He, in
substance, repeats the principles contained in the Report adopted a few
days before:--"Here we take our stand," he writes, "peaceable exertions
and none others--no compromise, no equivocation--peaceable exertions and
none others." "Let it, however, be borne in mind that these peaceable
doctrines leave untouched the right of defence against illegal attack or
unconstitutional violence." "It had become," he adds, "more essential
than ever to assent to those peace principles, as the Association was
sought to be involved in proceedings of a most seditious nature, stated
in the _Nation_ newspaper to have been perpetrated in and by the writers
for that publication."
Smith O'Brien was the first to speak. Although he might, he said, be in
error, he conceived that the present discussion had been raised with a
view to call upon the Association to say that there are no
circumstances, in this or any other country, to justify the use of
physical force for the attainment of political amelioration--a doctrine
to which he did not subscribe. He instanced various countries which had
attained their liberty by means of physical force. Then referring to the
period of 1782 in Ireland--"I say," said Mr.
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