The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-03-05

man in my situation has not only to en-
counter he difficulties of fortune, and
the force of power over minds which il
has corrupted or subjugated, but the
difficulties of established prejudice.
The man dies, but his memory lives
That mine may not perish, that it may
live in the respect of my countrymen, ]
seize upon his opportunity to vindicste
myself from some of the charges alleged
against me. When my spirit shall be
waited to more iendly port-when my
shade shall have joined the bands of
those martyred heroes who have shed
their blood on the scaffold and in the
f Id in the defense of their country and
of virtue, this is my hope-I wish that
my memory and name may animate those
who survive me, while I look down with
com placency on the destruction of that
perfdious government which upholds it's
domination by blasphemy of the Most
High-which displays it's power over
man, as over the beasts of the forest
which sets man upon his brother, and
lifts his hand in the name Of God, against
the throat uf his fellow who believes or
doubts a little more or little less than
the government standard--a government
which is steeled to barbarity by the cries
of the orphans, and the tears of the
widows it has made
Here Lord Norbury interrupted MIR.
Emmet, saying "that the mean and
wicked enthusiasts who felt as he did
were not equal to the accomplishment of
their wild design"
I appeal to the immaculate God-l
swear by the throne of Heaven, before
which I must shortly appear-by the
blood of the murdered patriots who have
gone before me-that my cor duct has
been, through all this peril, and through
all my purposes, governed only by the
convection which have uttered, and by
no other view than that of the emancipa-
tion OF my country from the superhuman
oppression under which she has so long
and too patiently travelled; and conf,
IDENTIFY hope that, wild and chimerical as
it may appear. there is still union and
in Ireland TO accomplish this
enterprise OF this I speak with the
confidence Of intimate knowledge, and
with the consolation that appertains to
tnat confidence. Think not, my lords, I
say this for the petty qualification OF CIV
ing you transitory uneasiness. A man
who never yet raised his voice to assert a
lie will not hurt his character with pos
terity by asserting falsehood ON SUBJ
ject so important to his country, and on
an occasion like this. Yes, my lords, a
man who does not wish to have his
epitaph written until his country is liber-
ated will not leave weapon in the power
of envy, or pretense to ilnpeach the
probity which he means to preserve,
even in the grave to which tyranny con-
signs him.
Here he was again interrupted by the
court.
Again say, that what l have spoken
was not intended for your lordship,
whose situatio I com mmisarate rather
than envy-my expressions were for my
countrymen. II there is true Irishman
present, let my last words cheer him in
the hour of his affliction.
Here he was again interrupted. Lord
Norbury said he did not sit there to hear
treason.
have always understood it to be the
duty of a Judge, when a prisoner has
been convicted, to pronounce the sem
tence of the law. I have also understood
that judges sometimes think it their duty
to hear with patience, and to speak with
humanity; to exhort the victim of the
laws, and to offer, with tender benignity,
their opinions of the motives by which
he was actuated in the crime of which he
was adjudged guilty. That a Judge has
thought it his duty SO to have done, /
have no doubt; but where is the boasted
freedom of your institutions where is
the vaunted impartiality, clemency, and
mildness of your courts of justice, if an
unfortunate prisoner, whom your policy,
and not justice, is about to deliver into
the hands of the executioner, is not snf
fered to explain his motives sincerely
and truly and to vindicate the principles
by which he was actuated? Ny lords, it
may be part of the system Of angry
Justice to bow mans mind by humilia-
ton to the proposed ignominy of the
scaffold; but worse to me than the
shame Of the scaffold's terrors would be
the shame of euch foul and unfonnded
imputations as have been laid against
me in this court. You, my lord, are q
judge; am the supposed culprit. l am
q man; you are man also. By reyolu-
ton OF power we might change places,
though we never could change charac-
+nro Tf r stand a4 tho har nf this court