It is heroic to prepare for war with a tyrant power. Patriots

“It is heroic to prepare for war with a tyrant power. Patriots will always win the admiration of mankind for daring to meet the bloodshed of battle for their country’s liberty. But the patriot who is willing to go to that sacrifice will be the first to condemn the aimless and secret shedding of blood in time of peace.” Thus spoke John Boyle O’Reilly, poet, soldier, and exile, who knew in his own life the sharp edge of chains and the fire of freedom. These words rise not merely as a call to arms, but as a hymn to balance—between courage and wisdom, between righteous battle and reckless violence.

The ancients themselves would have honored such wisdom. For in every age, there have been those who raised the sword for liberty and those who raised it for vanity. The Greeks sang of Leonidas at Thermopylae, who fell with his warriors against overwhelming might, not for conquest but for the defense of Hellas. Yet they also condemned those who brought ruin through bloodshed born of pride and folly. So too does O’Reilly remind us: the true patriot is not drunk on war, but willing to endure it when liberty demands it—and equally willing to condemn it when it is wasted in peace.

Consider the struggle of the American Revolution. Farmers, tradesmen, and scholars took up arms against the mightiest empire of their age, facing bloodshed with the courage of conviction. They won not only independence but also the admiration of peoples across the earth, proving O’Reilly’s words that the daring of patriots inspires mankind. Yet after the war was won, those same leaders—Washington foremost among them—warned against the reckless pursuit of conflict. Washington’s farewell address cautioned against entangling alliances and needless wars. He knew, as O’Reilly declared, that the valor which endures battle for freedom must be the same valor that rejects the aimless shedding of blood once liberty is secured.

History, however, also gives us its warnings. The tragedy of the French Revolution offers such a tale. Patriots, once heroic in their resistance to tyranny, allowed the fever of blood to spill into the streets long after the cause of liberty was won. The guillotine, at first the tool of justice, became the emblem of terror. There, O’Reilly’s words echo like prophecy: those who truly love liberty must condemn secret killings and violence in times of peace, lest they destroy the very freedom they once fought to protect.

The heart of this teaching is that patriotism is not blind thirst for battle, but loyalty to the higher cause of liberty itself. War, when waged against tyranny, may be righteous; but violence without cause, violence in the shadows of peace, is treachery against the nation’s soul. The true hero is not the one who delights in bloodshed, but the one who has the courage to draw the sword when necessary, and the wisdom to sheathe it when the battle is done.

The lesson for all who listen is clear: be prepared to stand against oppression, even at the cost of blood, for freedom is a treasure worth sacrifice. But when peace is at hand, guard it fiercely. Do not let suspicion, vengeance, or hidden hatreds sow needless violence. Let your patriotism be measured not by how eagerly you march to war, but by how faithfully you preserve peace once war has ended.

Practical wisdom follows: cultivate courage, that you may not shrink from defending what is just; but also cultivate restraint, that you may not mistake recklessness for valor. Speak against needless violence, whether in your nation, your community, or your own heart. Honor those who fought for freedom not only by remembering their sacrifice, but by ensuring that blood is never spilled without cause.

So let O’Reilly’s words ring like a bell across the ages: the patriot is not a lover of blood, but a guardian of liberty. To prepare for war against tyranny is noble; to preserve peace when freedom is won is divine. Let each generation learn this balance, lest they win liberty with sacrifice, only to lose it through folly. For the true glory of a people is not only that they dared to fight, but that they dared to live in peace.