The life, trial and conversations of Robert Emmet, Esq., leader of the Irish insurrection of 1803 : $b also, the celebrated speech made by him on the occasionAnonymous
History
The life, trial and conversations of Robert Emmet, Esq., leader of the Irish insurrection of 1803 : $b also, the celebrated speech made by him on the occasion
intention, and I mentioned the reason. I then, for the first time,
found I was unfortunate, by the manner in which she was affected, that
there was a return of affection, and that it was too late to retreat.
My own apprehensions, also, I afterwards found, were without cause,
and I remained. There has been much culpability on my part in all
this, but there has also been a great deal of that misfortune which
seems uniformly to accompany me. That I have written to your daughter
since an unfortunate event has taken place, was an additional breach
of propriety, for which I have suffered well; but I will candidly
confess, that I not only do not feel it to have been of the same
extent, but that I consider it to have been unavoidable, after what
had passed; for though I will not attempt to justify, in the smallest
degree, my former conduct, yet when an attachment was once formed
between us—and a sincerer one never did exist—I feel that, peculiarly
circumstanced as I then was, to have left her uncertain of my
situation would neither have weaned her affections, nor lessened her
anxiety; and looking upon her as one whom, if I had lived, I hoped to
have had my partner for life, I did hold the removing her anxiety
above every other consideration. I would rather have had the
affections of your daughter in the back settlements of America, than
the first situation this country could afford without them. I know not
whether this would be any extenuation of my offence—I know not whether
it will be any extenuation of it to know, that if I had that situation
in my power at this moment, I would relinquish it to devote my life to
her happiness—I know not whether success would have blotted out the
recollection of what I have done—but I know that a man, with the
coldness of death in him, need not be made to feel any other coldness,
and that he may be spared any addition to the misery he feels not for
himself, but for those to whom he has left nothing but sorrow.”
The original, from which the above has been copied, is not signed or
dated. It was written in the interval between Mr. Emmet’s conviction and
execution.
Upon the arrest of Mr. Emmet, some papers were found upon his person,
which shewed that subsequent to the insurrection, he had corresponded
with one of Mr. Curran’s family: a warrant accordingly followed, as a
matter of course, to examine Mr. Curran’s house, where some of Mr.
Emmet’s letters were found, which, together with the documents taken
upon his person, placed beyond a doubt, his connection with the late
conspiracy, and were afterwards used as evidence upon his trial.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account