The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-12-21
Charles Gavan Duffy-that man whom
| am proud, indeed. to call nv friend

Charles Gavan Duffy-that man whom
l am proud, indeed. to call my friend
| though he is n convicted conspirator.'
and suffered for you in Richmond
prison. do not think he is ina
ligner.' do not think he has lost, or
deserves to lose,. the public favor. I
have no more connection with the Na-
ton than have with the Times. I
therefore feel no delicacy in appearing
here this day in defense of it's princi-
pies, with which avow myself identi-
fed.
My lord, it is to me source Of true
delight and honest pride to- speak this
day in defense of that great journal.
l do not fear to assume the position.
Exalted though it be, it is easy to
maintain. The character of the jour
nal rs above repreach. The ability
that sustains it has won European
fame. The genius of which it is the
offspring. the truth of which it is the
oracle. have been recognized, my lord.
by friends and foes. 1 care not how
it may be assailed-I care not howso-
ever great may be the position of
those who now consider it their duty
to impeach it's writings-I do think
that it has won too splendid a repu-
tation to lose the influence it has
acquired. The people, whose enthu-
siasm has been kindled by the fire of
its verse, and whose sentiments have
been ennobled by the earnest purity of
its teaching will not ratify the cen
sure that has been pronounced upon it
in this hall. Truth will have it's day
of triumph, as we'll as it's day of trial;
and foresee that the fearless patriot
ism which in those pages has braved
the prejudices of the day, to enunciate
grand truths. will triumph in the end
"My lord. such do believe to be
the character. such do anticipate
will be the fate of the principles that
are now impcachcd. This brings me
to what may be called the question of
the day.
Before | enter upon that question,
however. l will allude to one obServa-
ton which fell from the honorable
member for Kilkenny, Mr.. John
O'ConnOr, viz, that those who were
loudest in their declarations of war
were usually the most backward in
acting up to them
81 will say, my lord, that did not
volunteer the opinion he condemns
to the declaration of that opinion 1
was forced. You left me no nlterna-
tive-l should compromise my opinion
or avow it. To be honest, avowed
it.
l dissented from those Peace
Resolutions as they are called. Why
so? In the first place. conceive
that there was not the least necessity
for them. No member of this as
ISOLATION suggested an appeal to
arms. No member of this associa-
ton advised it. No member of this
association would be 80 infatuated
as to do so. In the existing crcum-
stances Of the country IN excitement
to arms would be senselcss and wick
ed because Irrational. Therefore, my
lord, | cast my vote in favor of the
peaceful policy of this association. 1t
is the only policy we can adopt. If
that policy he pursued with truth.
with courage, with fixed determine
ton of purpose, firmly believe it
will succeed.
but, my lord. disscnted from the
resolutions before us for other rea-
sons. l stated the first. I now come
to the second. dissented from them
for | felt that, by asserting to them,
should have pledged myself to the
unqualified reputation of physical
force in all countries ut all times, and
under every circumstance. This l
could not do. For, my lord, do not
ahhor the use of arms in the .vindica-
ton OF national rights. There are
times when arms will alone suffice,
and when political nmcliorations call
for Il drop of blood,and many thousand
drops of blood. Opinion, admit, will
operate against opinion. But, as the
honorable member for Kilkenny has
observed, force must be used against
force. The soldier is proof against
an argument but he is not proof
against a bullet. The man that will
listen to reason-let him be reasoned
with, but it is the weaponed arm of
the patriot that can alone prevail
against batalloned despotism.
"Then, my lord, do not condemn
the use of arms as immoral, nor do l
conceive 1t profane to say that the
King of Heaven, the Lord of Hosts,
the God of Battles, bestows His bcne-
diction upon those who unsheath the
sword in the hour of nations peril.
"Frnm that evening on which, in
the valley of Bethulia He nerved the
arm of the Jewish girl to smite the
drunken tyrant in his tent, down to
this day. in which he has blessed the
insurgent chivalry of the Belgian
priest, His Almighty Hand has ever
been stretched forth from His Throne
Of Light to consecrate the flag of free
dom-to bless the PATRIOTS sword! Be
| Ii in tho defense Or hn II in thu rs