The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-05-16

~ = mayo Vi Inc Guy (MT. WlAlau
i Aa.sN olan) has received the following let
4 nerS rrom John DAILY; the Irish Political
Prisoner: fs r.
w ednesday, April 18th. 1896. Is
he Mayor Of Limerick 81
sSss dear Sir1 avail myself OF this, my
quarterly letter, to ask you to convey to
the corporation my most sincere graft
tude Tor placing my name first on the
list to be Sheriff for. the year 1896. Il
is not because they placed my name first
on the list that desire to express my
q gratitude. It was the generous motive
B and the united manner in which 1t was
done which filled my soul with pride and
gratitude beyond my present power OF
= expression. And, indeed, at the time,
~ thought there was every reason to hope
that so generous and so disinterested
an action, emanating from a corporation
whose charter is /. believe, older than
that Of London, would not fail to have
the desired effect. But since 1t is other
wise, it becomes my duty, as far as it
lies in my power, to justify them in
their generous effort in my behalf.
80 was going to say that, if loving Ire
I land; be a crime-but I remember that
Judge Hawkins declared at my trial,
that he too loved Ireland-and from that
1t seems that it is not loving but desir-
ing to serve her, is the crime. If that
be so, plead guilty; I am, indeed, a
criminal; but as l may not, nor is it
necessary, set down here the motives by
which was actuated in my desire to do
80 1t will suffice that mention those by
which l was not actuated. l never was
actuated either by a spirit of revenge or
retaliation. I never did believe, or pro-
fessed to believe, that any good what
\ 30 h,ys snAS int ~ar
suffering and misery on people in En-
gland who are in no way responsible for
the wrongs of Ireland. And have ever
felt that it was neither manly nor ex-.
pedient to inf1ict wrongs on others be-
cause we were unable to get rid of our
own. / was ambitious, it's true, to rise
as near the level of a patriot as nay weak
human nature would permit; and we
know that Wolfe, Tone Lord Edward
Fitzgerald or Emmett would scorn to re-
dress their country's wrongs by means
which could not be approved of by men
of honor. But, I had the misfortune to
stumble on a wretch, most cunning
knave, who, it seems, wanted money at
a time when his friends, the police,
wanted victim. I understand that he
has since gone before his God, and it
seems has carried his perfidy with him
W LIS grave, WulCu Is, pSA AldpS, lily
greatest penalty he could pay for his vii
lainy However, sir, it is only fair that
L should add, that when I espoused the
National cause, now more than thirty
years ago, made up my mind to accept
Of all it's consequences. Still the desire
to. see my dear, good mother, once more,
at this side Of the grave, has become
SO strong, after twelve years of penal
seryitude, that it is almost overpower-
ing. as is also the power to breathe my
native air, to meet my fellow-men, to
be flee from suffering and from pain
to hear friendly voices and words Of
Kindness and of love-tO sit by a good
turf fire, and to smoke friendly pipe;
perhaps-the desire for these seems to
have increased in proportion to the re-
plgnance which fills my whole mind
and my whole soul, that after all the
suffering and all the struggles, and all
the hopes, / must, perchance, give up
my life, and pass; out of this world under
circumstances we'll calculated to try the
courage of a rstouter heart than mine.
TO pass out of, this world, with all that
is hateful to man forcing itself on ones
thoughts, is a. terrible ordeal; but the
sympathy of my fellow-citizens and the
hope that her young men will sometimes
think of me with loving Kindness and,
perhaps, patriotic pride, will give me
strength of nerve to meet my fate as be-
comes man of our race.
GIN conclusion, sir, let me beg of you
to have this letter acknowledged to me
with as little delay as possible, as the
secretary of the .. Limerick Amnesty
Branch delayed his answer to the letter
sent him until he took all the good out
Of it; and the chairman has not thought
fit to acknowledge the letter addressed
TO him. 80" 49,
Hoping you will excuse the liberty I
am taking in writing to you, and that
you will permit me to express my most
sincere gratitude to all my good, kind
friends, remain, dear sir, your very
humble servant, J. DAILY.