"There is no British Government anymore in Ireland. It is gone. It is no longer the enemy. We have now a native government, constitutionally elected, and it is the duty of every Irish man and woman to obey it. Anyone who fails to obey is an enemy of the people and must expect to be treated as such. We have to learn that attitudes and actions which were justifiable when directed against alien administration, holding its position by force, are wholly unjustifiable against a native government which exists only to carry out the people's will, and can be changed the moment it ceases to do so. We have to learn that freedom imposes responsibilities."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
1922Civil wars involving the states and peoples of EuropeCivil wars of the 20th centuryHistory of the Republic of IrelandMilitary of the Republic of Ireland
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Michael Collins, A Path to Freedom (2010), p. 14
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Irish_Civil_War
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Irish Civil War
30 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Irish Civil War →
Related Quotes
"We had to turn against you, Mick, there was nothing we could do 'Cause we couldn't betray the Republic like Arthur Gr…"
"Fairly restrained by international standards, the Irish Civil War was nonetheless an intense and often cruel war; the…"
"As nations, we've known hardship and division, but we've also found solace and sympathy in one another. And just 4 ye…"
"The Treaty is already vindicating itself. The English Die-hards said to Mr. Lloyd George and his Cabinet: "You have s…"
"After the executions, the families of the dead men were sent a typed pro forma notification. The note for the Cassidy…"
"The country moved towards the end of 1923: impoverished and riven with bitterness. Control was maintained through cen…"
"One of the most contentious policies was the suspended death sentence experiment tried out in Kerry and then apparent…"
"In the space of a few months, thousands of anti-Treaty prisoners and those suspected of being so were interned withou…"
"Following the Truce in July 1921, with few exceptions, the officers and men of the three Kerry brigades rejected the …"
"We beat them in the cities and we whipped them in the streets. And the world hailed Michael Collins, our commander an…"