JUDGE FLETCHER'S CHARGE TO THE WEXFORD GRAND JURY. GENTLEMEN OF THE GRAND JURY, Ir is with sincere pleasure I congratulate you, upon the appearance of the state of your county--I say appearance, because I have no means whatever of knowing any thing upon the subject, except from the calendar now before me. In that calendar, I find very few numbers indeed-Two, or three, or four crimes, of general occurrence in the country: one homicide, which appears to have been committed, certainly with circumstances of atrocity; but, as far as I can collect from the examinations, originating in private malice and individual revenge; and not connected with any of those disturbances, of which we have heard so much in different parts of the kingdom. Gentlemen-it is matter of great congratulation, that, after a period of thirty years, (at the commencement of which I first knew the County of Wexford,) I have reason to say, it is precisely in the situation in which it was then, except as to an increase of wealth and population, and an improvement in agriculture, which has ameliorated its condition and multiplied its resources. The county of Wexford was then a moral curiosity. When other parts of the country were lawless and disturbed, this county had a peasantry-industrious in their habits-social in their disposition— satisfied with their state, and amenable to the laws-cultivating their farms with an assiduity, which insured a competency. Their conduct was peaceful-their apparel whole-their morals improved their lives spent in the frequent interchange of good offices. It was a state of things which I reflect upon with pleasure. Each succeeding circuit showed me wild heaths and uncultivated tracts, brought under the dominion of the plough, and producing corn for the sustenance of man. As it was then, so it continued for many years; until those unhappy disturbances, which burst out in this county, with such a sudden and unexpected explosion. I knew what the state of things was then, and how that explosion was produced-Professionally I knew it; because I enjoyed peculiar advantages of knowledge, which other men did not enjoy. For several years I conducted the prosecutions for the crown at Wexford; and hence I derived an intimate knowledge of those transactions. Besides, I was connected with no party-I was indifferent about party. But here I stop-I willingly draw a veil over the events of those days, and their causes. God forbid! that I should tear asunder wounds, which, I hope, are completely and for ever closed. I have now been absent from this county twelve years (with the exception of one assizes, when I came here in the King's commission, but upon that occasion I did not sit, as I now do, in the Crown Court.) I can say, however, with the greatest truth, that at no period from my earliest acquaintance with your county, down to the present time, do I remember to have seen it, in more profound tranquillity-more perfect peace-more complete security, than at present—a state of things indicating a due administration of the laws by magistrates, neither over zealous and too active on the one hand, nor too negligent and supine on the other. Such, I do hope, is the true and actual state of your county; for, Gentlemen, I have, I repeat it, no means of knowing the fact, except from the quantity of alleged crime, the number of persons charged, and the nature of those charges as a set out in this calendar. But why, gentlemen, have I entered into this detail? I answer, for these weighty and cogent reasons-because much exaggeration and misrepresentation have gone abroad; and the extent and causes of disturbances have been much mis-stated. what I now say, or shall say, I do not impute any thing to any No. VIII. Pam. VOL. IV. 2 C In individual of this county--I will not meddle with its internal poli tics; but this I know, that its situation has been variously represented. Several advertisements in newspapers, now before me— [The Wexford Journals of last March and April]—describe this county, as being in a most alarming state of disturbance. Other advertisements affirm, on the other hand, that the county has never enjoyed more profound tranquillity. These advertisements have been, I understand, republished in the prints of Dublin and London; and have naturally excited strong sensations. It is not for me to inquire into the motive of those opposite statements. I know them not. It is not my intention--it is not my duty, to impute any particular motives to any individuals; but it is within the sphere of my public duty to state, for your instruction, what I have observed as the origin and grounds of similar reports and misrepresentations in other counties, whither the discharge of my public duty has called me; and where I have had judicial knowledge of what had passed. It may be not uninstructive to state, what appeared to me to be the causes of those disturbances, which have occasioned those misrepresentations and exaggerations-together with the reasons which have impelled the legislature to swell the criminal code, session after session, with new statutes, for vindicating the peace of this country. In my circuits through other parts of the kingdom, I have seen the lower orders of the people disturbed by many causes, not peculiar to any particular counties-operating with more effect in some; but to a greater or less extent in all. I have seen them operating with extended effect in the north-west circuit, in the counties of Mayo, Donegal, Derry, Roscommon, &c. &c. These effects have made a deep impression on my mind. My observations, certainly, have been those of an individual-but of an individual, seeing the same facts coming before him, judicially, time after time,—and I do now publicly state, that never, during the entire period of my judicial experience (comprising sixteen circuits), have I discovered or observed any serious purpose, or settled scheme, of assailing his Majesty's Government, or any conspiracy connected with internal rebels, or foreign foes. But various, deep rooted, and neglected causes, producing similar effects throughout this country, have conspired to create the evils, which really and truly do exist. |