The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-11-01

| reVeTeu DIS d national SAINT OIL ireland
Come down to the men of 49,
Think of John Mitchell. The world
calls the national poet, Thomas Davis,
the sweetest man in history; think of
Smith O'Brien; think of John Martin
Il am only picking out one here and
there as | go on-every one Protest
ant, who stood up against England,
stood up because their aim was the
aim of Wolfe Tone, the separation
from England, England responsible
for all the ills that Ireland had suf-
fered.
Descend into the ranks of men who
are called physical force men.
That term is used to try to discredit
those not stupid enough to fling away
any weapon that might help them win
their liberty.
Has No Constitution.
Ireland has no constitution. John
Redmond himself, in the first Sim
Fem speech l every read, delivered in
1902, in the city of Dublin, which was
the occasion when the British EN-.
pire had assembled in London to
crown King Edward-the Irish had
stayed in the capital of Dublin, and
they came there to the first Sim Fein
parliament, and they said, 1--WE are
not here to participate in the crown
ing of England's monarch, because he
is no constitutional monarch of Ire.
land-it has no constitution nor has
had anything that looks like a con-
stitution for hundred years, for the
thing that was constitution, they
have robbed us of and there can be no
such thing as constitutional agitation
in Ireland, because we have no con-
stitution in Ireland" (Cheers.) Con.
stitutional agitation in Ireland is alb
surd from that point of view. England
is working to prejudice you in Ameri-
ca, who have a constitution of your
own which you wish to defend, and
which you say is big enough to have
those who have a grievance to right
themselves by means of it. I never
talk about constitutional agitation. |
say we are constitutional agitators-
the constitution of humanity, accord
| ing to the fundamental law of right,
and that is the only constitution, the
only constitution we acknowledge
We say, as regards that other con-
stitution, as Mitchell said, that it was
laid out to insure the eternal defeat
of the Irish people who tried to use
it. That is our attitude towards the
English constitution, as far as we are
concerned And these men who went
over-we can't call them constitu-
tional leaders; we may call them some
other name-you can choose it for
yourself Qaughter), who were these
men? Who is one of the originators
of it? Burt,-Parnell; and long list
of physical force men are Professionals
And yet they have the audacity to say
it is a national question in Ireland as
against England-a religious question
i in Ireland. 1t is political question
The more you will examine it, the
more you will find it so. 1t is not an
internal question in Ireland; it is a
| QucSI1OA UCIW CC1l O1C udI1oA,
and another nation, Britain. A ma
ton on the one hand that wants fol
it's freedom, and has a right to it, and
a nation that wants to keep the first in
slavery, because it is subservient tc
it's interests. England covets Ireland
for imperial purposes. 1t has no right
to Ireland, and has no right to claim
she may hold Ireland, because, for
sooth, it would become greater i'm
perial power if she possessed ireland
and can grab more of the worlds
goods if she possesses Ireland, ane
have Ireland's trade for herself if she
possesses Ireland. England's claim:
to Ireland are claims of greed, covet
BUSINESS and imperialism; Ireland''
claims to herself are fair, right AM
Just. applause and cheers.) l can
not therefore see how any fairmindet
man can decide against Ireland, ant
7 believe there is no fair-minded NAL
who does.
T believe those who know the sit
uation fully, know it is a question o
right against might, freedom agains
: slavery, justice against unjust tyl
amy.
, America Loves Liberty.
It is because l have the funds
; mental confidence in human natur
and in the human being that we com
here before this court of the Amer
can nation. We come to you becaus
!, you have been in the past the chan
pions of liberty; we come because yo
!, have, not merely by your tradition
shown yourselves to be such chan
> pions, but recently you went into
! war for an unselfish motive to do jul
tice not merely to those to whom yo