The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-10-30
THINGS IN IRELAND.

Rcsses-DoJbyn tie Iuformsr-C Conduct of Mr. O'Brien
State of the South, DC. &c.
DUBLIN. October 4, IS48.-On Thursday last.
September 2Sth, Mr.. O'Brien's trial commenced,
and on Yesterday, October g. the for the Crown
closed To-day will be taken up with Mr.. White
sides speech; then the witnesses for the defence
have TO be examined, and the second counsel, Mr..
Fitzgerald has the right of reply to the Solicitor
Generals observations. So that, in all probability,
the trial will not be concluded until the end of the
week Before that time, it is expected that some
startling disclosures will have been made-some
facts brought TO light that will make the govern
meHt sorrow for having Instituted this prosecution.
1t is said that letters in existence and must be
produced, which will prove that the Whiggish h0r-
rOr Of physical force a means of cOercing I'M
willing Sovereign and a stubborn Ministry into
compliance, is as recent as, have no doubt, it is
real. To prove the mushroom growth of their reve-
renee for the Constitution, Lord John Russell was
summoned but it is believed his evidence will not
be required, the facts sought for can be proved
by more direct and conclusive testimony.
Among the witnesses examined, were several
members of the COnstabuaTy, and many Of the pea
santry and farmers residing near BallngarTy and
kienaule. The officer commanding the troop of
Hussars that was stopped by barricade in Killen-
aule, and TWO privates, We're examined, and an IN
fOrmer-such a one as CuTran has damned to
everlasting fame" in his scathing descriptions
named DObbyn This wretch, it appears, Vas
COnfederaie-a Clubman-a member of the Red
Hand Club-and as such had opportunities of see
ing and hearing MIR. o BTien, and of knowing what
was passing among the leaders. According TO his
own acknowledgement, he entered the Confedera-
ton in order to betray, or, he expressed 1t, to
counter-plOt- He gave particular account of
meeting held after Mr.. Duffys arrest, TO fix time
for the intended outbreak he gave the sentiments
and in some instances, the language used by the
speakers Some were for an immediate rising,
others for deferring it until the harvest secured,
and arms and ammunition provided in sufficient
quantities. Mr.. Brennan, of The FelOn, was oppO-
sed to all delay, and observed, in reference to the
motion for pOstpOnement, " that they would wait
until rifles were made in Heaven, and they had
angels 10 pull the triggers. At this meeting there
was an Executive Council of Five elected Mea-
gher Dillon, DOheny, Devn Reilly and O'GOman.
Smith O'Bren was not on the Council, as 1t was
thought he could be more usefuy employed stirring
up and organizing the country Such was the sub
stance of his evidence, which he gave with the
greatest hardhOOd and effrontery, yet he could not
look Mr. O'Brien in the face. This Red-Hand
Club never heard of before: it was not ON the
muster-rOll of the Clubs its members were not
marshalled along with the other Clubmen nor
were its proceedings chronicled in The Nation, or
anv other Confederate papers, Its existence rests on
his credibiity, and on the evidence of two Police
men, who swore that Clubroom having that
name. and the representation of a hand stamped on
the window blinds, was established last July IN
Constitution Hill, near the outskirts of Dublin.
not rank with the rest of the Clubs; that its
bers were not called over by Mr. O'Brien when he
reviewed the others, to ascertain the numerical
strength of the Dublin Clubs, IA most unlikely
thing and he accounted for it by saying that it
only a branch Club. Two ofthe witnesses refused
to be sworn one farmer, named O'DOnnell, who
said he would never return to his family infOr-
mer that his brother was mixed up with the bust
ness that they might take him out and put twenty
bullets through him. but they would never get any
thing out of him. The other was young peasant,
named Shea, apparently in great destitutiOn-his
clothes in rags and his face betokening hunger
When the book was handed to him he refused 1t,
and exclaimed, he " would MT swear against such
a gentleman, he would MT be gOr." The Court
explained to them that they subjected themselves to
imprisonment for contempt, but they persisted IN
their determination, and were placed In custody
Let us not depreciate the conduct of the peasant
and saw as have heard some say, he did what was
right-Vhat else would he do If we all did what
was right, there would be nothing left to wish for
True, in any case of temptation, " we know not
what's resisted but in this we can give a close
guess hunger and thirst, and g wandering ungar-
menled and all the sufferings that follow IN their
train might have been removed had he been COM
plant for the Government would go any length to
procure conviction but he dlsregarded all. And
we are not to suppose he was required to swear
falsely but merely to identify Mr.. O'Brien. Capt.
Marrvat says in some of his works, that the rich
little suspect the volcano they tread on when the
poor suffer; that he knows from experience that
murder is a slight thing to man suffering from
hunger-real hunger. This may enable us TO form
a truer estimate of the virtue of the Irish peasant
Rumors were floating about these weeks past
gaining strength and credbiity each day, as TO the
| persons who were to give evidence for the Crown:
Mr. HalDin Secretary TO the Confederation, and
| Mr.. p j. Barry, trusted member OF the Council
and Vice President of Mitcels Club, 1.-THE St Pat
rick's) were spoken of openly. twas cOntradicted
1 a., IS both sysutlameu Rut the rpDOTt
| was only circulated with more industry, and be-
lieyed until the closing of the for the Crown
| proved how unfOunded were these rumOrs. Not
! one member of the Confederation appeared, II we
except Dobbyn, whom hope and believe never
belonged to the Society. OfcOurse these rumors OF
treachery originated with the Castle people They
| might have answered two purposes-kept the prl-
soners counsel in doubt to the precise nature and
extent of the evidence to be given to the jury, and
| acted as a decOV. We need not wonder at Barry
| and Halpin having been illuminated, when Chas.
| (iavan Duffy did not escape. 1t was asserted as
positive fact that his solicitor conveyed to the gov
| eminent Mr. Duffy's intention TO plead guilty, and
| throwing himself on their mercy. Mr.. Duffy heard
of it in his prison. and, breaking through the prison
rules addressed letter to the Freeman, in which
he denounced 1t as " lie so gross and SO extrava'
| CANT that he was ashamed TO contradict II.
| During the trial a letter read from Mr.. Mea-
! CHER TO Smith O'Brien, in which he announced his
| intention of going to New York on the following
Saturday, collect money, TO solicit sympathy, and
| to amuse HIMSELF Dir. Duffys letter
was likewise read. II encouraged Mr.. O'Brien Il
proceed to take his place at the head of the move
ment. and to maintain and to carry out his OWL
| views without too much Difference to the opinion:
of others On the whole, however, the evidence
was favorable, if we except Dobbyn, who has beer
suffered to corrupt and then dug up witness
"and some policemen of Trant's party, who sEort
that Mr.. O'Brien commanded the peasantry to slash
away and slaughter every man of them, meaning
the Constabulary entrenched in Mrs. Cormack $
The greater number distinctly swore that the risis
was TO preventive arrest of Mr. O'Bren
And now few words about Mr.. OBrlen nun nun
self His bearing through the entire proceeding
has elected admiring sympathy from ALL ne = >
cheerful and self-colected, without any ahecldiiOl
of indifference-so firm, without any appearance 0
brayado-so determined to meet his fate IN a man
ner. whatever, it may be, worthy OF his name an,
character that his fercest opponents almost wls
that he NAV escape While the Judges were absen
tsEing refTesbmenis Yesterday, splendid bOque
was thrown into the dock from the gallery apprc