The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-16
STORY OF ROBERT EMMETT,
THE YOUNG IRISH PATRIOT
Eloquent Address Delivered by Hon. Alexander
Troy Before the Gaelic Literary Society
. of Birmingham.

empanelled: and that they were impatient
for the sacrifice; but We do marvel that
In his then exhausted condition he should
have had the physical strength to stand.
while he defended his honor and vindi-
Gated his character from the imputations
and calumnies thrown out against 1t IN
a wild burst of eloquence which electri-
fed the audience and made even his cruel
and inhuman judges quail on the bench.
An address SO full of lofty and ennobling
thought so brave in ignoring. life and
| pleading for his memory in after ages. 40
breathing with the spirit of liberty. that
| 1t will live long as our language Is
| spoken. and which Lord Byron said was
addressed Ito time and to eternity, and
! not to man.
For his life he had nothing to say: that
| to him was of small moment: but his rep
utation. that which would live after he
| was dead he would defend to the last.
| He felt with all the intense ardour of his
nature that
| THE purest treasure mortal times afford.
Is spotless reputation; that away,
! Men are but gilded loan or painted clay
| When Emmett had concluded his match.
less defense Lord Norbury sentenced
| him to be executed the next day-Tues-
day. He was at once removed from the
court house in Greene Street to Newgate
prison. and there heavily ironed by
Gregg, the Tailor Just after midnight,
| when the few brief hours the prisoner
had to live ought to have been sacred
from disturbance, an order came from
| the Secretary at the Castle, forthwith
| to have the prisoner conveyed to Kill
mailman Jail. a distance of about two
| and half miles. He thus re-entered the
Jail he had left for trial. and 1t Is re
ported that the turnkey seeing him enter.
| heavily fettered, and the marks of blood
| on his stockings. was mosed to tears.
that he was provided with refreshments
| of which he was sorey in need. having
been on his feet nearly eleven hours in
court. and never having tasted food since
he left the jail that morning. On the
| next day-Tuesday, September 20th-he
was conveyed in a carriage to the place
of execution in Thomas street, nearly OPP
posite ST. GATHERINGS Church. being ac-
companied by Rev DR.. Gamble and
| Mr.. Walsh. tive clergymen of the Church
| of England. and there executed. exhibit
ing. throughout. the same courage and
manly fortitude which he had shown
during his trial, extorting from one who
was not friend. the remark: Il never
saw a man die like him. At the scat
fold, in the few words he spoke. he
avoided all reference to political matters.
but merely said
MY friends-I die in peace, and with
sentiments of universal love and kind
ness towards all men,"
DR.. Madden. to whom I am largely in
debted for the facts herein stated, in his
Life of Robert Emmett, gives us the
minute particulars of the grewsome
scene at the scaffold. 1t is with feelings
of pity and sorrow that I relate them.
Il
tnarkable man is of interest TO us.
trust you will pardon me for abiding to
them. After he had assisted the eXecu-
toner in adjusting the rope around his
neck. he was placed on a plank beneath
the beam, and the cap drawn over his
face. nut he contrived to raise his hand,
partly removed it. and spoke few words
in low tone to the executioner: the cap
was then replaced. and he stood with a
handkerchief in his hand. the fall Of
which was to be the signal for the last
act After standing on the plank for a
few seconds. the executioner said: Are
YOU ready. SIR" Emmet replied: Not
vet" Again. after a momentary pause,
as no signal was given, the executioner
. repeated the question: Are YOU ready
sir?" and again Emmett said Not yet. =
. The question was put a third time and
Mr.. H heard Emmett pronounce the
word Not. but before he had time &c
utter another word, the eXecutioner tilted
one end of the plank off the ledge, and a
human being, young. generous. endowed
with precious natural gifts, and acquired
! exceilences. (but. in his country. fatal
gifts and acquirements) with genius pa
:, triotsm love Of truth. of freedom and
of justice. was dangling like dog.
writhing in the agonies of the most re-
voting and degrading to humanity of all
dea tbs: and Gods noblest work was used
as If His image was not in it. or Its dis
, fgurement and mutilation was a matter
, OF slight moment and scarcely worthy OF
passing thought on the part OF those
/ drest An little brief authority whose
use Of It in Ireland has been such as
might make the angels weep. After
, | hanging for a moment motonless. life
terminated with convulsive, movement
/, of the body. At the expiration OF the
usual time the remains were taken down
and extended on the scafold, the heao
, was struck from the body. grdsped by the
, hair. and pardaded along the front of
, the galows by the hangman. proclaiining
/ to the multitude: This Is the head of u
traitor. Robert Emmet. short
, time after the execution. within an hour
or so, Mrs. Mc('readY. the daughter OF
Mr.. James Moore. I'm passing through
: that part Of Thomas street observed near
the scaffold, where the blood of Robert
Emmett had fallen on the pavement from
= between the planks of the platform. some
dogs collected. tapping M the blood. She
. were left to guard the scahod, to this
a appalling sight The soldiers. who be-
longed t. a Highland regiment. mani
Tested their horror at 1t. the dogs were
chased away. and more than one Specta-
. tor, lettering about the spot, approached
the scaffold when the backs of the sent
. inels were turned to 1t, and dipped his
:. handkerchief in the blood and thrust II
into his bosom
After inhumanity could intict no FUR
! thcr indiSnity, the body was removed II
common cart To Kilmainham jail and
placed In the outer entry Of the prison
with orders that If not Immediately
4 claimed by the friends Of Emmett. to have
1t inferred In tho Hospital Fields. where
r the remains OIL pduperS ana criminals
( were buried.
His associates and acqulintances," 70
, quote again from DR.. Madden. who had
I fortunately escaped being involved in the
general ruin which had fallen -
p many of his friends. were afraid at thai
time to let il be known they had any
acquaintance with Emmet; consequently
. none came forward. and the remains wer'
at length buried beside the grave of FeliS
4 Rourke, near the right-hand corner ol
\ the burying ground next the avenue o
; the ROYAL Hospital. close to the wall
and at no great distance from the former
2 entrance. which is now built up:
/ Soon after the intermert. as DR.. Mad
den was informed by old residents o
| Dublin the romans were removed WITH
n great privacy and buried in st. Michan
: | Churchyard, Dublin, and a large stone
I without any writing on 1t, laid over the
q grave On receiving this Information. he
| visited the churchyard. and there founc
: | about midway on the lefthand side o
= the walk leading from the church Z
T the wall, a grave marked by larg'
slab, Of remarkable thickness. and with
I | ont any inscription, and the only unin
: | scribed one in the churchyard. and ht
h then asks this question: is this III.
h tomb that was not to be inscribed unit
"a other times and other men could do jus
q | tire 70 the memory of the person whose
I | grave had been the subject of my tenqu
: ries? If this be- the spot many phi
| grim will vet visit 1t. and read. perchanc'
2 | in after times. the name Of Robert En-
. | met on that stone that is pow without
o word or a letter. IT the remains OF Roo
> | ert Emmett br laid i'm that tomb. thns'
Z who knew the man and loved him, .
: who honored him fnr mis- names sake
:. | or nrized him for the reputation OF hi