The Irish standard., 1920-01-03
Resolutions of
HibernianS

of the>1rish Republic, by our govern
ment.
There are even more powerful rea-
sons-reasons of inexorable logic
reasons of gratitude-reasons of self
interest-of high duty-all warning us
that we cannot break the law of equal
freedom without transgressing the
life-principle of our own institutions.
There is actually existing in the
Irish Republic government chosen
upon the principle Of self-determina-
tion. Attempts are being made to
deny its functions by foreign army.
America is confronted, therefore, by
a challenge flung full in the face of
it's free institutions, for the govern
ment of the Irish Republic was found
ed by the will of the citizens of Ire
land in an open election and is now
officially suppressed by the ruthless
force of an. alien power. To refuse
recognition is to break the pledge
made by our government and to sully
the hitherto stainless fame of our Re-
public as we'll as to crush the hopes
and betray the trust of the Republic
of Ireland.
Had we not recognized the Republic
Of Texas the inhabitants of that now
happy state would have been crushed.
Had we not come to the aid of Cuba
its people would have been extermin-
ated. If we fail to act in recognizing
the Irish Republic there will occur
still another of those frightful massa-
cres that have made that country a
dark and bloody ground. We bear a
responsibility we cannot .shirk. We
must vindicate our honor or assume
a burden of shame. We must do our
duty here or we must invite horror in
Ireland.
The claims of gratitude alone would
justify recognition of the Irish Re
public. Long before there were any
thoughts of revolution in America the
principles of human freedom were
! enunciated by William Molyneaux, of
Dublin. His declaration, as early as
1896, was made immortal when it was
written into our own Declaration of
independence eighty years later.
The first humanitarian effort the
Irish people made to express their
sympathy with America was when a
shiploaM of supplies was sent from
Dublin, in 1880, to relieve famine
in Massachusetts. And there have
since been countless ships bearing
more precious cargoes to these shores
|-cargoes Of flesh and. blood, to be
cemented to the fate of freedom, and
to die by hundreds of thousands in its
defense.
Enlightened men yearn for the
worldwide reign of peace. But there
can be neither peace nor harmony in
this world as long as despotism gen.
crates the crimes it suppresses. Dis
sension within a nation is invariably
caused by repression Of public senti-
ment, and the example of Ireland is
not without significance when we re-
fleet upon the immense masses Of
sympathizers with Irish aspirations
among the citizenship of America and
hear the mighty voice crying for rec.
ognition of the Irish Republic as a
first step toward a righteous league
of nations.
Resolved, That copies of the fore
going resolutions, signed by the Of.
hcers of this representative body of
the Ancient Order of Hibernians,
namely, Joseph Mclaughlin, former
Congressman, and a National Director
Of the Order, Chairman; Francis s.
Clark, State Secretary, Friends of
Irish Freedom, Vice. Chairman; Peter
J. Higgins and George F. Douglas,
Secretaries, and John Hogan, Treas
urer, be sent to all the members of
the United States Congress,
Philadelphfa. December II, 1919.