together who believe in complete freedom,
others who believe in partial freedom that may lead to complete freedom,
and others who are satisfied with partial freedom as an end. Before long
the alliance ends in a deadlock. The man of the most far-reaching view
knows that every immediate action taken must be consistent with the
wider view and the farther goal, if that goal is to be attained; and he
finds that his ultimate principle is frequently involved in some action
proposed for the moment. When such a moment comes he must be loyal to
his flag and to a principle that if not generally acknowledged is an
abiding rule with him; but his allies refuse to be bound by a principle
that is an unwritten law for him because the law is not written down for
them. This is the root of the trouble. The friends, thinking to work
together for some common purpose, find the unsettled issue intrudes, and
a debate ensues that leads to angry words, recriminations, bad feeling
and disruption. The alliance based on half measures has not fulfilled
its own purpose, but it has sown suspicion between the honest men whom
it brought together; that is no good result from the practical proposal.
There is an inference: men who are conscious of a clear complete demand
should form their own plans, equally full of care and resolution, and go
ahead on their own account. But we hear a plaintive cry abroad: "Oh,
another split; that's Irishmen all over--can never unite," etc. We will
not turn aside for the plaintive people; but let it be understood there
can be an independent co-operation, where of use, with those honest men
who will not go the whole way. That independent co-operation can serve
the full purpose of the binding alliance that has proved fatal. Above
all, let there be no charge of bad faith against the earnest man who
chooses other ways than ours; it is altogether indefensible because we
disagree with him to call his motives in question. Often he is as
earnest as we are; often has given longer and greater service, and only
qualifies his own attitude in anxiety to meet others. To this we cannot
assent, but to charge him with bad faith is flagrantly unjust and always
calamitous. In getting rid of the deadlock we have too often fallen to
furiously fighting with one another. Let us bear this in mind, and
concern ourselves more with the common enemy; but let not the hands of
the men in the vanguard be tied by alien King, Constitution, or
Parliament. All