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
let you know that I believe myself innocent; and he would be
a hard-hearted man, indeed, who would grudge me those few
sentences. Now, my lord, I have observed I did not belong to
the Fenian confederacy in March of this present year. I did
not belong to the Fenian confederacy anterior to the period
that Corydon and Devany allege that they saw me act as centre
and secretary to Fenian meetings; that, anterior to that
period, I never took act or part in the Fenian conspiracy up
to the period of my leaving America. Does it do me any good to
make these statements? I ask favours, as Halpin said, from
no man. I ask nothing but justice--stern justice--even-handed
justice. If I am guilty--if I have striven to overthrow the
government of this country, if I have striven to revolutionize
this country, I consider myself enough of a soldier to
bare my breast to the consequences, no matter whether that
consequence may reach me on the battle-field or in the cells
of Pentonville.
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