Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-08-27
His Memory Yet Revered
by Irishmeh AIIOver
the World.
The Powerful Address From the Dock
Preceding His Untimely and
Heartless Execution.
He Relinquished Social Position, For
tune and Bright Prospects For
Love Of Country.
HIS APPEAL TO THE IMMACULATE GOD

t<hk< ~ tifIfthSOl<hl II oOD
This year the Irish people and people
of Irish descent all over the world are
celebrating the struggle of Irishmen in
1898 for the liberty of their native land.
Irishmen have longed for liberty for
centuries. They have unfortunately not
succeeded in liberating their country, but
sons and daughters of ireland have sought
liberty in various countries and clih,es.
Wherever they went they became good
citizens and when called upon never faile,i
to answer the call to arms in behalf of
their adopted country.
In no country ON earth has this oeen
so exemplifed as in, the United States.
The history of the United States teens
with the names of Irishmen and Irish
Americans who have poured out their rich,
red blood in defense of America and Ecr
free institutions. Not battlefield in
this broad land that has not been the re-
cipient of Irish blood.
Kentucky has furnished her quota of
Irish and Americans in this present
war. They have borne all manner of
privations, and if they murmured it was
good humoredly. Take their letters to
their folks in the Old Kentucky home.
They told their troubles, but told them in
such way that made the folks at home
say; "God bless the boy. He shows his
Irish spirit"
Every Irish father Or mother in Ken
lucky who has boy ID the army rejoices
to find that their boy shows that he is
made of the same staff, the same flesh,
the same blood, as Sarsfeld, Wolf Tone
or Robert Emmett.
nns.rropos of Emmett and his connection
40. scef,es of 1898, it may
not be considered late news to reproduce
his speech, delivered before his English
Judges, almost within the shadow of the
scaffold.
Every Irishman in America knows the
history of that brave young patriot-has
taught his children to revere the name of
Robert Emmett. 1t is not necessary to
print lengthy account NJ his career at
the present time.
Robert Emmett was born on March 4,
l778. He was the third son of Doctor
Robert Emmett. well-known physician
of Dublin. About the time that the
United Irishmen we're forming themselves
into secret revolutionary society young
Robert Emmett was sent to Trinity Col
lege. He soon took the lead among his
| fellow students on account of his pro-
nounced democratic views. He became
the leader in the debates on political
questions and was expelled from college
on account of his extreme political views.
The expulsion from college occurred in
February, 1898.
| After that Emmett became the acknowl-
edged leader of the Irish revolutionary
party. His youth cut no figure. 1t is
needless to detail here his struggles for
the liberty of his country during the five
succeeding year, his capture after the
failure of the uprising on July, 90, 1903.
He might have gotten away had he not
fingered to bid goodbye to the girl of his
heart, Sarah Curran, who has been inn
mortalized by Washington Irving in his
Sketch Book. He was arrested on Au-
gust %. He was put on trial on Septem-
10, charged with high treason. He en-
tered no defense. The jury, without
leaving the box, returned verdict of
guilty.
The Judges then in due form asked
Emmett if he had aught to say why sem
tence of death should not be pronounced
against him.
1t was then that Emmett, though little
more than twenty-five years old, delivered
his speech, which at once became famous
for its patriotic sentiment and beauty of
diction:
The speech was as follows:
"My Lords-I am asked what have
to say why sentence of death should not
be pronounced on me, according to law.
/ have nothing to say that can alter your
predetermination, nor that it will become
me to say, with any view to the mitiga-
ton of that sentence which you are to
pronounce and must abide by. But
have that to say which interests me riore
than life, and which you have labored to
destroy. have much to say why my
reputation should be rescued from the
load of false accusation and calumny
which has been cast upon it. l do not
imagine that, seated where you are, your
mind can be so free from prejudice as to
receive the least impression from what ]
am going to utter. I have no hopes that
l can anchor my character in the breast
of court constituted and trammeled as
this is. l only wish, and that is the ut
most that expect, that your lcrdships
may suffer it to float down your memoir
les untainted by the foul breath Of preju-
dice, until il finds some more hospitable
harhor n shelter II from the eforsua nv