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The Treaty is already vindicating itself. The English Die-hards said to Mr. Lloyd George and his Cabinet: "You have surrendered". Our own Die-hards said to us: "You have surrendered". There is a simple test. Those who are left in possession of the battlefield have won.

— Michael Collins

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We have to learn that freedom imposes responsibilities.

In my opinion it gives us freedom, not the ultimate freedom that all nations desire and develop to, but the freedom to achieve it.

In my opinion [the treaty] gives us freedom, not the ultimate freedom that all nations desire and develop to, but the freedom to achieve it.

Our army, if it exists for honorable purposes only, will draw to it honorable men. It will call to it the best men of our race- men of skill and culture. It will not be recruited as so many modern nations are, from those who are industrially useless.

We are a small nation. Our military strength in proportion to the mighty armaments of modern nations can never be considerable. Our strength as a nation will depend upon our economic freedom, and upon our moral and intellectual force. In these we can become a shining light in the world.

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Michael Collins (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.