The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-12-25


out, the members drew lots, but more gene
rally tossed up ior her, and Immediately
measures were taken to secure her for the
fortunate man by all the rest. No class Of
society was exempt from their visits; and
opulent farmers, as well az the gentry, were
subject TO these engagements Of the clubs,
according to their rank in life. The per-
sons who were most usually concerned in
such clubs were class Of men Astounding
in Ireland called "squireens. They were
the younger sons or connexions Of respect
able families, having little on no pauimony Of
their own, but who scorn TO demean them
selves by any useful or profitable pursuit
They are described by Arthur Young and
other writers of the day as distinguished in
fairs and markets, races and assizes, by APP
pearing in red waiscoats, lined with narrow
lace or fur, tight leathern breeches, and top
boots, riding ga bit Of BLOOD lent or given
them from the stables Of their opulent con-
nexions.' One Of the most distressing cases
of abduction by this class Of men was one
perpeuated in 1779, on two very young Ia
dies, Catharine and Anne Kennedy. These
unfortunate girls We're stolen away at ball,
by two gentlemen under circumstances Of
great depravity and cruelty. Forcibly de-
tanned and bound on horseback, the two
helpless young women were dragged from
place to place for period of five weeks.
Ultimately they were rescued by friends,
and the two abductors escaped to Wales.
There, however, they were seized, brought
to Ireland, tried, and condemned to death for
the crime. As they had high connexions,
it was supposed the sentence would never
be executed. Powerful intercession was
made in their behall--'But Scott, afterwards
Lord Clonmel, was then attorney general,
and conducted the prosecution. He openly
declared in court, that if this abduction was
suffered to pass with impunity, there would
be no safety for any girl, anc no protection
for the domestic peace and happiness Of any
family; and he called upon the government
to carry out the sentence. His remonstrance
was attended to, and the unfortunate gentle
men were hanged, TO the great astonishment
of their numerous friends and admirers So
strong and general was the excitement
among the peassnIy, that a rescue was
greatly feared, and an extraordinarily large
force of horse and foot was ordered to attend
their execution; and such was the deep SYM
patty for their fate, that all the shops were
shut up, and all business suspended in Kill
kenny and the neighboring towns This
sympathy with a couple Of miscreants did
not cease with their death. Instead of pity
ing the poor girls on whom bsrbarous
outrage had been committed, the people
looked on them as the true offenders, and
prosecuted them with unrelenting virulence.
1t is no doubt this singular illogicality Of the
Irish mind which sustains the impression,
that the people are radically incurable in
their condition.
Passing over several chapters, we come to
Prison Usages, in which is presented a
melancholy yet l1dicrous picture of Irish
prisons and their inmates sixty years since.
The most shocking exhibition of the utter
laxity Of all discipline and want of decency
was exhibited in tie manner in which con-
demned capital convicts were allowed to
pass their last hours. When so many pet
" offences were punishable with death, and
commitment on suspicion was so often but
the stepping-stone to the gallows, it was
natural that, to the unfortunate lelons them
selves, an execution should be stripped Of all
the salutary tenors in which alone the utili-
ty Of capital punishment consists, and
should be by them regarded as an ordinary
misfortune in the course Of life. The nu-
merous instances recorded of the utter levi
ty and recklessness exhibited by convicts,
on the very verge o. eternity, clearly show
this to have been so, not merely in Ireland,
bu. in the sister kingdom. The practice of
prisoners selling their bodies to surgeons, to
be diSSected after their execution, was COM
mon, we believe, to both countries; and the
snecdote OF the felon who took the money,
and then told the surgeon, laughing, that sit
was a bite, for he was to be hung in chains,
we believe we can hardly claim as Irish
wit But there was one trait, evincing a
similar careless indifference, which was Pc
culiarly Irish. The collins Of condemned
malefac.ors were usually sent to them, tina.
the sight might suggest the Immediate pros
pect OF death, and excite corresponding feel
ngs of solemn reflection and preparation
for the awful event. From motives Of hui
mainly, the friends of the condemned were
also allowed free intercourse with him du
ring the brief space preceding his execution.
The result was, that the coffin was convert
ed to a use widely different from that nten.
ded 1t was employed as card-table, and
the condemned wretch spent his last night
in this world gambling on it, Our won
der at such scenes is lessened when we are
told that at that period the schoOl-books in
ordinary use consisted Of stories Of robbers,
murderers, and clever TapParees. The &C
tons of lawless lelol,s were held up as OBJ
iects Of interest and imitation; all sense OF
right and wrong was Systematically con-
founded. What a change for the better in
the present National School system of Ire
land
We draw cur notice of this interesting
volume to a conclusion, by citing one more
anecdote illustrative Of past times. 1t re-
lates to the habits Of intemperance which
universally prevailed. An elderly clergy
man Of our acquaintance, on leaving home
to enter college, stopped on his way at the
hospitable mansion Of friend OF his father
for a few days. The whole time he was
engaged with drinking parties every night,
and assiduously piled with bumpers, ill he
sunk under the table. In the morning, he
was of course deadly sick. but his host pre-