lf--I left Ireland
for the very good and cogent reason that I could not live in
Ireland. But why could I not live here? I must not say; that
would be trespassing. I must not mention why I was forced to
leave Ireland--why I am now placed in this dock. Think you,
my lords, that I would injure a living being--that I would,
of my own free accord, willingly touch a hair upon the head
of any man? No, my lords; far would it be from me; but that
government which has left our people in misery--

The LORD CHIEF BARON--I cannot allow you to trespass on
political grievances.

COSTELLO--I am afraid I am occupying the time of the court
too much, but really a man placed in such a position as I now
occupy, finds it necessary to make a few observations. I know
it savours of a great deal that is bad and foul to be mixed
up with Fenian rebels, assassins, and cut-throats. It is
very bad; it is not a very good recommendation for a young
man. Even were that fact proved home to me--that I were a
Fenian--no act of mine has ever thrown dishonour on the name.
I know not what Fenian means. I am an Irishman, and that is
all-sufficient.

The prisoner then proceeded to criticise the evidence against him
at considerable length. He declared emphatically that one of the
documents sworn to be in his handwriting was not written by him. He
thus continued:--

Your lordships are well aware that there are many
contradictions in the informers' testimony, and now here is
a matter which I am going to mention for the first time.
Corydon. in his first information at Kilmainham, swears that
he never knew me until he saw me at a Fenian pic-nic, and this
he modifies afterwards by the remark, that any man would be
allowed into these pic-nics on the payment of a certain sum.
I did not pay much attention to what the fellow was saying
about me, as I thought it did not affect me in the least; but
this I can distinctly remember, that Mr. Anderson, jun.--and
he is there to say if I am saying anything false--said that
the evidence of Corydon did not affect any one of the six
prisoners put in this dock but another and myself. It _is_
very strange if that was said by Mr. Anderson. He knew
that there was nothing more to be got out of Corydon,
the informer--that he had told everything he knew in his
information, but on press