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human consideration will induce me n to By When Judge Day was about to quit O’Connell’s presence, Barney Coile said, in his broad northern eee oe is v extraordinary, Mr. Day, that a rushan should be allowed to peracis the streets of Dublin during two days, in order to assault a worthy man who is the father of six children—and this without any hindrance or interruption from the magistrates.” “ I hope, sir, you are satisfied,” said Judge Day, “ that the laws are com petent to reach all such offenders.”’ “By my soul,” replied Barney Coile, ‘I am very well satisfied the laws can reach us if we transgress; but during the two days he has been seeking to effect a breach of the peace, the laws have not reached the fellow.” Judge Day seemed to wince under this observation, which he felt so keenly that he made no reply, but departed im mediately, and Mr. O'Connell shortly after repaired to Merrion Square. “In the meantime, it was observed that Mr. D’Esterre was in a shop in Grafton Street, surrounded by a num ber of friends. We have heard that Mr. James O'Connell noticed on the countenance of one of them a leer, which provoked him to use an insulting expression. Nothing, however, in the way of a demand of explanation fol lowed. Tuesday then ends without a challenge. Some of Mr. O’Connell’s friends went to the play in the evening, and they brought many persons to ac count for expressions unfavorable to Mr. O'Connell which they conceived they overheard. There was a clergy Man questioned, who defended himself by mentioning his profession ; as to the others, they all, nn voce, declared that they meant nothing offensive to Mr. O’Connell. No challenge of any kind then grew out of Tuesday’s proceed ings. On Wednesday anne how ever, it was at length intimated to Mr. O’Connell that Mr. D'Esterre intended to call upon him for a meeting.” At nine o’clock on that day, Sir E. Stanley was knocking at O’Connell’s door, and he was introduced to the lawyer in his study. Sir Edward opened his commission by saying that he wished to get an explanation from O’Connell relative to D’Esterre’s affair. “ Sir, I will hold no conversation with you on that subject,” replied O'Connell; “my friend is Major MacNamara— here is his address (giving it to Sir Edward). You must apply to him for whatever information you desire.” “Ol! but, sir,” said the civic knight, who was nervously anxious to glide out of the difficulty in which he found his faction involved, if he could do so with out subversion of character, ‘“ I only wish to say a few words in explanation.” O'Connell waved his hand and persisted in refusing to listen to the representa tions of Sir Edward, and the knight slowly took his departure with a rueful Visage, apparently much dejected by the failure of his embassy. A twelve o'clock was fixed upon for the nomina tion of hour and place. There was some overture made to enlarge the time, but Mr. O'Connell’s friend would not consent. We should mention that this friend was Major MacNamara of Doolen, in the county Clare, a Pro testant gentleman attached to no party, and of the See respectability. He is the descendant of some of the most distinguished of our Irish chieftains. Of the extent of his property we need not give a better description than that he is able to poll six hundred free holders. The friend of Mr. D'Esterre was Sir Edward Stanley. At twelve o'clock on Wednesday, the day appointed, Sir Edward called on Major MacNamara at the lodgings of the latter, when the knight began by lamenting the necessity which forced him to make this application to Major MacNamara on behalf of his friend, D’Esterre, adding that he hoped the matter might yet be adjusted by an amicable explanation. “ If you expect an apology or explanation from O'Connell, you must be disappointed,” said Major MacNamara, ‘“ He has — no offence to D'Esterre—he has owe him no injury ; therefore I must tell you it will be a waste of words and loss of time to speak further on a topic which has already, and for so long a time, engaged the public attention.” Then, sir, it is my duty to deliver on a message from Mr. D'Esterre to J. O'Connell,” said Sir Edward. “ Very well,” rejoined Major Mac Namera: “it is my privilege to ap point a time and place, and I fix on this afternoon at three o'clock for the meeting, and Bishop’s Court in the County Kildare as the place.’ The promptitude of this arrange ment seemed to disconcert Sir Edward, whose visage became singularly dis composed. He faltered out a request to Major MacNamara to postpone it to two o’clock the following day, or until an early hour the following morning, or even till half-past four that afternoon ; but Major MacNamara would on no account consent to post pone the meeting farther than half-past three on the day on which they were speaking. ‘These points being adjusted, Major MacNamara observed that as the duelists had no personal quarrel, nor any rancorous feelings of private animosity, he supposed all parties would be satisfied when each gentleman dis charged one pistol. The moderation of this suggestion stimulated Sir Edward to swagger a little. ‘“ No, sir,” he re plied in a hectoring tone, “ that will not do; if they fired five-and-twenty shots each, Mr. D’Esterre will never leave the ground until Mr. O’Connell makes an apology.” Well, then, if blood be your object, blood you shall have, by G——!” re plied Major MacNamara. A slight shower of snow was whiten ing the pronnd as O'Connell and his friends rolled through James's Street on their way to Bishop’s Court This place is about twelve miles from the city, and constitutes a portion of Lord Ponsonby’ demesne. The hour ap pointed was half-past three o'clock. At three precisely— we can speak con fidently, for we now speak from per sonal knowledge—Mr. O'Connell, at tended by his second and Surgeon Macklin, and a number of friends, was on the ground. About four, Mr. D'Esterre, attended only by Surgeon Peele, Sir Edward Stanley (his second), Mr. Piers, and a Mr. D'Esterre of Limerick, appeared. ‘There was some conversation between the seconds as to position, mode of fire, c., which, added to other sources of delay, occu pied forty minutes.” Meantime a considerable number of strangers came dropping in, one by one, to the scene of the altercation, and formed a large concourse of silent, watchful, and attentive spectators. Seeing this, Sir Edward, again ad dressing Major MacNamara, expressed an apprehension (which he affected to entertain) as to the safety of himself and D'Esterre in case O’Connell should fall. He added that it was his firm conviction, should his friend fight in that place on that day, the life of D'Esterre’s friends must be jeopardish. * This affair has long been the sub ject of public conversation,” answered Connell O’Connell, a relative of the Agitator’s, “and your friend has been the aggressor; if you now quit the ground without fighting, I must con sider you as cowards entruthans ; and as to you, Sir Edward, I shall call on you personally to make reparation for an additional insult.” On hearing this last remark Sir Ed ward's indecision vanished. He pro ceeded at once to prepare his pistols and to place D’Esterre in the position and on the ground of a duelist. Major Mac Namara—in person one of the finest men in Europe—then advanced and said that the choice of the ground must be determined by an appeal to chance ; they should throw up a coin, and whoever guessed while the money was in the air the side which should turn up, should enjoy the privilege of choosing his ground. ‘This arrange ment was agreed to by Sir Edward—a piece of money went wone into the air, one party cried, and Major Mac Namara proved the winner. During this interval Mr. D’Esterre took occa sion to say, that his quarrel with Mr. O'Connell was not of a religious nature; he had no animosity whatsoever to the Catholics or their leaders. At forty minutes past four o'clock the com batants were on the ground. They both displayed the freqvent coolness and courage. As to Mr. O'Connell, we never saw him in better spirits or more composed ; indeed his cheerfulness was the astonishment of every spectator. The men who, on this occasion grouped themselves around O'Connell were, in physical appearance,perhaps the finest in Ireland. There was Major MacNamara, a man of majestic aspect, whose comely face, lofty and ample person resembled GeorgeV. Indeed, so striking was the likeness that the English monarch, doubtless in imita tion of Louis XIV, asked him on one occasion, “ Was your mother ever at court?” “ No, your majesty,” replied MacNamara, assuming an air of great sympathy, “but my father was!” MacNamara was six feet in height, and his courtly bearing—the polished dig nity of his commanding manners—was in complete accordance with the manly beauty of his majestic person. His de meanor was perfectly kingly. Coun sellor Bennett, who on this occasion loaded O'Connell's pistols, was likewise a very fine man. His height was five feet nine. He was not so dignified or handsome as MacNamara, but was nevertheless a tall and comely man. George Lidwill, the greatest duelist in Ireland, was five feet eleven. All these men were Protestants. The only Ca tholic in the group was Nicholas P. O'Gorman, a giant in stature, an athlete in dexterity, and a distin gished fire-eater. Armed with a stick he had repeatedly, when embroiled in altercation with the natives in Eng land, thrashed an entire crowd twenty or thirty in number, and driven them before lim like a flock of fugitive, gab bling geese. These tall, stately, and vigorous men formed a very extra ordinary group when assembled about O'Connell all by the way, was him self six feet in height, and as a fine a man as any of the party. He was at that time in the prime of life—about forty years of age. His lofty person, less massive than in later years, was set off by the nature of his dress. He wore hessian boots, tasseled in front, into which his tightly-fitting breeches des cended, and a broad tailed body-coat. This handsome dress was slighly soiled or disfigured from patches of mire, for in crossing the ditch bounding the field, O'Connell tripped and fell—a cir cumstance which in a more super stitious age would have been regarded as ominous of disaster. His pistols were the property of Richard Nugent Bennett, a liberal Protestant lawyer of much talent. They had figured in former duels, and killed two men. The pistols subsequently became the pet of William Sterne Hart, of Fitzwilliam Square, a warm friend of O'Connell's. As the carriages containing these Men creatives jest, conversation, and aughter—were rolling towards Bishop's Court, another vehicle of modest ap pearance was observed perseveringly following them at a distance. ‘The in mate, who seemed anxiously desirous of concealment, descended not some little distance from the field and en tered a cottage from which he des patched a nimble-footed messenger to watch the proceedings, and let him in stantaneously know the result. ‘This was a Catholic priest, the Rev. Mr. O’Mullan, a native of Ulster, who was thus brought by his love and admira tion of O'Connell to the dangerous verge of the doubtful encounter, that he might be within call, and administer the consolations of religion to the bleeding patriot, should the real man receive his death-wound from the bullet of D’Esterre. He, too, was a fine, comely and an exemplary clergy man and an ardent patriot; but, owing to the uncompromising opposition which he offered to the Veto, his bishop was slightly estranged from him at this time. He afterwards went out to the West Indies. (To be continued in our newt) Vogt occupying the chair, and Mr. Dooley the vice-chair. Sherry, bottled ale, c., was then the cry, there being only three soda-water votaries. Dr. Vogt proposed the health of the Queen and Royal Family. Mr. Dooley sang “The Irish Girl.” Mr. Kenson pro posed “The Parliament,” and said he supposed they would do the best they could, and that they would also do the worst they could—he referred to the state of the roads. He thanked Sir George Kingston and Mr. Bright on behalf of the district. Song, “ Memory of the Past,” by Mr. Dyer. Mr. Kemp seconded Mr. Kenson’s proposition ; he thought the Parliament needed looking after they should watch them wo and make them do the best they could. Mr. Williams sang “Tommy Dodd.” Mr. Dyer proposed the 8.A.B.8. Mr. Crowe sang ‘‘The Bonny Haymaker.” Mr. E. Stokes responded to the Benefit Society in eulogistic terms, showing the utility of Benefit Societies, affirming that no secrecy whatsoever was con nected with the 8.A.B.S., and he hoped he would soon see the Rhyme Branch, of which he was a member, with three times the number of members. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Stokes sang “ The Low- Backed Car.” Mr. Dooley pro ‘*The Visitors.” Mr. Dyer sang “ Take back those gems you gave me.” Dr. Vogt responded. Mr. Williams sang “Finnigan's Wake.” Mr. Crowe pro posed “ The Press.” Mr. Kenson sang “Wait for the Wagon.” Mr. Maher responded on behalf of the Irish Harp, Chronicle, and Guardian. Messrs. Vogt and Dyer sang “The Blue Mountains” sweetly. Mr. Maher pro posed “The Ladies.” Mr. J. Crowe sang “ Isle of Beauty, fare thee well.” Mr. Kenson responded. Mr. Dyer sang *‘Let me like a Soldier fall.” “Mr. E. Stokes proposed “The Host and Hostess.” (Mr. Crowe—“ The Little Ones, too.”) Mr. Dooley sang “ The Maid of the Western Isle.” Mr. Kewson thanked them for the kind manner in which they had drunk his and his little one’s healths. Mr. Jas. Keough sang “The Irish Jaunting Car.” This eenname was ¢clamorously encored, and substituted “The Sprig of Shilelak.” The company dispersed at 11 o’clock, after spending a social and pleasant evening.
Newspaper Details
Adelaide Irish Harp and Farmers Herald
Adelaide, South Australia, AU
Fri, May 30, 1873
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Angela O.
AU 01 Aug 2025
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