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Kay's Originals Vol. 2

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 173 of Clonmell) having summed up the evidence, the jury retired a few minutes, and returned with a verdict of guilty, which the audience heard with strong manifestations of disapprobation. Mr. Rowan was conveyed back to Mewgate ; and as Mr. Curran-who had been repeatedly applauded even in CourCwas about to proceed home, the horses were taken from his carriage, and he was drawn to his own house by the people-a vast crowd of whom were congregated, anxiously waiting the result of the trial. A motion was made on the part of Hamilton Rowan for a new trial ; but this being overruled, he was brought before the Court of King’s Bench on the 7th February, when Justice Boyd pronounced the sentence of the Gourd“ That Archibald Hamilton Rowan should be imprisoned in the gaol of Newgate, for two years, to commence from the day of his trial ; that he should pay a fine of X500 to his Majesty, and remain in prison till the same be paid; and that he shall give security to keep the peace for seven years himself, in 322000, and two sureties in .€E1000 each.” In his defence before the Court, Mr. Rowan did not attempt to palliate his political conducd“1 have heard much of United Irishmen,” said he -“much calumny here and elsewhere. I avow myself to be one -my name has appeared to several of their publications. I glory in the name. On entering tha.t Society I took a test, by which I am bound to seek for the emancipation of every class of my fellow-citizens, and to procure (by spreading information, for that is the only mode a few men assembled in Back-lane can adopt) a reform in the representation of the people-a reform, the necessity of which has been allowed even in Parliament. These are our objects-objects which I am bound to pursue to their completion.” Mr. Rowan had not been long in Newgate when, by the arrest of Jacksonan English divine who came to Ireland as an emissary of the French-he had every reason to think it probable that he might be implicated in a charge of high treason. He therefore resolved to effect his escape-which he accomplished in a singular and romantic manner. From his station in society, and respectability of character, he was frequently permitted to accompany Mrs. Rowan without the walls to her carriage, and indulged in many other privileges by the gaolers. Of his escape and subsequent particulars of his history, the following unvarnished yet interesting narrative has been given by himself : “Dublin, December 1816. . “When I had been in Newgate about four months, in consequence of my sentence, the Rev. Mr. Jackson, an Englishman, and an emissary from France, came to this country. He was accompanied by another person, to whom he had communicated the object of his mission, and who pretended to assist his views, but had in fact betrayed him to the minister, and accompanied him to Ireland as a spy. We had several conferences ; and at last a statement of the situation of this country waa agreed upon and given to Jackson, in my hand-writing. Mr. Jackson’s friend waa employed by him to put this into the Post Office, directed to Hamburgh. He was seized in the act, and takeu before the Privg. CounciL Mr. Jackson was committed to prison. In the evening Mr. Jackson’s friend came to my room, and reqiiested I would procure him admission to Jackson, which I did ; for at this time there was no suspicion of the friend, nor of my being implicated with Jackson. In this interview he said, that in his examination he had acknowledged the letter to have been given to him by Jackson ; They were introduced to me in the jail.
Volume 9 Page 232
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