The Irish standard., 1914-02-28

| w lcplOdSu! 1OuI eAeCuIlOnor may
abridge the period OF my existence;
but while exist shall not forbear
to vindicate my character and motives
from your aspersions; and, as man,
to whom fame is dearer than life, l
will make the last use of that life in
doing justice to that reputation which
Is to live after me, and which is the
only legacy can leave to those l hon
or and love, and for whom am proud
to perish. AS men, my lords, we must
appear on the great day at one com
mon tribunal; and it will then remain
for the Searcher of all hearts to show
collective universe, who was en-.
gagged In the most virtuous actions,
or swayed by the purest motives-my
country's oppressor, Or
Here he was interrupted, and told
to listen to the sentence of the law.
my lords, will dying man be de.
MED the legal privilege of exculpating
himself in the eyes of the community
from an undeserved reproach. thrown
upon him during his trial, by charging
him with ambition, and attempting to
cast away for paltry consideration
the liberties of his country? Why
did your lordships insult me? Or
rather, why insult justice, in demand
ing of me why sentence of death
should not be pronounced against me?
| know, my lords, that form prescribes
that you should ask the question. The
form also presents the right of an
swering. This, no doubt, may be dis
pensed with, and so might the whole
ceremony of the trial, since sentence
was already pronounced at the Castle
before the jury were empanelled. Your
lordships are but the priests of the
oracle, and l insist on the whole of
the FORMS"
Here Mr.. Emmet paused, and the
court desired him to proceed.l
Il am charged with being an ennis
sary of France. An emissary OF
France! and for what end? 1t is al.
legged that l wished to sell the indie.
pendence Of my country; and for wha,
end? Was this the object of my am
bition? And, is this the mode by
which a tribunal of justice reconciles
contradiction? No; am no ennis
sary; and my ambition was to hold q
place among the deliverers of my
country, not in power nor in profit
but in the glory of the achievement
Sell my country's independence to
France! and for what? Was it a
change of masters? No, but for my
ambition. Oh, my country, was it per.
sonal ambition that could influence
me? Had it been the soul Of my &C.
tions, could l not, by my education
and fortune, by the rank and consid
GRAFTON of my family, have placed my.
self amongst the proudest Of your op
pressor. My Country was my Idol
To 1t l sacrificed every selfish, every
endearing sentiment; and for 1t now
offer up myself, o God! No, my lords
acted as an Irishman, determined on
delivering my country from the yoke
Of foreign and unrelenting tyranny
and the more CALLING yoke of domes
tic faction, which is its joint partner
and perpetrator in the particide, from
the ignominy existing with an exter
iOr of splendour and a conscious de
pravity. 1t was the wish of my heart
to extricate my country from this
doubly riveted despotism-I wished tc
place her independence beyond the
reach of any power on earth. l wish
ed to exalt her to that proud station
in the world. Connection with France
was, indeed, intended, but only as fal
as mutual interest would sanction OF
require. Were the French to assume
any authority inconsistent with the
purest independence. it would be sig
nal for their destruction. We sough,
their aid-and we sought it as we had
assurance we should obtain it-as aux
iliaries in war, and allies in peace
We're the French to come as invaders
or enemies, unlimited by the wishes
of the people, ! should oppose them tc
the utmost of my strength. Yes! my
countrymen, should advise you tt
meet them upon the beach with 6
sword in one hand, and a torch in the
other. l would meet them with all the
destructive fury Of war would ami
mate my countrymen to immediate
them in their boats, before they hat
contaminated the soil of my country
II they succeeded in landing. and /
forced to retire before superior disci
pline, l would dispute every inch o
ground, burn every blade of grass, ant
the last entrenchment of libert.
should be my grave. What coult
not do myself, If should fall,
should leave as a last charge to m!
countrymen to accomplish; because
should feel conscious that life, an,
more than death, is improbable whel
a foreign nation holds my country ii
' subjection. But 1t was not as an en-
emy that the succors of France were t,
land. looked, indeed, for the assist