The Irish standard., 1893-11-25

side the van and could, therefore, hav'
seen little of the occurrence. 1t wa
quite sufficient for the purposes of tn.
jury, and the five men were found guilty
Of the capital ofense. When asked j
they had anything to say prior to receiv
ing sentence, Allen, the youngest o1
them, lad of 20 years, stepped forward
and said: "My Lords and Gentlemen
It is not my intention to occupy much ol
your time. The question is one that
can be easily asked, but not 80 easily an.
swered. It is question which an ADLER
man than / am could not answer with
any effect. When Burke and Emmett
dtood. in the dock in defense Of their
Country ry-when the question was put 10
them, what did they answer? That they
we're ready to die. I say the same-I
am ready to die. I say here is not q
taan ia this court regrets the death of
Sergeant Brett more than I do, and I
positiyely say, in the presence OF the AL
mighty and living God, that am inno~
cent Of his death-ay, as innocent as any
man in this court. don say this for
the sake OF mercy. 1 don't want mercy.
Tam not afraid to die. TIL die, as many
thousands have died, for the sake of
fhelr beloved land, and in defense of it.
proudly and defantly, [ say positively
shat justice has not been done me. AS
regards what I have done in defense OF
the cause of my country, am fearless Of
the consequences"
Mcguire denounced the swearing of
the witnesses as false, and declared that
his arrest was mistake; that he took no
part in the rescue at all. Larkin then
spoke, and said: ''I do not deny that !
went to the assistance of the two noble
mon VINO were in the van, Colonel Kelly
and Captain Deasy. I did ali [ could to
extricate them from bondage. did not
mean to take life. The man who took
lite is not here; you have not got him
yet, May God forgive those who swore
away my life"
O'Brien said: Il am proud 10 say that
I am fellow-parishioner of O'Neill
Crowley, who fell valiantly fighting
against British tyranny in Ireland. I
love my country and am pro,nlvdsto suffer
tor her. I hope her imbecfls snd tyran-
nical rulers will, before long, be driven
from her soil amidst the execrations of
the world" 49, 3D.
Condor spoke last. He said: I'm
rescuing the prisoners from the van ]
am Of opinion that excess, to a certain
extent. had been committed; but such
was not intended. A life was lost, which,
perhaps, was uncalLed for. But If a simi-
lar event had happened in a foreign
country; if Jefferson had been rescued
in an American city, English cities
would have rang with approval of the
daring deed. IF Garibaldi had been
rescued, would not all England have ap-
plauded the action? In Ireland murders
were perpotrated on unofending mon
in Dungarvan an unoffending man was
murdered by soldiers, and no one was
punished. thank God leave the world
without stain on my conscience, and
that, as regards the death Of Sergeant
Brett, I am entirely guiltless. do not
accuse the jury, but I believe they were
prejudiced. don't accuse them of will
fully wishing to convict, which they 9th
erwise would not have done. We have
been found guilty, and, as matter Of
course, we accept our death. We are
not afraid to die-at least, 1 am not
"Nor T." "Nor l." cried the others.
"I only,trust,' y he continued, that those
who are to be tried after us will have q
fair trial, and that our blood will satisfy
the craving that understand exists. l
pray that prejudice may pass away, and
that my country may be able to right
herself, and at some future time her
sons, instead of being looked upon with
ul6llk0s Will IoC0AV0 Lu0 IoSpoCG u tuS7
civilized world. The unfortunate divi-
sion of our countrymen in America has
paralyzed all action for the present; but
I feel better days are coming for my be-
loved country. For myself, lhaye moth
ing to regret, or retract, or take back. /
can only say God Save Ireland y
As he pronounced the last words all
his companions, moved by common i'm
pulse. stood forward, and with faces and
arms appraised to heaven, solemnly re-
peated the words, "God Save Ireland .
Their words have been commemorated
in tho following song by Z. D. Sullivan:
GOD sAvEIRELAND!
High upon the gal1ows tree
Swung the noble hearted three,
BY the vengeful tyrant stricken Ia their bloom;
But they met him face to face
With the courage Of thei: race,
And they went with souls undaunted to their
doom. ST. - ts 81 $s9.
"God Save IrelandI' said the heroes.
"God save Ireland" said they all;
whether on the scafold high
A l~t