Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-05

ter. It was Hot proved who fired the
 shot which had cost Sergeant Brett
 his life. 4tsSwasf clear enough, how ever, that only one shot was fired and that only one life was lost; yet British law sentenced five men to death TOT an act which, clearly manifest to ali, only one man could have committed When the verdict was announced storm of indignation swept over Ire | land. which shook it from its center to the sea. Its vibrations reached across the Atlantic to America, where it was manifested from every plat form by the most representative of the American people, as well as by Irishmen themselves. Eminent judg- es and men skilled in jurisprudence shook their heads and said, impossi- ble! England dare not commit this jul dicial murder. The civilized world would not tolerate such barbarism ln the afternoon of the nineteenth cen tury: she is only swayed at present by a violent passion caused by the es- cape of the men for whose capture she
 had worked so hard, and which had cost her so much money. She-will not
 carry out the verdict. But she did
 carry it out. except in the cases of M doned. The demeanor of the five pat riots as they stood in the dock answer ing the question, why sentence of
 death should not be pronounced
 against them, has no parallel since the
 days of Emmet. Unmoved by the hor-
 TOT of the terrible fate to which Brit ish tyranny was soon to consign them
 our heroes fearlessly flung back de- tauce at their accusers and reiterated their love and devotion to the land or their birth The sentence which was soon to tear them forever from the bosoms of loving relatives and friends
 and consign them to the ignominious
 death of felon was received with in difference and answered by raising their hands and as with one voice glV- ing expression to that memorable re- frain, which has since become immOr- l talized, God save Ireland" The three pa triots were hanged from the same scaffold and at the same time, after which their bodies were cut down. flung into q pit and burned with quick lime. Sullivan says. in speaking of this barbarouS action: 'The wolf and the tiger leave some veStigeS of their prey, but English law required even the bones of those martyred 1rishmen to be calcned-''
 Thirty.three years have rolled by since this inhuman tragedy was en- acted and although no monument is permitted to mark the spot where those heroes fell. their memories and their noble deeds are indelibly en- graven upon the hearts of their coun- | trymen. The seed of patriotism with which their blood has enriched the green soil of the Emerald isle will bear fruit in every land where Irishmen
 are found, and their exceptional devo- ton to liberty will cause the names of
 Allen Larken and O'Brien to be record ed high up on the roll of Ireland s
 martyrs, while their souls are march ing on.
 From the few stray glimmers of light thrown upon the dark pages of Irelands sad history you may see q
 short distance along the thorny path which her heroes and martyrs have
 trod on their journey towards freedom.
 Froude, the English historian. has long since served notice on the Irish peo- pie that his government will never
 grant them any more privileges than they then possessed, unless compelled to do so through fear of the conse- tueHCeS Ol d 1eltSdi LII VIC" ol lAlS
 declaration from such high authority,
 what, may I ask. is the duty of Irish
 men under such circumstances? This is the question which the sphinx of fate puts to our people and which not
 to answer is to be destroyed. In my | opinion our duty is to bury all our prejudices. all our jealousies and all
 our bickerings in one common grave, 1 nd Il 10 nd ri 1,.,t | beat as one. organize! organize! organ
 ize! and be thereby prepared when q
 favorable opportunity arrives. to strike
 q successful blow in retaliation for | TOO years of oppression. We should
 not be discouraged by the failures of
 past movements for Ireland's liberty,
 for although dearly purchased, the eX- | perience they have afforded is never | thelesS valuable because 1t indicates | for us the shoals and rocks to be avoid | ed on future voyage. Throughout | the world, wherever Irishmen are | found, meetings are being held to hon 1 or the memory of Robert Emmet the
 unsuccessful hero, and we. also. beg
 to be permitted to pay our humble re- spect to that memory and to lay our poor token of love at his feet, while we beSeech the Divine Father of jus
 tice to make it possible for the pres
 ent generation of Irishmen to erect a befitting monument to his memory
 With his name as indel;bly engraved
 thereon as it is at present upon their hearts. In language of the, eloquent | Pepper, ''The forest birds may forget
 their songs, the ocean may forget the tide that keeps it pure, the flowers may | forget the dew that keeps them fresh | and fair. but no 1rishman can ever for | get the pure and Spotless Emmett, After the lecture large number of those who were present attended the
 banquet given by the T. F. Meagher | club.