The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-11-18

he trusted, as no earthly Judge was in.
fallibie, that such Q stor,ling doctrine
would be reserved for consideration, so
that If it should be erroneous the error
might be repaired, or that il confirmed
it might become widely known, and put
upon their guard other men whose
lives and liberties might be endangered
by it. He was grateful to all who had
defended him, and also to The Judge for
his patient hearing.
I Meagher then stood forward. He
desired that the last act Of proceed.
ing which had occupied so much Of the
public time should be of short dura.
lion, and he had not the indicate wish
to close the dreary ceremony ofa state
prosecution with n vain display Of
words. Did he fear that his country
might think iii Of him hereafter, he
might desire at this solemn moment TO
vindicate his conduct; but he had no
such fear. His country would judge
him in different spirit from that in
which he had been convicted; his SEN
tence would be regarded only as an at
testa,ion Of his rectitude and truth, his
fate would meet with sympathy, and his
memory be honored. To the efforts
he had made in just and noble cause
he wished to attach no undue impor.
tance, bu, it would ever happen that
those who tried to serve their country,
no matter how weak their efforts might
have been, would be sure 10 receive the
thanks and blessings Of its people. He
fel, no animosity 10 those who had de.
cided agains, him-after the charge Of
tho Lord Chief Justice perhaps they
could have found no other verdict-but
he would osk his ordship to appeal,
when the passions and preJudices Of the
hour should have passed away, TO his
own console nee, and 10 satisfy hlunself
il il was such a charge as it should
have been, impartial and Indifferent be.
tween The subject and the crown. This
might sound unbecoming, but it was
the truth. He was not there to regret
anything he had ever done, to re.ract
anything he had ever spoken, or TO
crave with lying lips the life he conse.
Grated 10 tie liberties Of his country.
''Far from it," he continued. "Even
here, where the thief, the libertine and
the murderer have left their footprints
in the dus.-here, on this spot. where
the shadows Of death surround me, and
from which | see my early grave in an
soil is opened to receive
me-even here, encircled BY those ter.
rors, the hope which beckoned me on
10 embark upon the perilous sea upon
which | have been wrecked, still con.
soles, animates, enraptures mo. No, |
do not despair Of my poor old country.
do not despair Of her peace, her Iiber.
~, her glory. Fo. that country can
do no more than bid her hope. TO lift
up this isle, to make her benefactor to
humanity, instead Of being what she is,
The meanest beggar in the world--to
restore her ancient constitution and her
native powers this has been my am.
bi.ion, and this ambition has been my
crime. Judged by the law OF England.
| know that this crime entails upon me
the penalty of death, but the history Of
Ireland explains this crime and justi6es
it. Judged by that history am no
you (.urning and addressing
Mr.. McManus) are no criminal; you
turning again, TO Mr.. O'Donoghue, y
are no criminal; and we deserve no
punishment. Judged by that history,
the treason Of which l stand convicted
loses all guilt, has been sanctified as a
duty, and willie be ennotled as a sacri.
fee. Ma--.t .a. ..H. .
"Wi,h these sentiments await the
sentence Of the court, Having done
what | conceive to be my duty--hav-
ing spoken now, as | did on every oc.
casion during my short career, what J
felt to he the TRUTH bid farewell to
the country Of my birth, ofmy passion,
0! my death-the country whose mis-.
fortunes have invoked my sympa,hies,
whose factions | have sought to quell,
whose intellectI have promoted to loi-
ty aims, whose freedom has been my
fatal dream. To that country now
offer. as pledge of the love | bore
her, and u proof of the sincerity with
which ! thought, and spoke, and strug-
gled for her freedom, the life Of a young
heart, and with that life all the hopes,
the honors, the encearments Of happy
and an honorable home. Pronounce
then, my lords, the sentence the law
directs, and | shall be prepared to hear
it, trust shall be prepared to meet
its execution. hope shalt be able,
with light heart and clear con-