The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-10-24

to Kilmainham gaol at midnight. He
stayed up most Of the night writing.
He wrote for his brother, Thomas
Adds Emmett. one of the leaders of
the United Irishmen and at the same
time an exile in Paris for his COM
plicity in the rebellion of 1913. Il long
description of his military plans for
the seizure of Dublin-very coherent,
very lucid-and a defense of his policy
very vigorous, very buoyant-for Il
youth with Death waiting at his ell
bow. Could there be more striking
proof of the amazing courage of the
boy! There was Il communication to
the Right Hon. w. Wickham, Chief
Secretary for Ireland" acknowledge
ing the delicacy with which he had
been treated by the authorities. admit
ting the mildnesS of the Irish admins
ration, the interest of the lord lieu
tenant in the well-being and content
ment of the people, but justifying.
nevertheless, his attempt to overthrow
the British government in Ireland.
The lord lieutenant, in transmitting to
the home secretary an account of the
execution of Emmett. expresses his
final Judgment of the boy. ''From the
account Mr.. Gamble and the other
clergymen gave me, he seems to have
been Il perfect enthusiast and his
conduct proves that, though he pos
scssed talents. his Judgment was
weak" With this report his excel
l"ncy forwarded Il copy of Il letter
addressed to Thomas Adds Emmett
and his wife, which Emmett wrote be-
fore setting out to his execution. Like
the account of his plans. it was never
delivered. 1t is now. With many other
matters relating to the patriot. pub
lisllcd for the first time:
My dearest Tom and .Ianr.-I am
Just going to to ny last duty TO my
country. 1t can be done as we'll ON
the sca1old us on the field DO not
give way to amy weak feelings on my
account. hut rather encourage proud
ones that l have possessed fortitutr
and tranquility of mind to the last
God bless YOU and the young hopes
that are growing up about YOU. May
they be moro fortunate than their I'M
Gle: but may they preserve as pure
and ardent an attachment 10 their
country us he has done. Give the
watch to little Robert. He will not
prize it the less for having been in
the possession of two Roberts before
him. | have one dying request to
make to you. I was attached to
Sarah Currnn, the youngest daughter
of your friend. I did hope to have
had her my companion for life.
did hope that she would not only have
constituted my happiness, but that her
heart ana understanding would have
made her one of James dearest
friends. | know that Jane would
have loved her on my account. and
feel also that had they been acuuain1-
ed she must have loved her on her
own. No one knew of the attach
mcnt till now. nor is it now generally
known, therefore do not speak of it
to others. She is living with her IA
ther and brother. but if these protect
ors should fall off and that no other
should replace them. treat her as my
wife and love her as Il sister. God
Almighty bless you all. Give my love
to all my friends.
ROBERT EMMETT"
''The letter to his BROTHER" says the
viceroy, will not be forwarded, but
the message respecting Miss Curran
has been communicated to her IA
ther.' John Philpot C,lrran's reply to
the communication. says Mr.. Mac
Donough, emphasizes still further the
| mean and despicahlc nature of the
man. He describes his daughter az
"a poor creature that had once held
thte warmrst place in my heart. |
feel how | should shrink from the idea
of letting her sink so low as to be-
come. the subject of II tcstamcntary
order of Il miScrrant who could labor
| by so foul Il means and under such
odiOuS circumstances to connect her
with the infHmy and to acquire any
pOsthumOus interest in her person or
her fate. Hlottcd, therefore, as she
may irretrievnbly he from my society,
or the place she once held in my af-
lection. she must not so adrift. So
far. at least. these protectors will not
fall off. | should. therefore, sir. wish
for the suppression of this extract If
no particular motive should have arts
Ell for forwarding it to It's destina-
ton
Banisllcd by her father. Sarah Cur
ram found shelter in the house of Il
respectable Quaker family named Pen
rose. in Cork. and within two years
after the execution of her boy lover
she was married. This ending
prosaic and commonplace as it may
seem--was just as Emmett would have
wished for in his last letter to his
brother he Indirectly. but clearly, eX-
presses the hope that his sweetheart
| should tird IL husband. TO the end Of
her life Emmett was enshrinrd in her
trndcrcSt memories.