The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1902-03-06
JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE, THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1902.

forbear to vindicate my character and
motives from your aspersions; as a
man, to whom fame is dearer than life,
| will make the best use of that life in
doing justice to that reputation which
is to live after me, and which is the
only legacy l can leave to those 1
honor aud love, and for whom l am
proud to perish. As men, my lord, we
must appear on the great day at one
common tribunal; and it will then re-
main collective universe who was
engaged in the most virtuous actions,
or actuated by the purest motives my
country's oppressor, Or
Lord Norbury-Stop, sir! Listen to
the sentence of the law. E.
My lord, shall dying man be de-
MED the legal privilege of exculpating
himself in the eyes Of the community
from an undeserved reproach, thrown
upon him during his trial, by charging
him with ambition, and attempting to
cast awav, for a paltry consideration,
the liberties of his country? Why did
your lordship insult me? Or rather,
why insult justice, in demanding Of me
why sentence of death should not be
pronounced? | know, my lord, that
form prescribed that You should ask
the question. The form also presumes
the right of answering. This, no doubt,
may be dispensed with, and so might
the whole ceremony OF of the trial,
since sentence was already pronounced
at the castle before your jury were en-
paneled. Your lordships are but the
priests of the oracle-I submit to
the sacrifice But / insist on the
whole of the forms.
Lord Norbury- You may proceed,
sir,
l am charged with being an ennis
sary of France. An emissary of France
and for what end? 1t is alleged that !
wish to sell the independence of my
country; and for what end? Was this
the object of my ambition? And is
this the mode by which a tribunal OF
justice reconcies contradictions? No,
am no emissary; my ambition was to
hold place among the deliverers Of
my country-not in power, not to
profit, but in the glory of achievement.
Sell my country's independence tc
France! and for what? Ambition? Oh,
my country! was it personal ambition
that Influenced me? Had it been the
soul of my actions, could / not, by my
education and fortune, by the rank anC
consideration of my family, have plac
ed myself among the proudest of YOU
oppressors? My country was my idol
To it / sacrificed every selfish, every
endearing sentiment; and for it nov
offer myself, o Cod No, my lords;
acted as an Irishman, determined OF
delivering my country from the yok'
of a foreign and unrelenting tyranny
and from the more CALLING yoke Of {
domestic faction, its joint partner anC
perpetrator in the patricide, whose re
ward is the ignominy of existing witt
an exterior of splendor and a conscious
ness of depravity. 1t was the wish 0
my heart to extricate my country from
this doubly riveted despotism wis
to place her independence beyond th
reach Of any power on earth. l wis
to exalt her to that proud station in th
world which Providence had destine
her to fill. Connection with Franc
was, indeed, intended, but only so ia
as mutual interest would sanction 0
require. We're the French to assum
any authority inconsistent with til
purest independence, it would be th
signal for their destruction. We sough
their aid II aud we sought it as we ha
assurances we should obtain it as aux
iliaries in war and allies in peace. Wer
the French to come as invaders or enc
mics, uniuvited by the wishes of th
people, | should oppose them to th
utmost of my strength. Yes my cour
, trymen, | should ad ise you to NEE
them on the beach with sword in on
hand and torch in the other. Iwoul
meet them with all the destructive fur
, of war; and / would animate my cour
trymen to immediate them in their boat
, before they had contaminated the SO
of my country. If they succeeded
! landing, and if forced to retire befoi
superior discipline, l would disput
, every iuch OF ground, raze every hous
; burn every blade Of grass; the last spC
, on which the hope of freedom shoul
desert me, there would / hold, and ii
. last intrenchment of liberty should |
! my grave. What l could not do myse
in my fall, should leave as la
charge to my countrymen to accom-
! lish; because l should feel consciol
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