Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-08-20
THE IRISH ExILES.

The following extract from letter dated
Van Dleman's Land, "St. Patrick's day
1851, us from the pen ofJNo MITCHELL, one
of.the Irish exiles. There is spirit OF Irish
humor, and rollicking, dont-care independ-
ence breathed Throughout the paper, that
renders it specially interesting, lndepend-
emit OF its connection with men whose mis-
fortunes have ever excited sympathy and
touched the heart. We infer from the de-
scription given that their condition is COM
fortable-much more SO than we had sup
posed. 1t will be noticed, however, that
the language of the exile's heart is erin
mavourneen, Erin go bragh." The feeling
of Punishment casts shadow over every
bright spot and mars every enjoyment of a
life that might otherwise be comfortable and
happy: ~
You have hesrj am sure. of oufwayof life
here through 5he friends OF O'Nleagher, Martin,
&c, for they kept perpe,ualy writing letters. So
need hardlysindulge in descriptions. Yettlere's
one tableau for you. Imagine Martin and me, af-
Ter glorious ride of twenty miles through noble
old woods, lying on the bank Of fine lake, deep
in the central mountains. 1t is monday, and SD
calm, the water is hardly ripping on the pebbles;
and tue wooded banks and pronontorIes, and the
endless wilderness Of bush stretching away through
the smoky district TO the blue peaks OF The north
west, are all sleeping in the sun, and balhed and
beaming in an atmosphere Of gold and purple. A
boat nears US slowly by help Of both sail and oars
sunburnt man, ia a sailors jacket, stands IN the
stern sheets, holding the tier; by his side, on
crimson cushions, siisHay fair and graceful girl. The
sunbnrnt fellow is O,hieagher, and that lady, so
fair and graceful, is-who do you think Why
Mrs. CMeagher, you dog. Martin and spring
INTO the boat, do oar greetings, put The boats head
abosty set the sail for breeze has sprung up, and
skim along under tri-color flag(you know O'Mea-
CHER is great in flags ill we open qniet bay, at
The head Of which bay, nesting under the shelter
Of an untamable forest, stands pretty cottage,
with vefandah and gum tree jetty stretching
into the water. We step ashore, and are welcum
ed into our friends newly built house by his newly
welded wife. They have elegant little rooms,
books, horses boats-why, it is almost like tiUng.
usually feel our condition here 10 he kind OF syn
cope, or trance, our movements 10 be sOmnambula-
WY nuu Jul anu w oO SS"
mems dreams; but this is absolutely kind Of qua
81 life.
Until lately we used TO be perpetualy going 10
The lakes-that is, Marin, O'Doherty, O'Nlea-
CHER, and land we had pleasant enough time
oft but fear that is almost over now. Sir Will
liam Dennison will probably be provoked into en-
forcing his regulations, and then, suppose, we
must be content with our bounds.
Are you tired ?-or will you take another tab
leaus cayacade has been organized to go aud
see the Ouse River, a fine, clear, full, whirllng,
rushing, deep eddying stream, as large as the Erne
or Boyne, and we are returning by moonlight, ca
reering through The lonely wOods Fighting the
five wits out of the opussums that Chamber in
great hurry to the very opsuf the trees, as we go
lhundering9along- all the ladies ride like de-
MONS We dismoun, al hospitable house. There
is good wood fire, lively tea table, piano, and
among the songs that vile away the evening" we
are always sure to hear the "Stan Van pocht,"
or "'rhe Wearing Of the Green" or the like.---
The good souls do this TO please the exlles, and
Martin and | ride home TO our little cottage, as
nearly contented as il is possible for banlshed men
to be.
For, after all, you know the case is bad-much
worse than death and all Irish movements at pres
ent are Thing to CRASH the teeth over, II that
we've any comfort. Yet l. duly prepending all
these things, have resolved not to gnash my teeth,
but 10 make the best Of this affair, 10 take care Of
nv health (which is better than it has been for ten
wears bsfore my kdnappjng,) to read, to ride, TO
smoke, yea, to drink, and III all ways to enjoy my
death ia life, in defiance ofthe very devil. ii will
be over some day. shall yet revisit the breath
ing world, through the horn gate-that is, round
Cape Horn-and then-ln the mean time expect
Mrs Mitchell and the children out hore very sIorl
In fact they may arrive at any tide, ard then
mean to farm and feed sheep, like an Arcadian
swain or Australian squatter, and teach the boys
whatever know-make them good horse-men,
and bring them up in the love and fear of the Brit
ish Constitution. Gray, do you remember the Of
fer you made me as stood in the dock waiting for
nv sentence2 you forgot it, do not, and, my
dear fellow, never will. MIR. O'Brien is now
living in district near Launceston, in the north
of the Island. have never seen him since my kid
mapping, but have had several letters from him.
When he was about TO remove from New Nor
folk to his new abode, he wrote TO TO say that,
Boutwell, being directly in his way, he would spend
day with us, ride up with US 10 the lakes the
next day, (that being also in his Way spend an
other day there, and 90 forward with O'hleagher,
on his journey to Campbetown. You must know
il is usual 10 let the common prisoners when they
have pass TO 90 from one district 10 another, take
their own route, and remain days on the way. and
McManus, when he had a similar journey to>make
some months ago, did the very same thing which
O'Brien proposed 10 do Well, it came TO the
Governors ears that he expected the pleasure of
this visit so he made haste 10 get written order
dispatched TO Q'Brien, requiring him 10 take his
destin alton "by way of Brldgewaier and the mail
coach road, and not to loiter an the aoay" For you
know il three rebels should get together they might
plot mischief and danger might arise TO the British
Constitution. Three rebels Why, it is the pre-
else number that makes riot Wherefore Sir
William acted with prudence as well as magma
nimity.
sat down merely TO ask an editorial favor of
you, and here have written you ling rigmarole
If you like to print any of it, or all of it, do so out
at any rate do the main thing for US; dun let those
Internal English papers get up cry Of "breech of
parole" gainst US. They have beaten us-could
they not now let as alone.
remain, my dear Gray,
Very truly yours,
JOHN MITCHELL.
P.S. bethink me THAI ought 10 tell you how
it fell out that McManus found himself at liberty
TO make his escape. OF course when the Governor
took him into custody, and revoked his ticket of
leave" his parole was al an end, and it would re-
quire a,hew ticket of leave and new promise 10 re-
vive it. In O'Doher,y's case, after his months
hard labor, his ticket Of leave was restored, and
new parole required Of him. Not so McSlanus; he
was not set at liberty again by the Governor, but
in spite of the Governor, by The intervention Of the
Supreme Court And far from giving him back
4 -