The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1918-12-14

is given. This is not true Democracy.
They fail to realize that in this world
nations and individuals have to work
out their own salvation through their
own blunders; that one who is truly
democratic at heart will not question
as to whether self-government would
prove to be best or must necessarily
be right, but that the question is that
every nation has the right, whether
wise or foolish, to make it's own blum
ders and so achieve the high place of
which it dreams. Centuries ago this
fight was going on and it is going on
today, because, my friends, whenever
the spirit of liberty is right in mans
heart, all the repression in the world
cannot make his aspirations vain and
as God gave to the heart of man this
love of liberty and justice so until the
final supreme achievement will he
dream this wonderful dream. The
great Henry Grattan declared that
never would he be satisfied until the
meanest cotatger was free; that by
Gods grace he would never consent
that they be enslaved; that they may
go naked but never in irons.
The principles of Home Rule have
been greatly confused in discussing
the question. The principles have be.
come obscured because in discussing
the question people try to make us
think it is a religious question, for in
stance; that it is a religious dispute.
This, in spite of the fact that the great
nationalists of Ireland have never been
divided along such lines and that
Protestant patriot like Robert Emmett
looks down from the walls of every
cottage home. No, the truth is that
all have been bound together with one
single idea-Irish acknowledgement
one idea free nation. And so we
have come together tonight to help in
achieving that dream of Ireland, know
ing that if Ireland is denied her great
aspirations that every other country,
America, England, all will be denied,
because you cannot give Liberty and
Justice to some and withhold it from
others or do wrong to one man with
out in some degree visiting it upon all
other people of the world, and so we
have gathered here, believe, tonight
to go on record as favoring the prin-
ciple of free self-government for Ire
land.
That great Irishman, Daniel O'Con-
nell, speaking of Irishmen, said some
thing like this: ut is country great
enough to live for; great enough to
die for and therefore country great
enough to be patient for" In this
hour, my friends, we are free to think
as he did-that while we demand JUS
tice with no lessening of--our senti-
ment and no passion in it, we demand
a simple right.
One who loves Americas great ira
ditions; the great traditions of the
world; traditions of liberty who sim
cerely hope that when this war shall
have been finally settled; when at
last the statesmen of the world shall
come home to render an account Of
the work at the peace table they will
he able to say to the world that this
was in fact world war of democracy
and justice set up over the free people
of the world, not only for Jugo Slav
and Czecho Slovak, but for Irishmen
also; that when the people born in
Ireland and of Irish descent shall meet
thereafter, they may have in their
minds eye the picture Of that most
splendid martyr, Robert Emmett, stand
ing in the dock. Let no man write his
epitaph until Ireland was free. And
on that day, my friends, there will be
the voices Of millions leaping forth in
unison with that of Robert Emmett
(who will not be there, and the three
or four million young men who sleep
murdered in the graves in Europe),
who will write his epitaph.