Speeches from the Dock; Or, Protests of Irish Patriotism. Part I: Speeches delivered after conviction by Theobald Wolfe Tone, William Orr, the brothers Sheares, Robert Emmet, John Martin, William Smith O'Brien, Thomas Francis Meagher, Terence Bellew McManus, John Mitchel, Thomas C. Luby, John O'Leary, Charles J. Kickham, Colonel Thomas F. Burke, and Captain Mackay
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Speeches from the Dock; Or, Protests of Irish Patriotism. Part I: Speeches delivered after conviction by Theobald Wolfe Tone, William Orr, the brothers Sheares, Robert Emmet, John Martin, William Smith O'Brien, Thomas Francis Meagher, Terence Bellew McManus, John Mitchel, Thomas C. Luby, John O'Leary, Charles J. Kickham, Colonel Thomas F. Burke, and Captain Mackay
Ireland -- Biography; Ireland -- Politics and government -- 19th century; Ireland -- Politics and government -- 20th century
"My lords--I have no imputation to cast upon the bench, neither have
I anything to charge the jury with, of unfairness towards me. I think
the judges desired to do their duty honestly as upright judges and
men; and that the twelve men who were put into the box, as I believe,
not to try, but to convict me, voted honestly, according to their
prejudices. I have no personal enmity against the sheriff,
sub-sheriff, or any of the gentlemen connected with the arrangement
of the jury-panel--nor against the Attorney-General, nor any other
person engaged in the proceedings called my trial; _but, my lords, I
consider that I have not been yet tried_. There have been certain
formalities carried on here for three days regarding me, ending in a
verdict of guilty: _but I have not been put upon my country_, as the
constitution said to exist in Ireland requires. Twelve of my
countrymen, 'indifferently chosen,' have not been put into that
jury-box to try me, but twelve men who, I believe, have been selected
by the parties who represent the crown, for the purpose of convicting
and not of trying me. I believe they were put into that box because
the parties conducting the prosecution knew their political
sentiments were hostile to mine, and because the matter at issue here
is a political question--a matter of opinion, and not a matter of
fact. I have nothing more to say as to the trial, except to repeat
that, having watched the conduct of the judges, I consider them
upright and honest men. I have this to add, that as to the charge I
make with respect to the constitution of the panel and the selection
of the jury, I have no legal evidence of the truth of my statement,
but there is no one who has a moral doubt of it. Every person knows
that what I have stated is the fact; and I would represent to the
judges, most respectfully, that they, as upright and honourable men
and judges, and as citizens, ought to see that the administration of
justice in this country is above suspicion. I have nothing more to
say with regard to the trial; but I would be thankful to the court
for permission to say a few words in vindication of my character and
motives after sentence is passed."
Baron Pennefather--"No; we will not hear anything from you after
sentence."
Chief Baron--"We cannot hear anything from you after sentence has
been pronounced."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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