Charged With Sedition
Such an opportunity arose when on 15 April 1848, legal proceedings were instigated against John Mitchel. The grand jury were called on to find against him for "seditious libels," and also against O'Brien and Meagher for seditious speeches. Isaac Butt acted on behalf of both O'Brien and Meagher, and in both cases the juries were not sufficiently packed to secure a conviction against them. Mitchel's trial still remained though, and there was to be no mistake in his case. Mitchel's defence had entered a "dilatory plea" and this technical delay was seized upon by the Government. The charges of sedition against him were replaced with the newly enacted charge of Treason Felony.
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Famous quotes containing the words charged with, charged and/or sedition:
“True and false are attributes of speech not of things. And where speech is not, there is neither truth nor falsehood. Error there may be, as when we expect that which shall not be; or suspect what has not been: but in neither case can a man be charged with untruth.”
—Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679)
“I would I could
Quit all offences with as clear excuse
As well as I am doubtless I can purge
Myself of many I am charged withal.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“It is dangerous to tell the people that the laws are unjust; for they obey them only because they think them just. Therefore it is necessary to tell them at the same time that they must obey them because they are laws, just as they must obey superiors, not because they are just, but because they are superiors. In this way all sedition is prevented.”
—Blaise Pascal (1623–1662)