The existence in Dublin of sympathy with the murderers of
Lord Frederick Cavendish and Mr. Burke may be considered proved, but it is difficult to gauge its depth and extent. On the one hand, among the classes summoned on juries the Crown officers found it impossible to collect jurymen sufficient without heavy fines, and difficult to exclude men certain not to convict ; and in Kelly's case, they twice failed. On the other hand, the juries, once empanelled, usually did their duty, and every man accused of those murders, or of the attempt to murder Mr. Field or Mr. Poole, has been convicted and sentenced. The Special Commission finished its work on Thursday. Even Fitzharris, who was, with the Judge's consent, acquitted of murder, was convicted of conspiracy and sentenced to penal servitude for life. Again, the mob all through showed the greatest sympathy for Brady, the actual murderer. It was necessary to guard him on his way to and from prison like a Czar, and among the American-Irish especially he was described as a martyr. The most stringent precautions were taken on the day of his execution, and a solemn demonstration in the shape of funeral processions was expected all over Ireland. Nevertheless, he was executed on Monday, and everything passed off quietly, and there was no special exhibition of popular feeling, even in the easy form of wearing crape. The truth seems to be that Irishmen of the extreme type try hard to believe that the men are unjustly condemned, and adhere to their faith in words, but cannot, even in their hatred, delude their own minds completely. The condi- tion of the public mind is, however, heart-breaking to contem- plate. Not only is the natural horror of murder suspended, but also instinctive logic. If, as all just men say, Brady was a murderer, he was fairly condemned ; while if, as the agita- tors say, he was a soldier in a war with the British, the British had a right to make war on him. The Irish of extreme opinions reject equally either deduction, and declare that no one ought to die except the innocent.
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