ve as far as he
concurred in acts which had a tendency to that end.

When first the report above referred to was circulated, I wrote the
strongest contradiction of it, and Mr. Meagher, with Mr. O'Brien's
sanction, addressed the following note to the editor of the Tipperary
_Vindicator_. I am sorry it should be in any way necessary to produce it
here; but as this is the last time I shall ever refer to this subject, I
thought it best to add this testimony to my own.

CLONMEL GAOL

"MR. MEAGHER fully authorises his friend, Mr. Lenihan, to state
that the exculpation which appeared in a recent number of his
paper, from Mr. Doheny, is the perfect truth.

"Mr. Meagher is most anxious to have this stated, for he has
felt for a long time deeply pained at many of the false reports
that have appeared against his friend--his dear and trusted
friend, Michael Doheny.

"One of the most grievous of these reports has been that very
false one, charging Mr. Doheny with having invited Mr. Smith
O'Brien to the county Tipperary. Nothing could have been more
false than this.

"Mr. Doheny, so far from inviting Mr. O'Brien to Tipperary, did
not, in fact, know of his being in the county at all, until Mr.
Meagher told him, and that was on Tuesday, July 25th.

(Signed) "THOMAS FRANCIS MEAGHER.

"Written a few hours after the passing of the sentence of death.

"_October 23, 1848._"]

CHAPTER VII

THE OUTBREAK.--MR. O'BRIEN IN
CARRICK.--CASHEL.--KILLENAULE.--MULLINAHONE.--BALLINGARRY.--AFFAIR AT
KILLENAULE.--DEFEAT OF MR. O'BRIEN'S PARTY AT THE COMMON.--PERSONAL
ADVENTURES OF THE WRITER AND HIS COMRADE, UP TO THE DATE OF MR.
O'BRIEN'S ARREST

On the night of the 24th of July, I was awakened, where I was staying,
by a rapping at my window. I recognised the voice of my sister-in-law,
and learned from her, in a few seconds, how matters stood. Her
information, in brief, was this that: Messrs. O'Brien, Dillon and
Meagher had left Dublin on learning that the Habeas Corpus Act was
suspended; and that it was supposed their object was to throw themselves
on the courage of the country. This intelligence rested on the authority
of two trusted members of the council of the Confederation, Messrs.
James Cantwell, and P.J. Smyth. The fact was all which I then cared to
know. I parted from my sister in half-an-hour, and rode off in the
direction of Carrick-on-Suir, where