The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-05

been sunk in defeat and ruin. Courage
genius, enthusiasm We're his; high hopes
and strong affections. all based upon
and sweetened by a nature utterly free
from guile. He was an orator and a poet
in the one art he had already achieved
distinction. in the other he was certain to
take high place. if he should make that
an object of his ambition. He was a true
patriot. true soldier and true lover. If
the story of his political life is fun of
melancholy interest. and calculated to
awaken profound emotions of reverence
for his memory. the story of his affection
is not less touching. Truly. there's not a
line but hath been wept upon So it is,
that of all the heroic men who risked and
lost everything for Ireland none is SO fire.
quently remembered, none is thought of
SO tenderly as Robert Emmett Poetry
has cast halo of light upon the name of
the youthful martyr, and some of the
sweetest strains of Irish music are con-
secrated to his memory.
His Youth.
Robert Emmett was born on March A,
lis. He was tle third son of DR.. Robert
Emmett a wellknown and hghly-re
spectacle physician of Dublin. Thomas
Addison Emmett. the associate of Tone.
the Sheareses, and other members of the
United Irish organization, was an elder
brother of Robert. and his senior by IL
years. Just about the period when the
United lrishmen We're forming themselves
into secret revolutionary society young
Emmett was sent to receive his education
in Trinity college. There the bent of the
lads political ambition was soon detect,
ed; but among his fellow students he
found many. and amongst them older
neadS than his own. who not only shared
his views. but went beyond them in the
direction of liberal and democratic prin-
cipes. In the historical society-compose
of the alumni of the college and on whose
books at that time there were many
names that subsequently became famous
those kindred spirits made for themselves
many opportunities of giving expression
to their sentiments, and showing that
their hearts beat in unison with the great
movement for human freedom which was
then agitatng the world. To their de-
bates Emmett brought the aid of fine
intellect and fluent utterance, and he
soon became the orator of the patriot
party.
80 great was the effect created by his
fervent eloquence. and his admirable rea-
soning, that the heads of the college
thought it prudent on several occasions
to send one of the ablest of their body to
take part in the proceedings and assist in
retuting the augmentation of the young
Jacobin.' And to such extremities did
hiat'eiS ploceeu at last ludl Emmet, with
several of his political friends. was eX-
PEELED from the college. others less obnox-
ious to the authorities were subjected to a
severe reprimand and the society, thus
terrorized and weakened. soon ceased to
exist. Our national poet. Thomas Moore.
the fellow student and intimate friend of
young Emmet, witnessed many of those
displays of his abilities. and in his Life
and Death of Lord Edward Fitzgerald
Il Of ip,i
miration Were L. he says. to number
the men among all | have ever known
who appeared to me to combine in the
greatest degree pure moral worth with
intellectual power, ] should among the
highest of the few. place Robert Emmett
He was wholly free from the follies and
frafltieS of youth-though how capable he
was of the most devoted passion events
afterward proved OF mis- oratory he
says: I have heard little since that ap-
peared to me of a loftier what is a far
more rare quality in Irish eloquence. purer
character And the appearance of this
greatly gifted youth he describes: Sim
pie in all his habits. and with repose
of look and manner indicating but little
movement within. it was only when the
spring was touched that set his feelings,
and, through them. his intellect, in notion
that he at all rose above the level of or
binary men. No two individuals indeed
could be much more unlike to each other
than was the same youth to himself be-
fore rising to speak, and after; the brow
that haT appeared inanimate and almost
dropping. at once elevatin itself to all the
consciousness of power. and the whole
countenance and figure of the speaker as
suming a change, as of one suddenly in
spired.'
THE expulsion of Emmett from the col
lege occurred in the month Of Fahruary
1888. On the 18th of the following month
his brother. Thomas Adds Emmett was
arrested. The manner in which this no.
ble-hearted gentleman took the oath of
the United Irish society. in the year 1895,
is so remarkable that we cannot omit
mention of it here His services as law
Yer having been engaged in the defense of
some persons who stood charged with
having sworn in members of the United
Irish organization-the crime for which
William Orr was subsequently tried and
eXecuted-he. in the course of the pro-
ceedings took up the oath and read 1t
with remarkable deliberation and solcmn-
ity. Then. taking into his hand the prayer
book that lay on the table for the swear
ing of witnesses. and LOOKING to the bench
and around the court, he said aloud:
My lords-Here. in the presence of this
legal court. this cowardly auditory-in the
presence of the Being that sees and wit
nesses and directs this judicial tribunal
here. my lords. |, myself. in the presence
| of God declare | take this OATH
The terms. of the oath at this time
were, in fact. perfectly constitutional
| having reference simply to attainment of
a due representation of the Irish nation in
parliament-still. the oath was that of a
| society declared to he Illegal. and the ad-
ministration of it had been made a capital
| offense. The boldiness of the advocate in
| thus administering it to himself in open
| court appeared to paralyZe the minds of
| the judges. They took no notice of the
! act. and what was even more remarkable
| the prisoners who were convicted, re-
! ceived a lenent sentence.
An Object of Suspicion.
| But to return to Robert Emmett The
| events of 1898 us might be supposed. had
| a powerful effect on the feelings of the
| enthusiastic young patriot, and he was
| not free of active participation with the
| leaders of the movement in Dublin. He
! was. of course. an object of suspicion to