a window now he is a Fenian.  If I could bring, or if I had only the means of bringing, witnesses from America, I would have established my innocence here without a probability of doubt.  I would have brought a host of witnesses to prove that Costello was not the centre of a circle in 1866.  I would have brought a host of witnesses to prove that he was not the secretary of a circle—­never in all his life.  My lords, I speak calmly, and weigh well, and understand every word that I say.  If I speak wrong, time will bring the truth to the surface, and I would sooner have fifteen years added to my sentence than that any man might say I spoke from this dock, which I regard as a holy place, where stood those whom I revere as much as I do any of our saints—­

    The LORD CHIEF BARON—­I cannot suffer you to proceed thus.

COSTELLO—­I would not speak one word from this dock which I knew to be other than truth.  I admit there is a great deal of suspicion, but beyond that there are no facts proved to bring home the charge against me.  What I have stated are facts, every one of them.  Now, my lords, is it any wonder that I should speak at random and appear a little bit excited.  I am not excited in the least.  I would be excited in a degree were I expressing myself on any ordinary topic to any ordinary audience.  It is my manner, your lordships will admit, and you have instructed the jury not to find me guilty, but to discharge me from the dock, if they were not positive that I was a Fenian on the 5th March.  I believe these are the instructions that his lordship, Justice Keogh, gave to the jury—­if I were not a Fenian on the 5th March, I was entitled to an acquittal.  Well I was not a Fenian at that time.  I say so as I have to answer to God.  Now, to conclude.  I have not said much about being an American citizen.  For why?  I am not permitted to speak on that subject.  Now, as Colonel Warren remarked, if I am not an American citizen, I am not to be held responsible, but to the American Government.  I did not press myself on that government.  They extended to me those rights and those privileges; they said to me, “Come forward, young man; enrol yourself under our banner, under our flag; we extend to you our rights and privileges—­we admit you to the franchise.”  I came not before I was asked.  The invitation was extended to me.  I had no love then, and never will have, towards England, and I accepted the invitation.  I did forswear allegiance to all foreign potentates, and more particularly I forswore all allegiance to the Crown of Great Britain.  Your lordships say that the law of the land rules that I had no right to do anything of the kind.  That is a question for the governments to settle.  America is guilty of a great fraud if I am in the wrong.

    The LORD CHIEF BARON—­I cannot allow you to proceed in that
    line of argument.

    COSTELLO—­I will take up no more of your time.  If I am still a
    British subject, America is guilty.