Essay on John Martin

JOHN MARTIN by, Ruth Martin Carvill Crossle (granddaughter of Robert & Millicent Martin, Robert is a brother of "Honest' John Martin) Transcribed by Suzanne Ballard, great great granddaughter of James Martin, brother of "Honest' John Martin. (I would guess that this article was written by Ruth about 1912 or so, as she married Philip Crossle in 1908 and the papers found near this one on the microfilm [FHL #597123] are dated 1912-1915. Also, the 3rd reading of the Home Rule Bill happened in 1912 and she hints at that in the article.) SCROLL DOWN to Read The mystery, the tears, and the laughter that lie in the wild heart of everything Irish has produced that plaintive minor chord which is the keynote of the Celtic temperament. It is heard in the winds that sweep across our bogs, in the quality of our voices, and sounds even thro'Ÿ the discordant clamour of our politics. Early in the last century this was especially noticeable; when Ireland'Ÿs claim for legislative power was not on the eve of fulfilment, as it is to-day - when the accumulation of repression, injustice, and the rapaciousness of the landlords brought about those desperate revolts against English tyranny - which at the time their leaders felt to be hopeless - but which in reality were the beginning, the foundation, and the stronghold of the Home Rule movement in Ireland to-day. With the trial and execution of Emmet in 1803 the struggles for freedom ceased. Murderers had been hanged, conspirators had fled, and the country returned externally to comparative order, and lay once more half-conquered. But behind this seeming triumph over the forces of disorder, conspiracy brooded over the land, lurking in the mountainous recesses of Kerry, talked of nightly at every cross-roads, and discussed over the peat-fire in dreary cabins of the west of Ireland. The time was ripe for action, Catholic Emancipation was a political fact, the people had tired of O'ŸConnell'Ÿs policy of moralforce, and Ireland - squalid, sullen, hostile, and pregnant with expectation only lay waiting to be stirred into action by a leader of resolution, and sufficient moral authority to impress upon a dull and hopeless people that a just cause can never fail. It is these strangely dramatic years that saw the formation of that brilliant band commonly known as "Young Ireland;' whose policy, broadly stated, was Irish legislative independence. Their object was to repeal the Union, not for the purpose of restoring the state of things begun in 'ž32 (?) - but to create one which should leave Ireland altogether politically apart from England, with a distinct Irish Ministry responsible only to an Irish Parliament. To the young Irish party normal agitation and personal notoriety was hateful; but they knew that an ignorant and distracted people, struggling in the throes of political and sectarian controversies, could neither win or retain their freedom. Confronted with the problem of the education of the people, and the conciliation of the two hostile camps - they established, in October 1842, the "Nation' newspaper. And through its columns - amid fiery prose and the wild enthusiasm of patriotic verse, "Honest John Martin' rendered his first service to Irish Nationalism and the country, which, to the last moment of his life, he loved and served so well. The dawn of the life of John Martin began under very ordinary circumstances at Loughorne, Newry, in the County of Down, on the 8th of September, 1812. His father,

Samuel Martin, was one of three brothers, proprietors of linen factories both at Kilbroney  in Rostrevor parish, and at Loughorne, a townland which, at that period, was owned by  the Martin family, and where they had lived for several generations. His parents came of  strict Presbyterian stock: and though not always National in principle - the Martin family  were invariably lovers of justice, with a tolerance of the opinions of others, which in  those troublous times was not often seen. In the struggles of "98" they were opposed to  the United Irishmen: but in 1782 they strongly upheld the Volunteer movement; Samuel  Martin being a Lieutenant of the first Corps formed at Donaghmore, the parish in which  Loughorne lies. [the word "no' is above this last comment- probably from the historian and genealogist,  Philip Crossle, Ruth'Ÿs husband. Loughorne is actually next to Donaghmore and part of the parish of the Lordship of Newry and Mourne.] Of John Martin'Ÿs childhood there is very little to record: he was educated at Dr. Henerson'Ÿs [Henderson] school in Newry, where he first met John Mitchel his life-long friend, and with whom he entered Trinity College, Dublin, in the year 1830. Having passed all his examinations brilliantly, he took his degree in Arts two years later. Owing to the death of his father in the previous year, leaving him in independent circumstances, Martin decided to live in Dublin and take up the study of medicine, not for professional purposes, but with a view of relieving the sufferings of the poor, and to those to whom medical aid was denied through lack of money. Shortly afterwards, having come into property through the death of his uncle, he found himself in the position of landlord; and for four years he discharged the duties thus imposed on him with a generosity and benevolence which were almost unknown amongst landlords of his time. When the famine came the rents on his property, which were always remarkably low, were remitted altogether, and during the terrible time of starvation Martin mortgaged his property heavily in order to raise sufficient funds to enable him to give employment to the poor of his neighbourhood. As long as he lived the interest on these mortgages was a severe drain upon his resources, for, although comfortably off, he was by no means a wealthy man. About this time he was seized with a desire to travel, and after a tour of twelve months in America, and Canada, and a short one on the Continent, John Martin returned to Ireland when he was 29 years of age. In appearance he was not in any sense a remarkable looking man; but an extraordinary winning smile, a keen sense of humour, and the faculty of a personal fascination made him loved by all who knew him. Tall and slender in figure with a slight stoop produced by asthma, his finely cut sensitive features, broad forehead and large eyes, blue-gray in colour, and exquisitely tender in expression, all combined to mark him out as a man who would never be guilty of a mean, aggressive or unworthy action. [actually he was only 5'8" tall-perhaps from her perspective that was tall?] Although the members of the Repeal Association valued his connection with them, up till this time he had not given publicity to his political opinions owing to his unostentatious and retiring disposition. But on the return from his travels his political views had crystallised to the point of action, and when Daniel O'ŸConnell'Ÿs policy of "moral force' and "peace resolutions' were promoted in Conciliation Hall, Martin was a silent spectator of the angry discussion, which lasted two days, and culminated in the departure of the militant section of the "Young Ireland' party from Conciliation Hall for

ever. Martin demanded from O'ŸConnell an account of the money which his party had subscribed to the Repeal Association and how it had been spent; upon O'ŸConnell'Ÿs refusal, Martin, Mitchel, Duffy, O'ŸGorman, Meagher, Devin O'ŸReilly and the remainder of the militant party withdrew from the Association and formed a new body called the "Irish Confederation.' They made no avowal of war, nor did they give any pledge of peace: and no means to obtain Irish independence were to be abjured "save such as were inconsistent with honour, morality and reason.' They devoted themselves to practical business rather than elaborate speech making, and in their ranks John Martin did much good work: invariably speaking at their meetings, and by his whole-souled singleness of purpose steadying the wild enthusiasm of the active party into greater moderation. When Mitchel'Ÿs writings became too outspoken for the "Nation,' he started a  paper of his own, called the "United Irishman,' to which John Martin was a frequent  contributor; but the impetuous brilliance, the outrageous tone and the growing  revolutionary influence of this journal soon became a menace to the Government, and in  May, 1848, Mitchel was arrested and imprisoned in Newgate. The "Confederates' held a  meeting in Dublin to protest against jury packing, and to secure a fair trial for Mitchel but  without avail - and three months later he was transported to Van Dieman'Ÿs Land. [actually  he was transported first to Bermuda and over a year later was transported to Van Dieman'Ÿs Land (Tasmania).] This was the turning point in John Martin'Ÿs career, he was not so far immersed in politics that he might not have drawn back; but he knew that without a leader and without a paper, owing to the transportation of Mitchel, the back of the Irish revolutionary movement was broken. Physically unsuited for the dust, the glare and the turmoil of battle he hated political agitation for its own sake, but his country being in dire straits he felt the sacrifice to be small compared with the nodd.(?) It was not mere arrogant defiance which made him continue the work which Mitchel had begun. Political suicide is never easy; and in setting up a newspaper as a successor to the "United Irishman' - a journal as bold in its doctrine as its title: the "Irish Felon' - he knew that his political career was doomed. The life of the paper was short, lasting only three weeks, and before the third number saw the light a warrant was issued for the arrest of Martin, the fourth number containing an article written by him from Newgate prison, the fiery enthusiasm of which was so great that at his trail it was made the chief basis of his conviction. The farce of his "trial' for treason-felony, and its result is well-known, the Lord-Lieutenant -then Lord Clarendon - had made certain that in empanelling a jury there could be no mistake about the result. The heart rending eloquence of Isaac Butt in the prisoner'Ÿs defence was useless, and the form of justice a mere mockery - for the verdict was ready before the trial began. On the third evening the jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and on the following morning Martin was brought up to receive his sentence. Having vindicated his character and explained what he considered to be the logic of his actions; the judge passed sentence, that "John Martin, be transported beyond the seas for ten years.' Martin heard the sentence with equanimity, but his friends and relations were horror stricken at the thought that he whom they knew to be the soul of integrity was a condemned felon. On the judge referring to the jury'Ÿs recommendation to mercy - Martin'Ÿs reply, his last utterance before his transportation, was: "I Cannot condescend to accept 'žmercy!'Ÿ where I believe I am morally right, I want justice - not mercy.' He was removed to Newgate, from thence to Richmond prison, and shortly after was shipped off to Van Dieman'Ÿs Land on board the "Elphinstone.' The Government had gained its end: the ghastly inroads of the famine, Mitchel'Ÿs transportation, the baffled attempt at insurrection shortly afterwards in Tipperary, the arrest of some, and the flight of the remainder of the leaders of the country, and finally Martin'Ÿs conviction completed the ruin, and brought about the tragic end of the "Young Ireland' movement. [actually the "Irish Felon' was published 5 times-and the 5th issue was the one to carry the article that convicted Martin. It was written while he was in prison.]

The history of the exile in Van Dieman'Ÿs Land, including the flight and escape of John Mitchel to America, the completion of Martin'Ÿs sentence, and the Government'Ÿs conditional Pardon in 1854, is familiar to all Irishmen. Two years later the Government made the Pardon unconditional, and at the end of eight years exile John Martin returned to Ireland. After a short period of inaction he again entered the field of politics, and with the aid of The O'ŸDonoghue established the National League for the purpose of counteracting the rapidly increasing influence of Fenianism, which had sprung up during his absence. The Fenian insurrection, the sympathy evoked by the trial of its leaders, and the apathy of the people to support constitutional means of achieving their freedom soon brought about its failure, and in spite of Martin'Ÿs efforts to keep it alive, the National League ceased to exist in 1867. It was in this year that Martin married Miss Henrietta Mitchel (John Mitchel'Ÿs youngest and favourite sister), thus drawing closer the bond of union created by the life-long friendship of the two patriots. Shortly after his marriage, Martin and his wife sailed for America upon a long-wished for visit to Mitchel and his family. They were received with an enthusiasm which was wholly unexpected; during his stay in America and Canada, Martin gave several lectures, and attended many public banquets given in his honour. On his return to Ireland eight months later he took a prominent part in the organization, called the Home Government Association of Ireland, established for the purpose of carrying on an agitation for a Federal arrangement between England and Ireland. Not long afterwards a vacancy occurred in the representation of Meath, and Martin was immediately nominated to oppose the Hon. Mr. Plunkett, brother of Lord Fingal, and a Catholic gentleman. Martin offered to retire "if Mr. Plunkett would declare for Home Rule.' Mr. Plunkett declined; and Martin was triumphantly returned for the most Catholic constituency of Ireland. His speeches in the "House' were numerous, and throughout his Parliamentary career he was the most scrupulous in the discharge of the numerous duties that appertained to a representative. The General Election precipitated by Mr. Gladstone in 1873, resulted in the complete triumph of the Home Rule section at the polls, Martin being again elected for Meath by an overwhelming majority. In the following spring the Member for Tipperary retired, the news was cabled to Mitchel in America, who, after an exile of twenty-six years, returned to his native country, and was duly elected to represent the premier County in Ireland. Ten days later the news of the sudden death of John Mitchel at his father'Ÿs house in Newry, was brought to Martin as he sat in the House of Commons. Martin was overcome with grief at the death of his friend, life had become a blank to him, and as he stood by the grave he became ill, and was taken to Drumalane House where he breathed his last on Easter morning, March the 29 , 1875, at the age of 62. He died in the same house in which his life-long friend, John Mitchel had died only nine days previous, so that it might be said that even in death they were not divided. [Actually he died on Easter Monday.]

Such is the history of John Martin; the truest, the purest and the most chivalrous of patriots, who amid the mire and poison of political strife never deviated from what he conceived to be the line of duty and rectitude, whose name is enshrined in the hearts of the people, and whose fame is the heritage of his country. R.M.C. (Ruth Martin Crossle nee'Ÿ Carvill)