Hertford, Saturday, March...
The Times, 1824-03-08T00:00:00

Ji.- Illl'gaEt"a' 'past 1OCtcttock, J.r. Justsce UEST took lhis ieat In the Crown Court, when 1'a&rick Contclly aind Hug/s Atoran, convicted yesterday of manslaughter, were put to the bar. Mlr. Justice BEST then proceeded to deliver the judgment of the Court --With respect to you, Huigh Mtoran, there is no doubt but you acted and teok a share in this nefarious transaction, from a mis- taken ser,sc of the duty you owed to your master; but I trust the sentence the Court is nowabout to pronouncc on vota, will be a warn- ing to every person who fills a sitmilar situation, that while they are bound by a moral tie to yield implicit obedience to all lawful commands givert by their employers, they are not to obey unreasonable and unjust mandates.-snd if they de, that circunistance will not shicld them from the powerful ami of the law. Such obedience as this 'is inconisistent not only Vith the laws, btit witlh the rules by whichi civilized society is guaded. One strong circumstance in yourfavour, Aloran is, that you did not execute the dreadful and savage command which was given you by the prisoner. WVith respect to you, (Connolly. there calnot exist a doubt, but that at the time you fired at the officer, when that officer canmc to execute a magistrate's warrant, you were actuated by the worst feeling which it is possible to pervade hunman nature ; at the samne time charity would hope that you were in sonme degree ignorant l' the nature of the law,and untler the idea of a supposed trespass,you suffered your miod to be irritated to an ungovernahle extent. Such is the tenderness of the law, that its oflicers shlould use a temperate exercise in the services of all its proecsses; .but should they act otherwise, they are amenable to that law for their miscoti- duct. It is owing to a little irregularity that your life is pro- vid entially spared, for had the peace.warrant been correct, and executed by a proper person in his own district, nothing cortid have himitted the scope of the sentence, or have prevented you frtiom suffering on illonday next an ignominious death. No nan of a Ituriane disposition, of liberal sentiments, and enlightened mnind, would have conducted himself in the tnanner vou have done, front the beginsig to the end of this transaotion. When the officer cane to thc houise, you resisted him in the discharge of his duty, and levelled at hin a tleadly engine, and lodged its contents in his per- son. After you had so done, the victim of your insatiate revenge crie( out that he was wounded; yet were neither your humaanity nor Christian sytnpathy called into exercise. After you had heatd the declaration, you should have setycd your vengeful arm; but, instead of this, you gave orders to two of your servants, wliom you tihoughlt likely to obey your dreadful commands, to despatch other victims and throw thetn into the pond and-what that expression iinporteO is bcst knowrn to yourself; but the providence of God prevenittel you thus far from carrying your malicious design into execu- tion. Maktng every allowance for the frailty of humnan nature, it is natural to infer that the language you used before you fired the fatal gun could only enanate from a depraved and vi- cioU5s tiind. Insteatl of tnoderating your tenmper, you declared you wotild shoot the unfortunate deccased, and you protnptly exe- cuteti your threat, atd deprived hib of life; and all to prevent wvhat you were pleased to conrder an illegal arrest. You have, in youtr defence, referred the Court to the consideration of vour wife and children. You should hiave thought of your wife ana children be- fore you cottunitted the rash act, and you should now refect, that the wile and children of the unfortunate deceased are at this tnontent bewvailing the loss of a hlsbiiad Ppd a father on account of the act for wlhich you are about to sttffer. ' In the course of my life I never knew a nian condluct himself more viciously than you did after you fired the gan. We lIave belteld the nittrderer with his handsreekinlg with blood lamenting Iiis folly with rensorse, after the object of his tiialignant hatred was destroyed: but this was not the case wvith you,for you fired a second and a third gun, and the gun vwas further loatded when you ivere apprehended. Suich conduct clearly proves that you are entirely unfit to reniain in this country. ( The prisoner here burst into tears.) It is a painful duty, but one which love to the country, toorder andadjudge yotu Patrick ConnoUly, to be transported beyond the seas fer the tenn of your natural life; and that you, Hugh ioran, be imprisoned six calendar months iri the louse of Correction, attdkept tolhardlabour. The prisoniers were then removed from the bar. }IERTFORD. SATUTfnAV-. MATIC.T 6. SEXTENCE ON CONNOLLY AND 31ORAN.