Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-12-05
VOLUME 6, NUMBER %.
Speech Of MR. Nea her =.

:
rous lrishnan, THoMAs F. MEAeHER.
who was recently condemned to suffer-
death for no other erItiis than love Of bis
alive land and a desire to see her freed
from the OppresiOn. Of the British yoke,
before sentence was passed upon him.-
Mr.. NJ. is said to be .he mos, eloquent or.
ator in the world. The British government.
however. did not dare TO put the sentence
into execution.
"Alf LoRDs--It is pny intsn,ion TO say
few words only. / desire that the last
| actsofa proceeding which has occupied
so much of the public time, sboHid be Of
short duration. Nor have | the iadeIica,e
wish to close the dreary ceremony of q
state prosecutions with a vain display. Of
words. Did fear that hereafter, when
| should be 30 more, The country I have
| tried TO serve would think III Of. me, I
might indeed avail myself of this solemn
moment 10 vindicate my sentiments and
my conduct. But have no such fear
The country viii Judge of those sspti.
ments and that eonduct In b 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 sewers
and solemn attestation OF my reetitude and
| truth. Whatever the language In which
the sentence be .sp0ken,. know that ny
fate will meet with sympathy. and my
memory will be honored. In speaking
thus accuse me not, my Lords, on an In.
deeorous presumption. To the efForts !
have made In just and noble cause,
ascribe1 no vain. importalee-tiore1 do
claim for those efforts any high reward.
But it SO happens, and it will ever hep
pen so, thar 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.heo.
pie. With my country, then. Isave my
memory-my sentiments-my acts---
proudly feeling that they require no vim.
dication from me This dap, -. ..,..
A jury Of my coduiry1ies, il il true,
have found me guilty ofthe srime ofwhich
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 hate found no other
verdict. What ofthe chargs? Any strong
observations on it, feel sincerely, weuld
ill hefit 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 way 10 appeal to your
own conscience, and to ask if il was youF
charge as is Ought to have been ,iiHtafifst
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 ] an
to regret nothing Ihave domestic Ietract
nothing have ever said. am hereto
crave with no lying lip, the life cousecra;
led TO the liberty ofmy country. Far ,ff5ih
II, even here, here, where the theft. the
libertins, The murderer, have left theiE
loot. prints in the dist-hsre, on this spot,
where the shadows of death surrosud ma,
and from which | see my early grave id
an unanointed soil opened to receive
me-eveR here, encirclsd by these ter,
rors, the hope which has beckoned me to
the psriious sea upon which have been
wrecked, still consoles. animates, eHrRp-
lures me. No, / do not despair of nay
poor old country. her peace, her liberty,
her. glorys, EOr that country, / can do no
more, than bid her keps. 70 lifi TIL.
Island, up-Tto make her benefactor to
humanity. instead of being the msaness
beggar in the world-to restore to hee
her native powers aad ancient constitu.
ton, this has been my Ambitions, and this
ambition my crime. IL
judged by the law. of England, know
this crime entails tie teua!ty Of death;
but the history of Irelasd explains this
crime, and jus,i6es il. Judged by that
history / am no criminal-you (addres-
sing Mr.. M 'Manus) are no criminal
you addressing Mr., O'Dennohoe) are,
no criminal deserve no puRisbment--
wa deserve no punishment. Judged bvt
that history, the treason of ghich ! stand
convicted ofloses all its guilt, il sanction.
ed as duty. will be ennobling as sac.,
rifee. With these sentiments, my Lord,
Iawait the sentence ofthe court. Having
done what felt to be my duty--havinE
spoken what felt to be the truth, as /
have done on every other occasion Of my
short career, ! now bid fareweIlto the
country Of my birth. my; passion. and my
death--the country whose misfortunes
have invoked my sympathy whose fac
tious l.have to ssill-whose intellect I
have prompted to . lofty sim--whossr
freedom has been my fatal dream. I offer
to tia, country. Is proof Of the lovs I
bear her, and the sincerity with which1
thought and spoke and struggled Tor hss
Il freedom--the life ofa young heart. and
! wiilSfhat life AL the hopes, the honoes,
|, the endearments Of q happy and ah Aca..
{ lorabIe home Pronounea then, my Ler1ss