Republican News · Thursday 9 January 1996
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)
The Treaty debate
DURING THE WEEKS that followed the signing of the Treaty there was intense debate and huge divisions throughout Ireland on the agreement - in the cabinet, Dáil Éireann and among the general public.
At a meeting of the cabinet on 8 December 1921, two days after the signing of the Treaty, where the document was accepted were Arthur Griffith, Micheal Collins, Robert Barton and William Cosgrave; against were Eamon de Valera, Cathal Brugha and Austin Stack.
At 11.30am on 14 December the 122 Deputies of Dáil Éireann met in the Council Chamber of University College Dublin to begin the debate on the Treaty.
That afternoon, after a bitter debate over the terms of reference of the delegation who signed the Treaty, the Dáil went into private session. While there is no official record of what took place during the three private sessions which lasted until December 18th (a total of 24 hours of discussion) much of this debate centred on Document Number Two, an alternative to the Treaty, which was drafted by de Valera.
On Monday December 19th, three days after the British parliament had approved the Treaty, the public session of the Dáil resumed and the fateful debate on the Treaty got under way.
While the major part of the nine-day Treaty debate concentrated on the oath of allegiance to the English king and on Document Number Two the question of partition was almost totally ignored. The main reason was in part because the new state of `Northern Ireland' was already in existence, and in part it was believed that the proposed Boundary Commission would hand over large areas of the Six Counties to the new Free State and would reduce the territory of the northern state so as to make it politically and economically unviable. Also all sides in the Dáil were unanimous in their opposition to the principle of partition.
Despite the objection of many deputies, the Dáil adjourned for a Christmas break on 22 December without taking a vote. Had they voted then the Treaty might have been rejected. The adjournment proved to be a fateful decision. When deputies returned to their constituencies, pressure was mounted by the middle-class, the press and Catholic hierarchy for acceptance of the Treaty.
While the press carried scare headlines declaring ``Ratification or Ruin'' the clergy and bishops from their pulpits urged the people to back the treaty and vote for `peace' claiming that a resumption of the war with England would inevitably follow its rejection. After the recess there were some deputies who returned to Dublin prepared to `vote fo peace', who previously opposed the Treaty or had been undecided.
The Dáil resumed on 3 January 1922 and the debate centred round an alternative tot eh treaty - Document Number Two. Resembling the Treaty in many respects, it appeared to accept the vital article 12 - the one ratifying partition - and the Boundary clause. Document Number Two had 23 clauses, including the ``external association'' compromise tie to the British Empire.
During the nine-day debate on the treaty, almost all 122 deputies spoke, some at length, others for just a few minutes.
One of the most defiant speeches in opposition to the treaty was delivered by Brugha, Minister for Defence. By accepting the Treaty, he declared, ``We would be doing for the first time a thing that no generation ever through of doing before - willfully, voluntarily admitting ourselves to be British subjects, and taking the oath of allegiance voluntarily to the English king.''
Erskine Childers, who had been secretary of the delegation, also opposed the Treaty and prophetically declared, ``The Treaty is a step backward, and I, for my part, would be inclined to say he would be a bold man who would dare set a boundary on the backward march of a nation which, of its own free will, had deliberately relinquished its independence.''
De Valera criticised the oath of allegiance which ``brings us into the British empire'', while Stack vowed that he would continued to fight for freedom ``...even if this rotten document be accepted''.
In addition all six women deputies Kathleen Clarke, Margaret Pearse, Mrs Michael O'Callaghan, Countess Markievicz, Mary McSwiney and Dr Ada English spoke against the Treaty and pledged to continue the fight if it was accepted.
The pro-Treaty deputies concentrated on the argument that war by the British against the Irish people was the alternative to acceptance of the Treaty.
In a lengthy speech, Collins, who had signed the Treaty, argued for its acceptance because it gave ``...not the ultimate freedom that all nations aspire and develop to, but the freedom to achieve it''.
Griffith, another signatory of the Treaty, emphasised that although the Treaty was not ideal, ``it is the first Treaty that admits the quality of Ireland... we have brought back the evacuation of Ireland after 700 of occupation by British troops.''
At about 8.40pm on the ninth day of debate on the Treaty the vote was taken and the Treaty was narrowly approved by 64 votes to 57 votes. Two days later de Valera resigned as president of the Dáil and left with his supporters. He was succeeded by Griffith.
The debate on the Treaty generated intense bitterness and its acceptance by the Dáil led to a split in the Republican Movement and deep divisions among the Irish people.
The Dáil approved the Treaty, disestablishing the Irish Republic and partitioning Ireland, on 7 January 1922, 75 years ago this week.
Contents Page for this Issue
Reply to: Republican News