166 THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
[Mar. 11, 
in the corporation on a motion submitted by Mr. 
O’Connell in favour of Repeal. It commenced on Tues- 
day, and lasted for three days. The house was crowded 
to excess, although strangers were admitted by tickets. 
Mr. O’Connell brought forward his motion in a speech of 
great length. He founded his arguments in favour of 
self-government on several reasons. The first, he said, 
was the capacity of the Irish nation for domestic legisla- 
tion; 2d, the perfect right of Ireland to legislate for 
herself; 3d, that that right was fully established by the 
transactions of 1782; 4th, that the most beneficial results 
to Ireland would follow from the repeal of the Act of 
Union; 5th, the utter incompetence of the Irish Parlia- 
ment to pass the Act of Union; 6th, that it was no con- 
tract, being brought about by fraud, bribery, corruption, 
and coercion; 7th, that the most disastrous results 
Ireland have flowed from the Union; 8th, that the Union 
might be abolished without an infringement of the con- 
stitution; and the 9th, that the most salutary results 
would follow to the British empire by the repeal of the 
Act of Union. He had come there to establish these 
propositions, and he had no doubt the assembly would 
consider he had opened a very wide field. He then pro- 
ceeded, in detail, with his propositions, illustrating his 
argument by statistical and other facts. Upon the evils of 
absentecism, as ‘¢ one of the disastrous results to Ireland 
which have flowed from the Union,’”’ he dwelt at some 
length, and read documents showing the deplorable dis- 
tress at present existing. After speaking for four hours 
and a half, he concluded by moving that a petition should 
be adopted in favour of a repeal of the legislative Union. 
Councillor M‘Loughlin having seconded the motion, Al- 
derman Butt observed that he and those who agreed with 
him had nothing to complain of in the tone and mode of 
argument of Mr. O’Connell, and submitted the following 
amendment :—‘‘ That believing the discussion of the 
question of the repeal of the legislative Union between 
England and Ireland, in the corporation of the city of 
Dublin, as calculated to produce political discussions, 
prevent all cordial co-operation between persons of 
different political opinions, and to prevent this body 
from exercising its municipal functions for the good 
of the citizens at large, this assembly repudiates in 
the strongest manner the introduction of the question, 
and that, therefore, the consideration of the question be 
adjourned sine die.’”’ On Wednesday the discussion was 
resumed, and after a long sitting was again adjourned. 
On Thursday several members of the Corporation spoke 
on both sides of the question, and Mr. O’Connell replied 
in a speech of considerable length ; after which a division 
took place—the result was, for the motion 41, for the 
amendment 15—giving a majority of twenty-six for Mr. 
O’Connell’s motion. On the numbers being announced, 
Mr. O’Connell assured the ‘‘ twenty-six’ that their 
names should be inscribed upon a column jn College- 
green, and handed down to posterity in the imperishable 
record of Irish history. He then moved that a committee 
should be appointed from the majority, \to prepare the 
draught of a petition to Parliament for a repeal of the 
Union. The debate was conducted throughout in good 
temper and with much courtesy among the opposing par- 
ties. Mr. O’Connell seemed particularly anxious on this 
head, and exerted himself successfully to effect the object. 
The meeting of the Repeal Association took place on 
Monday. The proceedings were of the usual character, 
and the rent for the week was announced to be 
2591. 11s. 02d. 
Carlow.—Last week some persons broke into the church 
of St. Mullins, in this county, and attempted to remove a 
Jarge flag which covered the entrance into the vault be- 
longing to the ancient family of Kavanagh. Whether 
they were unable to remove it, or were alarmed and fled, 
is not certain, for they only succeeded in disturbing it, 
Their designiis involved in mystery, Government have 
offered a reward of 30/. for such information as will lead 
to the discovery of the offenders. 
Newry.—On the 26th ult. an attempt was made to 
assassinate a Presbyterian clergyman in the pulpit, at 
Rathfriland, It appears that the Rev. J. Dickie, one of 
the Presbyterian ministers of that place, had an evening 
service in his own church, when he preached a ser- 
mon on the progress of Puseyism, and _ its alleged 
tendency to Popery. Just at the conclusion, and 
whilst |the rev. gentleman was engaged in prayer, some 
one fired through the windows, and wounded him severely 
in both arms. Itis hoped that the wounds will not prove 
fatal. ‘The perpetrator of the outrage escaped in the dark- 
ness of the night, but the tracks of his feet were traced in 
the direction of Lessie. The Lord-Lieutenant has issued 
@ proclamation, offering a reward of 100/, for the disco- 
very of the assassin. 
_ Donegal.— Some days since, while the Wesleyan Metho- 
dists of Mountcharles, in this county, were holding a 
missionary meeting in the market-house of that place, 
which has been occupied as a chapel of ease by the 
minister belonging to the Established church, some person 
fired a gun through one of the windows, breaking 14 
panes of glass. The assembly were at prayer at the time, 
or, in all probability, the lives of many would have been 
in danger, 2s the shots passed over them, and struck the 
opposite wall. 
« Kilkenny.—The Marquess of Ormonde has made a 
reduction of 20 per cent. on the rent of his tenants-at- 
willin this county, to continue as long as the present 
depression of agriculture shall last. In announcing this 
to the tenants, his agent states that Lord Ormonde is in- 
duced to come forward to relieve his tenants thus liberally 
to enable them to apply sufficient manure to their farms, 
and to carry on the necessary improvements which this 
abatement of rent will fully enable them to effect. 
o 
3° 
o 
SCOTLAND. 
Edinburgh.—Thbe Edinburgh and provincial papers 
state with expressions of regret, that the Non-Intrusionists 
are proceeding vigorously with preparations for seceding. 
Their agents (chiefly females), are going from door to 
door distributing printed statements and soliciting sub- 
scriptions; while the great body of the public are wholly 
unmoved by their agitation. The leading clergymen of 
the movement have given proof of their determination to 
sacrifice their endowments by giving up their expensive 
houses for cheaper dwellings. Plans for new wooden 
churches have been ordered, and other symptoms appear 
of a real intention of carrying the long-deferred threat of 
seceding into execution.” 
Glasgow.—On Saturday evening, the 25th ult., the 
shock of an earthquake was distinctly felt at Oban. It 
came on with a sudden dull shock, as of a heavy body 
falling, and then resembled the rumbling of a carriage. 
It appeared to pass from east to west, and occupied from 
forty to fifty seconds in its transition, There were the 
usual accompaniments of shaking of furniture, rattling of 
glass and earthen vessels. A flash of lightning was ob- 
served about the same time, although there was none seen 
previous. About two years ago a similar shock was felt 
in the place, and a still severer one about fourteen years 
ago. 
Aberdeen.—On Thursday, the Marquis of Breadalbane 
was elected Lord Rector of Marischal College. Of the 
four nations, viz., Mar, Angus, Moray, and Buchan, the 
Marquis had the majority of votes in the first three. 
The election turned upon the church question. The other 
nominees were, Sir James Macgregor, Lord March, and 
the Marquis of Waterford. 
Dabo. 
CenTrar Crimina Court.—Trial of M‘Naughten.—The pro- 
ceedings in this case were resumed on Saturday. The judges 
took their seats on the bench at nine o’clock, and immediately 
after, Mr, Cockburn commenced his address for the defence. The 
French Ambassador and numerous visitors were present, as on 
the previous day, and the Court was very much crowded Ee 
Cockburn said, he rose under a deep sense of the responsibility 
e had undertaken, and his own inadequacy. He felt himself to 
be in one of the most painful positions in which an advocate 
could be placed, being called on to defend a case of so singular a 
description. However, he had full confidence that the defence 
he was prepared to make would be found effectual, considering 
all the peculiar circumstances that surrounded the case. When 
he recollected how deeply implanted in the human heart was the 
horror of assassination, and, above all, how that horror was inter- 
woven in the nature of Englishmen—when he recollected the 
eep sympathy that existed tor the deceased, and the worth of 
his character, to which his learned friend the Solicitor-General 
had paid so elcquent a tribute, d in which tribute he (Mr, 
Cockburn) fully concurred—he felt bound most earnestly to 
appeal to the impartiality of the jury, and he felt convinced that 
that appeal would not be made in vain. His learned friend had, 
with his usual accuracy, anticipated the line of defence intended 
to be setup. Most unquestionably it was not his (Mr. Cockburn’s) 
intention to touch for a moment the main feature in this case. 
e was not there to deny that the hand of the prisoner had in- 
flicted the mortal woun leceased, No, the defence would 
prescribed—no farther, if he were not presumptuous in saying it, 
than the will and ordination of God. He trusted he should not 
secured the very sources of reason, and converted a human being 
into the similitude of a lower animal, which left him the slave of 
the defence for the prisoner would be his mental deficiency at the 
time when he committed the act, and he trusted that the evi- 
dence he intended to put forward in support of that defence 
would meet with their most serious attention. That evidence 
would be of two sorts; it would not be such as his learned friend 
had supposed—of a vague and negative kind—it would be testi- 
mony positive and precise. And he said this from the bottom of 
his heart—such as would carry conviction to the minds of every- 
one present, e testimony of persons who had known the 
prisoner from his youth—who had been brought into immediate 
contact with him—and the friends with whom he had associated. 
nd, lest the evidence of persons so situated might be met with 
distrust, he had also evidence beyond suspicion—the evidence of 
persons in authority in his native place, to all of whom this un- 
fortunate calamity had been made clearly known, and to all of 
whom the prisoner had appealed for protection from the fancied 
dangers which his imagination had created, The evidence would 
show that the prisoner had been the victim of fearful delusions, 
which had gradually destroyed his self. control, until he had com- 
mitted the deed for which he was now placed on his trial. In addi- 
tion to this, he (Mr, Cockburn) proposed to place before the jury the 
evidence of gentlemen connected with the medica jion— 
men of intelligence and skill—who would tell the jury that it was 
their internal conviction that 
of this latter kind of testimony, He trusted he should not be 
deemed presumptuous in observing, that of all questions that 
covld come before a tribunal like the present, the question of in- 
savity was, ¢xceptin cases where the whole mind was disor- 
dered, the most difficult to decide. Madness was nota disease, 
apparently at least, of the ts operation was on the mind, 
through the cerebral organization, affecting the intelligence of 
which that organization was the seat, aud the knowledge of 
Such a disease was only accurately to be ascertained by those 
who had made the observation of the disease the study of their 
jives, and who had devoted to it their whole experience and ca- 
acity. He need not remind the jury that from the very nature 
of this disease it insulated the victim from the rest of his kind, 
making it the more difficult for the latter to decide on the nice 
degrees of intensity of which the disease was susceptible. He 
evidence such as he had last mentioned, he had only 
thought it his duty fully to point out to them the importance of 
such testimony, and to press on them the paramount necessity 
of listening to it with the most patient attention, e then pro- 
ceeded at great length to lay down the law as applicable to the 
case, and afterwards called witnesses to show that the prisoner 
for years had laboured under unaccountable delusions, fancying 
they threw straws at him 
ndon, and even to France; that sometimes he thought they 
were Catholic priests and Jesuits, and at others that they were 
Tories persecuting him on account of his having once voted for 
a Whig candidate at Glasgow. So strong was this delusion that 
he had called on the commissioners of police for protection, 
Several of these witnesses deposed that they considered him two 
years ago a dangerous lunatic, and that he ou: 
put under restraint. The interest of the trial, however, turned 
on the evidence of the medical witnesses. We shall, therefore, 
confine ourselves to the facts stated in their testimony. Dr. 
Monro said that the act with which the prisoner was charged, 
coupled with the history of his past life, left not the re- 
motest doubt on his mind of the presence of insanity, suffi- 
cient to deprive the prisoner of all self-control. He considered 
0 have been 
ticians, and architects, whose mind was disordered on one point. 
i mmit an act similar to the one with 
which the prisoner is charged, and yet be aware of the conse- 
had not induced him to alter his opinion of the case. Lanatics 
often manifested a high degree of cleverness and ingenuity, and 
exhibited occasionally great cunning in escaping from the con- 
sequences of such acts. He saw a number of such cases every day, 
ined by the Solicitor-G 
Mr. M‘Clure, 
and heard the examination. They were thereon the part of the 
Crown. Lasked all the questions. On the two last occasions 
on which I saw the prisoner, Mr, Hutchinson and Dr. Crawford 
were present at the request of the friends of the prisoner, They 
the Crown also attended. The Solicitor-General.— 
say he would not have fired if he had known that it was not Sir 
Robert Peel? Witness,—No, I think he did not. in this point 
he observed, that the person at whom he fired gave him as he 
passed a scowling look 
months and years rushed into his min 
Solicitor-General.—What do you mea 
consider a person labouring under a morbid delusion of unsound 
mind? Witness,—I do.—The Solicitor-General.—Do you think 
insanity may exist without any morbid delusion? Witness.— 
Yes ; a person may be imbecile; ere is generally some 
morbid delusion ; there are various shades of insanity. A person 
be of unsound mind, and yet be able to manage the usual 
affairs of life. The Solicitor-General.—May insanity exist with 
amoral perc2ption of right and wrong? Witness.—Yes; it is 
very common. The Solicitor-General.—A person may have a 
delusion and know murder to be a crime? Witness.—If there 
existed antecedent symptoms I should consider the murder to be 
an overt act, the crowning piece of his insanity. e-examined 
b 
labour under a particular form of insanity without having his 
moral i deranged. For illustrati man may fancy 
his legs made of glass. There is nothing in that which could 
affect his moral feelings? Witnes i 
rp.—You have not the slighte: 
moral perceptions were impaired? Witness,—No. 
rison examined Mr. Clarkson.—Was one of the gentlemen 
who saw the prisoner with Drs. Monro, Sutherland, and Bright. 
Has been in court during the whole of the day. Was present 
during the whole of the examination of the prisoner in Newgate. 
After the conclusion of that examination he arriyed at an opi- 
nion as to the prisoner’s state of mind. After having heard the 
evidence adduced that day in court, his opinion had not under- 
gone any change. He concurred with the evidence of Dr. Monro. 
He believed he committed the act when insane. His morbid 
delusion consisted in his fancying that he was subject to a sys- 
tem of persecution, This delusion deprived the prisoner of all 
restraint or control over his actions. He had not the slightest 
doubt on the point. The evidence brought forward on 
part of the prisoner had strengthened that opinion. His at- 
tention had been directed for half a century to this subject. 
itor-General.—Do you think the pri- 
soner of unsound mind? Witness.—I do. Mr. M‘Clure sworn 
which M‘Naughten laboured were real, and not assumed. He 
the case, and was of opinion that when he fired at Mr, Drum- 
mond at Charing-cross the prisoner laboured under an _hallu- 
cination which deprived him of all ordinary restraivt. e con. 
sidered that his moral liberty was discharged. Cross-examined 
by the Solicitor-General.—Did you ask the prisoner if he knew 
whom it was that he fired at? Witness,—I did not. The Soli- 
citor-General.—Did he not say that if he had not thought it was 
Sir R. Peel at whom he fired he would not have shot Mr. Drum- 
mond? Witness.—He did not say so. 
meetings, Dr. W. i 
Cockburn,—Js physician to the Royal Lunatic Asylum at 
Glasgow, Has had much experience in cases of insanity. He 
had visited M‘Naughten whiist in Newgate in conjunction with 
the other medical men, He had found him labouring under a 
morbid delusion of mind. The delusions were real, and not as- 
He considered them sufficient to account for the act 
with which the prisoner was charged. He thought that his state 
of mind deprived him of the power of exercising any self-control 
over his actions at the moment when he committed the offence 
in question, He considered the of the 
delusion, Cross examined b: 
a 
I 
about 18 months ago, Even at that time I do not think he 
could have resisted any impulse springing from the morbit de- 
jusions under which he suffered. the Solicitor-General,— 
Divesting your mind of all the evidence you have heard, and all 
the facts connected with the case, and forming your judgment 
on the examination to which you subjected the prisoner, what 
would be your opinion of his state of mind? itness.—I should 
have no hesitation in certifying that he was a dangerous lunatic. 
Re-examined by Mr, Cockburn,—When patients exhibit symp 
ee 
y 
olde _———— 
