CHAPTER X. Pageant at Limerick-Peerages granted by Napoleon-Remark upon Napoleon's Power-O'Connell's early Thirst for Fame -Narrow Escape of shooting a Man-O'Connell at DouayTrial by Jury-Value of the Law that requires Unanimity in a Verdict-Illustrative Instances. THE crowds who assembled to welcome the Liberator into Limerick were estimated to amount to 100,000 persons. Large numbers of the tradesmen met him about three miles from the city, on the Cork road. The ship-carpenters displayed a sort of pageant; Neptune, bearing a trident, and dressed in a sea-green philabeg and sash, occupied a boat which moved along on wheels; and when the Liberator's carriage approached, the ocean-king addressed him in a quaint set speech, full of such crambo conceits as might figure to advantage in the mythological masques of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. O'Connell replied in character, declaring “he felt quite refreshed by receiving an aquatic compliment upon the dusty high road;" and expressing his high sense of "the condescending courtesy of the illustrious monarch of the deep." Arrived in Limerick, the men hurra'd and tossed up their hats; a poor woman, equally enthusiastic, but having no hat, tossed up the child she held in her arms. The cavalcade halted in George Street, opposite Cruise's Hotel; and O'Connell there addressed the multitude upon the Repeal of the Union; alluding with powerful effect to the local recollections of the ' 66 City of the violated Treaty;"-the city consecrated by Irish fidelity-desecrated by English perfidy." Thence we proceeded to the "Treaty Stone," where Steele spoke at length, with energy and fervour. In the evening, O'Connell was entertained at a dinner in the theatre. His speech was admirable. Sentence followed sentence; each an axiom of political wisdom; I never had heard him more effective; yet he was wretchedly reported. Next morning we set off for Ennis, where 50,000 persons were met; we spent the evening at the house of Mr. Charles O'Connell, a relative of the Liberator's, where we met my friend Hewitt Bridgman, then member for the borough, who boasted to me with honest pride that the first political act of his life was signing a petition against the Union, in 1799. On our return from Ennis to Limerick on the following day (9th of October, 1840), Mr. O'Connell pointed out to me Stamer Park, the seat of the Duke of Rovigo. I expressed some surprise that a French Duke should settle in the County Clare. "He had excellent reasons for doing so," answered O'Connell. "He married an Irishwoman who brought him 50007. or 60007. a year; probably he had not the tenth part as much in France." We spoke of the ancient noblesse, and the peers of Napoleon's creation. "The honours conferred by such fellows as the Bourbons," said O'Connell, "are not one whit better than those given by Napoleon. The creations of Napoleon were confirmed by Louis XVIII. upon his restoration. If Louis had not confirmed them, he could not have kept his throne one hour." I said, "If Napoleon had possessed the hundredth part as much common sense as genius, he never would have lost France.” "It is remarkable," said O'Connell, "that Napoleon's power gradually increased until it enabled him to abolish the legal infidelity; but when he sought to turn restored Christianity to his political purposes-although his power seemed at the time to be consolidated beyond the reach of fate, yet it gradually crumbled away, till at last it dissolved in a Russian snow-drift!" Speaking of his own early recollections, O'Con nell said, 66 My uncle used to get the Dublin Magazine at Carhen; it usually contained the portrait of some remarkable person, with a biographical notice. I was always an ambitious fellow, and I often used to say to myself, 'I wonder will my visage ever appear in the Dublin Magazine?' I knew at that time of no greater notoriety. In 1810, when walking through the streets soon after some meeting at which I had attracted public notice, I saw a magazine in a shop-window, containing the portrait of Counsellor O'Connell,' and I said to myself with a smile, Here are my boyish dreams of glory realised.' Though I need not tell you that in 1810 I had long outgrown that species of ambition." When we got about five or six miles on the Dublin side of Nenagh, Mr. O'Connell pointed out a particular spot on the right hand of the road. "I was near being a very guilty wretch there," said he. "Some years ago, when this neighbourhood was much infested with robbers, I was travelling on circuit: my horses were not very good, and just at this spot I saw a man whose movements excited my suspicions. He slowly crossed the road about twenty yards in advance of my carriage, and awaited my approach with his back against the wall, and his hand in the breast of his coat as if ready to draw a pistol. I felt certain I should be attacked, so I held my pistol ready to fire, its barrel resting on the carriage door. The man did not stir-and so escaped. Had he but raised his hand, I should have fired. Good God! what a miserable, guilty, wretch, I should have been! How sincerely I thank God for my escape from such guilt!” Talking of a certain person who assumed and acquired a leadership among a numerous "radical" class, O'Connell remarked "He has got the Jacobinical notions of his family, and would act upon them to the utmost extremity. His pole-star is self-aggrandisement. I think he would realise, in working out his views by physical force, the abominable sentiment ascribed to Marât, - What signify 100,000 lives, compared with the maintenance of a principle?" This recalled his sojourn in France, and he repeated: the verses composed at the time of Marât's death "Marât est mort! Marât est mort! La France encore respire; 'Satan! Prends garde de toi, Car aujourd'hui s'il entre dans votre empire, |