several Catholic gentlemen, and discharged his trust with perfect integrity."

O'Connell had an estate called Glancara, situated near the Lake of Cahara, which had been in his family from a period prior to the penal laws. I expressed some surprise that Glancara had escaped confiscation.

“Oh!” said he; "they did not find it out; it is hidden among wild mountains in a very remote situation, which was wholly inaccessible in those days from the want of roads—and thus it escaped their clutches."

O'Connell once said to me,—

"If ever I took a title, it would be Earl of Glancara."

CHAPTER XIX.

Hunting-Staigue Fort-Character of the Emperor NicholasRemarks on the Exemption by Law from a Second Trial on the same Capital Charge-The Ruined Church of KilkeeTradition of the M'Carthy Mhor-Interest taken by O'Connell in English Politics.

THE 12th of November was devoted to hunting. O'Connell rose an hour before the sun, and set off to the mountains near Staigue Fort, where two hares were killed before breakfast.

Staigue Fort is a very curious relic of antiquity. It consists of a circular area, of about fifty feet in diameter, enclosed with a wall of rude masonry, which is four yards thick at bottom, diminishing to about two at the top; and in tolerably good repair throughout the entire circuit. The external height of this wall varies in different places, owing to the inequalities of the surrounding ground; within, it rises to a height of fourteen or fifteen feet from the

level of the central area. The entrance is formed through the side of the building which fronts the estuary of Kenmare. The space enclosed is open to the heavens; and it is quite manifest that the primeval architect never contemplated such a thing as a roof. History and tradition are alike silent respecting the date, the founder, or the purpose of this very remarkable structure. It evidently belongs to a period of the rudest and most remote antiquity. It has been conjectured, that the natives erected it for the purpose of collecting and defending their cattle from Danish or other piratical ravagers.

Staigue Fort is situated on a slight elevation in the centre of the valley opening to the water of Kenmare, and bounded to the landward by a dark amphitheatre of high and craggy hills. It is distant about five miles from Darrynane.

O'Connell returned late from hunting at Staigue; and being fatigued, did not sit so long as usual after dinner.

The public mind had been considerably agitated by the expectation of war; but the papers received on this day conveyed the intelligence, that in both the French Chambers there were majorities in favour of peace. O'Connell observed, that "the pacific acquiescence of France would sink her in European estimation from a first-rate to a secondary power."

He was then asked, "if the recent policy of England had been good?"

"No," said O'Connell. "The policy cannot be good, which involves an alliance with that miscreant, the Emperor Nicholas—a ruffian, who combines in his own person all the hideous enormities of Herod, Dioclesian, and Attila! It is utterly disgraceful to England to form an alliance with him. By one sweeping act of tyranny, he compelled two millions of Polish Catholics to conform to the Greek church; and all his acts have been stamped with the same spirit of barbarous tyranny that was conspicuous in this."

O'Connell defended the principle of the law that protects a person once acquitted of a capital charge, from being tried again for the same offence. It was urged that this principle might sanction injustice; as in a case where a murderer had been acquitted through defect of evidence, and where a competent witness volunteered to tender direct testimony against the accused, in the event of a new trial.

"My good sir," said O'Connell, "if the principle of repeating the trial were once admitted, the injustice on the other side would be infinitely greater. If the accused could be tried over again on the

ap,

pearance of a fresh witness, pray where could you

limit the danger to innocent persons unjustly arraigned? At the expiration of months or years, they would again be liable to trial for their lives, if any unprincipled witnesses should offer themselves as being competent to give fresh evidence."

Our conversation insensibly diverged to the subject of local antiquities. O'Connell asked the Rev. Mr. R if he had seen the old church of Kilkee, near Grena, on the road from Killarney. "It was unroofed and desecrated over three centuries ago," said O'Connell. "The Macarthy Mhor of the day was in the habit of attending mass there, and ordered the officiating priest to delay the celebration of mass every Sunday until he should arrive. The priest complied for some Sundays; but one day the chief was so late, that the priest, in order no longer to detain the congregation, commenced Divine Service. He had not proceeded far, when Macarthy Mhor entered the church; and being enraged at the presumption of the priest in neglecting to wait for him, rushed to the altar, and felled the priest to the floor. The bishop could not bear that the scene of such a crime should continue the centre of parochial devotion, and accordingly he got the church unroofed, and another one built in a different part of the parish."