At the heart of the question we will be met by the religious objection to revolt.  Here all scruples, timidity, wavering, will concentrate; and here is our chief difficulty to face.  The right to war is invariably allowed to independent states.  The right to rebel, even with just cause, is not by any means invariably allowed to subject nations.  It has been and is denied to us in Ireland.  We must answer objectors line by line, leading them, where it serves, step by step to our conclusions; but this is not to make freedom a mere matter of logic—­it is something more.  When it comes to war we shall frequently give, not our promises, but our conclusions.  This much must be allowed, however, that, as far as logic will carry, our position must be perfectly sound; yet, be it borne in mind, our cause reaches above mere reasoning—­mere logic does not enshrine the mysterious touch of fire that is our life.  So, when we argue with opponents we undertake to give them as good as or better than they can give, but we stake our cause on the something that is more.  On this ground I argue not in general on the right of war, but in particular on the right of revolt; not how it may touch other people elsewhere ignoring how it touches us here in Ireland.  A large treatise could be written on the general question, but to avoid seeming academic I will confine myself as far as possible to the side that is our concern.  For obvious reasons I propose to speak as to how it affects Catholics, and let them and others know what some Catholic writers of authority have said on the matter.  One thing has to be carefully made clear.  It is seen in the following quotation from an eminent Catholic authority writing in Ireland in the middle of the last century, Dr. Murray, of Maynooth:  “The Church has issued no definition whatever on the question—­has left it open.  Many theologians have written on it; the great majority, however (so far as I have been able to examine them), pass it over in silence.” (Essays chiefly Theological, vol. 4).  This has to be kept in mind.  Theologians have written, some on one side and some on the other, but the Church has left it open.  I need not labour the point why it is useful to quote Catholic authorities in particular, since in Ireland an army representative of the people would be largely Catholic, and much former difficulty arose from Catholics in Ireland meeting with opposition from some Catholic authorities.  It may be seen the position is delicate as well as difficult, and in writing a preliminary note one point should be emphasised.  We must not evade a difficulty because it is delicate and dangerous, and we must not temporise.  In a physical contest on the field of battle it is allowable to use tactics and strategy, to retreat as well as advance, to have recourse to a ruse as well as open attack; but in matters of principle there can be no tactics, there is one straightforward course to follow, and that course must be found and followed without swerving to the end.