utrage, or crime whatever, and that I have cast no disgrace
upon my parents, my friends, upon my devoted wife, or upon myself. I
am, with God's assistance, ready to meet my fate. I rest in the calm
resignation of a man whose only ambition through life has been to
benefit and free, not to injure, his fellow-men; and whose only
desire this moment is to obtain their prayers and blessings. With the
approval of my own conscience, above all hoping for the forgiveness
of God for anything I may have done to displease Him, and relying
upon His self-sustaining grace to enable me to bear any punishment,
no matter how severe, so long as it is for glorious old Ireland. I
had intended, my lord, to refer to my notes which I took at the
trial; but I feel that was so ably done by my counsel, it would be a
mere waste of time for me to do so, but I just wish to make an
explanation. Sir C. O'Loghlen made a statement--unintentionally I am
sure it was on his part--which may or may not affect me. He said I
sent a memorial to the Lord Lieutenant praying to be released from
custody. I wish to say I sent no such thing. The facts of the matter
are these:--I was liberated in this court because in reality the
crown could not make out a case against me at the time; and as I
could, at the same time, be kept in prison until the next assizes, I,
on consultation with my friends and with my fellow-captive, Captain
M'Afferty, consented, as soon as I should receive a remittance from
my friends in America, to return there. On these conditions I was set
at liberty, understanding, at the same time, that if found in the
country by next assizes I would be brought up for trial. I did not
want to give annoyance, and I said I would go to America. I honestly
intended to do so then--not, however, as giving up my principles, but
because I saw there was no hope of an immediate rising in Ireland.
While agreeing to those conditions, I went to Dublin, and there met
M'Afferty, and it was on that occasion I made the acquaintance of
Corridon. I met him purely accidentally. He afterwards stated that he
saw me in Liverpool, but he did not see me there. I went over with an
object, and while there I was arrested by anticipation, before the
_Habeas Corpus_ Act was really suspended. I defy the government to
prove I had any connexion with Fenianism from the time I was released
fr