Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-11-30

serted SratultOuSIY.
All correspondence on business must he prepaid
ence TO prevent our being received into The houses
OF reputable persons, and 10 make Intercourse
with us damaging and disreputablc The COVER
nor has even complained, in published dispatehes,
of our being admitted TO decent society. And,
therefore, some colonlsts, who are sycopbants o.
Sir William Denison, deem il their duty. as loyal
subjects TO pretend TO regard as felons, stna
expostuaie with the honest people who refuse 10
make such pretence, and whose kind attentions
have been the chief alienation OF our misfortune.
do not pretend TO Judge of the duties OF Jallors,
nor TO decide whether Sir William Dcnison has exc
cuted his Office with good taste and good teehg-a
question which leave to be determined by jury
OF jaiors, and for the benefit Of persons following
that pursuit. But imagine, if you can. the daily
exasperaion of men whose footing IN society rests
on compassion, not right, and is liable to be ques,
toned and disputed al every turn BY the very ohai
of mankind, (for such are most Of the officials of
Van Dieman's LandD and what IS worst oil all,
disputed with impunity.
Enough You can well understand that five
years of such living death is as much as man can
well bear. But for the sanctimonious pretences
to cemency, made by the Queen of Englands
viceroy / would never have condescendcd To
describe the hardships of our captivity. Almost,
am ashamed 10 have done so, Do not regard II
in the light of complaint, or statement Of "griev-
ances"-God forbid! These things may be elem
ency or may be vengeance-in either case,
utterly despise and defy them.
But what wish you most clearly to understand
are the nature and requirements OF our obligation
by parole. Our promise is that we will not escape
while we retain the comparative liberty OF
ticket of leave. II is bargain revocabe by either
party at any time-that is TO say, the governor or
police magistrate can take away our comparative
liberty at any moment; and on our side, we can
revoke our parole by surrendering ourselves for
mally into custody; for the parole Of prisoner
cannot co-exist with personal custody for single
instant.
The meaning of our promise, then, is, that we
must NOT escape, if at all, out the personal Gus
tody Of the regular convict authorities.
The convict authority with whom we have to
deal as the police magistrate of the police district
assigned TO us for residence. He represents the
government here, has his police office in the town
ship, and his police barrack full Of armed consta-
bles, to enable him to enforce Jail discipline in his
division of the island-that is in his ward Of the
jail; and two years ago an official circular was
addressed to us, Martin and myself) acquainting
that if we went outside the bounds of our po-
lice district without leave, all the police magis-
trates and chief constabes had orders 10 arrest
us, and deal with us as with other prisoners. This
magistrate is also the person to whom we must
report ourselves once month; and when the
parole Of any of US has expired, and needs re-
newal, il is to him the renewed parole must be
given. If we revoke our parole, it is 10 him we
are TO surrender ourselves. When Mr.. Meagher
Withdrew his parole he sent notice of the fact to
the police magistrate of his district, who instantly
sent constables 10 arrest him. On a former oc-
casion, Mr. O'Donohoe went personally TO the
police magistrate, not at his Office, but to his pri-
vate house in the country, and not within Office
hours, but in the evenng-wthdrew his parole OH
the spot, and was on the spot taken into custody.
Moreover, on the 9th of January, 1851, ION some
newspaper paragraphs appearing with reference 10
us and our position,) Mr. Martin wrote both TO
Sir Vim. Denison and to Mr.. Tarieton, police
magistrate Of Boutwell,, letter containing these
words 81 will not revoke my parole without sur
rendering myself to the police magistrate of my
district"
mention these precedents TO show you that il
is with the police magistrate Of Bothwell we have
10 deal sa % s aIt
At each police Office the force consists of the po-
lice magistrate himself the police clerk. the chief
constable ofthe district and his clerk, (also con
stabe,) and about eight or ten other constables,
armed habitnally with batons only but having mus
kets and bayonets in their Office or barrack Both
well is near the centre Of the island, and between
il and any accessible part of the coast lie two o.
three successive cordons of police stations.
Now, mean to walk into the Boutwell, police
office in the day time, within business hours there
TO revoke my parole formally, and offer nryselfto
be taken into custody, and Immediately after To
break away if can, take 10 the woods and fly.
The game, indeed, is neckor-nohng. | may be
killed in the attempt, or intercepted at the coast
before can get on board any vessel. Every nerve
will be strained in the pursuit, and IL unfortunate
ly, ! shall be taken alive, woe 10 my heart
Possibly might, III general estimation. satisfy
the terms of my parole somewhat more ensiIy- for
instance, by getting myself arrested by the convict
authorities no matter under what prctcyt or at
what hour or place.. most convenient 10 myself
and then rescuing purchasing myself out ofthcir
hands !; for custody and parole Incompatible;
and | anu sure we should be held justified ~ Civ
ing the narroweSt and most literal construction 70
our promise, under snch circumstances. bGt 4
choose the more formal method. | au not a good
casust, and prefer making the scoundrels pre-
sent of something over and above what ! am
bound to.
All has been said. If succeed in this enter-
prise YOU will soon see one other hunted fugitive
seeking refuge from tyrants al the ever open sane
tuary door of your grand repubhc--mighiy nurs
ing mother of Liberty and Justice, cradle of Gods
evangcsls OF vengeance, Ii fail--iareweI'
will not here enter into the private consdera
tions which render il impossible for me TO think
of allowing my family to make their home here for
nine years TO come Long since have seen that
il was unjust and selfish TO permit them 10 come
hitber at all. Even for free settlers this country
is bad-the worst on EARTH but for prisoners and
their families it is anathefna. Think, my dear
friend, Of child Of mine being christened, mar
red, buried, here--here in these kingdoms of Dis,
and under the poisonous shadow Of the British
flag Imagine how our bones would rest in
of these devils acres they name churchyards!
One thing still have TO say, and emphatcally
man has no right 10 evade or escape the pen
aes Of his crimes awarded by the laws OF his
country Herein fully agree, always have
agreed, with the friend OF Critic" Delade--Pos
gar ou; Panu men oun-Delade, Delade.n And
if the visible presence ofmy countrys sacred laws
could stand before me now, as of old il stood and
reasoned with the Athenean, | should not know
what TO answer. But in exact proportion TO
my reverence for law aud right, is my abhor-
renee and scorn of sham law--of wrong and
outrage done under the false pretence of law.
The laws of our country one thing-the fraud
uent perversion of the very idea oflaw and right
by foreign enemy of our country, is another
thing / have never acknowledged that Ireland
is governed by British law--ony that Irishmen
are plundered and murdered under the forms of
III and, for my own part, was banished and
ruined without so much as the form OF that false
law.
And now, Reilly, before committing mysely to
the hazards of this enterprise, in which undoubt
edy may lose my life, | charge you TO make
known TO my countrymen that with my latest
breath | have denied and de6ed British law,
!, Tatrx Mir