The Irish standard., 1899-02-11
BEFORE A JURY OF ORANGEMEN
Eloquence and Logic Produces No
Effect Upon Them.
CONVICTED AND IMPRISONED.
House of Lords Set Aside Their
Unjust Verdict.

All previous efforts In favor Of repeal
were thrown into the shade in 1S43,
ing parliament and devoted himself to
promoting a series of monster gather
ings in different parts of the country.
From the 'Tuam meetings in March, to
that ut Tara in August, there were 80
vast demonstrations. Forty-eisht
thousand four hundred and tyu J. N.one
pounds were subscribed during the year,
and O'Connell expressed himself conf
dent of gaining repeal within a short
time, says the Irish World.
On Sunday, Oct. s, 1913, this series of
meetings was to have been crowned by
one at Clontarf, which, owing to the
proximity Of Dublin, was expected to
surpass all the others in magnitude and
importance. but on the evening of the
7th n government proclamation was Is
sued forbldding the gathering. In order
to prevent any disturbance or any colli-
sion with the armed forces of the gov
ernment O'Connell promptly dispatched
messengers in all directions to tell the
people to remain at home and make no
attempt to assemble. On Oct. IA. WAR;
rants were Issued for the arrest of Dam
iel O'Conncll and others "for dcVising
to raise and create discontcnt and dis
affection among the queens subjects"
Indignant protests against the action OF
the government came from all quarters.
On Nov. s true bills were found by
the grand jury, and after various de-
lays the trnvcrscrs were put upon their
trial at the court of queens bench, Dub
lin, on Jan. lG, 1874
There were II counts in the long In
dictmcnts. The charges varied against
each iravcrscr. Uttcrancc3 at public
meetings formed the principal evidence
upon which the government relied. 1t is
needless to say that there was not
single Catholic on the jury. O'Connell
was escorted to the court by large
crowds. and in almost regal state, ac-
compnnicd by the lord mayor and tho
Catholic aldermen in their robes The
defense of tho accused was conducted by
the ablcst lawyers ever engaged In any
cause, either in Ireland OF England.
Resides OConnell and his son. who ap-
poarcd for themselves. there were II of
the most eminent counsel of the time,
among whom were the famous Richard
Lalor Shlcl, and Thomas O'liagan, who
years aftrrwnrd became lord chancellor
Of Ircland--the first Catholic who was
permitted to hold that Office since the
perIidious violation OF the treaty Of
Limerick. The closing speech for the
defense was made by O'Connell, and
was one of the most mastcrful efforts.
Among other things he said:
81 do not stand here my own client. l
have clients OF infinitely more import
nncc My clients in this case are tho
Irish peoplc-my client is Ireland and
| stand here the advocate of the rights
and liberties of constitutional privl-
lcges of the people. My only anxiety is
lest their sacred cause heir rights to
Independent cgislation-:honld be in
the slightest degree ,arnished or
impedrd by anything in which l have
been tho instrument. am conscious Of
the integrity Of my purpose; ! am con-
scious of the purity of my motives; 1
am CONSCIOUS of The inesiinable value
OF the object | had in vicw-the repeal
of the Union. ] own to you I cannot
endure that union: it was founded upon
the SrOsscst injustice; IL was based up
on the grossest insult-thc intolerance
of Irish prosperity.
From the day first entered the
arena of politics until the present hour,
! have never neglected All opportunity
of lmpresslng upon the minds Of my fel-
low cOlntrymcn the fact that l was an
apostle of that political sect who held
that liberty was only to be attained
under such agencies az were strictly
consistent with the law and the constt-
tution-that freedom was to be attained
not by the effusion of human blood, but
by the constitutional combination of
good and wise men-by perseverance IN
the course OF tranquility and good order,
and by an utter adherence of violence
and blOodshcd 1t is my proudest boast
that throughout long and eventful
life l have faithfully devoted myself to
the PRONUNCIATION Of that principle, and
without vanity, I can assert that I
am tho first public man who ever pro-
claimed 1t. Other politicians have said.
Win your liberties by peaceful means,
If you can but there always was q
dernicre pcnsee in this sdmonition. and
they always had in contemplation an
appeal to physical force, in case OTHER