The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-10-24
EMmEr's DEVOTION.
The Pathetic Story of Sarah Curran
His Be,r0thed.

Sunday, Sept. 20, was the ccnten-
airy of the martyrdom of Robert En-
met. and the great occasion was mark
ed by celebrations in many parts of
Ireland and Great Britain, America
and Australia Though two or three
books have been published this year
dealing with the career of the young
patriot martyr, they add little to our
knowledge of Emmett beyond that al
ready told by DR.. Madden. In the
current number of the Cornhill Mag
azine, however, appears a long and
very interesting article in which the
true story of the Insurrection of 1903
is told now for the first time. The
writer, Mr.. Michael MacDonagh. bases
it on the official correspondence
cret and dential'-between the
Irish viceroy Carl Hardwick) and the
cabinet in London, which having been
purchased by the state, has just been
made accessible in the manuscript de-
partment of the British Museum. 1t
is, indeed, an exciting tale of adj
venture and romance, Il tale of the
deepest human interest. Passing ov-
Ell the story Of the preparations made
for the insurrection ana the failure of
Emmets plans, we come to the ro-
mantle episode of Sarah Culran and
the mean and cruel conduct of her
father. as described by Mr.. Mae
Donagh: Emmett retained for his de-
Tense John Philpot Curran. the ;blcst
advocate of the day. and the fathrr
of his sweetheart C,lrran was an
intimate friend of the Emmett family.
and knew Robert we'll, but he was alb
solutcly ignorant of the relations be-
tween his daughter and the plottcr
and leader of the inSurrcction. The
news came to him i'm Il dramatic man
ner and with crushing effect The
Lord Lieutenant writing to Charles
Iorke (thc Home Secretary on Sept
8, says:
"A curious discovery has been made
respecting Emmett. the particulars of
which | have not time to detail to you
fully. There were found upon him two
letters from Il woman. written with IA
knowledge of the transactions in
which he had been engaged. and with
good wishes for the success of any flu
ture attempt. He has been very anXi-
Gus to prevent these letters being
brought forward, and has been apprc-
henSive that the writer has been ar
rested as we'll as himself Till ycs-
terdny. however. we were entirely ig-
nol;nt of the person who had written
these letters Which are very clever
and striking. The discovery was
made last night by a letter from EN-
met intercepted on it's passage from
kilmAnham prison to Miss Sarah
Curlan, youngest daughter of Curran
the lawyer. Wicklnm (the Chief
Secretary has seen him and he pro-
fesscS entire Ignorance of the cOnncc-
ton; but think he must decline be-
ing counsel for Emmett in Il case in
which his daughter may be implicated
1T is very extraordinary story. and
strengthens the case against Emmett"
Emmett was indeed sorely stricken
by the discovery of his sweethearts
association with him in his dreams ana
ambitions. his projects ana efforts for
the overthrow of the British power in
Ireland. He appealed fervently to the
authorities for the destruction of the
papers. He offered to plead guilty to
the charge of high treason and to
walk to the gallows without II word
giving up his right TO address the court
from the dock and the people from
the Statfold. if. in return, Miss Cur
ran and her relatives We're spared the
annoyance and the grief of the public
disclosure of these documents. The
crown rejected the proposal. One day
Major SIR and a party of Yconanry
appeared ut the Priory, RathfHrnlGl III.
armed with warrants to search the
house and it's owners papers. and to
arrest Sarah Currnn. Ii was the first
intilnntiOn that Currnn received of the
implication of his daughter in the in
surrectiOn. He was overwhelmed by
the blow. His anger against Sarah
was intense. This great lawyer, this
orator with the tongue of fire. this wit,
from whose recorded Sallics the lapse
of Il century has not cvaporated the
spirit of laughter. was. with all his
genius. Il meall-sOuled creature His
conduct. as disclosed by the Hard
wicke correspondence. was most de-
spicable. 1t was not for his daughter
suffering from the crueest pangs that
can lacerate the ardent heart of II
young girl in love. that he was con-
cerned. He was fearful lest his pros
poets of promotion TO the bench might
he Imperfect. He FASTENED in a mad
rage to the castle. saw the attorney
general-Standish O'Grady vitupcr-
ated Emmett, denounced his daughter,
rendered his person and his papers to
the government. to abide any inquiry
they might deem it eXpcdient to direct.
Brought before the privy council. he
was examined. and dismissed without
a stain Oh his mean and contemplate
character. The lord lieutcmant-a
kindly generous man. as thn c0rrns-