The Irish standard., 1898-04-09
THEY HEAR BOLD LANGUAGE FROM
WILLIAM O'BRIEN, NJ. r.
he Boards THEM IN THEIR CITADEL.
THE MEMORY OF EMMETT CELEnR At.
ED IN THEIR MIDST.
The MEETING NOT IRTEREFRED WITH.
FOLLOWERS OF KING WILLIAM on
THEIR GOOD nEIIAvIOR.

the memory OF Robert Emmett on the
anniversary of his birthday. The prin-
cipal speakers were William OBrien and
Timothy Harrington, members of parlia-
ment.
Mr.. William O'Bricn, who was very
loudly cheered, said, in the course Of
his speech: 1t was only the other night
In London, at the Ulstermen's banquet,
| that distinguished Irishman-lOrd
Dufferin-made it boast that his
family We're connected with the family
of Robert Emmet (applause). And
distinguished and illustrious an Irish
man as unquestionably Lord Dufferin
was, he had the wisdom to know that
claim Of family relationship with
Robert Emmet added one more dis
tinction to his escutcheon (applause).
Well, If that is SO in the case of a
great and eminent Unionist like Lord
| Dufferin, what is the case as to EN-
NETS own brother Nationalists, as to
the Irish people and the Irish race?
why, If they have not yet raised him
monument in marble or in bronze, he
enjoys fame that the proudest con-
querors on earth might envy him, he
cause he was an everlasting monument
Of love in every Irish heart and in every
Irish home throughout tho world from
the old gold fields Of Australia to the new
gold fields of the Arctic Circle Zap
plause). The only one ever heard say
a hurtful and unjust word of Robert
Emmet was certain eminent English
historian whom l once heard say that he
! could understand the Irish feeling about
Wolfe Tone, because Wolfe Tone was
really dangerous enemy of England,
but that he could not understand why
] the Irish people were mad about Robert
Emmett, who, he said, simply died In
consequence of an obscure street riot, In
which an excellent judge got murdered
| Well, that is a grave misstatement of
tho facts both as to Emmet's actual plans
and as to his actions Chear, hear).
I had the privilege a few years ago
OF reading some of the unpublished writ
ings Of Robert Emmett, in the library of
his relative, DIR. Adds Emmet, of New
York, and l think that those who would
speak of Robert Emmet as narrow
minded 1rishman would be astonished
at the depth and at the breadth of his
views on Irish affairs. In one thing it
has always seemed to me that Robert
Emmet displayed not only the highest
wisdom but the highest courage that a
man preparing an Irish insurrection
could display, and that was in striking at
Dublin Castle to begin with cloud cheers)
/ instead Of frittering away the peoples
strength in different parts of the coun-
try. For, l think there can be very lit
tie doubt that if the insurrection Of '98
had broken out in the streets of Dublin
with the same glorious fury with which
it broke out in Oulart Hill, in Wexford.
the country would be in the hands of the
insurgents before a month had passed
cloud cheers). Besides, it must never be
forgotten by those who talk Of Robert
Emmett that when he made his attempt
the great Napoleon was the master of
Europe and the master of England (hear,
hear). He had an army of 10000 mon
encamped on the shores of the English
Channel, only awaiting for the first cast
WIND to cross, and for many a year after
1t was one Of the regrets of Napoleons 8
life when he came to think over the err
rors OF his career in St. Helena, that he
did not listen to Robert Emmet and dis
patch the army to Ireland instead of
dispatching 1t to the Rhine (hear, hear).
I am not at all sure that if another
Frenchman as great and powerful as
Napoleon would arise, and If he had
10000 French troops encamped within
sight of the shores of England, that We
in our day would be or ought to be a bit
wiser than Robert Emmet was in his
day cloud cheers). But it was not as
a soldier nor as triumphant general
that Emmett made himself dear to the
Irish heart. 1t was as a man, who, hav-
ing youth and love and fortune and abil-
ity, and all that could make a selfish
man cling to life, risked them all and
lost them all chivalrously, cheerfully
and bravely in the cause of Irish liberty
cloud cheers). That is the man, after
all, who is the salt of nations, (hcar
hear). We sometimes hear in later days
sneers at enthusiasm and self sacrifice
1t is one Of the consequences of the wave
of selfish apathy that has swept over the
country in the last seven years. No
doubt in the eyes Of some men Emmett
may have been foolish, may have been
impractical. but his foolishness is the
foolishness that has lighted up the most
splendid pages Of our history, and that
has done more for the higher life and
soul and spirit Of a nation than the ma
terial advantages that have been won for
them by calculating politicians (cheers)
That is the kind of spirit that makes 9