conviction hostile to the subjection or dependence of the fortunes of this country to the necessities of any other; we intend to voice that conviction.  We bear no ill-will to any section of the Irish political body, whether its flag be green or orange, which holds that tortuous paths are the safest for Irishmen to tread; but knowing we are governed by a nation which religiously adheres to ’the good old rule, the simple plan, that those may take who have the power and those may keep who can,’ we, with all respect for our friends who love the devious ways, are convinced that an occasional exhibition of the naked truth will not shock the modesty of Irishmen and that a return to the straight road will not lead us to political destruction....  In these later days we have been diligently taught that, by the law of God, of Nature and of Nations, we are rightfully entitled to the establishment in Dublin of a legislative assembly, with an expunging angel watching over its actions from the Viceregal Lodge.  We do not deprecate the institution of any such body, but we do assert that the whole duty of an Irishman is not comprised in utilising all the forces of his nature to procure its inception.”  It continued:  “With the present-day movements outside politics we are in more or less sympathy,” and it particularly specified the Financial Reformers and the Gaelic League, adding, however:  “We would regret any insistence on a knowledge of Gaelic as a test of patriotism.”  Finally it said:  “Lest there might be any doubt in any mind, we will say that we accept the Nationalism of ’98, ’48 and ’67 as the true Nationalism, and Grattan’s cry ‘Live Ireland.  Perish the Empire’ as the watchword of patriotism.”  Thus its creed was the absolute independence of Ireland, and though it did not advocate the methods of armed revolution, it opened its columns to those Nationalists who did.  It preached particularly the doctrine of self-reliance and independence.  It attached more importance to moral qualities than to mere political action.  It was free in its criticism of persons or parties who it considered were setting up false standards for the guidance of the people.  It derided the policy of the Irish Party as “half-bluster and half-whine,” and when Mr Redmond spoke rhetorically of “wringing from whatever Government may be in power the full measure of a nation’s rights,” it bluntly told him he was talking “arrant humbug.”  It made the development of Irish industries one of the foremost objects of its advocacy.  It courageously attacked the Catholic clergy for the faults it saw, or thought it saw, in them.  They were told they took no effective steps to arrest emigration—­that they next to the British Government were responsible for the depopulation of the country; that they failed to encourage Irish trade and manufactures and that they “made life dull and unendurable for the people.”  And so on and so forth it continued its criticisms with remarkable candour and consistency.