Letter from John Sweetman to Herbert Pim, 21 September 1916

Foo, Bar; Bar, Foo

Letter from John Sweetman to Herbert Pim, 21 September 1916

1 47 Merrion Square
Dublin Sept 21st 1916 Dear Mr Pim Thank you for yours of the 19th
and the early copy of the Irishman.
It seems to me you are the man
we want now in Ireland. You suggest my consulting
my friends. I have no political
friends now, and I feel too old
to go into any works now.
There is one point it may be
well for me to speak plainly.
A letter I received from the
Sinn Fein Co-operative People's
Bank asking me to advance
them £600 - makes me think
it wise. The war taxes makes
it hard for one, perhaps impossible
to make ends meet. For some
years I was able to subscribe
largely to the Sinn Fein movement
at its inception, but that is
2 impossible for one at present.
From the Irishman of this
week I think we agree very
largely. I had great belief
in Eoin McNeil, but little
in Pierse and Casement.
However what I thought
madness, God may make
use of.

I send you addresses of mine
at the Central Branch of the
National Council on Nationality
Liberty, and the County Councils. I also send you extracts from
the Constitution of Sinn Fein
which I thinks might be
applicable to the present time. Yours truly
John Sweetman

Letter from John Sweetman (1884-1936) to Herbert Pim (1883-1950). Pim published a pamphlet series entitled 'Tracts of our times', including writings by Patrick Pearse, and in early 1916 founded the literary and political monthly, 'The Irishman'. He joined the Volunteer muster in Coalisland at Easter 1916, and was arrested after the Rising and deported to Reading gaol. He was released in September 1916. Sweetman was a member of Sinn Féin and patron to Arthur Griffith. In 1915 he spoke out against conscription and was arrested after the 1916 Rising and interned in England until the end of May 1916. The Letter from Sweetman thanks Pim for sending him early copies of the newspaper the Irishman. The letter references a branch of Sinn Fein who wanted him to forward £600 to them. Sweetman also makes the point that he had some confidence in Eoin MacNeill (1867-1945), chief of staff of the Irish Volunteers who had tried to prevent the Easter Rising, but none in Patrick Pearse (1879-1916), one of the leaders of the Rising, or Sir Roger Casement (1864-1916), who was hanged for treason having been arrested on the eve of the Rising.

Open image in new tab

How to cite

Letters 1916, published by the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities, Vienna, 2026 (https://letters1916static.github.io/letters1916-static/item__2158.html)