Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-08-05
Trial of the Fenians.
THEY PLEAD GUILTY AND ARE SEN
TENCED.

. FENCED.
Gen. O'Neil, Col. John III. Brown, ant
Capt. John j. Monaban, were arralnge'
in the U. S. Court at Windsor, last weel
and each plead guilty, to violation o
the neutrality laws, and the Court pro
ceeded to pass sentence upon each, max
idg them as light as the circumstance
would allow.
GEN. o'NEIL's SPEECH.
Having been asked the usual question
by the Court, if he had anything to say
why sentence should not be passed upor
him, Gen. O'Neil rose and said
al feel that am occupying a very awk
ward position as man who loves and
reveres the laws Of the land, and as man
| who had fought and bled for those laws
1t was an awkward position because he
was charged with violation Of those
laws.
As soldier / have honestly and faith
fully endeavored to perpetuate them.
He then gave somewhat detailed ac-
count of his army record, that he enter
ed the army in 1857, aud rose from pri-
vate to captain, and was offered colon
elcy, but declined on account of wounds
which disqualified him from active SER
vices in the field"
Gle then read letters from Gen. Stone
man, Gen. Judah, and Gen. Sturgis, all
speaking very highly of his ability as q
soldier and meritorious oficer.)
Hesummed up by saying Although
| have violated the laws of my country,
love them, and was ready and did offer
myself to die for them
He then gave as his reason for the late
raid the oppression which his people had
received from the hands of British tyr
amy, and that ne felt that a blow struck
against Canada was for the pupose OF
hauling down the British flag, which
every Irishman always desired to do. 1t
was not against the people of Canada, or
even the English people, but the English
government they were fighting against
He said may have been imprudent
out could not and will not forget the
land of my birth, however much l may
love my adopted country, and that ex-
cept in this instance and perhaps one
other, | have always been good citizen
of America. He thon spoke of the love
of the Irish people for America, and the
Irish Parliament refusing to vote a sin
gle man or a single dollar to put down
the revolution, and extended their sym
pathies to Geo. Washington and his CO
patriots, and if Washington had failec
he would of been a rebel. He closed by
saying he saw the utter folly of future
raids upon Canada, and would now use
his influence against any future demon
STATIONS in that direction.
For the report Of the above speech we
are indebted to the Rutland Herald
Judge Woodruff, said it was an unpleas
ant duty, and pain to pass sentence un
der such circumstances, but the prisoner
had himself plead guilty, and there was
no other way for the Court but to pro
nounce sentence, which was that he be sen.
fenced to prison in Windsor, for two
years and pay a fine of ten dellars.
Col. Brown, being asked the same
question, responded in few remarks as
to his services in the Union Army. He
said he did not 60 to the frontier to take
part in the raid for he disapproved o.
that, but went there as spectator anc
while there he yielded to the temptation
offered by Gen. O'Neil, to command the
advance guard.
He was then sentenced to nine month
Imprisonment and fine of FIVE dollars.
Capt. Monahan was sentenced to si1
months imprisonment and one dollar
fine.
The Herald reporter says that aftel
the Court adjourned the Bar started :
subscription for the benefit of Gen
ONeiPs family. A large amount wa
raised, Hon. VIM. M. Evarts headins
the list with $50.
INCIDENTS.
| During the speech of Gen. O'Neil ant
Col. Brown, deathly silence prevailed
and every word was listened to with re
spect, and several bursts of patriotic elo
quence are indiscribable, they spoke witt
great deal of feeling and we saw tear
in the eyes of the greater portion of tn,
crowded Court room, they were both fin,