thin that they should make their evidence to agree--say, "I
will corroborate your story, you corroborate mine." By this
means was it that the overt acts of the 5th of March, which
took place at Stepaside, Glencullen, and Tallaght, were
brought home to Costello--a man who was 4,000 miles away,
and living--and I say it on the word of a man, a Christian
man--peaceably, not belonging to that confederation. I did
not belong to the Fenian Brotherhood for twelve months before
I left America, if I did belong to it at any other time, so
help me God! God witnesses what I say, and he records my words
above. It is a painful position to be placed in. I know I am
a little excited. Were I to speak of this matter under other
circumstances, I would be more cool and collected. Were I
conscious of guilt--did I know that I merited this punishment,
I would not speak a word, but say that I deserved and well
merited the punishment about to be inflicted upon me. But,
my lords, there never was a man convicted in this court more
innocent of the charges made against him than Costello. The
overt acts committed in the county of Dublin, admitting
that the law of England is as it was laid down by your
lordship, that a man, a member of this confederacy, if
he lived in China, was responsible for the acts of his
confederates--admitting that to be law, I am still an innocent
man. Admitting and conceding that England has a right to try
me as a British subject, I still am an innocent man. Why do I
make these assertions? I know full well they cannot have any
effect in lessening the term of my sentence. Can I speak for
the sake of having an audience here to listen to me? Do I
speak for the satisfaction of hearing my own feeble voice? I
am not actuated by such motives. I speak because I wish to