Mr. Luby--"Very well, my lord, I will leave that. I believe in this
way the _Irish People_ has done an immensity of good. It taught the
people not to give up their right of private judgment in temporal
matters to the clergy; that while they reverenced the clergy upon the
altar, they should not give up their consciences in secular matters
to the clergy. I believe that is good. Others may differ from me. No
set of men I believe ever set themselves earnestly to any work, but
they did good in some shape or form."
Judge Keogh--"I am most reluctant, Mr. Luby, to interrupt you, but do
you think you should pursue this!"
Mr. Luby--"Very well, I will not. I think that disposes of those
things. I don't care to say much about myself. It would be rather
beneath me. Perhaps some persons who know me would say I should not
have touched upon the assassination charge at all--that in fact I
have rather shown weakness in attaching so much importance to it.
But, with regard to the entire course of my life, and whether it be a
mistaken course or not will be for every man's individual judgment to
decide--this I know, that no man ever loved Ireland more than I have
done--no man has ever given up his whole being to Ireland to the
extent I have done. From the time I came to what has been called the
years of discretion, my entire thought has been devoted to Ireland. I
believed the course I pursued was right; others may take a different
view. I believe the majority of my countrymen this minute, if,
instead of my being tried before a petty jury, who, I suppose, are
bound to find according to British law--if my guilt or innocence was
to be tried by the higher standard of eternal right, and the case was
put to all my countrymen--I believe this moment the majority of my
countrymen would pronounce that I am not a criminal, but that I have
deserved well of my country. When the proceedings of this trial go
forth into the world, people will say the cause of Ireland is not to
be despaired of, that Ireland is not yet a lost country--that as long
as there are men in any country prepared to expose themselves to
every difficulty and danger in its service, prepared to brave
captivity, even death itself if need be, that country cannot be
lost. With these words I conclude."
On the conclusion of this address, Judge Keogh proceeded to pass
sentence on the prisoner. The prisoner's speech, he said, was in every
way creditable to him; but the bench could not avoid coming to the
conclusion that, with the exception of James Stephens, he was the person
most deeply implicated in the conspiracy. The sentence of the court was
that he be kept in penal servitude for a term of twenty years. Mr. Luby
heard the words without any apparent emotion--gave one sad farewell
glance to his wife and friends, and stepping down the little stairs from
the dock, made way for the next prisoner.
* * * * *