The Penn's Grove record., 1920-05-07
IRELAND NEVER A NATION
Warning Tribes Given BY The Pope To
The English King

land is a nation, and as a nation pos
sesses the right to secede from Great
Britain and set up an Independent
government. We emphatically deny
this claim and all Irish history is
against it. Father Mcdonald, Profess
sor of Theology, of Maynooth, the
great training college of the priest
hood in Ireland, deals with the claim.
The words of DR.. Mcdonald may sure
ly be expected to have weight with
Sim Fem.
In his recent book "Some Ethical
Questions of Peace and War;" he de-
MES that ireland has the right of a
separate nation, and he plainly de-
clares what all history makes evident,
that she never was a nation, eff unity
of rule and independence are requi-
sites of nationhood." Ireland in an
cient times was but a congeries OF
warning tribes that never combined for
any common purpose.
In the year 1172 Henry II went to
Ireland with the authority of a Bull
issued by Pope Adrian ~, confirmed
by another Bull promulgated by his
successor, Pope Alexander III. He in
vaded Ireland for the purpose of re-
storing order, and the Irish chiefs
submitted TO him. This was the first
occasion on which Ireland knew any
thing of real unity, and it was created
for her by Henry II. Two centuries
later, in 1895, in reign of Richard II,
the chiefs reaffirmed their submis-
sion, but in the reign of Henry VIII
the allegiance of Ireland to England
was emphatically confirmed by a Par
lament which met in Dublin on June
18th, 1541, and which formally recog-
nized Henry as King of Ireland.
Coming to the reign of Charles |
a Catholic Confederation met in Kill
kenny on October "a, 1912. This was
an assembly representing Roman
Catholic Ireland, and one of its de-
crees was to the effect that "All the
inhabitants of Ireland and each of
them shall be most faithful to our
sovereign the King and his heir and
lawful successors"
Fifty years after the reign of James
II the Patriot Parliament convened in
Dublin in 1859, and presided ove by
the King in person, recognized him
not only as King of England but as
sovereign of Ireland.
Will Sim Fein still assert that Ire
land was a nation, and will it still
be maintained that Great Britain has
not and had any right to rule in
Ireland?
Still it is asserted in the face of
these facts that she possesses the
to what is called self-determina-
Jon. There is much confusion of
thought regarding this phrase, as if
it implies that any community form
ing part of a larger whole, by its own
will may break away and set up an
Independent government. DR.. Nc
Donald has a good deal to say regard
this. He points out that self-de-
termination of a portion of a country
cannot be admitted unless no injury
IS done to the country as a whole.
Ireland is and has been for many
centuries a part of the United King
ION and her secession would disas-
effect the group of which she
a part. When a large portion
# the United States of America, in
many of the Southern States,
.laimed the right of secession and
elf-determination. Abraham Lincoln
lenied the claim and the North car
led on the great war to prevent Sc
ession, Lincoln held, and most people
low admit rightly held, that the
orming of an independent govern
nent in the South would spell disaster
o the United States. The same ap-
lies to Britain today in relation to
Assuming, however, that Ireland
assesses the right to secede, this right
qually belongs to that part of Ireland
4 which Unionists and Protestants
redominate. There are two peoples
4 Ireland, differing in race, mentality
nd religion. If Ireland may secede
rom the rest of Ireland. Lincoln in
american politics, faced the same kind
f problem which faces Great Britain
nd Ireland, and he enunciated this
rinciple.
"a minority of a large community
Tho make certain claims for self-gov-
cannot in logic or in sub
lance refuse the same claims to a
luch larger proportionate minority
mong themselves"
Lincoln applied this in 1860. The
of the State of Virginia de-
ided to join with the South. In the
restern portion of the State was a
arge compact minority who refused to
ecede from the North. Lincoln rec
gnized their right and created for
hem the State of West Virginia. On
his analogy if Sim Feinn Ireland pos
esses the right to secede from Britain
hen Protestant Ireland may claim the
light to decide her own form of Gov
.rnment.
But the claim of Sim Fein to part
:ompany from the United Kingdom
.annot for a moment be allowed.
Great Britain could not afford to let
Ireland go. The war has made vital
he fact that if the Sin Fem rebellion
lad succeeded and the German land
ng had taken place in Ireland it would
been a deadly blow to Britain.
An Ireland of Sim Fem dreams would
1-1--% - H. yn4nan nf