1
9th Oct 1916 A Chara, John Sweetman & I were very sorry to
miss you, & I hope you are better. Sweetman
probably told you what I told him, that I
that I have obtained the census's permission to proceed
with Sinn Fein. The Irishman, if
you have been reading it, will show you how
the appetite of the publishers has been tickled and
the issue of 14th inst will show you how far it
has been possible to go. I do not know how
many of the General Council are at liberty. But
it must be the greatest comfort possible if a
meeting were called at which my campaign in
The Irishman to revive Sinn Fein might be
formally approved of. To deal with the necessary
business which the campaign will produce,
I hope that there will be a competent secretary and TREASURER at
6 Harcourt Street. I think that a meeting might soon
be held in the Foresters' Hall, & afterwards one in Phoenix
Park. We shall sweep all before us; & the Nation
League will expire in the arms of the Irish Parliament
Party. I shall be anxious to hear from you. Yours sincerely, Herbert M Pim
This is a letter from Herbert Pim (1883-1950), the publisher of a pamphlet series
entitled 'Tracts of our times', which included Patrick Pearse among its contributors.
The letter is simply addressed to 'a chara' or 'friend' in Irish. Here Pim discusses
the campaign of 'The Irishman' to revive Sinn Féin. Also notable is Pim's written
correction at the header of the letter that declares that 'The Irishman' will now
be published monthly as opposed to the original fortnightly.Pim, writer and political
activist, was born 6 June 1883 in Belfast, son of Robert Barclay Pim and Caroline
Pim (née Moore). The Pims were a leading Quaker business and professional dynasty.
Initially conservative in politics, Pim developed liberal sympathies after meeting
upper-class Belfast liberals, then joined the United Irish League (UIL), converted
to Catholicism (1910), and joined the Ancient Order of Hibernians. In early 1916 Pim
founded the literary and political monthly, 'The Irishman'. Pim joined the Volunteer
muster in Coalisland at Easter 1916. He was arrested after the Rising and deported
to Reading Gaol. He was released in September 1916.