular in the manner of the footmen ? They
endeavoured to observe the same kind of order as the
horsemen, but were not able to do so ; they kept about
the temperance bands, and were forced on by the crowd.
Did you observe any persons giving them directions ? I
did. I observed persons halting them, and appearing to
give them orders. When did Mr. O'Connell arrive ? The
night before. At what hour did Mr. O'Connell ascend
the platform ? At about two o'clock. Did you see any
other of the traversers there besides Mr. O'Connell?
Yes, that gentleman (pointing to Mr. Steele.) Did you
hear Mr. O'Connell speak there ? Yes. 'Where were
you ? I was in a store over the platform, and about 10 or
12 yards from it. Did you take any notes of what Mr.
O'Connell said ? I took very short notes, indeed. Read
what you did take ?
" Mr. O'Connell commenced by assuring them most
solemnly that repeal of the union was now a certainty ;
that he came there that day to announce from the centre
of Ireland the certainty of repeal—be could prove from
Peel and Wellington themselves, that they knew repeal i
was certain. But to keep appearances, Peel had made the
Queen to say she would not consent, and had told a great
lie to the House of Commons. With respect to Sir
Robert Peel's declaration that he would prefer a civil war
to granting repeal, I say (said O'Connell) the better day
the better deed, he tries the experiment of going to war
with the Irish people, and he came there that day to give
Peel a haughty defiance."
Did you make any calculation of how many were at the
meeting ? I did. I think there were from 60,000 to
70,000 persons there. How were the bands dressed ? In
fancy dresses of white and green.
Neale Brown, Esq., R.M., examined by Mr. Napier--
I am a resident magistrate in Tullamoore ; I was residing
there in July last ; I remember Sunday, the 16th of July,
the day of the great meeting ; I know the part of the
town where the church is situated ; my house is not in
the neighbourhood of the church, but in the high street
of Tullamoore; saw the people coming into town that
day from the western side; that is the Frankford side of
the town ; it was about one o'clock in the morning ; that
was the first time I observed them coming in ; there were
some in before one o'clock, and some came in about that
time ; had not been at church before one o'clock that
day ; one o'clock was church hour ; remained from church
for the purpose of being in readiness if called on as a
magistrate ; when the procession was formed to go to
the place of meeting, it turned to the left, and pas-
sed near the church ; it was about half-past two o'cloei ;
I saw Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Sheil—(laughter) and
Mr. Steele I mean, who was sitting inside the carriage;
I had been in the rere of my house when I heard the mu-
sic coming, I then went to the front, and in about five
minutes the carriage passed. The great body of the pro-
cession passed before I cause up ; the people were walk-
ing about fifteen abreast ; they were walking with regu.
larity and order the bands were playing while the pro-
cession was passing the church ? I afterwards saw people
coming from church through my own field ; that was not
their usual way of going home ; the number I saw going
this way was about thirty; they usually went home by the
route the procession came; the bands had on what he
should call military uniforms, with the exception that
they had no belts ; the Roscrea band had shouider-seales
like what cavalry officers wear in undress ; another band
bad some device in their caps, I don't know the names