The Irish standard., 1898-11-19
THE DISTINGUISHED BROTHER OF
THE IRISH MARTYR
An ATTORNEY GENERAL OF new YORK
WAS THE MOST ELOQUENT MAN IN
THE UNITED STATES
AND THE GREATEST OF JURY LAWYERS
MONUMENT ERECTED To HIS MEN,
DRY IN NEW YORK.

One of the most brilliant and exalted
characters who have figured in the his
tory Of the EE1pire State was Thomas
Adds Emmet, brother of the martyr
hero. Born in Cork, Ireland, April "a,
1764. he was educated for the medical
profession, and passed with the highest
credit through the university and medi-
cal schools of Dublin.
After graduating he proceeded to Edin-
burgh, where he was so much honorVl as
to be at one time the chosen president Of
five scientific societies. On the death of
his brother, Temple, distinguished law
yer, Thomas began the study of law. In
this new avocation he showed capacity,
genius and eloquence. In 1892 "he came
forward" says Mooney, "when few Prot
estants were found to advocate the
emancipation of their Catholic brethren.o
In 1895 he acted as counsel for some
United Irishmen. The defendants were
charged with having administered the
oath Of the society to members of the
organization.
Mr.. Emmet, in his Defense read the
words of the oath in the most impressive
manner. His fervid reading created a
profound impression, in the midst OF
which he addressed the court: 'My
Lords, here in the presence of this legal
~
presence of the Being who sees and wit
nesses ard directs this judicial tribunal
here, my lords, l. myself, in the pres
ence of God, declare I take the OATH"
He took the book that was on the table
kissed it and sat down. The judges were
so amazed that no words of reproval
were uttered. He formally Joined the or
ganization in 1896, and was made men,
Der of the directory in 1897, taking the
place of Arthur O'Connor on the latter's
imprisonment. He was arrested on March
IL, 1898. In July he, with seventy other
state prisoners, entered into compact
to reveal the program of the United
1rishmen without incriminating individ-
uals, On condition that the government
would stay the bloody course which was
then desolating the land and allow the
prisoners to emigrate to the United
States.
The government, after the prisoners
had given all the information they could,
violated the compact on the ground that
Rufus King Amorinon ,,,i,;c+o -, ~ ro,,
don, had objected to them as unfit emf
grants to his country. They We're de-
tained four years longer and were not
liberated until 1902.
and three children, arrived in New York
on Nov. II, 1904 His two eldest sons
remained in Ireland till the following
year. Arriving in New York, Mr. Emmet
was sent for by George clinton, then
governor of New York, and himsei1 of
Irish blood. The governor told him to
remain in New York. Mr.. Emmett re-
piled that, his fortune being broken by
his sacrifices for Ireland. he could not
study law for three years, which the
rules of the New York courts demanded.
But the legislature of New York, rec
ognizing his knowledge, gave him Il
special license to plead in all their COURTS.
against the opposition of the Federaists,
at the head of whom stood Rufus King.
This compliment to Mr.. Emmett is one
of the highest compliments ever confer
psn1 1,xyf y, ,ic ~,
foreigner, who had no claim upon their
friendship, but that which his virtues,
his talents and his sufferings had Great
ed. Emmet's great knowledge-scien-
tific, historical, political and legal-made
him one Of the ablest men at the bar.
Gen. Haines, himself an able lawyer,
says that Emmet was the most eloquent
man in the United States"
In one of his first cases Mr.. Emmett
espoused the cause of some fugitive
slaves. The novelty Of his manner, mis-
enthusiasm, his rich Irish accent, his pa
unos, created sensation. In 1907 he had
a controversy with Rufus King, Federal
candidate for governor. At meeting of
the Hibernian Society he made an appeal
to his countrymen to rally against Mr..
King. The Federal papers, especially
the Evening Post, poured torrent of in
vectives on the head of Mr.. Emmett, but
he succeeded in overthrowing Mr.. King.
In 1872 he became attorney general of
New York.
About 1917 an Orange parade took
place and was attended with the same
demonstrations as that of 1871. Emmett
made speech against the Orangemen,
and coming, as it did, from an Irish
Protestant, who pictured from his vivid
memory the scenes of desolation which
they had inflicted upon their country
men, it broke down the Orange party
in America, and for many years the au-
thorities forbade their public parade.
Consistent with his early principles, he