witness.

It was elicited from the government reporter, that, by a process which
he called "throwing in the vowels," he was able to make Mr. Martin's
speech read sufficiently seditious. Mr. D.C. Heron, Q.C., then addressed
the court on behalf of Mr. J.J. Lalor; and Mr. Michael Crean, barrister,
on behalf of Dr. Waters. Mr. Martin, on his own behalf, then spoke as
follows:--

I admit I attended the procession. I admit also that I spoke words
which I consider very grave and serious words upon that occasion. For
my acts on that occasion, for the sense and intention of the words I
spoke on that occasion, I am perfectly willing to be put upon my
country. Not only for all my acts on that occasion--not only for the
words which I spoke on that occasion; but for all my acts or all the
words I either spoke or wrote, publicly or privately, upon Irish
politics, I am perfectly willing to be put upon my country. In any
free country that has real constitutional institutions to guarantee
the liberty of the subject--to guarantee the free trial of the
subject charged with an offence against either the state or his
neighbour, it would be quite absurd to expect a man could be put upon
his country and convicted of a crime for doing that and using such
words as the vast majority of his fellow-countrymen approve. In this
case I believe that a vast majority of my fellow-countrymen do not
disapprove of the acts I acknowledge on that occasion, and that they
sympathise in the sentiment of the words I then spoke. Therefore the
mere fact that a prosecution is preferred against me for that act,
and for those words, is the expression of an opinion on my part that
this country does not at present enjoy real constitutional
institutions, guaranteeing a free trial--guaranteeing that the man
accused shall be really put upon his country. Therefore it is absurd
to think that any twelve honest men, my neighbours, put upon their
oaths, would declare that to be a crime which it is probable that, at
least, four-fifths of them believe to be right--right both
constitutionally and morally. I am aware--we are all aware--that the
gentlemen who represent the crown in this country, have very powerful
means at their disposal for obtaining convictions in the form of law
and in the form of justice, of any person they think proper to
accuse; and without meaning either to sneer or to