The absurdity of the rumour was sufficiently proved by the fact that Mr.O'Brien did not come to me, or my part of the country, in the first instance.

The real truth is that I never directly or indirectly, by word or letter, counselled the outbreak.

Nay, more: I was as ignorant of Mr.O'Brien's purpose as the President of these States.
At the time of Mr.Mitchel's trial, I believe I expressed a very strong opinion in favour of rescuing him; and that opinion was grounded on the belief that the whole people would rise up _en masse_, and in one wild burst of vengeance, sweep their oppressors from the land.

But neither then nor afterwards, did Mr.O'Brien give me the least reason to believe that he was prepared to resist the government in arms, save as far as he concurred in acts which had a tendency to that end.
When first the report above referred to was circulated, I wrote the strongest contradiction of it, and Mr.Meagher, with Mr.O'Brien's sanction, addressed the following note to the editor of the Tipperary _Vindicator_.

I am sorry it should be in any way necessary to produce it here; but as this is the last time I shall ever refer to this subject, I thought it best to add this testimony to my own.
CLONMEL GAOL "MR.