The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-09-10 00:00:00

IRELAND.

LIBERATION OF THE STATE PRISONERS.
In the early part of Friday, a communication was made
to the High Sheriff, by means of an official letter from Mr.
Lucas, that he should hold himself in readiness to dis-
charge the state prisoners as soon as the order of the
House of Lords should arrive.

Mr. Gartlan, one of the agents for the traversers arrived
in Dublin on Friday evening with the order for their dis-
charge. Immediately after his arrival, shortly before six
o'clock, he proceeded at once to the Richmond Bridewell,
and informed Mr. O'Connell and his fellow-prisoners
that they were at liberty, which intelligence having spread
rapidly through the neighbourhood, a considerable num-
ber of persons collected round the entrance door of the
prison in order to see and welcome them upon their liber-
ation, it having been generally understood that they
would go to their respective homes for the night, and re-
turn in the morning for the purpose of leaving the prison
in triumph—passing along the same route by which they
were conveyed there. Shortly after seven o'clock, Mr.
O'Connell left the Penitentiary leaning upon his sons,
Mr. John O'Connell and Mr. Daniel O'Connell, junr.,
accompanied by Mr. Steele, and proceeded on foot
amidst the shouting of the mob, down the Circular-road,
along Harcourt-street, Stephen's-green, Upper Merrion-
street, to Merrion-square, where he arrived about a
quarter before eight o'clock. The other prisoners subse-
quently left the gaol, and were also loudly cheered upon
making their appearance.
A. considerable assemblage of persons of the lower orders
were collected about Mr. O'Connell's house, and in a few
minutes after his entrance he appeared upon the balcony,
and briefly addressed them to the following effect, as far
as we could collect under such unfavourable circumstances
which were considerably increased
by the hearingthen accurately,oiseandconsion arising from the anxiety of all
present to be the auditors of " the first speech after the
incarceration":—
He commenced by stating that he had at last returned
to his honest home from prison, and proceeded to say,
that in other countries it was generally rogues and vaga-
bonds that were sent to gaol, which was not the case in
Ireland, as they were all aware that he and his brother
martyrs were doomed to imprisonment for endeavouring
to make their fellow men free. (Great applause.) Ile
then briefly thanked the Irish people for the peace and
tranquility which they had manifested during his incar-
ceration, and said that he had no doubt that they would
continue in the same course now, that they had reason
to be joyful. He then alluded to the procession, which,
he said, would take place in the morning at ten o'clock,
and said he would give his countrymen an opportu-
nity of testifying their love for him, which was only
equalled by his love for them. After exhorting them
to go home peaceably and quietly, and telling them that
he would meet them in the morning, the learned gentle-
man re-entered his house amidst loud cheers, which con-
tinued for some time.

The crowd, howe;er, dispersed shortly after, without
any disturbance taking place, as far as we could learn.

THE PROCESSION.

At an early hour CinSattiriaY-I;Olning Mr. O'Connell
and all the other state prisoners (who were discharged on
the previous evening) returned to the Richmond Bride-
well fur the purpose of leaving it in procession, and pass-
ing along the same route by which they were conducted
there. The morning was very inauspicious for such a dis-
play, in consequence of which it was postponed from ten
until nearly two o'clock, by which hour the weather had
taken a change for the better, when Mr. O'Connell took
his; seat, accompanied by Mr. John O'Connell, in the
chair in which he and Mr. Ruthven were chaired after
their return for the city of Dublin, in 1832 ; and pro-
ceeded after the trades, corporation, committee of the
Repeat Association, &c., to pass through the specified
hne of streets, to his own house.
Previous to the arrival of any of the carriages, the Cir-
cular-road was crowded from the turnpike to the prison,
and as far again upon the other side by thousands of
the lower orders, who relinquished all ideas of business,
and regardless of wind or weather, attended for the pur-
pose of seeing the Liberator liberated." Several gen-
tlemen also arrived early, and called at the prison, amongst
whom were a considerable number of Roman Catholic
clergymen, to congratulate the traversers upon their libera-
tion. Many of them who came from the country pre-
sorted Mr. O'Connell with addresses, including the
mayor and ea-mayor of Limerick, who handed him an