The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-06-14
AUSTRALASIA
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Execution of the Fenian
O'Farrel.
Dying Words of Prince Alfred'S
Assassin.
Departure of the Prince for
England.
Propagation of the New South Wales
Parliament.
AGRICULTURE AND TRADE.

loss among the live stock. After this
the weather became more moderate. Southerly
winds prevailed for the next four days, grad
ualy veering to the westward. Passed Easter
Island the 22d May, at three p NJ, blowing at the
time strong breeze with a heavy sea. From this
date until arrival had light favorable winds with
frequent heavy showers Of rain. Passed Malpelo
Island on the 1st June, at half-past seven p. M At
noon of the I'd exchanged coors with French ves-
selofwar in latitude six degrees thirty five minutes
north, longitude eighty degrees twenty-five minutes
west, steering to the southwark. The Mataura thus
made the voyage in e24 hours; the fastest yet rum
being sixteen hours under contract time. The Ma
laura brought forty passengers.
Purser Wheeler, OF the Mataura, promptly landed
the correspondence and files Of the HERALD for trans
mission to New York. where they arrived yesterday
evening.
Execution Of O'Farrell, the Fenian AssaiIant
Of the Duke Of Acknowledgement En-
deavors Of the Prince TO Obtain Reprieve-
Dcmeanor Of O'Farrell ON tho ScaHold-
His Last Statement.
SYDNEY, N. s. W., April 80, 1858.
The two great events Of interest during the past
month have been the departure of the Prince and the
execution Of his would-be assassin, the Fenian,
Henry James OFarrerl. The full particulars OF the
attack upon the Duke Of Edinburg and the trial OF
OFarreil have already appeared In the HERALD, and
the details OF the last In this melancholy his
torcal drama will doubtless not be devoid OF in
terest.
Until after the execution Of O'Farrel had actually
taken place, great portion OF the Australian COM
munity was extremely sceptical In reference to the
official statements that his life would certainly be
exacted and that the ulpenalty of the law would be
visited upon HIM. Such severity, in such case they
argued was directly opposed to the traditional policy
OF the reigning English family The Queen had been
attacked on several occasions but her assaants had
been invariably permitted to escape with imprson.
ment for life In the present case, too, there had
been offered o considerable amount Of testimony,
showing clearly that while it doubtful whether
the prisoner at the time Of the commission
OF the crime with which he was charged was so in.
to be absolutely unconscious of the distinc
ton between right and wrong, yet still his mind had
certainly been somewhat unhinged by misfortune,
disappointment and excess. Anc then the petition
man 70 the Governor a few days subsequent to the
trial, set forth with great cearness the impocy Of
showing that he had undoubtedly persuaded
himself into the belief that the act he
had ,s attempted was ustabs i argued
been commissioned by a secret society to murder
the Prince were improbable and were wholly unsup-
ported by any evidence produced in court BY exc
cutting him the government would undoubtedly act
as If they credited the story; the Fenian organiZa-
ton would then claim him as a martyr to their
cause and the deed for attempting which he died
would be defended by Fenians as an act OF po-
ltical justice thus stimulating Others, as fanat-
fcal and misguided a. her brother, to endeavor
TO consummate the crime which he had
fortunately failed to perpetrate. Bat on the other
an were h @ha pr9oi had
having been lnstgated by the Fenian society," 1t
would most likely appear that he had acted solely on
his own responsibility, in which the evidence OF
insanity would acquire new force and weight and
Communication Of his sentence be rendered possible.
This Is summary Of the lengthy petition presented
though perhaps, the argument in the original Is set
forth In q form less offensive to the government.
II is undoubted that before leaving the colony the
Prince made an effort to obtain reprieve for 0'Far
rell until definite Instructions to executing him
could be received from England, and on the day he
set sail in the Galatea he addressed letter to the
Governor recommending that this should be the
course adopted. The Colonial Secretary OF state
however, stood nrm 10 his expressed resolution that
O'Farrel should be hanged-a fact somewhat singu-
lar when 1t Is remembered that this gen.
tlcman. Mr. Henry Parkes, before he emigrated to
New South Wales was himself chartist although
his disloyalty never attained a more active form
than verbal abuse Of the ruling classes" One
would have thought that he would have cherished
still some small amount Of kindness for ''rebcls.r
Even on the morning OF the execution there were
sui a great many people who doubted whether IL
would take place, asserting that the government
would withhold the reIrieye until the last moment,
IN thc hope that O'Farrell would make q full
During the time that elapsed between his sentence
ana the GATE OF his execution 0Farrel preserved
unchanged the same calm and composed demeanor
which mad characterized him at his trial. He occu-
pied himself sedulousis In preparing for his coming
late, applying himself with extreme diligence To the
performance of his religious duties under the direc
ton Of the Rev. Father Dwyer. lie was visited
several times by his sister, but never allowed him
self to deyiate from the hrmness which he through
Out manifested. The Colonial Secretary also visited
him once or twice, but nothing any gree. interest
or importance transpired during these interviews
A few days before the execution a travelling mes.
merest and phrenologst obtained pass from the
government to see him and report upon his cranologi
cal developments. 0'Farre, according the account
given OF the conversation which took place on this
occasion by the professor Of the occult sciences
talked with extreme nuency and readiness upon any
subject brought up and displayed unusual powers o
wit and sarcasm In their treatment. The bumpo
logical character OF Ofarre as published by Tn
professor, is exactly what any one unacquainte
guessed him 10 be possessed Of man OF grea
resolution with supreme indifference 10 the opinion
OF his feow-men, naturally extremely sensitive I
wrongs or insults, Of great "hxityn OF purpose,
considerable mental ability, but with yer
i%p ca balanced doud
analysis OF O'farrell's character produce
by the professor. The government have been 9
verely censured In the Assemby.for allowing tn
mesmerist thus ~ trine away the last hours OF tn
prisoner, aud have made wy lame and imp0teI
explanation. on the morning Of the 2lst the da
his usual hour, breakfasted, and then employed hin
self In attending to the minstratlons Of Fathe
Dwyer. A short time before the time for his sentenC
20 be carried out he made the customary expressio
OF thanks to his aiors for their Kindness and stteI
NOn during MS imprisonment
The execution, after the custom OF New SOut
wales which In this respect differs from the pra,
tce OF the old country, was nearly private and too
place ia the courtyard OF Darlinghurst jail. Onl
about hundred and dfty perso9s consisting chien
OF members Of Parliament, the Mayor and Alderme
OF sydney and members OF the press were presen
outside the precincts OF the prison, however, wei
Gathered the usual execution crowd, who althoue
thew could see nothing waited patiently at the gate
OF the jail in order to hear q, the e. Garlic
xswtnoin0 OF - of the unfortunate pri
oner. Ire last stroke OF nine had scarce
struck when O'FarreIl, the reverend father In 3
whom there were two) slowly emerged from the Ct
80 ,o~ar IN which men condemned TO dea