The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-24
HIS LIFE FOR IRELAND
MEMORY OF ROBERT EMMETT HON.
ORED By IRISHMEN.
Eloquent Address Is Delivered in Ma
sonic Hall by Judge O'Neil
Ryan, of st. Louis.
BEGGING is DISCOURAGED
CANVASS FOR FUNDS HAS BEEN 4
FAILURE IN THIS COUNTRY.
Patriots at Home should Do Their
Part, He Observation-Disclosures of
Principles Adopted.

ular. True Irish hearts SWelled with pa
triotism and pride at the eloquence of a
gifted orator whose intense appeal in be-
half OF old Ireland was answered by rous-
ing cheers. The celebration was under the
auspices OF the Emmett Club and the diff
ferent Irish societies of Indianapolis. The
occasion was the celebration of the one
hundredth anniversary of the execution OF
the Irish patriot. Robert Emmett.
Prior to the exercises at Masonic Hall
there was a parade by the Father Mathew
Boys Brigade in command of Capt. =. j..
Carney Masonic Hall was crowded at s
o'clock. The temporary chairman was j..
+. O'Mahony. Representative Irishmen or
the city were on the stage. Among them
were Edward p Clancy, at the head of
the Knights of Columbus of the State;
Capt. Thomas Madden, John r. Walsh.
p. j. McNelis, Maurice. Donnelly and
others. w l.. Taylor occupied a seat on
the stage and Mayor Bookwalter and John
W. Hoffman. Democratic candidate for
mayor. were there. During the evening
there was music by the Boys Brigade Band
and solos by Mr.. Gibson, Mrs. CANTON, Mr..
Harry Doyle. Miss Egan and Miss Taylor.
Mr.. Martin P. Grady sang God Save Ire
land"
Mr.. OMahoDey i'm introducing A. NJ.
Sweeney as permanent chairman of the
evening referred to the fact that Mr..
Sweeney, with commendabie patriotism.
had called his eldest son Robert Emmett
Sweeney. The orator of the evening was
Judge O'Neil Ryan. of st. Louis, whom
chairman Sweeney introduced with a few
gracious remarks. The hall was decorated
with stars and stripes and the flag of Ire
land Above the stage hung the portrait
of Robert Emmett and above it was a
large banner bearing the words of the Ia
mented patriot. cit was my aim to do what
Washington did for America Both the
chairman and Judge Ryan were given an
ovation by the audience. In part Judge
Ryan said:
Ireland has had many orators and men
of action, perhaps too many of the former,
too few of the latter. Tone was essen
TALLY a man OF action, Of great courage,
ability and resources. Emmett, who fol-
lowed in mis- steps and teachings, was both
orator and actor. 1t has been customary
TO regard Emmett from the standpoint o.
over him poetic and sentimental glamour.
True he loved deeply and tenderly and the
natural desire to see once again the object
of his affections caused his capture, but
that love was subordinate to the love he
bore his native land; that passion, that
consuming passion 10 see his country a
nation took possession of his being and
swayed his every motive.
HIS ARDENT DEVOTION.
1T inspired him as q youth. 1t guided
him as a man, for that passion was not the
mad zeal of the enthusiast but the ardent
devotion sustained and directed by we'll
balanced judgment that characterized
Washington in America and Lafayette in
France. 1t is then first to the patriot, SOL
der and leader that We must remember
Emmett. Alien in religion to the great body
of his countrymen, as have been most of
the revolutionary and many of the polit-
ical leaders of the race. he strove to free
his countrymen without regard to creed or
class. He felt that the platform of nation
hood was broad enough and strong enough
ness to the brutal methods of the govern
ment In forcing the rising OF '9S when a
licentious and unbridled soldiery pillaged
and butchered and the most horrible atroc-
tiles were not only permitted but approved
by those in power. He saw the Parliament
wrung from England by the threat Of force
of 17S2, destroyed by corruption in 1900
HE turned to France but felt that after
all Irishmen must win their own liberties.
He came back in the fall of 1s02. after con-
ferring with his brother, Thomas Adds
lieving that war between France and Eng
land was imminent, began his preparations
His plan was to capture Dublin Castle, the
seat then as now of British power In
Ireland. In control there and with English
representatives as his hostages, aided by
the men OF Kildare, Wicklow and Wexford
ON whom he chiefly relied. he felt and with
reason, that he could hold Dublin: that
Ireland generally would rise and that
England could not in her then foreign diff
ficulties prevent the people from getting
i'll Ia rnL 81 lfstllx
and swiftly. Nothing was left to mere
chance. His plans were carefully laid and
would be boldly executed and that they did
not succeed was due to a series of occur
rsnces that could not have been foreseen
or guarded against.
HOPES WERE DASHED.
I'm the heart OF Dublin, unknown 10 the
police, he manufactured arms for over
10000 men. He arranged with the leaders
in the counties named for assistance al
the time to be fixed for the assault. On that
very evening the castle authorities were
indulging in pleasures that would have
made access and capture practicable. Or
the 18th of July a premature explosion
had given alarm and forced Emmett to fix
the sd for the assault, earlier by some
months than he intended. as he knew the
troops in Ireland must be Withdrawn Il
night EnglandS battles with France. anc
"A false alarm on the I'D precipitated actor
with a short struggle on the streets OF
Dublin. Emmett saw his plans and hopes
dashed to pieces. He fed from Dublin anc
might have left Ireland, but returned &c
bid adieu 10 Saran Curran. His capture
was followed by the mockery of trial OF
Sept 10, and on the following day he was
hanged aud beheaded. His life was an ex.
ample. his death was an inspiration not
alone to his counrrymen but TO all the op-
pressed who struggle for liberty.
There is no greater type in all history
OF love of country and sacrifice of self
The man died but his spirit lives. TIL,
body persisted, but the immortal soul sur
vived. The plans failed but the principle:
were Indicated The gibbet on Thoma:
precious blood shed on that day becam.
love by the race OF the cause for which
Emmett died; cause that has survived tn,
storms and tempests OF seven hundred
years, oonsecrated 10y the blood OF mar
tyrs, sanctified by the sufferings of cen
turtles. the cause of Irish liberty is inn
perishable, for IL men have languished il
dungeons and persisted on scaffolds hav,
yielded their lives on the battlefield ane
endured the anguish of exile.
CAUSE Is IMMORTAL.
''The cause is immortal. IL cannot perish
1t must triumph. and if the race be but tru,
10 Emmet's principles i'm the providence OF
God and Irish manhood that victory SHOULD
soon be won. The history of Ireland's con
nection with England shows nothing sub
Stantial can be gained save nv force or IL.