IRELAND AND THE CORONATION OF THE KING OF ENGLAND.
DEAR Sia,—The National Vigilance Committee wish to bring under your notice the efforts to make in Cork a display of loyalty to the English King on the occasion of his Coronation. For this reason we are taking steps to expose what is being done and make the truth clear. We invite the co-operation of our public men in maintaining the dignity of our city to the great end of national independence. As already the efforts of the Castle retainers have been unscrupulous in their purpose, we think it well to forestall any attempt to spring a proposal on our public men to address the King of England in any form at the coming Coronation.
We must make the issue clear. It is not a private gentleman who is coming to ask our hospitality. It is the official head of the English Government—that is ruining our country—that is coming for national recognition of that English Government. Let it be understood. At such a time as this our national character for generosity is traded on to sap our integrity. Our opponents are unscrupulous. We must be VIGILANT.
We are told there is a desire for peace and goodwill on the side of the Government. Ireland, too, desires peace, but it must be peace that recognizes her independence. If the Government wish to deny our title, we wish to tell the Government we are not tired of the fight. We shall welcome honourable peace ; we shall have no truck with subservience.
It is an old cry that we shall get no concessions unless we show loyalty to the English Throne. We want no concessions— we want our country. Let those who are ever ready to cringe remember that the Government yields, not when Ireland 'is servile, but when Ireland is strong. When the members of the Government agree to send their official head over here to placate us, they act as if we had the intelligence of children and the weakness of slaves ; they must learn we are men, and resolute.
The real secret of English anxiety for apparently pacifying Ireland is found in English anxiety for an Anglo-American alliance. Irish opposition in America bars the way. It would suit English diplomacy to satisfy Irish America that Ireland is content. But Ireland will NEVER be content while England holds her hostile grip on us—that is the issue. To aid her in representing it in any other light would be treachery to Ireland.
This protest does not emanate from any section of Nationalists. Members of the United Irish League, All-for-Ireland League, Shin Feiners, Separatists, Young Ireland Society, and Cummannacht na h-Ereann unite, as in Dublin, to keep our city free from slavishness. We thereforecall on our public men to disassociate themselves from the action of the time-servers and to reject any proposal to address the English King on his Coronation.
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