Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-12-05
Y. 6s NUMBER, &c.
SDessh Of MF. Mea .h,, ,'

rous Irishnan, THOMAS, F. MEAeHER,
who was recently condemned TO suiIes
death for no other efittie than love Of bis
alive land and desire TO see her freed
from the oppresion, Of the British yoke,
before sentence was passed upon him.-
Mr.. NJ. is said to be the mo st eloquent or.
atOr in the world. The British government.
however. did not dare to put the sentence
into execution.
"AiY LoRDs--It is ny intention TO cav
few words only. j desire that the las.
| act.Ufa proceeding which has occupied
so much of the public time, sbodId be Of
short duration. Nor have the iRdelica,e
wish to close the dreary ceremony of a
state prosecution with a vain display. of
words. Did fear that hereafter, when
| should be 40 more, the country have
tried 10 serve would think I'll Of me, I
might indeed avail myself of this solemn
moment TO vindicats my sentiments and
my conduct. But have no such fear
The country will Judge of those ssnti.
ments and that conduct ia light Ess
different from that in which the jury by
which | have been convicted have view.
ed them; and by the country, the sentence
| which you,my lords, ARE about toprononuce
will BE remembered only as the severe
and solemn attestation Of my rectitude and
truth. Whatever the language in which
the sentence be ,speken, know that tdiiS
fate will meet with sympathy, and my
memory will be honored. 10 speaking
thus accuse me not, my Lords. on an In
| decnrous presumption. To the efforts I
have made IN Q just and noble cause, I
ascrsbs no vain imPortanGe-iiore do
Ielaim for those efforts any high reward.
But it so happens, and it will ever hep.
pen SO, that those who have tried 20 serve
their country, no matter how weak the
! effort may have been, are surely to rs.
ceive the thanks shd. blessings Of ifs.hso.
pie. With my country, then. lsave my
memory-my sentiments-my acts---
proudly feeling that they, require no vim.
dication. from me this DAP. 3. ...A...
jury Of my codniryuieR. it 10 true.
have found me guilty ofthe erime Of which
| stood indicted. For this | entertain
not The slightest feeling of resentment
against them. Influenced, as thay have
been, by the charge Of the Lord Chief
Justice, they could have found No other
verdict. What ofthe charge? Any strong
observations on it, feel sincerely, wsuld
i'll befit the solemnity Of the scenes. but [
would earnestly bessech of yea, my
Lord-you who preside on that bench
when the passions and prejudices Of this
hour have passed q way, to appeal to your
own conscience, and to ask if it was youE
charge as is Ought to have been ,ilnpafstsl
and Indifferent between the subject and
the crown. My Lords. you may deem
this language. unbeOoming in me, and.
perhaps. it may seal. my fate; but ] am
to regret nothing Ihave dons--to retract
nothing have ever said. / am hereto
crave with no lying lip, the life coasecra;
led TO the liberty ct my country. Far ff5in
It, even here. here, where the theft the
libertins, The murderer, have left theil
ioot.prints in the dtist-hsre, on this spot,
where the shadows Of death surround ma,
and from which | see my early grave id
an unanOiDted soil opened to receive
me-eveD here. encirclsd by these ter,
rors, the hope which has beckoned me TO
the perious sea upon which have been
wrecked, still consoles, animates, enrkp-
lures me. No, do not despair Of nay
poor old country. her peace, her liberty,
her: glorys' Eor that country, can do no
mora, an, bid her keps. 70 lif this
Island up-7to make her benefactor to
huttiatiity, instead of being the msanesI
beggar in the world-to restore to hee
her native powers and ancient eonstitu.
tion, this has been my ambition, and this
ambition my crime. q
judged by the law. of England, know
this crime entails the teua!ty Of death;
but the history of ireland explains this
crime, and jus,i6ss it. Judged by THAI
history | am no criminal-you (addres.
sing Mr.. M'Manus) are no criminal.
you addressing Mr., O'Dennohoe) are,
no criminal deserve no punishment
wa deserve no punishment. Judged bVi
thai, history, the treason Of which stand
convicted ofloses all its guilt, il sanction.
ed as duty, will be ennobling as a Sac,
rifice. With these sentiments, my Lord,
await the sentence ofthe court. Having
done what felt to be my duty-hsvinR.
spoken what felt to be the truth, rs /
have done on every other occasion Of my
short career, now bid farewellto the
country Of my birth. my passion. and my;
death--the country whose misfortuues
have invoked my sympathy Whose fac.
tions have to, ssill-whose intellect /
have prompted to 3 lofty aim-whose
freedom has been my fatal dream. Offer
to tia, country. as proof Of the love I
bear her, and the sincerity with which.I
thought and spoke and struggled Tor he's;
freedom--the life ofa young heart. and
. with that life al the hopes, the hono4s,
, the endearments of happy. and a boa.