Solidarity with the Boers

Thirty thousand farmers are standing out to-day on the uplands of South Africa against the might of the British Empire. There is no craven amongst them to tell them with shaking voice of the invincibility and all-conquering power of the modern Carthage—to bid them lay down their arms and sue for mercy. The Boer has not yet learned that when England desires to smite him it is his moral duty to surrender his gun and use his tongue as his weapon of defence. The doctrine of Irish Constitutionalism—the doctrine that it is wicked and criminal to resist oppression by force unless success is certain—has not yet spread amongst the republicans of Africa. Thirty thousand fighting men against the power of England, strong in the righteousness of their cause they have sent her the haughtiest message in answer to her menaces that she has received since the days of the Great Napoleon and girding up their loins they have invoked the God of Battles.

Our hopes and wishes are with the gallant Franco-Dutchmen. That the South African Republic to which John Mitchel drank on board his prison-hulk in the shadow of Table Mountain may become a reality—that the flag of the fearless and freedom-loving farmers may wave in triumph from the Zambesi to Cape Algulhas before many weeks—is the prayer of Ireland. But wishes and hopes and prayers will not annihilate England’s hired battalions. Let us remember that an ounce of practical assistance to our friends and allies at the present time will be of more value to them than a ton of impalpable sympathy and set about practical work. Obviously it is impossible to send from Ireland any considerable number of volunteers to fight beneath the republican flag; but we can render assistance, almost as effective, by making recruiting for the British army impossible in this country.

We call on Irish Nationalists everywhere to engage in this work. The climate of Ireland must be made unhealthy for the recruiting-sergeant, the victim whom he has inveigled must be rescued, the simpleton whom he is entrapping must be saved. The kidnapping of Irish youths to fight the battles of their tyrant must cease. From the moment the British crimp enters an Irish town the Nationalists must not lose sight of him until he is compelled to retire baffled from the place.

We ask our supporters everywhere to put themselves at once in communication with the Irish Transvaal Committee—we ask especially those who have urged so strongly the establishment of a National Organisation to lend their active aid to the Committee. The duty and the interest of Ireland at the present time is to prevent any of her sons being entrapped into the camp of the enemy. We are loud in our expressions of sympathy with the Boers, and our sympathy is undoubtedly sincere. If it is to be practical we must prevent Irishmen being cozened into filling the places of the British mercenaries stricken down by the bullets of the freemen of South Africa.