Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1906-03-07
Text of the Famous Impromptu Speech
OF Robert Emmett Delivered Just Be-
fore He Was Sentenced to Be Executed
On the Charge OF High Treason.

wild designs" In answer to which
remark Emmett continued as followsD
! appeal To the immaculate God-tc
the throne Of Heaven, before which !
must shortly appear-to the blood o,
the murdered patriots who have gone
before, that my conduct has been
through all this peril, and through ali
my purposes, governed only by the con
victions which ! have uttered. and by
no other view than that of the eman
cipation Of my country from th,
superinhuman oppression under which
she has so long and too patiently ira
vailed; and that ] confidently and az
suredly hope that, wild and chimerical
~ 1t may appear, there is still union
and strength in Ireland to accomplish
this noblest enterprise. OF this
spank with the confidence of intimat,
knowledge, and with the consolation
that appertains TO that confidence
Think not. my lords, ! say this for the
petty qualification Of giving you a
transitory uneasiness; n man who never
yet raised his voice to assert n lie will
not hazard his character with posterity
10y asserting "A falschood on "A subject ~
important TO his country, and ON an
occasion like this. Yes. my lords, a
man who does not wish to have his
,pitaph written until his country il lib.
Grated will not leave weapon in the
power Of envy, nor "A pretcncc to i'm.
peach the probity which he means "a
preserve even in the grave to which ".
ranny consigns him.
Lord Norbury again interrupted by
saying "You proceed TO unwarra ntablc
lengths in order to exaspcrate and de.
lude. and circulate dangerous opinions
for the purpose Of mischief" To which
Emmett replied with dignihed ear.
casm:)
Again ] say, that what have spoken
was not intended for your lordships
whose situation j commiserate rather
than envy. Ny expressions were for my
countrymen; if there is n true Irish
man present let my last words cheer
him in the hour Of his affection
QLord Norbury replied with great
heat: "What you have hitherto said
confirms and justifes the verdict of the
jury" Emmctt's rejoinder was n
whitening rebukc:)
] have always understood II to be the
duty of judge, when prisoner has
been convicted, Ia pronounce the sen
tence of the law: have also understood
that judges sometimes think IL their
duty To hear with patience, and 10
speak with humanity; TO cxhort the
victim of the laws, and 20 oif'r. with
tender benignity opinions or the
motives by which he was actrnted In
the crime of which he had been adjudg'
ed guilty That judge has thought
| IL his duty 80 to have done, i have no
doubt; but where is the boosted free
dom of your institutions. where ~ the
Wanted impartislity, elemency, and
mildness Of your courts Of Justice, II an
unfortunate prisoner. whom your pol
lev, and not justice, is about To deliver
into the hands of the exeeutioner, Is
not suffered TO explain his motives sin
| cerely and truly, and g. vindieate the
principles 10y which he was aetuatedf
My lords, IL may ~ part of the
syste,n Of angry justice 10 bow man =
mind, by humiliation, 10 the PurPosed
ignominy Of the seafrold; but worse ~
| me than the seafYold's shame or the
scaffoid's ,errors, would be the shame
Of such foul and pnfounded inputa'
tons Ms have been laid against me In
This court. Yon, my lord, are judge.
am n supposed eulprit. am a man.
you are a man also. by revolution
of power we might change places, nj
though we never could change rharac'
ters. II stand Mt the bar OF tins
court and dare not vindicafe my char
aeter. what farce is your justirei IL
| stand nj the bar Of this court ana
dare not vindicate my character now
dare you calumniate III Does your
sentence Of death, which your unha''
lowed policy in6iets an my body a'so
condemn my tongue 10 silence and my
reputation TO reproach' Your eHe'u'
toner may abridge the period OF my
existence; but while exist ! shan no,
forbear 10 vindeate my character ana
motives from your aspersiohs. ~ |"
man to whom fame is dcarer than 'fe'
] will make the last use Of that life IN
doing justice to the reputation when IL