Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-08-27

which delivers my body to the execu-
toner will, through the ministry of the
law, labor in its own vindication, to con-
sign my character to obloquy; for there
must be guilt somewhere, whether in the
sentence of the court or in the catastro-
phe, time must determine. A man in my
situation has not only to encounter the
difficulties of fortune and the force of
power over minds which it has corrupted
or subjugated, but the difficulties of es.
tablished prejudice. The man dies, but
his memory lives. That mine may not
perish, that it may live in the respect of
my countrymen, seize upon this oppor
tunity to vindicate myself from some of
the charges alleged against me. When
my spirit shall be waited to more
friendly port-when my shade shall have
joined the bands of those martyred heroes
who have shed their blood OH the scaffold
and in the field in the defense of their
country, and of virtue, this my hope-I
wish that my memory and name may
animate those who survive me, while l
look down with complaceny OIL the de-
struction of that perfdious government
which upholds its domination by bias
phemy of the Most High-which displays
its power over man as over the beasts of
the forest-which sets man upon his bro
Their and lifts his hand in the name of
God against the throat of his fellow
who believes or doubts little more or
little less than the government standard
"a government which is steeled to bar
barity by the cries of the orphans and the
tears of the widows it has made"
Here Lord Norbury interrupted EN-
met, saying: THAT the mean and wicked
enthusiasts who felt as he did were not
equal to the accomplishment of their wild
designs"
81 appeal to the immaculate God-I
swear by the throne of heaven, before
which l must shortly appear-by the
blood of the murdered patriots who have
gone before me-that my conduct has
been, through all this peril and through
all my purposes, governed only by the
conviction which have uttered, and by
no other view than that of the emancipa-
ton of my country from the superinhu-
man oppression under which she has so
long and too patiently travelled; and l
confidently hope that, wild and chimeri-
cal as it may appear, there is still union
and strength in Ireland to accomplish
this noblest of enterprises. Of this
@f 30
knowledge, and with the consolation that
appertains to that confidence. Think
not, my lords, say this for the petty
qualification of giving you transitory
his voice to assert lie will not hazard
mis- Character wicn posteriry 10y asserting
falsehood on subject so important to
his country and on an occasion like this.
Yes, my lords, man who does not wish
to have his epitaph written until his
country is liberated will not leave a
weapon in the power of an enemy or a
pretence to impeach the probity which
he means to preserve even in the grave
to which tyranny consigns him."
Here he was again interrupted by the
court.
"Again l say that what have spoken
was not intended for your lordship,
whose situation is commisserate rather
than envy-my expressions were for my
countrymen. If there is true Irish
man present, let my last words cheer him
in the hour of his affection"
Here he was again interrupted. Lord
Norbury said he did not sit there to hear
treason.
81 have always understood it to be the
duty of judge, when prisoner has been
convicted, to pronounce the sentence of
the law. I have also understood that
Judges sometimes think it their duty to
hear with patience and to speak with hui
mainly; to exhort the victim of the laws,
and to offer, with tender benignity,
their opinions of the motives by which
he was actuated in the crime of which he
was adjudged guilty. That judge has
thought it his duty so to have done
have no doubt; but where is the boosted
| freedom of our institutions---where is the
Wanted impartiality, clemency and mild
ness of our courts of justice, if an unfor-
tunate prisoner, whom your policy, and
not justice, is about to deliver into the
hands of the executioner, is not suffered
to explain his motives sincerely and truly,
and to vindicate the principles by which
he was actuated? My lords, it may be q
part of the system of angfy justice to bow
a mans mind by humiliation to the pur'
posed ignominy of the scaffold; but worse
to me than the purposed shame of the
scaffolds terrors would be the shame Of
such foul and unfounded imputations a:
have been laid against me in this court
You, my lord, are judge; am the sup
posed culprit. am a man; you are 6
man also. By revolution of power we
might change places, though we never
could change characters. If J. stand a
the bar of this court and dare not vindi
cate my character, what farce is you
justicel If stand at this bar and dare
not vindicate my character. how dare yor
calumniate itl Does the sentence o.