“No Irish-American can read this today without a deep sense of President Wilson’s betrayal and the violation of his own 14 American principles(‘points’).”—Fr. Sean McManus

Eamon Phoenix.  Irish News Belfast. Friday, July 6, 2018.

 The Irish Conference formed to oppose the application of Conscription to Ireland has forwarded an address to President Wilson through the American Embassy in London. The letter is signed by Laurence O’Neill, Lord Mayor of Dublin (chairman of the conference), Joseph Devlin, John Dillon, T M Healy and by John MacNeill (on behalf of Eamon de Valera).
           
       The letter declares: “Ireland is a nation more ancient than England and is one of the oldest in Christendom. Its geographical boundaries are clearly defined. It cherishes its own traditions, history, language, music, and culture. It throbs with a national consciousness sharpened, not only by religious persecution but by the violation of its territorial, juristic and legislative rights. …The symbols of attempted conquest are roofless castles, ruined abbeys, and confiscated cathedrals. The title of King of Ireland was first conferred on the English monarch by a statute of Parliament dated 1542 when only four of our counties lay under English sway. …”

       ‘While self-determination is refused, we are required by law to bleed “to make the world safe for democracy” – in every country except our own … The British Executive claims to restrain our liberty. To obstruct the recent Home Rule Bill, it allowed its favorites to defy its Parliament without punishment, to import arms from suspect regions with impunity and to threaten to “break every law” to effectuate their designs …

            ‘Well assured are we that you, Mr President, whose exhortations have inspired the small nations of the world … will not be found among those who would condemn Ireland for a determination which is irrevocable to continue steadfastly in the course mapped out for her, no matter what the odds …’  (This joint address to the US President by the leaders of the Irish Party and Sinn Fein sought President Wilson’s support for the Irish demand for self-determination, a concept enshrined in his famous “14 Points.” In the end, Wilson avoided straining his “special relationship” with Britain.)