William Smith O'Brien, an Irish patriot, born in county Clare, Oct. 17, 1803, died in Bangor, North Wales, June 17, 1864. He was educated at Harrow and Cambridge, in 1827 entered parliament for the borough of Ennis, and in 1832 was returned for county Limerick, a constituency which he continued to represent for many years. He strenuously opposed the passage of the Irish arms act, August, 1843, and became an active member of the repeal association. In May, 1846, for refusing to serve on committees of the house, he was confined for several days. On the introduction of John O'Connell's peace resolutions into the repeal association, in July, 1846, he left that body, with the " Young Ireland " party. The French revolution of 1848 gave an ultra tone to his views, and shortly after that event he made a violent speech in the house of commons, threatening to establish a republic in Ireland. In April he accompanied a deputation sent by the "Irish Confederation " to Paris, to request aid on behalf of the " oppressed nationality of Ireland," and received abundant expressions of sympathy from Lamartine and his coadjutors, but no direct offers of assistance. Returning home in May, he aided in organizing a national convention of the Irish people, which was not permitted to assemble.

In the same month he was brought to trial, together with Thomas Francis Meagher, on a charge of sedition, but escaped conviction. His zeal soon hurried him into overt acts, and in July he attempted a rising among the peasantry of Ballingarry, which was promptly suppressed. On Aug. 5 he was arrested near Thurles and conveyed to Dublin. He w; s - 1 at Clonmel on a charge : high treason, convicted, and sentenced to deal : but the sentence w:is commn asportation for life. In July. 1849, he embarked for Tasmania, v he remained till 1S56, when the pardon accorded to the Irish - - enabled him to return home. In > he visited the United St -. and after return took no prominent part in public affairs.. When the civil war broke out in the United States in 15-31. he; s 1 a manifest ex] -- _ > si _' - for the seling states, insetting bis countrymen selves in favor of the Union.