Villanova Digital Library - Typescript, Philadelphia draft speech by Joseph McGarrity, 1916.

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Full Title	Typescript, Philadelphia draft speech by Joseph McGarrity, 1916.
Author	McGarrity, Joseph, 1874-1940.
Date Added	6 March 2014
Format	Manuscript
Language	English
Publish Date	1916
Source	McGarrity Papers
Topic	Ireland > History > Easter Rising, 1916. United States > Foreign relations > Ireland.
About	More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers	Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement

OCR o Notation in pencil at top (Have only this copy, make one to keep. J.McG) ‘We, (E2239-citizens of Philadelphia, proclaim our heartfeld sympathy with the men of Ireland in their gallant struggle for freedom and wepledge to them and their successors our utmost support until victory crowns their efforts and National Independerce is won. We glory in the splendid valor displayed by the organized forces of the Irish Republic in the seven day's stubborn battle in the streets of Dublin against an English army, vastly superior in numbers and armament. In one week they did more for Ireland than all her greatest leaders have been able to accomplish for a century, by demonstrating that her sons are determined to win complete freedom, are ready to give their lives to obtain it, and have the courage and military skill that will enable them to win if they can obtain the necessary armament and munitions of war. In the midst of the greatest war in history, when England is fighting for her existence and steadily losing, that is the greatest boon that could be achieved for the Irish race. We denounce as deliberate murder, the execution of Irish prisoners of war, taken in arms, and in the national military uniforms as a violation of the laws of civilized warfare for which England must be held to a strict accountatility and for which punishment must be inflicted on her, when the forture of war places the power in Irish hands. We make no plea for mercy to England; we demand a strict enforement of the laws of war and insist on the infliction of proper punishment for their violation by England. Patrick H.Pearse, Thomas J. Clarke, Thomas O'Hanrahan, and John McBride, asked for no mercy. They went to their doom with the heroic courage of Robert Emeet and the Manchester Martyrs, proud that they were found worthy to die for Ireland and glorying in their martyrdom. But their execution is no less a deliberate murder which the whole Irish race will resent for all time and for whi-h retribution must be exacted. Every new victim of England's cowardly panic adds only another name to Ireland's martyrolcgy and supplies a new watchword for the cause for which these heroic men died, which must be carried on with relentless vigor, until English power in Ireland goes down in final defeat. We appeal to the American people for sympathy and fair play. Ireland's sons in America have been true to this Republic and have fought gallantly in every war for the preservation of its independence, its integrity and its honor, from the Revolution to the present day. The enemy which menaced and plotted to destroy the United States was in all cases England, and we therefore, hope the American people will not permit their government to come to England's aid against Ireland in this supreme crisis of Ireland's History for her rights and freedom. Jos. McGarrity