The Sun. — 1853-02-28 (London, England)

ATTORNEY-GENERAL of Ireland manifestly approves of the Royal precedent. With all his staff—a formidable array of Crown prosecutors and Crown witnesses—he proceeded to Ennis, as Special Counsel for the Crown, to bring to justice the parties charged with the Six-Mile-Bridge homicide. Mr. DELMERGE and the military defendants were duly warned to appear to stand their trials, and every indication was exhibited of a determined and serious prosecution. No expense was spared on the part of the Executive. Every witness that could by any possibility throw light on the transaction was in attendance. Men of the highest respectability were, perhaps for the first time in their lives, summoned on the petty jury ; the first law-officer attended specially, in addition to the standing Crown prosecutors of the Munster Circuit ; the supernumeraries for the county of Clare were also retained, and voluminous briefs, marked with handsome fees, delivered to the learned gentlemen. Everything, in fact, gave note of dreadful preparation. Under such circumstances, it was, of course, incumbent on the accused to exhibit equal activity in preparing for the defence. Their witnesses also were in attendance ; their briefs prepared and delivered with suitable honoraria to the elite of the Circuit; and Mr. WHITESIDE, SolicitorGeneral to the late Government, brought down special as a fitting opponent to the new AttorneyGeneral. The forensic conflict between such men was looked forward to with no ordinary curiosity, and numerous spectators congregated together to witness the collision of these doughty champions. But alas for human hopes! The most high-wrought expectations are but too frequently doomed to disappointment ! What was the result ? Nothing more ridiculous appeared since the tiny mouse was hailed as the anxiously-looked-for heir of the teaming mountains. The Grand Jury first ignored the bills, determined that they, at least, would exonerate themselves from the imputation of being prominent actors in the truly national farce. The finding on the Coroner's inquisition, however, remained, and on that the parties might be arraigned—aye, and convicted too, if good grounds could be shown for such a decision. The Counsel for the prosecution might have called their witnesses, and still endeavoured to obtain a verdict, and at first it appeared as if such had been the intention, for immediately after the fact that the bills had been rejected, notice was served upon the traversers, requiring their attendance on the following day to take their trial in pursuance of their recognisances. The mystery was maintained to the last moment. No hint was given that might have removed the suspense or allayed the anxiety of the defendants. Not even the Junior Counsel for the Crown knew of the course about to be adopted. The same uncertainty continued during the swearing in of the jury, and only one of the parties implicated was given in charge, lest the Jury panel might be exhausted by the challenges to which the defendants were entitled. It was not, indeed, until close upon the termination of a rather lengthy oration that the Right Hon. Gentleman intimated his intention of not offering any evidence in support of the indictment, and of entering a nolle prosequi with respect to the other defendants. And thus ended the Ennis State Prosecutions of 1853. Now this is all very absurd. The costs of the transaction either to the county or the defendants must have been very considerable. The AttorneyGeneral himself must be handsomely remunerated ; and the services of Mr. WHITESIDE could not have been obtained at a low figure. But the expenses, although very onerous to the private parties concerned, was by far the least important part of the transaction. An excitement was fostered and maintained very prejudicial to the district, and by no means calculated to promote its peace and