The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-03-12
IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION
Why Judgment of Death Should
Not be Awarded Against Him.
MOST POWERFUL EFFUsION OF
El0Quence and Devotion Which
Ever Fell From Lips of Man.

\ VOh Monday, Sept. 10, lS03, at the ses-
| sions house, Dublin Robert Emmett was
tried for high treason. Lord Norbury, Mr.
Baron George and Mr. Baron DAILY we're
on the bench. The trial occupied nearly
the whole day. \ few minutes after the
judges charge, and without leaving the
box, the foreman of the jury thus ud-
dressed the court: "My lords | have
consulted with my brother jurors, and
we are all or the opinion that the prison.
or is guilty." Mr.. Emmett, through his
| counsel, asked that the judgment of the
court might be postponed until the next
| morning. This request was not granted.
Tho clerk OF the crown read the ndict-
nlcnt. and stated the verdict found in
the usual form. He then concluded thus:
What h;lvo you, therefore, now to say
why Judgment OF death and execution
should not be awarded against you uc-
cording to law?" Robert Emmet, upon
the instant, exhausted as he was by the
| trial IN which ho had taken an active
part, made reply in the following speech.
| which may safely be pronounced to be
one Of tho most splendid and powerful
eif'lslons of imassloned clolucnce and
| patriotic devotion which ever fell, im-
promptu, from the lips OF man,
What have to say why sentence Of
| death should not be pronounced on ME.
| according to law? l have nothing to say
which can alter your prcdctcrmination,
| nor that 1t would become me to say, with
any view to tho mitigation OF that scn-
7 tcnco which you arc here to proncunco,
| and by which must abide. But | havo
| that to say which interests me moro than
| life, and which you have labnrcd, us was
necessarily yolr Office In the present cir
cunlstanccs of this oppressed country, to
destroy. | have much to say why my
| reputation should be rescued from tho
| load OF false accusation and calumny
| which has been hcapcl upon II. | do
not imagine thnt, seated where you are,
| your minds can he, SO free from impurlty
as to receive the least impression from
what am about to utter. have 10 hOpe
| That l can anchor my character In tho
| breast Of a court constituted and tram
mclcd as this Is. 7 only wish, and it Is
| the utmost | expect, that your lordships
| may suffer 1t to float down your mem
orirS untaincd by the foul breath Of
| prejudice, until 1T finds some more hos
| pltablc harbor to shelter it from the rude
| storm by which it is at present huifetedI
| Were | only to suffer death, after being
adjn'lgcd guilty by your tribunal
| ShCuld bow in silence, and meet the fate
| that awaits me without a murmrr; but
the sentence of the law which d7igcrs
my body to the eXccutioncr 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 sentence Of
! the court or in the cntastrophy, pOstcrity
| 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 it has corrupt
| ed or subjugatcd but the difficulties of
| established prejudice. The man dies,
| not perish, that it may live In the re-
| spcct of my countrymen, | seize upon
| this opportunity to yindicatc myself from
some of the charges alleged against me.
When my spirit shall be waited to
more friendly port-whcn 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 virtue, this Is my
| hope wish that my memory and name
| may animate those who survive me,
| while / look down with complacency on
the destruction of that perlldous gov-
eminent which upholds It's domination by
| bInsphcmy of the Most High--which
| displays its power over man, as over the
| beasts OF the forcst-which sets man
upon his brother. and lifts his hand, in
| the name of God against the throat OF
! his fellow who believes or doubts q lit
tie more or Il little less than the gov
| crnmcnt standard-a government which
is stccel to barbarity by the cries OF
! the orphans, and the tears OF the wild
ows which it has made.
| Lord Norbury-The weak and wicked
! enthusiasts who feel as you feel are un-
equal to the accomplishment Of their
| wild designs.
| appeal to the immaculate God-I
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
| leon through all this peril. and through