The Irish standard., 1916-05-27

painstaking labor the development of
political institutions in all ages-the
conditions under which men organized
themselves into political society-and
I say now, without fear of contradic-
tion, that never before in the history
of mankind has political system
dared to affront the judgment of the
world with the statement that it would
kill and destroy the ornaments of the
human race in order to preserve it's
own existence; that the destruction of
the best is necessary that the worst
may be raised to consequences! 1 don't
believe that there is sensible man in
the world who would contend for an
instant that political system that
comedies it is necessary to destroy
the best of those subject to it in order
that the worst may enjoy place and
power, should be tolerated, in the in
terests Of civilization.
Now, my friends, am here to make
confession. For thirty years have
been one Of those who had believed,
and who frequently expressed in pub
lie the belief, that it was the part of
prudence for 1rishmen to forget-aye,
seek to forgive and try to forget-the
wrongs of centuries, in the hope that
better days were dawning; that it was
possible for these two nations to for
get the long story Of outrage and
crime and oppression, which Mr.. Colby
has described here tonight, in order
to reap benefits together from mutual
cooperation in industry and progress.
And now, behold the consequences of
this attempt. The vilest murders ever
committed in Irish history are fresh
before our eyes. The noblest Irish
men that have ever lived are dead,
dead by the bullets Of British soldiery,
shot like dogs for asserting the i'm
mortal truths of patriotism!
Ladies and gentlemen, the question
now arises, what of the future? What
duty does this tragedy impose upon
us? What duty does this tragedy i'm
pose upon civilized nations every
where, and especially upon this na-
tion that holds the primacy of civiliza-
ton? We have conducted discus
sion with foreign power in the name
Of humanity. The President of the
United States has assumed the glo-
rious role of defender of the humani-
ties, as we'll as the expounder of
them. Ladies and gentlemen, l speak
with perfect respect of him, and
have hope that the future will justify
that respect. There never has been
in the history of humanity an outrage
upon the elemental conditions of civil
lization that parallels this, and I ven-
ture to express the hope that the Of
f1cer who has assumed the glorious
role of championing human rights
will, as the head of the greatest gov
ernment in the world, protest forcibly
against the injury to all governments
committed by one government. Aye,
against perversion and prostitution of
government to effect the very outrages
that civilized government is organized
to prevent. When government itself
becomes discredited then every gov
ernment and each government
throughout the world is bound, in the
discharge of its duty, to vindicate the
reputation Of government by protest
ing against the one that has brought
discredit upon all.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, Mr..
Colby has referred to the long story
of English oppression of Ireland, and
yet he has but done the faintest JUS
tice to it. It would take much longer