Among men fighting for freedom some start up in their plea for liberty, pointing to the prosperity of England, France, and Germany, and when we debate the means by which they won their power, we find our friends draw no distinction between true freedom and licentious living; but it would be better to be crushed under the wheels of great Powers than to prosper by their example.

And so, through every discussion we must make clear the meaning of our terms.

There is one I would treat particularly now.

Of all the terms glibly flung about in every debate not one has been so confused as Moral Force.
II Since the time of O'Connell the cry Moral Force has been used persistently to cover up the weakness of every politician who was afraid or unwilling to fight for the whole rights of his country, and confusion has been the consequence.

I am not going here to raise old debates over O'Connell's memory, who, when all is said, was a great man and a patriot.