Curran, Esq. in defence of Mr. Oliver Bond, for High Treason, on Tuesday, July 24th, 1798:

Gentlemen of the Jury, let me state to you in the clearest point of view the defence of the prisoner at the bar, and see what has been the nature of the evidence adduced. The prisoner at the bar is accused of compassing or imagining the death of the king, and of adhering to the king's enemies; the evidence against him is parol and written evidence. Now, gentlemen of the jury, I will venture to observe to you, that as to the written evidence, if suffered to go before you by the court, it is only as evidence at large; but as to the credibility of it, that is for you to decide upon. Mr. Reynolds, in his parol testimony, has sworn that he was made an United Irishman by the prisoner at the bar. Mr. Reynolds says he was sworn to what he considered to be the objects of that society; he stated them to you; but whether true or false is for you to determine by the credit you may give to his testimony. This is the third time Mr. Reynolds has appeared in a court of justice to prosecute the prisoners. He says, the objects of the United Irishmen are to overturn the present government, and to establish a republican form of government in its stead, and to comfort and abet the French on their invading this kingdom, should such an event take place. You have heard his testimony; let me ask, do you think him incapable of being a villain? do you think him to be a villain? You observed with what kind of pride he gave his testimony,-do you believe his evidence by the solemn oath that you have taken? or do you believe it was a blasted perjury? Can you give credit to a man of a blasted character? It has been the misfortune of many former jurors to have given their verdict founded upon the evidence of a perjured witness, and on their death-bed they repented

of their credulity in convicting a man upon false testimony. The history of former ages is replete with such conduct; as may be seen in the State Trials, in the case of Lord Kimbolton and Titus Oates-the then jurors convicted that nobleman, but some time after his death the jurors discovered they had given implicit credit to a witness unworthy of it; and the lawyers of those times might have said, " I thank God they have done the deed." Does not the history of human infirmity give many instances of this kind? Gentlemen, let me bring you more immediately to the case before you; had we no evidence against Reynolds but his own solitary evidence, from the whole of his evidence you cannot establish the guilt of the prisoner at the bar. Take the whole of his evidence into your consideration; it may appear he is unworthy of credit. He told you he got information from M'Cann on the Sunday morning, that the meeting was to be on Monday morning at ten o'clock-Reynolds goes immediately to Mr. Cope, and gives him that information-on Sunday afternoon he goes to Lord Edward Fitzgerald, and shews him the orders issued by Captain Saurin to the lawyers corps: then, said Lord Edward, I fear government intend to arrest me, I will go to France, and hasten them to invade this country. Government has no information of the meeting of the provincial delegates at Bond's; no, no, says Reynolds, that is impossible-Reynolds wrote to Bond he could not attend the meeting, as his wife was ill-Reynolds did not go to the meeting.Bond was arrested on the Monday morn ing; on Monday evening at eight at night Reynolds goes to Lord Edward in Angier-street, met him, and goes again to him the next night, and Lord Edward conversed with Reypolds about his (Lord Edward) going to France. Reynolds then went to Kildare; he gave the most solemn assurance to the delegates at a meeting there that he never gave information of the meeting at Bond's. Now see how many oatha,

Reynolds has taken; he admits he took two of the oaths of the obligations to the society of United Irishmen. He told you Lord Edward advised him to accept of being a colonel of the Kildare United Irishmen's army, and yet he says he afterwards went to Bond's, and Bond advised Reynolds to be a colonel. It appeared in evidence that Reynolds was treasurer; he took two more oaths, one as colonel, and one as treasurer; and he took the oath of allegiance also, and he took an oath to the truth of his testimony at the two former. trials and at this:-On which do you give him credit? Gentlemen, in order to narrow the question under your consideration, as to what Reynolds said relative to Lord Edward's conversation, is totally out of this case; it can have no weight at all on the trial of Mr. Bond for high treason in the finding of your verdict. How, or in what manner, is the prisoner at the bar to be affected by it? I submit to your lordship that the declaration of Lord Ed ward to Reynolds, when Bond was not present, is not attachable to the prisoner. Mr. Reynolds has given you a long account of a conversation he had with Mr. Cope relative to the proceedings of the society of United Irishmen; and Mr. Cope said if such a man could be found, as described by Reynolds, who would come forward and give information, he would deserve the epithet of saviour of his country. Thus by Reynolds's evidence, it would seem that Mr. Cope was the little pony of repentance to drive away the gigantic crimes of the colossus Reynolds. But remember, said Mr. Reynolds, though I give information I won't sacrifice my morality; I won't come forward, to prosecute any United Irishman. No, no, like a bashful girl, higgling about the price of her virginity, I am determined, says Reynolds, to preserve my character. I will give the communications; but do not think I will descend to be an informer. I will acquaint you of every thing against the

United Irishmen, but I must preserve my credit.-I tell you the design of the United Irishmen is to overturn the constitution:—I will lead you to the threshold of discovery;-but I won't name any price for reward. Pray don't mention it at all, says Mr. Cope, a man would deserve a thousand or fifteen hundred a year and a seat in parliament, or any thing if he could give the information you mention. No such thing is required, no such thing, says Reynolds, you mistake me; I will have nothing in the world, but merely a compensation for losses! Do you think I would take a bribe? I ask only of you, to give me leave to draw a little bit of a note on you, for five hundred guineas; only by way of indemnity, that is all,-merely for indemnity of losses I have sustained or am liable to sustain. Gentlemen of the jury, don't you see the vast distinction, between a bribe and a gratification? What says father Foigard? Consider my conscience, do you think I would take a bribe? it would grieve my conscience if I were to take a bribe—to be a member of parliament and declare for the ayes or the noes!-I will accept of no bribe-I will only take a little indemnity for claret that may be spilt; for a little furniture that may be destroyed; for a little wear and tear; for boots and for shoes; for plate destroyed; for defraying the expenses of some pleasurable jaunts, when out of this country; for if I become a public informer against the United Irishmen, and should continue here for some time, I may chance at some time to be killed by some of them; for I have sworn to be true to them, and I also took the oath of allegiance to be true to my sovereign. I have taken all sorts of oaths; if I frequent the company of those who are loyal to the king, they will despise the man who broke his oath of allegiance; and between the Loyalist and the United Irishmen, I may chance to be killed.-As I am in the habit of living in the world, says Mr. Reynolds to Mr. Cope, you will give me leave to draw a bit of paper on you, only for three hundred

guineas at present; it will operate like a bandage to a sore leg; though it won't cure the sore or the rottenness of the bone, it may hide it from the public view. I will, says Mr. Reynolds, newly be baptised for a draft of three hundred guineas, and become a public informer; and for a further bit of paper,—only for another two hundred guineas-yet I trust you will excuse me,-I will not positively take any more. He might, I imagine, be compared to a bashful girl, and say, What shall the brutal arms of man attack a country maid, and she not stipulate for full wages; when her gown shortens, and her apron bursts asunder; and she sinks to the view of public prostitution; perhaps, he practised upon her virtue, when she thought he was gaining the affections of that innocent dupe in private life. Do you think that Reynolds would touch a bribe, and become an informer?No, no, he said he would be no informer.-But did he not consent to do a little business in private ?-and did he not get money for it? Perhaps he said, I thought to be no villain;— I would not have the world think me a villain! Yet as I can confide in myself, why should I mind what the world says of me, though it should call me villain? But it is not a real fact; even though I should become the talk of all the porter-houses, though I should become the talk at all the tea-tables, yet perjury is not brought home to me. No! no human being has knowledge of what is rankling within! Has it not been said, I was an honest man, to come upon the public board as á public informer? They did call me an honest man, and a worthy, a respectable informer, and thus my character is at bay. The world indeed heard of the progress of these crimes, and that I was unfortunately an United Irishman. He told you there was a provincial meeting of delegates, but he has not ventured to tell you where the provincial committee met; he has simply said there was a provincial committee. It was a question of great concern, I have