The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-01-06
IRISH CHARACTER
Prof. James O. Monaghan, Lin
gust, Diplomat, Lecturer
And Scholar Discusses It in an
Able Manner.

BEFORE he lett the COCK LOT tne scar
fold Robert Emmett uttered words that
will never die: when my country
takes her place among the nations OF
the earth, then, and not till then, let
my epitaph be written" But it is not
on these words his last, that want
to dwell says the writer of this
sketch. In the early paragraphs of
that most eloquent address he defends
his character Were l only to suffer
DEATH" he says, after being adjudged
guilty by your tribunal, l would bow
in silence and go forth to meet the
fate that awaits me without muir
mur; but the sentence of the law that
delivers my body to the executioner
WILL through the ministry of the same
law, labor in its own vindication to
consign my character to obloquy.'
This is the line of all the lines in
Emmet's speech, upon which l like to
dwell. 1t is the key to the mans life;
it is the key to every good mans life.
world there is nothing so much worth
working for. Character, then, is my
theme. have neither the time nor
the inclination to dwell on the life
and death of Emmett. They are we'll
known. want to spe. $50
members of his famaa4-
Holmes and Thomas tS4l!!, Ennel
Roberts brother.
Holmes was Emmet's brother-in
Jaw; he had married Enmet's sister.
He had been arrested on suspicion
when Emmett was arrested. Every Ct.
fort was made by Major SIR and his
ruff1an hirelings to connect Holmes
with the conspiracy; but in vain.
Holmes was a lawyer, a barrister. He
had passed brilliant examinations az
college and fol admission to the bar.
He gave promise of being one of Ire
lands greatest legal luminaries. Ec
had been a friend and companion of
Robert Emmett. Baflled by people
who were unwilling to betray Major
Sirr Englands infamous agent in Ire
land. was compelled, at last, after
eighteen months of torture, persrcu-
ton, and watching, to give Holmes mis-
freedom. In passing from his prison
to his home the patriot passed frarl
one place of gloom and desolation to
another, even more desolate During
Holmes incarceration Emmett hal
been hanged and beheaded, his sister.
Holmes wife, the one woman in all
the world that he had loved, loved in
his loyal, chivalrous Irish way. was
dead. She, too, had died broken
hearted. DR.. Emmett and his wife,
Roberts parents, had paid the pc ,a!,y
of patriotism in Ireand-death!
The family had paid the las1 full
measure Of pain for its devotion to
liberty and Ireland. On the ,le'. tn
stone that he had left filled viii: love
and roses. that was once one Of the
happiest in Ireland, Holmes found
ashes. The great eyes filled wi'H teas
the strong head went down into tho
dust. Naught was left of all he had
except his splendid Irish health, which
even the prison had hardly impaired.
He went to work. O., what q solacc
work is at times! 1t is not Il curse.
He rose rapidly to be the foremost
barrister at the Irish bar. At times
watching his wonderful work, the
Castle tried to tempt him with Office
and a gown; they would make him q
Kings Counscllor; but he refused. And
SO the years rolled away. ana he grew
old. At last they gave up all hopes
of moving him. SO they left him to his
law books and his memories, to Ireland
and a love OF liberty.
Pass now with me over to 1S4S. The
fearful famine years, 'l5-6-7 are be-
hind us. The dead are in the bitches
on the farms, in the fields. Young
Ireland. unable to resist the h"rrnrs
Of it all, is in rebellion. Meaghel has
been apostrophiZing the sword in an
swer to O'Connelrs plea for peaceful!
agitation-the drop of blood and. l!b-
erty doctrine, doctrine in Which
O'Connell did not believe. for he would
have freely given his own life for
Irish liberty. He risked it once in
front of D'Esterre's pistol. Yes, If
like Noah's family, one like that of
his own or the Emmets could be left
to repeople the island, O'Connell, like
any true man, would willingly sacrifice
all the rest. Liberty is worth all that
has ever been paid for it or ever will
be paid for it.
In Cancellation Hall there is rage,
hate, despair, war: the seeds Of rebel
lion and death. Mitchell, Martin,
O'Brien, Duffy and Davis have f1rel
the national heart. Fontenoy, the Mar
seillaise of Ireland, the greatest bat
tie poem ever penned for any people
was written as Davis legacy to Lib
.erty. War, said Meagher, can be nc
worse than famine, the awful famine
before which so many went down into
the dust. The black dead lay un-
buried, the wretched living, insane,
were eating their dead!
Rebellion, revolution. anything but
this" was the word of Mitchell. And
in Gods face would say it was the