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

Of Robert Emmett. We read, in that
eventful record, of men who laid
down their lives for Ireland amid the
roar and crash of battle, of others
who persisted by the heads1nan's axe
or the halter of the hangman, of 9TH
ers whose eyes were closed for ever in
the gloom of English dungeons, and
of many whose hearts broke amid the
sorrows of involuntary exile; of men,
too, who in the great warfare of mind
rendered to the Irish cause services
no less memorable and glorious They
are neither forgotten nor unhonored.
The warrior figure Of Hugh ONeill is
a familiar vision to lrishmen; Sars-
field expiring on the foreign battle
field with that infinitely pathetic and
noble utterance on his lips-"Would
that this were for Ireland'-is
cherished remembrance, and that last
cry Of a patriotic spirit dwells for ever
about our hearts; Grattan battling
against a corrupt and venal faction,
first to win and then to defend the
independence Of his country, astonish-
ing friends and foes alike by the daz-
cling splendour of his eloquence; and
O'Connell on the hillsides pleading for
the restoration of Irelands rights, and
rousing his countrymen to a struggle
for them, are pitcures of which we are
proud-memories that will live in song
and story while the Irish race has
distinct existence in the world. But
in the character of Robert Emmett
there was such rare combination OF
admirable qualities, and in his his
tory there are so many of the elements
of romance, that the man stands be-
fore our mental vision as peculiarly
noble and lovable being, with claims
upon our sympathies that are absolute
" without a parallel. He had youth,
talent, social position, fair share or
fortune, and bright prospects for the
future on his side when he embarked
in the service of cause that had but
recently been sunk in defeat and ruin.
Courage, genius, enthusiasm were his,
high hopes and strong affections, all
based upon and sweetened by nature
utterly free from guile. He was an
orator and a poet; in the one art he
had already achieved distinction, in
the other he was certain to take a
high place, If he should make that an
object of his ambition. He was true
patriot, true soldier, and true lover.
If the story of his political life Is
full of melancholy interest, and calcu-
lated to awaken profound emotions
of reverence for his memory, the story
of his affections is not less touching.
Truly, there's not a line but hath
been wept upon" So it Is, that of
all the heroic men who risked
and lost everything for Ireland,
none is so frequently remembered,
none is thought of so tenderly
as Robert Emmett Poetry has cast a
halo of light upon the name of the
youthful martyr, and some of the
sweetest strains of Irish music are
consecrated to his memory.
Robert Emmett was born on the 4th
of March, 177S. He was the third
son of Doctor Robert Emmett, WELL
known and highly respectable physi-
clan of Dublin. Thomas Adds EN-.
met, already mentioned in these
pages, the associate of Tone, the
Sheareses, and other members of the
United Irish organization, was an
elder brother of Robert, and his senior
by some sixteen years. Just about
the period when the United lrishmen
were forming themselves into Sc.
cret revolutionary society, young En-
met was sent to receive his educa-
ton in Trinity College. There the
bent OF the lads political opinions
was soon detected; but among his
fellow.students he found many, and
amongst them older heads than his
own, who not only shared his views,
but went beyond them in the direc.
ton of liberal and democratic prin-
ciples. In the Historical Society
composed of the alumni of the col
lege, and on whose books at this time
were many names that subsequently
became famous-those kindred spir-
it's made for themselves many oppor-
tunities of giving expression to their
sentiments, and showing that their
hearts beat in unison with the great
movement for human freedom which
was then agitating the world. To
their debates Emmett brought the aid
80 q fine intellect and fluent utter
Sance, and he soon became the orator
3sof the patriot party.
So great was the effect created by
his fervid eloquence and his admir-
,able, reasoning, that the heads of the
college thought it prudent on sew.
eerial. occasions to send one Of the ablest
w their body to take part in the
and assist in refuting the
fermentation Of the young Jacob
Ia, And to such extremities did mat |