O'CONNELL AT THE HUSTINGS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3050, 5 April 1881, Page 4

O'CONNELL AT THE HUSTINGS.

In the court, or in the camp-r-at the bar, or on the rostrum —it made no odds to O'Connell; he was at homo anywhere where wit and intelligence were required; and if keen l-epartee could come in play, be sure he would not be fount! wanting. In short, never was there a uioro dangerous man to attack. The following shows the man's ready wit, and is certainly worth telling : It was when O'Connell was contesting the city of Dublin with Mr West for a seat in Parliament, and the two candidates were before their constituents in the great hall, or rotunda, of the Court House. As might be supposed, the announcement of two such speakers on such an occasion filled the house well-nigh to suffocation. Both were in the best of humor, suffering nothing to drag. in the course of his remarks, O'Connell, in a humorous manner, alluded to his opponent's personal appearance, declaring that "Hogarth's line of beauty didn't touch his face anywhere, if it touched his head at all. It was not so much what ho said as the manner in which he said it that convulsed the people. When Mr West got the floor he attempted to pay his friend off for this ; and, after a funny prelude, he exclaimed : "It is all very well for Mr O'Connell to attack me upon my personal appearance ; but let me tell you if you coultl see Daniel O'Ccnnell without his wig on, he wouldn't show a face nor head much to boast of !" Before the people could find time t> laugh, and to the utter surprise of everybody, M> O'Connell steped quickly upon the rostrum, close by Mr West's side, and, with a flourish, pulled off his wig, at the same time exclaiming : "There! Now my wig is off, which of us two is the better looking ?" The effect was electric. The giant, form, with the grandest head in Ireland, by tho side of die diminutive person of the othei , , showed to wonderful advantage ; and who s hall say how much the quaint passage, comi'i?" so unexpectedly, may have had to do with "'retting the * Great Agitator to Parliament V ....