Norwich bulletin., 1921-12-22

He declared the pact represented the fruits of the sacrifices of all who had died for Ireland Every man and wo- man here," he said, lis entitled to go out and die for Ireland. But none is en- titled to send the Irish people to death"
 David Kent of East Cork, one of whose brothers was executed in 1916, and another sentenced to penal servi- tude, opposed the treaty. He said that under t Mir. Valera, who had been duly elected president of the republic would have to make way for some Eng fish lord as governor general. They l could have no idea what Irish taxation would be, he added, because they did not know what part Of the debt they might be compelled to pay.
 COsgrave Supports Treaty. l At the afternoon session, William Cos grave, minister of local government, who was in the fighting of Easter week and who has been repeatedly imprisoned, supported the treaty. He argued that one could be faithful to an equal and his interpretation of the oath was that all members of the commonwealth were equal.
 He contrasted the Canadian legal stat us swith it's real status and showed that while Great Britain could nomnally 1 override Canadian legislation, Canada was, in fact, supreme within it's own borders. Ireland was getting what Can. ada had. In law the crown had supreme authority in Canada in fact the crown had no power whatever.
 Mir. Cosgrave. was loudly applauded, but was interrupted by Erskine ChiIders,
 vtho asserted that Ireland tEuld mot get the Canadian powers. Mir. Cosgrave proceeded to dissect MT. Chlders speech and his interpretation of the treaty, es-
 pecially as regarded British control of
 Irish ports. The treaty had accomplish
 ed more than the Irish leaders had hop
 ed for, from Emmet to Parnell and Red
 mci1d, with a united country behind
 them.
 The original basis of the Sim Fein
 movement, he said, was the restoration
 of Grattans constitution of kings, lords
 and commons of Ireland therefore the deputies then in the movement and now
 opposing the treaty must have been
 royal republicans. {Laughter.) He ask
 ed did the members admit that the coun-
 try had the right to decide.
 There were loud cries of "Yes.''
 Well. if we have got tSat far we
 may still find common g.ound. Ii
 the people speak, We should let them
 have their way"
 | People talked of 750 years of war but he remembered the last forty years and there was war for only five of those years The economic situation in Ire land did not justify taking the risks ot war.
 : Mary MacSwiney In Opposition. Z Mary Macswiney, sister of the late Terence MacSwiney, lord mayor of Cork followed. She quoted Winston Spencer
 Churchill as evidence of British contro of Ireland under the treaty. She de scribed Premier Lloyd George as an un
 scrupulous scoundrel" whose word n' . European minister would accept; ye , Ireland was asked to accept it.
 This treaty, she declared, represented Griffith, who had never believed in
 republic. She has told the minister = supporting the treaty that fla free stat ' were established she would teach tha
 the treaty was an act of treachery Eng
 land would not continue the Irish agita = ton against that nation in every coun , try of the world. by this instrument, ans y Irish enemies would still undermine Eng n 1 lands attempt at friendship wit l. America.
 e Miss MacSwiney declared the wors o thing that could happen in Ireland wa
 split, and a split was inevitable, sire F they could not abandon a principle. Fec !. pie had accepted this treaty becaus d they said what was good enough fo n Mick Collins was good enough for then e Loud applauseD
 ;- "If Mick Collins went to hell in tn l. morning, would you foiow him?" { Loud cries of Yes" Iaughter.) n Miss MacSwiney went on to say tha n of a royal residence were set up 1 2 Ireland and there were royal visits he 70 party could keep up the policy of blac IS flags and boycott, and it would be NJ r chael Collins duty, on the complaint (
 the governor general to cCrrest then
 After speaking for more than a
 hour. she complained that members we1 y looking at their watches, but she poin It cd out that this might be thelast occa
 sionshe could speak until the the re ct pubic was established. England coul 'e not win this battle, and she was vii
 ing to leave the issue of this treaty ( O. war 10 the women's vote.
 y- Eamonn De Valera and his colleague C. loudly applaudedthis statement en She denied that the alternative WI
 war.
 'n Even of Mir Griffith got a majorf
 in the country for thetresty, she predic CT Cd that nearly half the population wou IS, be. rebels to his government, and sl lc adde5: "Th,9 Irish army IS still rt e. pubiic3n at heart.''
 Mss tiacSwiney spoke for two hou y, and forty minutes and adjournment fc C. lowed about o'clock.
 Another member who opposed tr
 treaty was Peter J. Ruttledge, of May
 It was he said, like the Act of Unio Y obtained by force. He argued that t
 oth of the Irish Free State must und - the treaty be an oath to the British. T zh ministers of the Irish Free State wou c be His Maiesty's ministers their a nv, thority would come from King GeorG f. instead ofy as in a sovereign state. g is ing from the people up. He had be
 elected as a republican. and his co SC science would not permit him to de7 te ate from the straight path.