ficulty. Before the government had
any idea that the public revulsion would become so alarmingly extensive,
the responsible ministers of the crown, specifically interrogated on the
point, had, as we have seen, declared the funeral processions not to be
illegal, and how, now, could the government interpose to prevent them?
It certainly was a difficulty which there was no way of surmounting save
by a proceeding which in any country constitutionally governed would
cost its chief authors their lives on impeachment. The government,
notwithstanding the words of its own responsible chiefs--_on the faith
of which the Dublin procession was held, and numerous others were
announced_--decided to treat as illegal the proceedings they had but a
week before declared to be _not_ illegal; decided to prosecute the
processionists who had acted on the government declarations; and decided
to prevent, by sabre and cannon--by slaughter if necessary--the further
processions announced in Killarney, Clonmel, Kilkenny, and elsewhere!

On the evening of Thursday, the 12th December, Dublin city was flung
into the most intense excitement by the issue of the following
Government Proclamation:--

* * * * *

BY THE LORD LIEUTENANT AND COUNCIL OF IRELAND.

A PROCLAMATION.

ABERCORN.

Whereas it has been publicly announced that a meeting is to assemble
in the city of _Kilkenny_, and that a procession is to take place
there on Sunday, 15th day of December instant:

And whereas placards of the said intended meeting and procession have
been printed and circulated, stating that the said intended
procession is to take place in honour of certain men lately executed
in Manchester for the crime of murder, and calling upon Irishmen to
assemble in thousands for the said procession:

And whereas meetings and processions of large numbers of persons have
been already held and have taken place in different parts of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the like pretence,
at some of which, and particularly at a meeting and procession in the
city of Dublin, language of a seditious and inflammatory character
has been used, calculated to excite discontent and disaffection in
the minds of her Majesty's subjects, and to create ill-will and
animosity amongst them, and to bring into hatred and contempt the
government and constitution of the country as by law est