The Irish standard., 1914-06-06

evening the church was taxed to its
capacity.
Green Isle, Minn.-Father Hick-
ey's Pensioners have presented him
with $1,000 automobile as a token
of their appreciation.
NiEAGHER's SPEECH FROM THE
DOCK.
my Lords: 1t is my intention to
say few words only. l desire that
the last act of proceeding which has
occupied so much of the public time
should be of short duration. Nor
have the indicate wish to close
the dreary ceremony of State prose-
cution with vain display of words.
Did fear that hereafter when I
shall be no more the country l have
tried to serve would speak i'll of me,
l might. indeed, avail myself of this
solemn moment to vindicate my
sentiments and my conduct. But
have no such fear. The country will
judge of those sentiments and that
conduct in light far different from
that in which the jury by whom
have been convicted have viewed
them. and by the country the sent
ence which you, my lords, are about
to pronounce. will be remembered
only as the severe and solemn at
testatton Of my truth. Whatever be
the language in which that sentence
be spoken. I know that my fate will
meet with sympathy and that my
memory will be honored. In speak
Ing thus, accuse me not, my lords, of
an indecorous presumption in the
efforts I have made in a just and
noble cause. ascribe no main i'm
portance, nor do claim for those
efforts any high reward. But it so
happens. and it will ever happen so,
that they who have lived to serve
their country-no matter how weak
their efforts may have been-are
sure to receive the thanks and bless
ings of its people. With my coun-
trymen I leave my memory, my senti-
ments, my acts, proudly feeling that
they require no vindication from me
this day. A jury of my country
men. it is true, have found me guilty
of the crime for which l stool in
dicted. For this I entertain not the
slightest feeling of resentment
towards them. Influenced, as they
must have been, by the charge of
the Lord Chief Justice. they could
perhaps have found no other verdict.
What of that charge? Any strong
observations on it feel sincerely
would i'll befit the solemnity of this
scene; but would beseech of you,
my lord-you who preside on that
bench-when the passions and the
prejudices of this hour have passed
away, to appeal to your conscience,
and ask of it, was your charge what
it ought to have been, impartial and
Indifferent between the subject and
the crown! My lords, you may deem
this language unbecoming in me, and
perhaps it may seal my fate; but l
am here to speak the truth, what
ever 1t may cost; am here to regret
nothing have ever said; 1 am here
to crave with no lying lip the life
consecrate to the liberty of my coun-
try. Far from it. Even here-here,
where the thief, the libertine, the
murderer. have left their footprints
in the dust-here, on this spot.
where the shadows of death surround
me, and from which I see my early
grave in an unanointed soil open to
receive me, even here, encircled by
these terrors, that hope which first
beckoned me to the perilous sea on
which I have been wrecked, still
consoles, exhilirates, and raptures
me. No; I do not despair of my
poor old country-her peace, her lib
erty, her glory. For that country 1
can do no more than bid her hope.
To lift this island up-to make her
a benefactor to humanity, instead of
being, as she is now, the meanest
beggar in the world; to restore to her
her native powers and her ancient
constitution-this has been my am
bition land this ambition has been
my crime. Judged by the law of
England, know this crime entails
upon me the penalty of death; but
the history of Ireland explains that
crime and justifies it. Judged by
that history. am no criminal; you
addressing Mr.. O'Donohue) are no
criminal, and we deserve no punish
ment; Judged by that history, the
treason of which I stand convicted
loses all its guilt, has been sancti-
fed as duty, and will be ennobled
as sacrifice. With these sentiments
l await the sentence of the court. 1
have done what felt to be my duty.
I have spoken now. as I did on every
other occasion during my short life.
what I felt to be the truth. now
bid farewell to the country of my
birth, of my passions. of my death
a country whose misfortunes have