The life and times of Robert Emmet, esq.

Front matter

PRICE SIXPENCE.

LIFE AND TIMES

OF

Chapter I

It is now forty years since Robert Emmet pronounced that memorable speech, wherein he said — “I have but few words more to say — I am going to my cold and silent grave — my lamp of life is nearly extinguished — I have parted with everything that was dear to me in this life for my country’s cause ; with the idol of my soul, the object of my affections: my race is run, the grave opens to receive me, and I sink into its bosom !

“I have but one request to make at my departure from this world — it is the charity of its silence. Let no man write my epitaph ; for as no man, who knows my motives, dare now vindicate them, let not prejudice nor ignorance asperse them. Let them rest in obscurity and peace ! Let my memory be left in oblivion, and my tomb remain uninscribed, until other times, and other men, can do justice to my character ; when my country takes her place among the nations of the earth — then, and not till then, let my epitaph be written. I have done.”

With this solemn appeal at his departure from this world, for the charity of its silence ” — till other times, and other men, could vindicate his motives, and do justice to his character — a man must be truly insensible, and unfeeling, and inconsiderate in his conduct,

B'

who could think of approaching this subject without the fullest sense of the solemnity of the injunction.

Forty-one years have passed away since that appeal was made, and yet it sounds in our ears like the last words of a martyr, which are not to be forgotten or disobeyed. Has the time arrived wh&n the motives of Robert Emmet can be vindicated ? Is the writer of those pages qualified to undertake the task of writing the life of Robert Emmet? These are questions that will arise in every reader’s mind the moment he sets his eyes on the name that is prefixed to the memoir.

The time, in my opinion, has arrived — not the period which Robert Emmet imagined could alone serve for telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, in regard to him and his proceedings, but the time when an honest man may dare to speak, in England, on any subject, his honest sentiments, in an honest manner. There is a stage in civilisation, an elevation in the power of public opinion, when it is possible to defeat any form of oppression, any force of tyranny, by persevering in the employ¬ ment of moral means of resistance. This great truth has been taught, preached, and practically demonstrated in our days ; I do not say that Government had felt the influence of the humanising spirit which marks that stage of civilisation I have referred to, or that public opinion had the requisite power to act on the former, in the days of Robert Emmet ; but, in ours, the new doctrine has been taught, and tested, and has effected a mighty revolution in the ideas of politicians ; that doctrine is now firmly established, and is not likely to be overturned ; there is little danger, then, that a similar attempt, to that of Robert Emmet, will be made in Ireland. Consequently the story of his life may be told, not only without detriment, but with signal advantage to the interests of a good Government.

The other question that suggests itself must be answered, but not by me. This much it is proper I should say, it would be a miserable affectation of humility to pretend that I felt myself utterly incompetent for the task I have undertaken. If I set forth such a pretence my undertaking wTould contradict me. My only hope for its success is that it may be judged, not by the amount of literary ability, but of labour and research that I have brought to the performance. Its sole value consists in the documentary information which will be found in it. The authenticity of that

ROBERT EMMET.

information, therefore, it is incumbent on me to place in the clearest point of view.

Since the publication of the former series of this work I received from Mr. Robert Emmet, of New York (the eldest son of Mr. T. A. Emmet), all the letters and other documents in his possession that were calculated to throw any light on the public character and career of his father and his uncle. These papers have reference chiefly to the residence of T. A. Emmet on the Continent subsequent to his liberation. Circumstances over which I had no control prevented my receiving the latter papers in time to avail myself of them in the memoir of T. A. Emmet. Little disadvantage to this work, however, has thereby arisen. The greater portion of the matter appertains to the subject which is specially treated of in this memoir. A small portion of it, in a letter of Emmet’s to Lord Hope, refers to the breach of faith with the State prisoners, on the part of Government, which led to the renewed communications with the French Government on the liberation of the prisoners. The introduction of that letter into this memoir will not be found misplaced, for that breach of faith was the plea for the renewed communications of Emmet and his associates with the French Government. These documents will be found the most valuable of any of the materials of these volumes. If I felt at liberty to prefix to them the communication which accompanied them I might do more to serve the work than I could accomplish by any other reference to my labours. There are times when it is not only pardonable for a man, but obligatory on him, to do justice to his pursuits, even though he has to uphold them in his own productions. The possession of the documents I have referred to, and the permission of the nearest living relative of Robert Emmet to make use of them in the furtherance of this portion of my work, afford me advantages and a sanction which, I presume, are sufficient to justify an undertaking which I feel to be of great — I might say of awful responsibility.

Robert Emmet, the youngest son of Dr. Robert Emmet, was born in Dublin in the year 1778.* He was sent at an early age to Oswald’s School, in Dopping’s Court, off Golden Lane, near Bride Street, a rather celebrated school at that day for mathematics.

*In 1771 Dr. Emmet commenced practice in Molesworth Street, Dublin. In 1779 he removed to 110 Stephen’s Green, the site of the house now numbered 120.

i

Subsequently he was placed at the well-known school of Samuel White, of Grafton Street, and was afterwards under the care of the Rev. Mr. Lewis, of Camden Street. He entered Trinity College the 7th of October, 1793, at the age of fifteen years, according to the entry in the college book of admission. His tutor was the Rev. Mr. Graves ; his college course, like that of his brothers, was brilliant. He obtained several prizes, and went through his studies with great eclat. He showed in early life great aptitude for the exact sciences, and his predilection for mathematics and chemistry continued during, his life. He was in the habit of making chemical experiments in ‘his father’s house, and on one occasion nearly fell a victim to his ardour in his favourite pursuit. Mr. Patten, the brother-in-law of T. A. Emmet, had been staying at his father’s, and on the occasion referred to had assisted Robert in his experi¬ ments. After Mr. Patten had retired the former applied himself to the solution of a very difficult problem in Friend’s Algebra. A habit which he never relinquished when deeply engaged in thought, that of biting his nails, was the cause of an accident which proved nearly fatal to him on the occasion in question. He was seized with most violent inward pains ; these pains were the effects of poison. He had been manipulating corrosive sublimate, and had, unconsciously, on putting his fingers to his mouth, taken internally some portion of the poison. Though fully aware of the cause of his sufferings, and of the danger he was in, he abstained from disturbing his father, but proceeded to his library and took down a volume of an Encyclopaedia which was in the room. Having referred to the article “poisons,” he found that chalk was recommended as a prophylactic in cases of poisoning from corrosive sujblimate. He then called to mind that Mr. Patten had been using chalk with a turning lathe in the coach-house ; he went out, broke open the coach-house door, and succeeded in finding the chalk, which he made use of, and then set to work again at the puzzling question which had before baffled his endeavours to solve. In the morning, when he presented himself at the breakfast table, his countenance, to use the language of my informant (who was present), “looked as small and as yellow as an orange.” He acknowledged to this gentleman that he had suffered all night excruciating tortures, and yet he employed his mind in the solution of that question, which the author of the work acknowledged was one of extraordinary difficulty, and he succeeded in his efforts.

ROBERT EMMET.

Robert Emmet’s connection with the Historical and Debating Societies of Trinity College is well known. I have conversed with many persons who havet heard him speak in these societies, some of them of very decided Tory politics, and I never heard but one opinion expressed of the transcendent oratorical powers he displayed there.

The Rev. Dr. Macartney, Vicar of Belfast, informed me that he had known Robert Emmet ; he was present in the early part of 1798 at a debate of the Historical Society, got up expressly for the debut of Robert Emmet. The question was — “Is a Complete Freedom of Discussion Essential to the Wellbeing of a Good and Virtuous Government ? ” By the rules of the society, Dr. Macartney states, all allusion to modern politics was forbidden. Robert Emmet, in this his maiden speech, adroitly kept within the terms of the rule ; he showed the necessity and advantage of this liberty of discussion to all communities, and the encouragement it deserved from a good Government. He then proceeded to portray the evil effects of the despotism and tyranny of the Governments of antiquity, and most eloquently depicted those of the Governments of Greece and Rome. He was replied to by the present Judge Lefroy, and his argument was rebutted at considerable length. Robert Emmet delivered a speech in reply, evidently unpre¬ meditated, and showed extraordinary ability in his answer to the objections started by his opponent. He said, in conclusion — “If a Government were vicious enough to put down the freedom of discussion, it would be the duty of the people to deliberate on the errors of their rulers, to consider well the wrongs they inflicted, and what the right course would be for their subjects to take, and having done so, it then woidd be their duty to draw practical conclusions.”

The substance of the passage referred to by Dr. Macartney, he said, was conveyed in the above words, but to attempt to give an idea of the eloquence or animation of the speaker was impossible.

Mr. Moore, in his “Life and Death of Lord Edward Fitz¬ gerald,” speaks of his young friend and fellow-student in the following terms : —

“Were I to number, indeed, the men among all I have ever known, who appeared to me to combine in the greatest degree pure moral worth with intellectual power, I should, among the highest of the few, place Robert Emmet. Wholly free from the follies and s

Memoie of

I frailties of youth — though how capable he was of the most devoted passion events afterwards proved — the pursuit of science, in which he eminently distinguished himself, seemed at this time the only object that at all divided his thoughts with that enthusiasm for Irish freedom, which in him was a hereditary as well as national feeling — himself being the second martyr his father had given to the cause. Simple in all his habits, and with a repose of look and manner indicating but little movement within, it v\'as 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. On no occasion was this more particularly striking than in those displays of oratory with which, both in the Debating and Historical Society, he so often enchained the attention and sympathy of his young audience. No two individuals, indeed, 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 inanimate, and almost drooping, at once elevating itself to all the consciousness of power, and the whole countenance and figure of the speaker assuming a change as of one suddenly inspired. Of his oratory, it must be recollected, I speak from youthful impressions ; but I have heard little since that appeared to me of a loftier, or what is a far more rare quality in Irish eloquence, purer character. And the effects it produced, as well from its own exciting power as from the susceptibility with which his audience caught up every allusion to passing events, was such as to attract at last the serious attention of the fellows ; and, by their desire, one of the scholars, a man of advanced standing and reputation for oratory, came to attend our debates expressly for the purpose of answering Emmet, and endeavouring to neutralise the impressions of his fervid eloquence. Such in heart and mind was another of those devoted men who, with gifts that would have made the ornaments and supports of a well-regulated community, were driven to live the lives of conspirators, and die the death of traitors, by a system of government which it would be difficult even to think of with patience did we not gather a hope from the present aspect of the whole civilised world that such a system of bigotry and misrule can never exist again.”*

The peculiar character of Emmet’s oratory is well described in a

* Life and Death of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Vol. I., p. 219, American Edition.

ROBERT EMMET.

very remarkable article in the London and Dublin Magazine of 1825, entitled “Robert Emmet and His Contemporaries.” That article, from the striking analogy in many passages of it to those on the same topic, namely, ‘ ‘ The Capabilities of Ireland in a Military Point of View,” I believe to have been written by the reputed author of “Roche Fermoy’s Commentaries on Theobald Wolf Tone’s Memoirs,” the late Judge Johnston.

“During these harangues,” says the writer of the article referred to, “ Emmet’s fine, manly countenance glowed with an enthusiastic ardour, and he delivered himself with as much animated fervour as if he were addressing a numerous, but distracted, assembly which he wished to persuade. His words flowed with a graceful fluency, and he combined his arguments with all the ease of a man accustomed to abstract discussions.”

Robert Emmet, in the spring of 1798, was about twenty years of age. His brother, in the month of March of that year, had been arrested ; many of his fellow-students were members of the Society of United Irishmen, and several of his brother’s most intimate friends and associates were then his companions in misfortune. Whether Robert was a sworn member of the society I have not been able to ascertain, but that he had adopted its principles early in that year, and had been freely communicated with on subjects connected with its affairs by persons implicated in the latter, there is no doubt. In the month of February the Lord Chancellor’s visitation at the college — which terminated in the expulsion of several students charged with treasonable practices in the college — took place. The particulars of this proceeding are detailed in the memoir of William Corbet.

When several of the students had been called before the Chancellor, and examined upon oath, Robert Emmet, on being summoned, wrote a letter to the members of the Board of Fellows, denouncing the act of demanding, on oath, information from the students, tending to inculpate their fellow-students, and requiring of them to disclose the names of such of their associates as were members of the Society of United Irishmen, and desiring to have his name taken off the books of College. Before the letter was forwarded to the Board, he showed it to his father, and it met with his father’s entire approbation. This circumstance has not been referred to in any account that has been given of the transaction ; it is now stated on the authority of Mr, P - % the friend of Robert

Emmet, and previously an inmate of his father’s house. The name of Robert Emmet, however, without any reference to this proceed¬ ing, appeared, I believe, in the list of expelled students.

Whatever the nature of the plans were into which some of the imprisoned leaders had been entrapped, who were confined in Newgate, when the faith of Government was broken with them, Robert Emmet was cognisant of them and had been em¬ ployed as a messenger on some occasions, when the affairs in hand were deemed of importance. After the removal of the State prisoners to Scotland, he visited his brother at Fort George, in 1800, and, immediately after this interview, it is stated that he set out for the Continent. It is by no means probable that amusement was the main object of his visit ; whatever the nature of it was, he remained on the Continent, made a tour in Switzer¬ land, Holland, and several parts of France, and, subsequently, I have been informed, he had visited Cadiz, in company with Mr. John Allen, under the name of Captain Brown, who had been tried at Maidstone, along with Arthur O’Connor and Coigly, and was acquitted, and with Dowdall, one of the liberated State prisoners, who had refused to sign the compact with Government, and was not precluded, like the other, from returning to Great Britain, or his own country.

Chapter II

Among the papers of Thomas Addis Emmet there are a few letters, addressed to him while in imprisonment, or exile, from which the following extracts are taken, as tending to show the estimation in which he was held by both his parents, and to afford, also, in a slight degree, an insight into their own respective characters. An apology is hardly requisite for their introduction in the memoir of his brother ; the extracts are from the letters of the parents of both, and matters are referred to in them which bear on the move¬ ments of Robert Emmet.

A Letter dated July 14, 1800, addressed to Thomas Addis Emmet, at Fort George, by his Mother.

“As your patience has never yet forsaken you, I hope it will Hot now abandon you. We feel, my dearest Tom, very sensibly

ROBERT EMMET.

your kind solicitude about us : you have indeed filled your brother’s place, to us, in every action of a most affectionate and kind son ; but who can fill the present vacancies in our family ? Mr. A. is truly amiable, and Mr. H. very worthy, but it is not in either of their powers to supply the places of those from whom we are separated. Your father’s fortitude is equal to his affection, and I trust, in a merciful Being, that he will be re-united even in this life. No matter in what country, so we are blessed with the presence of our children.

“I rest in a humble hope that the hand of the Almighty does not lie thus heavy upon us for our transgressions against Him, and I place a confidence in His mercy that, as He does not delight in the afflictions of His creatures, He will, when His wisdom sees fit, restore happiness to us, and to all who sincerely trust in Him.”

From his Father, dated January 1, 1801.

“My Dear Tom,— The first day of the year has advanced thus far without our customary embrace and mutual expressions of heartfelt affection ; but, though the form has been precluded, the essence of our sentiments remains happily unimpaired ; and, separated as we are by lands and seas, our cordiality and attach¬ ment are still united, and for ever will remain so. Let us, however, preserve even the form as much as we can ; and for this purpose, in the fullest effusion of my heart, I assure you of every sentiment of parental affection which a father ought to entertain for a well¬ deserving son. Could I express them stronger I would. Give a kiss of cqrdial affection to Jane, on my part, and the same to Robert, Margaret, and Elizabeth. Tell them I love them as well as if they were at Casino,* but I should like Casino much better if they were at it. Whatever is, however, is perhaps the best ; and the true wisdom of man would be, perhaps, always to think so — at least to act as if he thought so — and, consequently, to factor every moment of time to the comfort and pleasing enjoyment of the present. ‘ Carpe horam ’ was Horace’s advice, ‘ Yive la bagatelle/ that of Swift, and since what is past cannot be recalled, and what is to coifie may never reach, our prudence would seem to be the cheerful enjoyment of the present. May you and yours enjoy it in its fullest, best extent.

* The name of his country residence.

“What a period, my dear Tom, for abstract} thought and philosophic contemplation, the eighteenth century closed — but the Temple of Janus not shut; on the contrary, every portal thrown open, and Bellona issuing forth with redoubled rage and augmented fury ! When will it end ? Long had I hoped that ere this a general peace would have secured tranquillity for the commencing century, consequently that I should have had the happiness of clasping you to my heart and closing my course of years in the same land, if not in the same house with you, as my substitute and guardian to the dear connections I should quit ; but that prospect is now over, or, at least, too far removed to be reasoned upon with probability. But no more of this ‘ cheerful enjoyment of the present ’ I have stated to you is probably the best proof of human wisdom, and I am resolved to adopt the practice. Thanks to the Supreme Disposer of all things, I have a very competent share of health and wealth. The proper disposal of them depends on myself, and, if I can, ‘eequum mihi animum ipse parabo.’ There is not anything new or important within my sphere of information which merits being communicated to you. The vicissitudes of human life are too frequent to be a subject of news, and the objects frequently too insignificant to be of any importance. Such you may, perhaps, consider . . .

“I have made what provision I could against the worst, and rely on God’s goodness with hopeful expectations of the best. That thought, my dear Tom, takes in your return and settlement at Casino, which wants but that one circumstance to make it to me a most happy residence.

“Adieu! May the Almighty take you into most special pro¬ tection ; may He bless you and yours with prosperity and many returns of happy years, and may the next new year, at worst, restore you to the embrace of

‘ ‘ Your affectionate Father,

“ROBERT EMMET.”

From his Mother.

“My Dearest Tom, — Though it is not exactly the time for writing, nor my turn for holding the family pen, I could not forbear committing an usurpation upon Kitty’s right, as I wished to express the very great pleasure which we have all felt at the

ROBERT EMMET.

happy recovery of our dear Jane, whose situation it was kind in you to conceal from us, as it would undoubtedly have occasioned great anxiety to us all ; to you it must have given serious alarm, and I well know what you must have felt, nor am I much surprised at the agitation which caused it— her apprehensions did not exceed the reality, had you been brought over. I am assured that the intention was to make your confinement very rigorous. You would not have been allowed any intercourse from without ; you would have been denied the use of pen, ink, and paper, and I apprehend that neither Jane nor the children would have been suffered to continue with you ; all this, I am sure, she foresaw and felt deeply ; it was, therefore, no wonder that she was affected in the manner that she has been. I most sincerely wish her to guard in future against such acute feelings ; she is young, and with so long a life as I hope she has before her, she must not expect (even after her present trials cease) that, as a wife and mother, she shall not always be subject to anxieties of various kinds. You will say, and with justice, that, like most advisers, I recommend what I do not practise, but I am in some measure warranted by experience in what I now say. Solicitude has, through life, stuck to me like an inner garment, and I find that it exceeds even those of the children of Israel ; it is a habit that, instead of wearing away by time, grows stronger by constant use. I would not, however, have you conclude from hence that I am ungrateful ; be assured that I feel all my blessings with a thankful heart, and that I wish to discern and adore the healing hand which has been held out to me in the midst of trials and distresses, and without which my natural infirmities must have sunk under the scenes I have gone through ; but let me not tire you with egotism. I have still the same pleasing account, as when I wrote last, to give you of your father and the children. The kindness which you say you have received is, indeed, very gratifying to us, as well as to you ; instances of the kind exalt human nature, and we are thereby made to feel very sensibly our relationship to our species. Where you and Jane are known, I doubt not but you will always meet such conduct, but it is not common for persons in your situation to meet such from strangers, etc. . . .

“We find that all we do only excites a fond and fruitless wish that we could enjoy all our comforts in the midst of our entire family. Adieu, my dearest Tom ! I have scarce left myself room to assure you that I am, with the tenderest regards to Jane and the children,

“ Your truly affectionate Mother,

“ELIZABETH EMMET.

From his Mother.

“ My Dearest Tom, — At this time you will not be surprised at my having superseded your other correspondents here, nor will you, I hope, be displeased that I should impart to you the various feelings of my mind, so fully occupied with what relates to you, your amiable wife, and your children.

‘ ‘ When I wrote last I was under the first impulse of very ardent feelings (my first impulses are, I confess, much too ardent) ; since then I have reflected, and have been able to think of, and to look at the worst, and find myself more composed since I have done so.

“Some of your friends say that, supposing you were permitted to reside in England or Wales, you ought rather to go to America, as it would tend more to the advantage of your family. Of this, however, I think you are the best judge, and your father and I both unite in desiring you to act as if we were out of the question, consulting only what you think will be most likely to make you and them most happy. We are sure of what your inclinations would lead you to, but, for my own part, I declare to you that I should not feel happy, even in your society, if I caused in any respect sacrifices of your interests, your peace of mind, or your security. I speak of myself as the weaker vessel ; of your father’s firmness you can have no doubt.

‘ ‘ One point, however, I must entreat that you will weigh well before you decide in favour of America, and that is the disadvantage of the climate, which, by everything I can hear, is not congenial to European constitutions. Captain Palmer mentioned to us that, independent of the yellow fever, he had perceived, and it was, he said, a general observation in America, that after the first two years Europeans generally declined in health. Do i^ot call this a prejudice of mine. It has been mentioned to us that in America you could follow your profession, but upon this head you will recollect what Sir Grenville Temple said when he was last here, that a lawyer there would not, by the profits of his profession, pay for the expenses of his books. Add

BOBEBT EMMET.

to this that a prohibitory law did exist (which may, perhaps, have been since repealed) that any stranger intending to profess the law must, previous to his doing so, be a resident for five years in the country. I have now said everything which T mean to say upon the subject until you have taken your final determination. That it may tend to your happiness, and the advantage of your family, I shall never cease to wish and pray, and, whatever our feelings may be, we shall have the consolation of having them unmixed with self-reproach. I mentioned in my last the great amendment in your father’s health, which, I thank God, still continues, and has been in the last fortnight beyond what we could expect. Your children are all well. Your father and the entire family desire to be most cordially remembered to you, to Jane, and the dear children ; they are all warmly interested in what may be the event of the present period, but we must all practise patience, that virtue so necessary to mankind in general, and particularly so to