The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-03-04

tiers proceed at last that Emmett, with
several of his political friends, was
expelled the college, others less OBJ
noxious to the authorities were sub
jected to severe reprimand, and the
society, thus terrorised and weakened,
soon ceased to exist. Our national
poet, Thomas Moore, the FELLOWSHIP
dent and intimate friend of young
Emmett, witnessed many of those dis
plays of his abilities, and in his "Life
and Death of Lord Edward Fitzger-
ald," speaks of him in terms of the
highest admiration. Were l." he
says, ito number the men among all
have ever known who appeared to
me to combine in the greatest de-
gree pure moral worth with intel
lectual power, l should, among the
highest of the few, place Robert EN-
met" "He was" writes the same au-
thority, wholly free from the follies
and frailties of youth-though how
capable he was of the most devoted
passion events afterwards proved"
OF his oratory, he says, II have heard
little since that appeared to me of a
loftier, or what is far more rare
quality in Irish eloquence, purer char
acter." And the appearance of this
greatly gifted youth, he thus de-
| scribes: Simple in all his habits,
and with a repose of look and man.
ner indicating but little movement
within, it was only when the spring
| was touched that set his feelings, and
through them his intellect in motion,
that he at all rose above the level of
ordinary men. No two individuals in.
deed could be much more unlike to
each other than was the same youth
to himself before rising to speak and
after; the brow that had appeared in
animate and almost dropping, at once
elevating itself to all the conscious
ness Of power, and the whole counte-
nance and figure of the speaker as
Stunning change as of one suddenly
inspired"
The expulsion of Emmett from the
college occurred in the month of Feb
ruary, 1898. On the 18th Of the fol-
lowing month his brother, Thomas
Adds Emmett, was arrested. The man.
ner in which this noble-hearted gen.
tleman took the oath of the United
Irish Society, in the year of 1895, is
so remarkable that we cannot omit
mention of it here. His services as
lawyer having been engaged in the
defence of some persons who stood
charged with having sworn in men,
bers to the United Irish organization
the crime for which William Orr
was subsequently tried and executed
he, in the course of the proceed
ings, took up the oath and read it
with remarkable deliberation and SOL
emnity. Then, taking into his hand
the prayer book that lay on the table
for the swearing of witnesses, and
looking to the bench and around the
court, he said aloud
"My Lords-Here. in the presence
of this legal court, this crowded au-
ditory-in the presence of, the Being
that sees and witnesses, and directs
this judicial tribunal-here, my lords,
l. myself, in the presence of God, de-
clare | take this OATH"
The terms of the oath at this time
were, in fact, perfectly constitution
al, having reference simply to attain
ment Of a due representation of the
Irish nation in parliament-still, the
oath was that of a society declared
to be illegal, and the administration
of it had been made capital Of
fence. The boldness of the advocate
III thus administering it to himself in
open court appeared to paralyse the
minds of the judges. They took no
notice Of the act, and what was even
more remarkable, the prisoners, who
were convicted, received a lenient sen.
tence.
But to return to Robert Emmett
the events Of 1898, as might be sup.
posed, had powerful effect on the
feelings of the enthusiastic young pa
triot, and he was not free of active
participation with the leaders of the
movement in Dublin. He was, of
course, an object of suspicion to the
government, and it appears marvel.
lous that they did not Immediately
take him into their safe keeping un-
der the provisions of the Habeas Cor
pus Suspension Act. Ere long, how.
ever, he found that prudence would
counsel his concealment, or his dis
appearance from the country, and he
took his departure for the Continent,
where he met with whole host of
the Irish refugees; and, in 1902, was
Joined by his brother and others of
the political prisoners who had been
released from the confinement to
wilhelm violation Of a distinct
agreement between them and the gov
ernment-they had been subjected in
Fort George, in Scotland. Their sui.
ferings had not broken their spirit.
There was hope still, they thought,