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OCR
2447
with it. As I mentioned in the course of
my greatly interrupted speech, a man-
date was given for peace. The Treaty,
at any rate, has brought war, and nothing
justifies such a measure as being on the
lines of wha.t has been advanced by
people who are best competent to deal
with the aspirations of the Irish people.
It has been alleged in the war against the
Tans that there were many men who did
not fight against them, but who have
taken up arms with the Republicans
against the Free St-ate Government; but
if you point it that way, you can also
point to the other side.
AN CEANN COMHAIRLE: The
Deputy -is completely out of order. This
matter was raised twice or three times
before, and the Deputy cannot raise it
on this particular issue. The Deputy
must cease now completely.
Ml‘. GAFFNEY: You will not allow
me to proceed further?
AN CEANN COMHAIRLE: No, I
will not.‘ The Deputy, or any other
Deputy, has not been interrupted because
of any desire to interrupt. the Deputy,
but simply to endeavour to get the busi-
ness of the Dziil done in a proper way,
and not for any other reason.
Mr. D. J. GOREY: Before the Minis-
ter replies I should like to make our posi-
tion clear. XVe have been silent during
this whole discussion. I think it is due
to ourselves and to this Dail to explain
our position. We supported the Govern-
ment when this Army measure was asked
for, in order to regularise matters and in
order to prevent precipitate action -from
individual sources, only to give them some
confidence that justice would be done,
and that they would not take justice or
the law in their own hands and do what
they ought not to do. That was the un-
derstanding under which this Dail passed
that measure, and no other. I have no-
thing to say to this question; it is a ques-
tion for the military authorities and for
the Government, and personally I am
not making any comment whatsoever,
but I do stand up to take up this chal-
lenge. I understand that the life of
every man here has been threatened for
the action or the support he has given to
the Government, and I stood up to accept
this challenge. I accept it- and all it
means. I am not surprised at things in
Ireland to-day. Anybody who has read
DAIL EIREANN
2443
Irish history knows what that history
was. To my mind we have begun when
we got freedom. First we have got free-
dom-freedom which none of us ex-
pected- and we have begun where we
left off seven hundred and fifty years ago.
History repeats itself. VVe- were wrang-
ling with each other then, and we are
wrangling with each other now.
AN CEANN COMHAIRLE: History
is not relevant to the Army Estimates.
Mr. eonisv: I know it is not.
AN CEANN COMHAIRLE:
then, let ushave no more of it.
Mr. GOREY: I am trying to evade-
Mr. 0'CONNELL: The ruling.
Mr. GOREY: I have heard such a lot
of discussion here about principles and
formulas, and a whole lot of things that
I thought were foreign to the Army Esti-
mates, that I thought myself I would be
right in going a little bit further.
AN CEANN COMHAIRLE: These
were introduced more skilfully on matters
dealing with the Army Estimates.
MI‘. GOREY: Perhaps you will allow
me to refer to formulas and principles and
ideals ? ‘
AN CEANN COMHAlRLE: If they
can be made to be relevant to the Army
Estimates, certainly.
Ml‘. GOREYI I am afraid I will have
to go still further. To my mind, people
who talk about principle and ideals and
formulas are not inspired by these things
at all. As I know human nature, they are
inspired by a double dose of seven Deadly
Sins, and that is going a little bit further
than 750 years ago. They are inspired
by pride, covetousness, envy, anger and
sloth. It is persons who count most
in this trouble and not principles or
ideals. It is the individual, the indi-
vidual out for himself. This country
has been always accepting the old grand-
mother's advice. “ Oh, don’t you have
anything to do with it, boy; leave it to
somebody else.” For a thousand years
we have been leaving things to some-
body else,'and we have always been
afraid to do the right thing ourselves. I
congratulate this Government on not
leaving it to somebody else, but on
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xvii
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