Principles of Freedom

Terence MacSwiney's "Principles of Freedom" is a passionate manifesto on the philosophical and moral foundations of the struggle for national independence. The book treats freedom not just as a political goal, but as the "Inevitable" outcome of a people's "dauntless spirit". MacSwiney emphasizes the belief in liberty held by a nation that shows unwavering "constancy" even in the face of "disasters, persecutions, suffering". Referencing historical figures like Emmet, the work argues that the ideal of one's country "tak[ing] her place among the nations of the earth" is not a "hypothesis" but a "certainty". Dedicated "TO THE SOLDIERS OF FREEDOM IN EVERY LAND," the book asserts the universality and moral necessity of the cause of liberty.