Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-08-28
IRISH ELOQUENCE.
FROM THE MANCHESTER OBSERVER.


PROM THE MANCHESTER OBSERVER.
Fitzgerald VS.. Ke'r.-1his was an action
brought at the Mayo Assizes ireland, in
April, against the defendant, CAPTAIN Kerr, for
criminal conversation with the plaintiffs wife.
The damages were LAID at twenty thousand
pounds. Mr. Macan opened the pleadings.
Mr.. PnILLIrs stated the plaintiffs case in the
following eloquent speech.
Ny Lord, and yOu, Gentlemen ofthe Jury,
You have already heard the nature of
this action, and upon me deyolves the serious
duty ct stating the circumstances in which il
has originated. Well indeed may call it a
serious duty, whether as ii affects the indjvi-
dilas concerned, or the community at large
II IS not merely the cause of my client, but
that of society, which you are about to try; il
is your own question, and that of your dearest
interests; ii is to decide whether there is any
moral obligation to be respected, any religious
ordinance to be observed, any social commu-
MON to be cherished it is, whether all the
sympathles OF cur nature, and all the charities
OF our. life, are to be but the condition of 81
capricious compact which demoralized ban
ditti may dissolve, just as it suits their pleasure
or their appetite. Gentlemen, it las been
the lot Of my limited experience, 10 have
known something Of the few cases which have
been grasped by our enemies as the pretext
for our depreciation, and can safely say, that
there was scarcely one which, when compared
with this, did not sink into insgnifeance. They
had all some redeemng quality about them
some casual and momentary acquaintance
some tain of coniugal infidcty--some suspi-
cion OF conlugal onniyance--some unpre-
meditated lapse of some youthful impulse if
L
not to justify, at least to apologize, or TO pal
late. But, in the case before you, the friend
ship is not sudden, but hereditary; the sut-
tcrcr is altogether spotless the conniyance is
an unsuspecting hospitality; and so far from
having youth to mitigate, the criminal is on
the very verge OF existence forcing reluctant
nature into lust, by the mere dint of artificial
stnulants, and struggling to elicit oyless
flame from not even the enbers, but the ashes
of expiring sensuality. One circumstance
one solitary circumstance can find for conso
lation. and that is, no hireling deE,mcr can
make this the source Of accusation against our
country: an freshman indeed has been the
victim, and this land has beenthc scene of the
pollution, but here we stop: its perpetrators
thank Heaven, arc ofdistan! lineage the wind
of Ireland has not rocked Their infancy: they
have imported their crimes as an eXDcrimem
on Our people meant perhaps to try how far
vice may outrun ciyilization-how far cur ca
iumnators may hayc the attestation of Irish
fathers, and Of Irish husbands, TO the national
depravity: you will tell them they are fatally
mistaken; you will tell world incrcdulous
to our merits that the parents of Ireland love
their little childrcn-that her matron's smile
IS the chcCrtulncss of innocence-that her
doors are open TO every guest but inf:a,nv-
and that even in that fatal hour, when the
clouds collected and the tempest broke on u.s.
chastity outsprGad her spoilcss wings, and
gave the household virtues protcction,-
When name to you my unhappy client, |
name gentleman upon whom, here at least,
need pass DO eulogium. To me, Mr.. Fitz-
gerald is only known by his misfortuncs--to
you his birth, his boyhcct, ard Up 10 mans cs-
tate, his residence havemade him long familiar
This is his csvn, his natire land,' 81
And here, when assert him warm and
honorable-spiriteda and gentle-a man, gen.
tlenan, and a christians, if am wrong, can be
instantly contuted; but if am right, you will
give him the benefit of his virues-hc viii be
heard in this his trial hour with n commisera-
ting sympathy by that morality of whose cause
he is the advocate, and of whose enemy he is
the victim. A younger brother, the ample
estates of his family devolyed not upon him,
and he was obliged to look for competence to
the labors of profession. Unhappiy for him
he chose the ARMY say unhappily, because,
inspiring him with soldiers chlvaIrv, it Gre
ated a too generous credulity in the soldiers
honor. In the year 1871 he was qaartcred
with his regiment in the island of Jersey, and
there he met Miss Brcedone, the s;ster-in-law
of a brother officer, Major Mitchell of the
artillery, and married her. She was Of the
age Of fiftcen--he of four and twenty never
was there union Of more disinterested attach
ment. She had no fortune, and he very little,
independent Of his profession. Gladly, gen
tlemen, would pause hcre-gladly would |
turn from what Mrs. Fitzgerald is, to what she
then was but will not throw mournfpl in
terest around hep for well know, that in
despite Of all her errors, there is one amongst
us who, in his sorrows solitude, for many .
future year ofmisery, will turn to that darling
though deusire vision, till his tears Shut out
was lovely: but the light that gave the gem
its bpilliancy has vanished, Genuine lowell
ness consists in virtue-all else is flccting and
per6dious; it is as the orient dawn that ushers
in the tempest-it is as the green and fowery
turf, beneath which the earthquake su'nbers.
In few months my client introduced her to
his family, and here beneath the reof of his
sister, Mrs Kirwan, for some years they lived
most happily. You shall hear, as well from
the inmates AS from the habitual visitors, that
there never was fonder, more doting hus-
band, and that the affection appeared recipro-
cal, -Four infant babes, the Wretched orphans
of their living parents-doubly orphaned h. q
fathers sorrows and mothers sialnc--look-
ed up to them for protection. Poor little in
nocent unheeding children, alas! they dream