COSTELLO—­I can say to those assembled here, and who are now listening to me, that I stand here, branded, as I am, a felon, but with a clear conscience.  No one can point the finger of scorn against me, and say I have sold my brother and committed perjury.  Can every man in this court house lay his hand on his heart and say the same?  Answer me, Mr. Anderson.  Answer me, Governor Price.

    The LORD CHIEF BARON—­You are again transgressing.  You had
    better stop for a moment or two; you seem to be excited.

COSTELLO—­My lord, as you truly remark.  I have allowed my feelings to run away with my discretion; but it is hard for a man to stand here, satisfied as I am of innocence, knowing full well that I have committed no wrong; it is hard for a man in the bloom of youth, when the world looks fair and prosperous to him—­when all he loves is in that world—­it is hard that a man should be torn from it, and incarcerated in a living tomb.  My lords, I am an humble individual; I claim no rights but the rights that emanated from a Godhead—­the rights that were given to me at the hour of my birth.  That right is my inalienable liberty, and that no government, no people, has a right to take from me.  I am perfectly satisfied to stand before a British tribunal to answer for acts or words of mine, if I break any of the laws of the country; but, my lords, you must admit that I have transgressed no law.  His lordship, Judge Keogh—­I must now candidly admit that I have heard a great deal about that gentle nan that was not at all complimentary to him—­but I say for myself that his lordship, Judge Keogh has dealt with me in the fairest manner he could have done.  I have nothing to say against the administration of the law, as laid down by you; but I say a people who boast of their freedom—­hold up their magnanimous doings to the world for approval and praise—­I say those people are the veriest slaves in existence to allow laws to exist for a moment which deprive a man of liberty.

    The LORD CHIEF BARON—­It is impossible for a Court
    administering the law, to allow you to speak in such terms
    against such law.

[Illustration:  Augustine E. Costello.]

COSTELLO—­I speak under correction, my lord.  You must, if you please, be assured that I do not attribute any wrong to your lordships—­far be it from me; I acknowledge and again reiterate that.  So far as the law is concerned, I have had a dose that has almost killed me; but if there was a little—­a very little—­justice mixed in that law, I would not be now addressing your lordships.  Of the law I have had sufficient, but I have come to the conclusion that justice is not to be found inside a British courthouse.  My lords, I complain, and grievously, of what my friend Colonel Warren and my friend General Halpin complained of—­of being tried in this Court as a British subject; and I think your lordships