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Show IRELAND A NATION. Toronto, May 22, 1903. ' Editor Irish World: : Would you mind answering me, through the columns of your valuable paper, a question which is ' causing many heated arguments in this city this Belfast of Canada. The question Is: Is Ireland a nation? If not. when did she cease to be one? There have been a few; debates on the questions, but so far as I can ascertain they have hot satisfied every one here by their verdict. Hoping you will find space for this question in your paper, which will be anxiously awaited, I am. yours truly, P. LEHANE. A nation is an aggregation of people of common origin, traditions and lan- ! guage. These characteristics apply to the people of Ireland. When Rome conquered con-quered Greece, that fact did not obliterate oblit-erate the nationality of Greece. Its people peo-ple were still Greeks. The conquest of England by the Normans did not make Normans of the English, nor has English Eng-lish rule made Englishment of Irishmen. Irish-men. The English, while slaves of the Normans, were not permitted to learn French. They were deemed -too low to be permitted to express themselves in the polite language of France. It would have been a good thing for Ireland had England acted in like manher by the Irish. Our people hava done more to Spread the English language over the j ?world than the English themselves, i Language is a note of nationality. Our people are now waking up to. their mistake,- and peem'borihd to have their own ugain-Land. Language and Liberty. -Irish World. " . , |