p for Ireland.

III

On this ground the Gael and Gall stand on footing of equality. That is
the point many on both sides miss and we need to emphasise it. Some
Irishmen not of Gaelic stock speak of Irish as foreign to them, and
would maintain English in the principal place now and in the future. We
do well then to make clear to such a one that he is asked to adopt the
language for Ireland's sake as a nation and for his own sake as a
citizen. If he wishes to serve her he must stand for the language; if he
prefers English civilisation he should go back to England. There only
can he develop on English lines. An Irishman in Ireland with an English
mind is a queer contradiction, who can serve neither Ireland nor England
in any good sense, and both Ireland and England disown him. So the
Irishman of other than Gaelic ancestors should stand in with us, not
accepting something disagreeable as inevitable, but claiming a right by
birth and citizenship, joining the fine army of the nation for a brave
adventurous future, full of fine possibility and guaranteed by a fine
comradeship--owning a land not of flattery and favouritism, but of
freedom and manhood. This saving ideal has been often obscured by our
sundering class names. This is why we would substitute as common for all
the fine name of Irishman.

IV

But in asking all parties to accept the common name of Irishman, we find
a fear rather suggested than declared--that men may be asked in this
name to put by something they hold as a great principle of Life; that
Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter will all be asked to find agreement
in a fourth alternative, in which they will not submit to one another
but will all equally belie themselves. There is such a hidden fear, and
we should have it out and dispose of it. The best men of all parties
will have no truck with this and they are right. But on what ground,
then, shall we find agreement, the recognition of which Irish
Citizenship implies? On this, that the man of whatever sincere
principles, religious or civic, counts among his great duties his duty
as citizen; and he defends his creed because he believes it to be a safe
guide to the fulfilling of all duties, this including. When, therefore,
we ask him to stand in as Irish Citizen, it is not that he is to abandon
in one iota his sincere principles, but that he is to give us proof of
his sincerity. He tells us his creed requires him to be a good citizen:
we give him a