Principles of Freedom | Page 3

us angels, and
under the best of circumstances find it hard to do worthy things; when

all the temptation is to do unworthy things we are demoralised. Most of
us, happily, will not give ourselves over to the evil influence, but we
lose faith in the ideal. We are apathetic. We have powers and let them
lie fallow. Our minds should be restless for noble and beautiful things;
they are hopeless in a land everywhere confined and wasted. In the
destruction of spirit entailed lies the deeper significance of our claim to
freedom.
IV
It is a spiritual appeal, then, that primarily moves us. We are urged to
action by a beautiful ideal. The motive force must be likewise true and
beautiful. It is love of country that inspires us; not hate of the enemy
and desire for full satisfaction for the past. Pause awhile. We are all
irritated now and then by some mawkish interpretation of our motive
force that makes it seem a weakly thing, invoked to help us in evading
difficulties instead of conquering them. Love in any genuine form is
strong, vital and warm-blooded. Let it not be confused with any flabby
substitute. Take a parallel case. Should we, because of the mawkishness
of a "Princess Novelette," deride the beautiful dream that keeps ages
wondering and joyous, that is occasionally caught up in the words of
genius, as when Shelley sings: "I arise from dreams of thee"? When
foolish people make a sacred thing seem silly, let us at least be sane.
The man who cries out for the sacred thing but voices a universal need.
To exist, the healthy mind must have beautiful things--the rapture of a
song, the music of running water, the glory of the sunset and its dreams,
and the deeper dreams of the dawn. It is nothing but love of country
that rouses us to make our land full-blooded and beautiful where now
she is pallid and wasted. This, too, has its deeper significance.
V
If we want full revenge for the past the best way to get it is to remain as
we are. As we are, Ireland is a menace to England. We need not debate
this--she herself admits it by her continued efforts to pacify us in her
own stupid way. Would she not ignore us if it were quite safe so to do?
On the other hand, if we succeed in our efforts to separate from her, the
benefit to England will be second only to our own. This might strike us

strangely, but 'tis true, not the less true because the English people
could hardly understand or appreciate it now. The military defence of
Ireland is almost farcical. A free Ireland could make it a reality--could
make it strong against invasion. This would secure England from attack
on our side. No one is, I take it, so foolish as to suppose, being free, we
would enter quarrels not our own. We should remain neutral. Our
common sense would so dictate, our sense of right would so demand.
The freedom of a nation carries with it the responsibility that it be no
menace to the freedom of another nation. The freedom of all makes for
the security of all. If there are tyrannies on earth one nation cannot set
things right, but it is still bound so to order its own affairs as to be
consistent with universal freedom and friendship. And, again, strange
as it may seem, separation from England will alone make for final
friendship with England. For no one is so foolish as to wish to be for
ever at war with England. It is unthinkable. Now the most beautiful
motive for freedom is vindicated. Our liberty stands to benefit the
enemy instead of injuring him. If we want to injure him, we should
remain as we are--a menace to him. The opportunity will come, but it
would hardly make us happy. This but makes clear a need of the human
race. Freedom rightly considered is not a mere setting-up of a number
of independent units. It makes for harmony among nations and good
fellowship on earth.
VI
I have written carefully that no one may escape the conclusion. It is
clear and exacting, but in the issue it is beautiful. We fight for
freedom--not for the vanity of the world, not to have a fine conceit of
ourselves, not to be as bad--or if we prefer to put it so, as big as our
neighbours. The inspiration is drawn from a deeper element of our
being. We stifle for self-development individually and as a nation. If
we don't go forward we must go down. It is a matter of life and death; it
is out soul's salvation. If the whole nation stand for it, we