Before passing sentence, the judge asked if there was anything that anyone wished to say. Meagher, speaking for all, said:
'My Lord, this is our first offense but not our last. If you will be easy with us this once, we promise, on our word as gentlemen, to try to do better next time. And next time we won't get caught!'
The indignant judge sentenced them all to be hanged by the neck until dead, and drawn and quartered. Passionate protest from all the world forced Queen Victoria to commute the sentence to transportation for life to wild Australia.
In 1874, word reached the astounded Queen Victoria that the Sir Charles Duffy who had been elected Prime Minister of Australia was the same Charles Duffy who had been transported 25 years before.
On the Queen's demand, the records of the rest of the transported men were revealed and this is what was uncovered:
Thomas Francis Meagher: Governor of Montana
Terrence McManus: Brigadier General, US Army,
Patrick Donahue: Brigadier General, US Army,
Richard O'Gorman: Governor General of Newfoundland
Morris Leyne: Attorney General of Australia, after which Michael Ireland succeeded him.
Thomas D'Arcy McGee: Member of Parliament, Montreal, Minister of Agriculture and President of Council, Dominion of Canada
John Mitchell: prominent New York politician.