The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-02
The Speech of Thomas Francis Meagher
On ReceivinG Sentence OF Death.

of high treason at Conmel, in iSiS, whether he had
anything to say why sentence of death and execu-
ton should not be passed upon hiss. -aid-
My Lords, it is my intention. 20 say n few words
only. desire that the last act Of proceeding
which has occupied much of the pnblic time
should be of short duration. Nor have the inde-
cate wish to close the dreary ceremony of State
prosecution with vain display of words Did /
fear that hereafter when | shall be no more, tho
country have tried to would think i'll of me,
! might. indeed, avail myself OF this solemn mo-
ment to yindicate my sentiments and my conduct
But have no such fear The country will judge
of those sentiments and that conduct in light far
different frcm that i'll which the jury by which l
haze been convicted have viewed them; and by the
country, the sentence which you, my Lords, about
to pronounce will be remembered only the severe
and solemn attestation of my rectitude and truth
Whatever be the language in which that sentence
be spoken, know that my fate will meet with SYM
pathy, and that my memory will be honored. In
speaking thus accuse me not, my Lords, of an indie
corous presumption. To the efforts have made in
just and noble cause, / ascribe vain Importance
nor do ] claim for those efforts any high reward
But 1t so happens-and it will ever happen so-that
they who have tried to their country, mat
ter how weak the effort may have been, arc sure to
receive the thanks and blessings Of the people. With
seasy my ss
vindicaton from me this day. jury of my coun-
trymen, il is true, have found guilty Of the crime
OF which stood indicted. For this entertain not
the slightest feeling of resentment towards them.
Influenced as they must have been by the charge of
the Lord Chief Justice, they could have found no
other verdict What of that charge! Any strong
observations on it, feel sincerely, would i'll beft
the solemnity Of this scene; but l would earnest
ly besecch of you. my lord-you who preside on
that bench--when the passions and preudiccs of
this hour have passed away, to appeal to your
conscience, and ask of it,, was your charge, as
it ought to have been, impartial and indiffer-
ent between the subject and the crown. My
lords you may deem this language unbecoming
in me. and perhaps it may seal my fate. But am
here to speak the truth, whatever it may cost.
am here to reject nothing l have ever done-to re-
tract nothing have ever said; ] am here to crave
with lying lip, the life consecratc to the liberty
Of my country. Far from it-evcn here-here,
where the thief, the lbertine, the murderer, have
left their footprints i'll the dust-hcrc, this spot
where tho shadows OF death surround me. and from
which see my early grave in an unanontcd soil.
open to receive mo.even here encircled b. those
tcrors the hope which has beaconed me to the peri
lous sea upon which have been wrecked, still con
soles nnimates, cnrsptures No, l do not
despair Of my poor old country-her peace-her
Lberi!-her glory. For that country | can
island up-to make her bcnciactor to humanity,
Instead of being the meanest beggar in the world
to restore her TO her native powers and constitu-
ton. This has been my ambition, and this ambi-
ton has been my crime. Judged by the law of Eng
land, know this crime entails the penalty ofdeath;
but the history Of Ireland explains this crime, and
justifes it. Judged by that history, am crimi-
nal. You addressing Mr.. McManus) arc no crimi-
criminal. l deserve no punishment. We deserve
punishment. Judged by that history the
treason Of which ] stand convicted loses all its
guilt--is sanct;fed as duty, will BIO enobled as
sacrifice. With these sentiments, my Lord, await
the sentence of the court. Having done what felt
to be my duty-having spoken what felt to be the
truth, as l have done on every occasion of my short
career, now bid farewell to the land Of my birth,
my passion, and my death--the country whose mis-
fortunes have invoked my mpathics-whosc fac
tiobs have sought TO still-whose intellect have
prompted to lofty aim-whose freedom has been
my fatal dream ] offer to that country, MS a
proof of the love / bear her, and the sincerity
with which thought, and spoke, and struggled for
her frecdcm-the life of young heart, and with
that life all the hopes, the honors, the endearments
Of happy and an honorable home. Pronounce,
then, my lords the sentence which the law directs,
and will be prepared to hear it.. trust shall be
prepared to meet its execution. hope to be able,
with pure heart ana perfect composurc, to appear
before higher tribunals tribunal where Judge
of1nfnitc goodness, as well of justice, will preside,
aint where, my lords, many, many of the judgments
at.this world will be reversed
The sentence the court was then pronounced, as
j. bad been previously on Mr.. O'Brien 1t was as
folloYH-
= ''fhe sentence Is, that you, Terence Bollcw Nc
Manus, you, Patrick ODonohoe, and you, Thomas
Francis be taken hence to the place from
whence you came, and be thence drawn hurdle
To the place Of executiontha each Of you be there
hanged by the neck till you dead, and that after
ward the head OF each of you shall be severed from
the body, apd the body of each divided into four
quarters to be disposed of Ter Majesty may think
f. And may Almighty God bavc mercy on your
souls!' ~ ne
This barbarous sentence, after some painful sus
pensc, was committed, by her gracious Majesty,
into one OF transportation to the penal colonies
TERRIBI.E ArFRAY-Tbe Chicago Argus, of the
18th May, says.-Wo learn from Capt. Burke, Of
the Kate Kearnoy, down this morning from Kock
Island, that terrible fight occurred between inc
&c Mar M anda
on board that boat, while she was under
way. lust below Louisiana on Tuesday morning, on
her way up to Galera. Some four Of tho parties
and = number Of others seriously injured The \
mate Of the Kate Kearney informs Us that he
rned ON INQUIRY that two Of the hands were dead