The Irish standard., 1902-01-25
MEAGHER OF THE SWORD.
His Patriotic Speech in the Dock
at Cl0nmel.

al ClOnmel.
Thomas Francis Meagher, the
Young Irelander. was arrested at
Backgammon, Tippcrary on August II
1913, and was tried and sentenced at
Clonmel, with McManus and O'Dono-
hoe. Meagher's speech in the dock,
and his last in Ireland, is as follows:
MY lords" he said, ''it is my intell-
ton to say a few words only. I de-
sire that the last act of a proceeding
which has occupied so much of the
public time should be of short dura-
ton. Nor have 1 the indicate wish
to close the dreary ceremony of a
state prosecution with vain display
Of words. Did fear that, hereafter,
when l shall he no more, the country
have tried to serve would think i'll
Of me, might. indeed. avail myself
of this solemn moment to yindicate
my sentiments and my conduct. But l
have no such fear. The country will
judge of those sentiments and that
conduct in light far different from
that in which the jury by which I have
been convicted have viewed them; and
by the country the sentence which YOU.
my lords, are about to pronounce. will
be remembered only as the severe and
solemn attestation of my rectitude and
truth. Whatever be the language in
which that sentence be spoken, know
that my fate will meet with sympathy
and that my memory will be honorcd.
In speaking thus. accuse me not. my
lords, of an INDIGENOUS presumption.
10 the efforts I have made in a just
and noble cause l ascribe no vain i'm
portance, nor do l claim for those eff
forts any high reward. But it so hap
pens. and it will ever happen so. that
they who have tried to serve their
country. no matter how weak the eff
fort may have been. are sure to re-
ceve thanks and the blessings Of it's
people.
''Nith my country, then, leave my
memory, my sentiments. my acts,
proudly feeling that they require no
vindication from me this day. A jury
found me guilty of the crime of which
1 stood indicted. For this entertain
not the slightest feeling of resentment
toward them. Influenced as they must
have been by the charge of the Lord
Chief Justice, they could have found
no other verdict. What of that charge?
Any strong observations on it, feel
sincerely, would i'll befit the solemn
ity of this scene: but would earnestly
beseech Of you, my lords, you who pre-
side on that bench, when the passions
and the preiudices of this hour have
passed away, to appeal to your con-
science, and ask of it. was your
charge as it ought to have been. i'm
partial and Indifferent between the
subject and the crown?
'NIy lords. you may deem this Ian
guage unbecoming in me, and perhaps
it may seal my fate. But I am here
to speak the truth whatever it may
cost. I am here to regret nothing I
have ever done-to retract nothing
have ever said. I am here to crave
with no lying lips. the life consecrate
to the liberty Of my country. Far
from It: even here-here, where the
thief. the libertine. the murderer, have
left their footprints in the dust-here
on this spot, where the shadows of
death surround me, and from which
see my early grave in nm unan
nointed soil opened to receive me-ever
here. encircled by the terrors. the hope
which has beckoned me to the peril
GUS sea upon which I have beer
wrecked still consoles, animates, en-.
raptures me. No, I do not despair OF
my poor country. her peace, her lib
erty. her glory. For that country
can do more than bid her hope. II
lift this island up-to make her bene
factor of humanity. instead of bein:
the meanest beggar i'll the world-tt
restore to her her native powers ant
her ancient constitution-this has beer
my crime. Judged by the law of Eng
land. I know this crime entails thu
penalty Of death: hut the history o
Ireland explains this crime, and JUST
| fies 1t. Judged by that history, I an
no criminal-you Undressing Mr. Nc
Manus) are no criminal-you address
ing Mr.. Donohoe) are no criminal
deserve no punishment-we deserv
no punishment. Judged by tina
history, the treason of which
stand convicted loses NIL its guilt, I
sanctitied as a duty, will be ennoble,
MS sacrifice With these sentiments
my lord. I await the sentence Of TIL
court. Having done what felt to b
my dnty-haying spoken what felt t,
be the truth, as have done on ever,
other occasion OF my short career,
now bid farewell to the country Of m,