Statement in House of Commons, Aug. 3, by John E. Redmond, M.P.
I hope the House will not consider it improper on my part in the grave
circumstances in which we are assembled if I intervene for a very few
moments. I was moved a great deal by that sentence in the speech of the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in which he said that the one
bright spot in the situation was the changed feeling in Ireland. In past
times, when this empire has been engaged in these terrible enterprises
it is true--it would be the utmost affectation and folly on my part to
deny it--the sympathy of the Nationalists of Ireland, for reasons to be
found deep down in centuries of history, has been estranged from this
country. But allow me to say that what has occurred in recent years has
altered the situation completely. [Ministerial cheers.] I must not
touch, and I may be trusted not to touch, on any controversial topics,
but this I may be allowed to say--that a wider knowledge of the real
facts of Irish history have, I think, altered the view of the democracy
of this country toward the Irish question, and today I honestly believe
that the democracy of Ireland will turn with the utmost anxiety and
sympathy to this country in every trial and every danger that may
overtake it. [General cheers.] There is a possibility at any rate of
history repeating itself. The House will remember that in 1778, at the
end of the disastrous American war, when it might, I think, truly be
said that the military power of this country was almost at its lowest
ebb, and when the shores of Ireland were threatened with foreign
invasion, a body of 100,000 Irish volunteers sprang into existence for
the purpose of defending her shores. At first no Catholic--ah! how sad
the reading of the history of those days is--was allowed to be enrolled
in that body of volunteers, and yet from the very first day the
Catholics of the South and West subscribed money and sent it toward the
arming of their Protestant fellow-countrymen. Ideas widened as time went
on, and finally the Catholics in the South were armed and enrolled
brothers in arms with their fellow-countrymen of a different creed in
the North. May history repeat itself! [Cheers.] Today there are in
Ireland two large bodies of volunteers. One of them sprang into
existence in the North. Another has sprung into existence in the South.
I say to the Government that they may tomorrow withdraw every one of
their troops from Ireland. [General cheers.] I say that the coasts of
Ireland will be defended from foreign invasion by her armed sons, and
for this purpose armed Nationalist Catholics in the South will be only
too glad to join arms with the armed Protestant Ulstermen in the North.
[Cheers.] Is it too much to hope that out of this situation there may
spring a result which will be good not merely for the empire, but good
for the future welfare and integrity of the Irish Nation. [Cheers.] I
ought to apologize for having intervened [cries of "No"], but while
Irishmen generally are in favor of peace, and would desire to save the
democracy of this country from all the horrors of war, while we would
make any possible sacrifice for that purpose, still if the dire
necessity is forced upon this country we offer to the Government of the
day that they may take their troops away, and that if it is allowed to
us in comradeship with our brethren in the North we will ourselves
defend the coasts of our country. [Loud cheers.]
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