The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-01-04
SWORD SPEECH
Made by Thomas Francis Meaaher in
ireland.

| ITSlAUQs
In Cancellation Hall in Dublin, Mr..
John O'Connell reopened debate on
the peace Resolutions" which his
father had formulated for the express
purpose, as declared by himself, OF
drawing "a clear line Of demarcation
between Young Ireland and old Ire
land.'" One of these resolutions de-
clared the use of arms to be unjusti-
fable and immoral, whereupon Meag-
her, realizing that this would imply
a condemnation of every patriot that
ever had resorted to war to win the
liberty of his country, sprang to his
feet and delivered the Sword
Speech perhaps the most magnif-
cent burst of eloquence' in the his
tory of oratory. Towards the close
of this ever-memorable speech the
youthful orator said: :.
II dissent from these resolutions,
for felt that, by asserting to them,
l should have pledged myself to the
unqualified reputation of physical
force in all countries, at all times,
and under every circumstance. This
/ could not do, for. my Lord, 1 do
not abhor the use of arms in the
vindication OF national rights. There
are times when arms will alone suf-
flee and when political ameliorations
call for drop OF blood. and many
thousand drops of blood
"Opinion, l 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 argu.
ment 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 pat
riot that can. alone prevail against
the battalioned despotism.
Then, my Lord, do not condemn
the use Of arms as immoral, nor do
l conceive it profane to say that the
King of Heaven, the Lord of Hosts,
the God of Battles, bestows His ben
ediction upon those who unsheath
the sword in the hour of nations
peril. From that evening on which,
III the valley of Bethulia, he nerved
the arm of the Jewish girl to smite
the drunken tyrant in his tent, down
to this, our day, in which he has
blessed The insurgent chivalry of the
Belgian priest, His Almighty hand
hath ever been stretched forth from
His throne of Light to consecrate
the flag of freedom-to bless the pat
riots sword! Be it in defense, or
be it in the assertion of peoples
liberty, | hail the sword as a sacred
weapon; and If, my Lord it has some
times taken the shape of a serpent
and REDEEMED the shroud of the op-
pressor with too deep dye, like the
annointed rod Of the High Priest, it
has at other times as often blossomed
into celestial flowers to deck the free.
mans brow.
"Abhor the sword, stigmatize the
sword? No, my Lord, for in the pass
es of the Tyrol, it cut to pieces the
banner of the Bavarian, and through
those dragged passes, struck a path
to fame for the peasant insurrection-
list of innsbruck!
Abhor the sword, stigmatize the
sword? No, my Lord, for at its blow
a giant nation started from the wa
tiers of the Atlantic, and by its re-
deeming magic and in the quivering
OF it's crimson light the crippled COL
ony sprapc into the attitude of
proud neutrality-suspicious. limitless
and invincible.
"Abhor the sword, stigmatize the
sword? No, my Lord, for it swept
the Dutch marauders out of the fine
old towns Of Belgium-scourged them
back to their own phlegmatic swamps
and knocked their flag and sceptre,
their laws and bayonets into the slug
gish waters Of the Scheldt.
"My Lord, | learned that it was
the right Of a nation to govern her
self. not in this hall, but upon the
ramparts of Antwerp. This the first
article of nations creed 1 learned
upon those ramparts, where freedom
was justly estimated, and the possess
sion Of the precious gift was pur-
chased by the effusion of generous
blood.
"My Lord, honor the Belgians; 1
admire the Belgians; love the Bel
gians for their enthusiasm, their sue
cess, and I for one will not stigma
tie, for I do not abhor the means
by which they obtained a Citizen
King, Chamber of Deputies"