The Workers' Republic (ed. James Connolly). Issue of Saturday 12 February 1916, Vol. 1 no. 38, 8 pp (single large folded sheet, top margins unopened). Laid into the printed document are about 85...

The Workers' Republic (ed. James Connolly). Issue of Saturday 12 February 1916, Vol. 1 no. 38, 8 pp (single large folded sheet, top margins unopened). Laid into the printed document are about 85 pages of original material (mostly manuscript) of items appearing in the paper, including 27 pages in James Connolly's hand, representing over 90% of the editorial contents (26 of 27 items). Most pages are neatly pierced in centre, probably by the printer's spike. The material entirely or mainly in Connolly's hand includes - List of principal contents headed 'Poster', two half sheets, ending with the line 'We are rebels to the end'. - Notes on the Front: 'What is a Free Nation?', ten half-pages and four full pages, numbered. [printed on p. 1-2]. - 'Barber-Manager Wanted', advertisement [printed p. 2]. - 'Still Fighting', editorial, 5 half-pages, of which one (quoting William O'Brien) is in O'Brien's hand [printed p. 3]. - 'Forward', short notice, one half-page [printed p. 2]. - 'Comment by Editor' [on Joseph Bailie's letter], 3 half-sheets [printed p. 3]. - 'Bombs at Leixlip', short note, half-page [printed p. 7]. - 'Correspondence', short note, half-page [printed p. 7]. The material not (or mainly not) in Connolly's hand includes - Excerpts from American Newspapers. Typescript (carbon copy), title sheet and two part sheets (cut to fit the space available?) [not printed in this issue]. - Excerpts from Newspapers. Typescript (carbon copy), two part sheets [not printed]. - 'Benevolent Despotism'. 3 pp, unsigned. [printed p. 2] - Germans in Poland. Newspaper cuttings, 2 pp, with title in Connolly's hand, also a source note at end. [printed p. 2]. - 'Russian Humorists Beat Even Ours'. Typescript, 1 pp [printed p. 2]. - 'Do We Want Peace Now?', notice of meeting. Typescript (carbon), 1 page [printed p. 2]. - Dublin Trades Council minutes, 14 pp, mostly in William O'Brien's hand, includes original attendance sheet with signatures. - 'The Programme of Labour', letter to the editor from Joseph Bailie, 4 pp [printed p. 3] - 'Anti-Recruiting in Canada'. Typescript, 2 pp, titled in Connolly's hand [printed p. 5]. - Cork Notes. 4 pp [printed p. 6]. - Wexford Notes. 2 pp [printed p. 6]. - Northern Notes. 2 pp (one a press cutting) [printed p. 6]. - Tralee Notes, by Robal. 5 pp [printed p. 6]. - Killarney Notes, 12 pp, signed Loch-Lein [printed p. 6] - .Impending Restriction on the Supply of Paper (notice signed 'The Manager]. 1 pp [printed p. 7]. - 'Economic Conferences. University College, Cork (report), 2 pp typescript [printed p. 7]. - Half-page with a Scottish name and address [from a notice on p. 7 listing addresses where the paper can be obtained in Scotland]. - 'Key of the Atlantic'. 5 pp, signed E. O Maol Ruanadha [printed p. 8]. - 'Constitution of the Triple Industrial Alliance of Miners, Railway Men and Transport Workers of Great Britain, (and our comments thereon)'. Typescript, 1 pp, with a line in Connolly's hand, and with critical comments in Connolly's hand, 2 half-sheets, signed 'Editor Workers' Republic'. Connolly's contributions to this issue, large and small, are all sharply argued and well-phrased, giving coherence and context to what would otherwise be little more than a collection of trade union notes. His main contribution, the front-page article on 'What is a Free Nation?', is a blistering attack on the Home Rule Act, the Irish Party and its policy of supporting enlistment, ending on an ominous and prophetic note. 'A destiny not of our fashioning has chosen this generation as the one called upon for the supreme act of self-sacrifice - to die if need be that our race might live in freedom. Are we worthy of the choice? Only by our response to the call can that question be answered.' These lines were written just ten weeks before the Rising.

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