The Irish standard., 1903-01-03

sired to rival their brothers in Paris
Berlin, and Vienna, in defense of pa
triotism and education, frightened into
an almost wordless enthusiasm. The
rifles We're taken down from the book
shelves.
The temporary passion filled to sur
feiting many a half-fed mechanic il
his garnet; and wrangled in maledic
ton through the prayers of Sunday.
There was a bright vein of arm.
and ammunition shooting through so
ciety. Everyone felt the electric
shock
The general spirit of the Confeder
ate clubs was in favor of rising
the more republican insisted on a res
cue. But the council Of the Confedera
ton wavered, and finally determined
to prevent it. In vain Deyin Reilly
cried II have one life to lose, and
am prepared to lose it-let others dc
the same and swear the samew A
few clubs We're with him; but those
men who exerted the greatest in1iu-
ence, out-argued them as a body.
Some of these men as Ieagher,
O'Brien, Dillon, O'Gorman, acted on
the conviction, honestly arrived at,
that the harvest would offer the best
chances for revolutions; others, it is
but too truly feared, acted through a
Jealousy, which neither Il common
cause could modify, nor a common
enemy make just to the great captive.
| Mitchell was brought to trial on the
10th. found guilty on that evening at
seven O'Clock, sentenced to fourteen
years Punishment the next morning,
and before the echo OF the proceed
ings" subsidized III the court, the prison.
or was carried Off in chains put on
board steamer and bound for the
convict depot at Spike Island.
| On the trial, Mitchell was defended
by Robert Holmes, who once again.
like the ghost OF '9S, stood up to up
braid the mockery OF English law in
Ireland. The closing scene was wor-
thy OF both advocate and client. In it
rs proved worthy Of being defended
by '9S. The presence and speech of
Holmes were equally inspiring, the one
Identifying the other, and wrapping
the necessities OF the present, with the
classic favor OF antiquity. What
memories must have throbbed through
him. He had not entered that court
room for half a century. The brother
OF his wife had left that dock in which
Mitchell stood, for the scaffold. He
| avowed the principles of Mitchel-he
assumed their responsibility-that the
prisoner was not morally guilty-that
Ireland was enslaved; and being in
terrupted by Baron LEROY, exclaimed
that "he could not do justice to his
client without doing justice to Ire
land"
| An American clergyman present at
the trial, has given us his impression
OF that speech. ut reminded me-" he
writes, land l speak it reverently, of
the defense Of Saint Paul before Ag-
'ippa; except, in that case, the heather
monarch paid more Difference to the
rights and argument Of the prisoner
than was manifested on this occasion.
There is a divinity in words,
when fifty spoken, which, is irresist-
ible. never felt the power Of elo-
quence as l felt it them
The solemn hush that anticipated
the sentence and met it, changed into
Il murmuring sensation like the indica-
tons Of a storm at sea. "Silencc" was
demanded by the sheriff, and in the
calm, the distinct and firm voice of the
prisoner was heard:
The law has now done it's part"
he said, land the queen of England,
her crown and government in Ireland,
are now secure. pursuant to the Act
of Parliament l have done my part
also. Three months ago promised
Lord Clarendon and his government
who hold this country for the English,
that l would provoke him into his
courts of justice. as places of this
kind are called, and that would force
him publicly and notoriously. to pack
Jury against me to convict me. or
else that would walk. n free man,
out of this court, and provoke him to
contest in another field. My Lords.
| knew was setting my life on that
cast; but knew that, in either event.
victory should be with me-and it is
with me. Neither the jury nor the
judges nor any other man in this
court presumes to imagine that it Is
criminal that stands in this dock
(murmurs of applause, which the po-
lice epdeavored to repress). l have