Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-07-30
NlISCE l. l. A N Y.
EmDaETT, AND SARAH CURRAN'

From "Curran and his Contemporaries"
bv Phillips-one of the most interesting
books that has fallen into our hands tor
lono t,me-we extract the following histor-
icaI narrative, although the main incidents
are familiar to all who nave read {and who
has not, y Washington Irving S touching sto-
ry called the "Broken Heart"
After the dreadful tempest of l19o, the
country appeared to have sunk into reposse'
or rather exhaustion. Government was be
ginning 10 reiaxin It's seventies the Hd6e-
as Corpus Act was again in operation; the
Union had been carried; and this once
kingdom seemed gradually sinking into the
humility of a contented province All OF
sudden-the government unprepared, the
people unsuspcious, and the whole social
system working apparently without aPPre-
hension or impediment-an instruction eX-
ploded in Dublin, which was attended with
some melancholy, and, at first, threatened
some very serious consequences. AT the
head ofthis was the unfortunate Robert En-
NETT the Youngest of the family OF which
we have been treating, He was only twen-
ty-three years of age; had been educated
in the University; and for his demeanor, his
talents, and his virtues, was admired, re-
spected, and beloved. His mind was natu-
rally melancholy and romantic he had fed
ii from the pure fountain Of classic literature,
and might be said to have lived, not so much
in the scene around him, as In the society
of the illustrious dead.
Unhappily, however, for Robert Emmett,
he drank deeply of the delusiohs OF the day
Insanely obstinate, he spurned all ADVICE;
and with the sacrifice of what little fortune
he possessed, and the aid Of a few desPer-
ate and undscipined followers; he essayed
what he believed would be the emanclpa-
ton of the country On the 23d of June,
1908, this rebelion-if such it can be CALI
ed-broke out IN Dublin; and so unprepar-
ed was government for such an event, that
it is an ndisputable fact that there was not
single ball in the chiefarsenal which would
fit the artillery. Indeed, had the deluded
followers of Emmett had common sense or
common conduct the Castle of Dublin must
have fallen into their possession and what
fortunately, ended in petty insurrectlon,
might have produced a renewal Of the dis
astrous '99. Much depends upon the sue
cess Of the moment and there was no doubt
there were very many indolent OF despond-
inc malcontents whom the surrender OF that
citadel would have reused into activity
However. a most melancholy and calaml-
tous occurrence is supposed at the moment
to have diverted Emmett's mind from an OBJ
iect so important. Lord Kilwarden, the then
chief Justice, the old and esteemed friend
of MIR. Curran, was returning from the coun-
try, and had to pass through the very street
of the insurrection. He was recognized,
seized, and inhumanly murdered, against
all the entreaties and commands Of Emmett,
This is supposed to have disgusted and de-
bihtated him. He would not wade through
blood to liberty, and found, too late, that
treason could not be restrained by the au-
thority it acknowledged. Lord Kilwarden
died like a Judicial hero, Covered with
pike wounds, and fainting from loss of blood.
his last words were, "Let no man perish in
consequence Of my death but by the regu-
lar operation of the laws" words which
should be cngravcn in letters of gold upon
his monument. Speaking of him afterward,
during the subsequent trials, Mr.. Curran
said, ''It is impossible for any man having
head or heart to look at this Internal
transaction without horror. had known
Lord Kilwarden for twenty years. No man
possessed more strongly than he did two
qualities he was a lover Of justice and hu-
manity even to WEAKNESS, if can be
Weakness" The result of this murder was
the paralysis Of the rebels and the flight of
Emmett. In his depot in an obscure street,
paper was found speculating on the state
Of his oTn mind in case of failure. II is
picture OF enthusiasm. II have but little
time" he says, 'to look at the thousand
difficulties which lie between me and the :
completion Of my projects. That those DIFF
fcultIes viii likewise disappear, l have ar
dent, and trust, rational hopes; but if his
is not to be the case, thank God for hay-
ing gifted me with sanguine disposition
to that disposition Irun from reflection and,