The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-03-18
An Historical Document for the
Fenians.

Patriotic Speech of Robert Emmet,
Esq, before Lord NOrbuTY, at the
Session House, Dublin, on an In
diciment for High TreasOn---EK-
tract.
The gallant young man had been sn
active leader in q revolutionary at
tempt in Ireland, yulgarly and basely
called an Irish Rebellion lie suffer
ed death in 1903, and in the 22d year
of his age.
My Lords-What have / to say why
the sentence OF death should not be
pronounced on me, according to law
have nothing to say that can alter
your predetermination, nor that it will
become me to say, with any view to the
mitigation Of that sentence which you
are here to pronounce, and / must
abide by. But | have that TO say which
interests me more than life, and which
you have labored las was necessarily
your office IN the present circumstances
of this oppressed country }, to destroy.
l have much TO say why my reputation
should be rescued from the load of
false accusation and calumny which
has been heaped upon 1t.
do not imagine that, seated where
you are, your minds can be 30 free from
impurity, as TO receive the least i'm
preston from what l am going to utter
/ have no hopes that / can anchor my
character in the breast of court con
stituted and trammeled as this is;
only wish, and it is the utmost expect,
that your lordships may suffer it to float
down your memories untainted by the
foul breath of prejudice, until 1t finds
some more hospitable harbor TO shelter
it from the storm by which it is at
present bufieted.
Were / only to suffer death, after
being adjudged guilty by your tribunal,
/ | should bow in silence, and meet the
fate that awaits me without a murmuI;
but the sentence of law which delivers
my body to the executioner, will,
through the ministry of that law, labor
in its own vindication, TO consign my
character to obloquy, for there must be
guilt somewhere; whether in the sen
| tence of the court or in the catastrophe,
eternity must determine.
A man in my situation, my lords, has
not only to encounter the difficulties
of fortune, and the force OF power over
minds which il has corrupted or subju-
gated: but the difficulties OF established
/ prejudice; the man dies, but his mem
| ory lives that mine may not perish,
that it may live in the respect of my
countrymen, j seize upon this opportu-
nity to vindicate myself from some OF
the charges alleged against me.
When my spirit shall be waited to a
more friendly port when my shade
shall have Joined the bands of those
martyred heroes who have shed their
blood on the scaffold and in the field,
in defense of their country, and of vir.
tue, this is my hope; | wish that my
memory and name may animate those
who survive me, while look down with
oomplacency on the destruction of that
ner6dious Government, which upholds
| its domination by blssphemy of the
Most High; which, displays its power
over man as over the beasts OF the for
est which sets man upon his brother
and lifts his hand in tine name OF God
against the throat of his fellow who be
lieves or doubts a little more or
little less than the Government stan,
dard a Government which Is steeled
TO barbarity by the cries of the orphans
and the tears of the widows which 1t
has made.
Here Lord Norbury interrupted Mr.
Emmett, saying, that the mean and
wicked enthusiasts who felt as he dld
were not equal 10 the accomplishment
Of their wild designs.
| appeal TO the immaculate dodi !
swear by the throne Of Heaven, before
which | must shortly appear, by the
blood of the murdered patriots who
have gone before me, that my conduct
has been through all this peril and al
nv purposes, governed only by the con
yictions which / have uttered, ana by
no other view than that of their cure
and The emancipation OF my country
from the superinhuman oppression un
der which she has 80 long and TOO pa
tiently travelled; and that l confidently
and assurdly hope, that wild ana cnl cniil
merical as it may appear, there are I'll
union and strength in Ireland 10 &C
complish this noble enterprise.
OF this speak with the confidence
of intimate knowledge, and with th'
consolation that appertains to tina
confidence. Think not, my lord, sal
this for the petty qualification OF givinI
YOU a transitOTy uneasinessi a man Wh'
, never yet raised hiR voice to assert
lie will not hazard his character will
posterity by asserting q falsehood on
subject so important to his country, ant
on an occasion like this. Yes, m.
lords. q man who does not wish to haY'
his epitaph written until his country
liberated, will not leave weapon il
the power of envy nor pretense Il
iupeach the probity which he mean
to preserve even in the grave TO whici
tyranny consigns him.
Here he was again interrupted b,
the court
Again / say that what have spokel
p WAS not intended for your lOrdshlT
whose situation | commiserate rathe
4 than envy. my expressions we're Tor m
, countryUlen. If there be true Irish
man present, let my last words chez
. him in the hour OF his aniIcuon-
l Here he was again interrupted
Lord Norbury said he did not sat ther
TO hear tresson.
have always understood It to b
the duty Of. a Judge, when prison
er has been convicted, to pronounc
ir the sentence of the law. have ais
2, understood that Judges sometime
think il their duty to hear with pi
r. tience, snd 10 speak with humanity {
exhort the victim of the laws, and I
offer with tender benignity his opinion
of the motives by which be was sctu'
ted in The crime of which he has bee
> adiudged guilty.
That a Judge has thought II his dui
80 10 do, have no doubt but where
q The bossted freedom of your insutl
y tions-where C-s the yaunted impa
tialitv. clemency and p2ildness of yoI
courts Of Justice, If an uniortnns'
, prisoner, whom your policy, and M
, pure Justice, is about TO deliver lni
Che hands OF the execuhoner be M
suffered to explsin his motives 81
> cerely and truly, and TO Vindica
the principles by which be was ao1n
ted ?
,.s Ny lords, il may be part OF the -
we tenn Of angry justice TO bow mar
mind by humiliation 10 the purpose
ignominy Of the scaffold but worse
me than the purposed shame or q
- scaffold's terrors, would be tie shan
OF such foul and unfounded imput
> tons As have been laid against me
this court you, my lord, are a Judge,
ara the supposed eulpfit ] am q ma
YOU are a man, also, BY revelation
a power we might change places, thoul
y, we never could ohsnge characters if
> stand at the bar of thls court and ds
not yindicate my character what 8 lor
is your justice
il / stand st this bar and dare u
vindicate my character, how dare "
csluInniate it2 Does the sentence
no death which your unhsllowed poll
I ~. H.