Sir Roger Casement's Letters 457 



Bill" will kill Home Rule. If we had 10,000 rifles in the rest of Ireland 

 we'd kill the British Empire. The young men in the Volunteers are out 

 for one thing only — to revive the Fenian spirit, and please God will do it. 



I had often thought of you and wanted to meet you — years ago when 

 I read of your championing the cause of Egypt — and wondered how any 

 Englishman could be brave enough and unselfish enough to attack the 

 British Holy of Holies — their right to exploit weaker peoples. 



Now that I have met you I am glad — and if I never see you again I 

 shall carry with me always the memory. I wish you were young and able 

 to come and help us in Ireland as you did in the Land War, now thirty 

 years ago. We have so few to lead in the brave direction — and there are 

 none of those old Bishops left. We must get some rifles in for the Volun- 

 teers. If only we could arm Irishmen again the question of Irish freedom 

 would be settled then and there, I believe — for the British Empire can 

 grow fat and rich but it dare not fight. A free Ireland will mean a free 

 India — and a free Egypt in the end. I send you a most treasonable 

 pamphlet called the " Elsewhere Empire." Read it if you are not shocked, 

 for it is not polite literature but a crude appeal to nationality versus 

 Imperialism. It is an instance, a poor one perhaps, of the new Ireland — 

 an Ireland reverting to '48 and '98 — when Irishmen preached not freedom 

 for themselves alone but freedom for all others. 



Forgive a hurried line on the boat going over and believe in the very 

 sincere regard and esteem of an Irishman who puts national life and realiz- 

 ation wherever it may struggle in the forefront of human causes. 



Yours sincerely, 



Roger Casement. 



I cannot find the pamphlet on board, I'll get it at Malahide and send it 

 to you. R.C. 



IV 



Malahide, co. Dublin, Ireland, 

 22 May 19 14. 

 Dear Mr. Blunt, 



I came across the review of your " Land War " from a small Irish paper 

 ( " Sinn Fein " ) to-day in looking thro' Home papers and thought it might 

 interest you. The writer is the Editor — Mr. Arthur Griffiths. 



The Irish Volunteers are swelling daily ! The whole countryside is 

 pouring in — and if we had rifles we could get 100,000 men inside a 

 month — and in six months they'd be one of the best forces in Europe — 

 for the young men take to drill like a duck to water. 



Yours sincerely, 



Roger Casement. 



