From Fianna Fáil, October 17, 1914.
‘From many parts of the country I have received information that agents of the Sinn Féiners and pro-Germans have been round amongst the people spreading the most malignant and shameless lies, and apparently supplied with unlimited funds.’—Mr. John Dillon, M.P., at Ballaghaderreen.
The infamous suggestion hardly concealed in these lines is that the men of Ireland, who, against every species of intimidation, are standing out for the Ireland of Tone, Davis, Hugh O’Neill and Owen Roe, that these men are paid German spies. Of all the evil things that have been said or insinuated this is the most infamous. And the Dublin ‘Freeman’s Journal’ gives it a special heading—‘Ireland’s Danger’; and the ‘Cork Examiner,’ going further, gives it a four-line heading and large type. Now we give these men warning. This treacherous mode of attack is already known and has won evil repute in Ireland as felon-setting. It can have only one end: to instigate the Government to seize and convict our men on a false charge. Now we tell Mr. John Dillon and the ‘Freeman’ and the ‘Examiner,’ and all those who are engaged in this campaign, that if any treacherous deed is done, they shall be called to account. For they know their insinuation is as false as it is infamous. They know the men of Ireland, who are holding the Volunteers true to Ireland, at every parade pledge their allegiance to Ireland only. These three words have become their battle-cry—for Ireland only. And to whatever test it is pushed the men of Ireland will not recant. Remember that, and remember this is not a normal time but a time of war; and seizing may mean shooting: but the men of Ireland will not recant. They have dreamed of this hour, they have worked for this hour; they have, from their scanty means, made sacrifices to find money to start clubs, publish papers, rouse the people—all to be ready for this hour. Papers that Mr. John Redmond, in his dignified language, described as ‘rags,’ were set going and kept going by tradesmen and clerks and teachers, who subscribed their shillings and their pounds, willingly foregoing luxuries and straightening their very narrow means—all to bring a new hope into Ireland. But think of Mr. John Dillon hinting at their unlimited funds. Think of this man, rolling in wealth, making his base insinuation against men whose only regret is that they have such little funds to place at the disposal of their country. There is no language left in which to castigate such a man. But those of the unconquerable spirit, despite their limitations, will triumph. For the men who will sacrifice everything can always be relied on to confound the men who will sacrifice nothing. The men of Ireland know the hour they have dreamed of has come, and will they recant? By the living God, no! They have made an oath sacred and pure before God, and before God they will redeem it. We know that, and knowing it defy all traitors within and enemies without; and we challenge them to the extreme test. We challenge them, remembering the perils of the time. It shall be a victory, though we do not all survive to share it. Let them seize and shoot, then. Before one man’s body is cold, all Ireland will be ablaze.