The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-02-06 00:00:00

MEPHAM, THE INNOCENT CONVICT.

(From the Maidstone Journal.)
The friends of this ill-fated youth had the grateful satis-
faction last week of seeing all their efforts in his behalf
crowned by his return to his country and his family, re-
stored to liberty, happiness, and, above all, to the posses-
sion of an unsullied character. Mepham arrived in Lon-
don on Sunday se'nnight, by the ship Eudora, in which
vessel he had been provided by government with a free
passage home, as well as supplied with a comfortable and
abundant outfit. He reached Maidstone on Monday
night, and next day gladdened with his presence the hum-
ble family circle in his father's cottage. We have had an
opportunity of seeing him, and feel happy in saying that
he appears in robust health, none the worse for his mental
sufferings and bodily hardships, and we trust little injured
by the wretched society, of which for the last two years
he has been an unwilling and most unsuitable member.
The following is a brief narrative of his misfortunes :—A
fortnight after his conviction he was removed to the For-
titude hulk, at Chatham, where he was ironed on the leg
with a ilb. shackle, clothed in convict dress, and em-
ployed in dragging timber with other convicts in the
dockyard, not being allowed to speak to any freeman.
After being here five months, he embarked with a party
of 250 on board the Surrey transport, for the place of his
banishment and slavery. Nothing particular occurred
during the voyage. They hove in sight of Hobart Town
on the Ist of August, and on the Bth the convicts were
landed, placed in the gaol, and afterwards drafted off to
different parts of the country. Mepham, with a party of
80, together with 20 men who had been tried at the set-
tlement, and sentenced to be sent to the place of punish-
ment, Port Arthur, for misconduct, were placed on board
a schooner, and sailed for the latter station. In the night
the vessel drove on the rocks, and a dreadful scene en-
sued. For some hours, while efforts were made to get
her off, the convicts were locked down in the hold, where
the water was rising upon them, and the utmost terror
prevailed—some crying, some praying, some swearing,
but all vainly struggling to escape. At length the hatches
were opened, and they rushed on deck, and thence, some
in boats, but many by swimming, they got ashore. Here
they remained without food or shelter till the evening of
the next day, when by throwing the cargo overboard, the
schooner was got off. The prisoners were then sent on
board, and proceeded to their destination, where the party
was divided into several gangs—Mepham being sent to
a place called the Cascade station. The convicts were
employed in clearing the forests and burning the timber,
or dragging it to the creeks for transport. After being
employed in this way for twelve months, he heard of the
efforts that had been made in his behalf, and of their suc-
cessful result, by a Maidstone paper, which had found its
way to the colony. Nine weeks after, while mustering
with the gang, as usual, one Saturday evening, an official
letter to the superintendent of the station confirmed those
joyful tidings, by announcing a free pardon. He instantly
stripped off the badges of crime and conviction, tore the
hated garments into shreds, and joyfully clothed himself
in some old but honest-looking apparel, kindly contri-
buted by the chaplain and the superintendent. He made
his way for Hobart Town, where (there being, strange to
say, no provision for persons in such a situation by the
authorities) he got work to maintain himself till the ne-
cessary preparations for his return to this country were
completed, and after an interval of a week was provided
with a free passage home, as before stated, in the Eudora,
where he was well treated, and had a very pleasant pas-
sage, earning a few shillings on the voyage, to enable him
to reach his home on landing, where his reception may be
far better imagined than described. In conclusion, we
trust, by industry and good conduct, he will continue to
merit the benevolent interest that has been excited on his
behalf, and justify those humane efforts which have ended
in his restoration to freedom, and to a respectable stand-
ing in society.

THE CONVICT CHARTISTS, FROST, WILLIAMS, .►ND
JONES.
The lad Mepham, of whose return we give an account
above, reports that he saw Frost the day before he re-
ceived his pardon. He was at the Cascade station, about
60 miles from Hobart Town, in the bush, and acted as.
schoolmaster, on which account he was exempt from la-
bour in the forests. Williams bad the misforturic to break
his leg by a tree falling on him three days before Mepham
left. Jones was employed as a constable to watch the
workirg party in the bush. He told Mephatu on the eve
of his departure he would give ten thousand pounds, if he

IRELAND.

THE STATE TRIALS.

At the opening of the Court on Monday, after their
lordships had taken their seats, Mr. John O'Connell, one
of the traversers, rose and addressed the Court and Jury.
Something, he said, had dropped from Mr. Shiel, in his
speech on Saturday, which might convey the impression
that he was disposed to accept an occasional or an annual
visit of the Imperial Parliament to Dublin, as a
satisfactory concession to the present agitation for repeal.
He was not of such opinion. 'Whatever might be the
consequences of the avowal, he would not allow it for a
moment to be supposed that he gave up the inalienable
right of his country to a free legislature. (Considerable
sensation v, as excited by the above declaration.)
Mr. MOORE, Q.C. then proceeded to address the court
on behalf of the Rev. Thomas Tierney, and remarked at
great length upon the alleged unanimous resolve of the
Irish people in favour of repeal and the harshness with
which the defendants had been pursued by the Attorney_
General.

Mr. Hatchell then rose and said, that he appeared as
counsel for Mr. Ray. He admitted that Mr. Ray was a
repealer, and the paid secretary of the association, but the
jury were not to try him as such, but whet her or not he had
in conjunction with the other tray rsers entered into a
preconcerted plot to excite discontent against the govern-
ment and constitution. The learned counsel proceeded to
argue at some length against this allegation, and closed
his address at two o'clock, when Mr. O'Connell, who
had been present in the course of the morning at the Con-
ciliation Hall, had the Court adjourned until Tues-
day morning, assigning as a reason the illness of
Mr. Fitzgibbon, of counsel for Mr. Tierney, and the hon.
and learned traverser forthwith transported himself to the
scene of agitation.

On Tuesday Mr. Fitzgibbon commenced his reply for
Dr. Gray. In the course of the day an extraordinary
scene took place, which may be briefly stated as follows :
Mr. Fitzgibbon, in the course of his speech, gave ut-
terance to the following observations with reference to
Mr. Smith—not in his professional character as Crown
prosecutor, but with a direct bearing upon his motives as
a private individual :

He (the Attorney-General) feels it to be a momentous
case in reference to the effects it will have on his own po-
sition, with his own party—in reference to himself (said
Mr. Fitzgibbon) I have not a doubt; and it is because he
thus feels it a momentous case in reference to himself,
that all this want of candour has stolen upon him, as it
ever does, and has done, and will do, when the party is
himself the litigant. The prosecutor here is not acting
merely as counsel, on the motives of counsel : be is here
acting for himself and his own credit with his party."
When the court and the jury retired for the purpose of
taking refreshment, as has been the habit since the com-
mencement of these trials, Mr. Fitzgibbon took the op-
portunity of leaving the court also, for a little rest after
his labour, (he had been speaking from the morning,) and
the better to enable him to proceed with his statement
when the court should resume its sitting. In the interim
a note was addressed to him, which, on his return, he
showed first to the Solicitor-General, and then to Mr.
Sergeant Warren ; subsequently to which he applied to
the court, claiming its protection, and stating that the
Attorney-General had called upon him in writing to re-
tract and apologise for the personally offensive language
he had used towards him ; and bad required, in the event
of his declining to do so, that he (Mr. Fitzgibbon) should
name a friend with the view to an adjustment of the in-
jury complained of. The Chief Justice made some strong
remarks on the impropriety of the conduct of the Attor-
ney-General, and the latter gentleman withdrew his note,
when Mr. Fitzgibbon said he meant nothing personally
offensive to the honourable gentleman. At a few minutes
before five, the court adjourned.

Mr. Fitzgibbon resumed his address on Wednesday,
and occupied the whole day in bringing it to a close. At
the end of it he made a frank and full amende to the
wounded feelings of the Attorney-General. Mr. Fitz-
gibbon's address seems distinguished by more practical
talent than any of its predecessors. It is much more to
the purpose than that of Mr. Sheil, whose speech, though
it has been so much lauded by the radical press, was ra-
ther an appeal in mitigation of punishment than anything
else.

At the opening of the court on Thursday, Mr. Henn
took an objection to the jurisdiction of the court, on the
ground that the term be d closed. The Chief Justice took
a note of the point. Mr. Whiteside then commenced his
address, in the delivery of which he occupied the whole of
Thursday and to the adjournment of the court on Friday.

On Saturday Mr. M'Donagh addressed the court on
behalf of Mr. Barrett, and Mr. Henn on behalf of Mr.
Steele. During the day Mr. O'Connell applied to the
court that his address might be adjourned until Monday
(yesterday,) and the court complied. The Chief Justice
has, on several occasions during the addresses of the
counsel for the traversers, expressed himself very strongly
on the impropriety of such demonstrations of feeling as
had on various occasions been indulged in by the audi-
ence and by a portion of the bar.

MURDER OF MR. WALLER.—Andrew Whelan was re-
moved from Dublin on Saturday to Nenagh gaol, and,
being fully identified, was committed.
EXTRAORDINARY .ABDUCTION.—Three men and two
women were committed to our gaol on Friday, charged
with having broken into the house of Michael Connery,
near the Silvermines, assaulted the habitation and the in-
mates, and' forcibly taken out of it Timothy Ginane ;
whom they brought to Father M`Grath's house, for the
purpose of forcing him to marry Judy Ryan, who was
there waiting for the man of her heart to be married to
him ; and Sally Ryan was also in waiting to act the
bridesmaid to Judy.—Nenagh Guardian.
DISGRACEFUL PROCEEDINGS.—The house of Michael
Maher, of Scaraduff, near Brusna, was " visited" some
nights ago. The windows were broken in with stones,
and a notice posted, threatening him with death if he in-
terfered with the Whelans' farm. On the night of the
22d instant, a grave was dug in the above lands. A pole
was planted in the grave, to which a notice was attached
threatening any one with death who would attempt to
plough the land. The notice was signed " Robert
Waller," intending, it is supposed, that the fate of the
late Thomas Waller, Esq., would await any one who
would act contrary to the notice.—Lein,ster Express.
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION.--At ten o'clock on the
night of the 22d instant, as Mr. Thomas Power, agent,
was returning from the post office at Killlorglan, to his
residence in the same street, and immediately opposite,
some miscreant shot at him with a gun or blunderbuss,
but through the merciful interposition of providence, the
ball did not take effect on the intended victim, but entered
the kitchen of the house where Mr. Power lived, and had
its progress stopped by the window shutter—else fearful
might have been the result, as three or four persons were
seated round the kitchen fire, iu the direct line which the
ball would have taken.—Cork paper.
ROBBERY OF ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-FIVE
Pourrns.—Last week, the house of a widow named
Hacket, within a quarter of a mile of Newcastle, was en-
tered at night by two fellows, who proceeded diligently to
search the house. After a fruitless search for some time,
one of the fellows climbed up a mud wall which ran across
the house, when the poor woman foolishly exclaimed
" I'm done for now." This incautious exclamation put
the robber on the right scent, and he discovered buried
in the centre of the wall 86 sovereigns, 28 half-sovereigns,
and 11 old 7s. pieces, with which they decamped. There
has been no clue as yet to either the thieves or the money.
—Tipperary Constitution.

THE AMNESTY ADDRESS.—The Lord Mayor has re-
ceived a letter from SirJ.Grahaw, acquainting him that the
Queen will receive the celebrated Amnesty Address from
his lordship on Friday. In consequence of this intimation
their honours held a meeting this day, at which, we un-
derstand, it was proposed by Alderman George Roe that
the Lord Mayor should not wait upon her Majesty ; but
that a letter should be written to the Home Secretary to
request him to present the Address. This view was gene-
rally dissented from, and it was strongly put to the ex-Lord
Mayor, that he at least should not refuse to do the polite
thing upon this occasion. He flatly refused, however, to
accompany his successor into the dread presence of Ma-
jesty. A deputation, consisting of some half-dozen mem-
bers of the council, was ultimately got together, and it
was determined that they should proceed to London
forthwith.—Dublin paper of Monday.

EXPENSES OF THE DEFENCE.—The Banner of Ulster,
whose editor is at present in Dublin, makes the following
estimates of the cost :—" There are twelve councillors
engaged for the traversers, of whom, seven are paid the
highest fees. It was said on Saturday that £1,900 had
been divided amongst them as a retaining fee, and £l9O
was paid each morning for " refreshers." Large as the
latter sum is, there can be no doubt that some of the coun-
sel would be losers during the term time by anything un-
der their proportion of the money named. There are
several attorneys with a host of clerks, entirely occupied
by the case for the traversers ; and it is confidently said
that the expenses will not fall under two thousand pounds
weekly. At one time they confidently spoke of extending
the trial from thirteen to fifteen weeks; but they might
find difficulty ere that time elapsed in meeting the bill.
Mr. Steele, with his usual gravity, hints that it may run
for years, but the source from which the payment would
has likewise been attending the trials from the fi:st, lcaorngiee siUstnU,nayPePtatrheenct.o'n'duTewtoor thousandthe
Northernpounds
T'4V. e/et ikgl ,y wi sh
oa
cal-
culates the expense at a higher figure. He alleges that it
reaches £5OO a day.—Derry Sentinel.

READY Wir.—During the State prosecutions an in-
stance of ready wit, which occurred during the examina-
tion of Mr. Charles Ross, deserves to be noticed. The
witness stated that he attended the Donnybrook meeting
as a newspaper reporter, concealing the fact that he was
secretly employed also by the Government; in giving
this evidence he used a phrase, which excited no little
laughter, as it seemed to suggest unwittingly the fit place
for a spy. The laugh was more than averted by the quick
retort of the accomplished Counsel for the Crown. The
dialogue ran thus :—Mr. Sergeant Warren.—Where were
you placed at the meeting ? Witness.—On the Scaffold
Mr. Sergeant Warren.—Was that on the same place with
Mr. O'Connell? A circumstance less creditable to the
bar occurred the same- day, a few minutes afterwards.
The Court, after argument, had deliberately decided, that
on grounds of public policy, the witness should not be
asked what member of the Government employed him to
report the meetings. Mr. liatchell, one of the traversers,
Counsel having been absent from the court during this
discussion, was induced, on his return, at the suggestion
of a member of the bar, to question a witness respecting
a Cumberland election, and then to glide into an inquiry
whether lie was .known to Sir James Graham. Being
answered in the affirmative, 111 r. 11 atebel I instantly asked,
" Did you see him in June last I"—the month in which

Feb. 6, 1811

prohibited ; but the object of the traversers was already
gained. The barrister who made the suggestion was Mr•
Shiel ; and the learned Privy-Councillor was quite unable
to conceal the merriment with which he chuckled over
the success of his trick.

REPEAL ASSOCIATION.—The usual weekly meeting
was held on Monday. The " Lib rator" announced that
he would be able to remain, "as the Attorney-General
had adjourned the Court of Queen's Bench to accommo-
date him." This was making rather too good a stalking-
horse of Mr. Pitzgibbon's catarrhal inconvenience, pur-
suant to advertisement ; for a Mr. Keon. who seelll9,
some matter •of-fact Repealer, (a rather rare commodity)
complimented the Attorney-General on his " condescen-
sion in adjourning the court for the convenience of the
Liberator." So Mr. O'Connell had to explain that his
joke was a joke, and not a fact. Either the joke or Mr.
Keon must be dull affairs. Perhaps both. The chair was
taken by Mr. Caleb Powell, M.P. for Limerick, and 6
long speech was made by Mr. Smith O'Brien. The rent
of the week was announced at £372 14s. 11.—about, or
scarcely, one day's tees and expenses of the defence in the
Court of Queen's Bench. Who will say hereafter that
the " people of Ireland" are not excellent friends of the
law. A Mr. Wallace, from America, was introduced, and
was proceeding to announce himself as speaking for the
New York Repealers, when Mr. O'Connell, rising sud-
denly with some irritation, said,—l must interfere. Does
this gentleman mean to say that he has come here as
delegate ? (Cries of " No," from Mr. Wallace, his
friends, and the meeting.) Then he must avoid any
phrase that locks like it. The Chairman said that he
was about rising for the same purpose when he was anti-
cipated by Mr. O'Connell. He sat there as chairman of
a legal and loyal meeting, and he would not retain his
position for one moment if any sentiments inconsistent
with that character were uttered at it. (Hear, and
cheers ) Mr. O'Connell said he had no objection to any
gentleman making a speech, but the present was a time for
work, and they had speeches enough of their own. With-
out desiring to stop Mr. Wallace, he would say that he
thought it better for the association to thank him for as
much of his speech as be had made. Mr. Brennan said
that repeal owed much to Mr. Wallace, that if he had
committed any fault it was through inadvertence, and he
(Mr. Brennan) was alone to blame; but if the prudence-
of the Liberator-- Mr. O'Connell (interrupting).—
We are not here for speeches; that word " prudence"
decides it. I insist upon my motion. The abashed Mr.
Wallace here made some appeal to Mr. O'Connell, which
was answered by an angry " No, Sir !" The motion hay-
ing been passed, and three cheers given for America, Mr.
O'Connell asked was there any repeal rent ?—and on the
production of some small sums, inquired if there was any
more, to which there was no response.