After the Treaty was narrowly ratified by 64 to 57, de Valera and a large minority of Sinn Féin TDs left Dáil Éireann. He then resigned and Arthur Griffith was elected President of Dáil Éireann in his place, though respectfully still calling him 'The President'. On a speaking tour of the more republican province of Munster, starting on 17 March 1922, de Valera made controversial speeches at Carrick on Suir, Lismore, Dungarvan and Waterford, saying that: "If the Treaty were accepted, [by the electorate] the fight for freedom would still go on, and the Irish people, instead of fighting foreign soldiers, will have to fight the Irish soldiers of an Irish government set up by Irishmen." At Thurles, several days later, he repeated this imagery and added that the IRA: "..would have to wade through the blood of the soldiers of the Irish Government, and perhaps through that of some members of the Irish Government to get their freedom." In a letter to the Irish Independent on 23 March de Valera accepted the accuracy of their report of his comment about "wading" through blood, but deplored that the newspaper had published it.J.J. O'Kelly (Sceilg) A Trinity of Martyrs, Irish Book Bureau, Dublin; pp. 66–68. "Sceilg" was a supporter of de Valera in 1922.
after the treaty was narrowly ratified by 64 to 57 de valera and a large minority of sinn féin tds left dáil éireann he then resigned and arthur griffith was elected president of dáil éireann in his place though respectfully still calling him 'the president' on a speaking tour of the more republican province of munster starting on 17 march 1922 de valera made controversial speeches at carrick on suir lismore dungarvan and waterford saying that "if the treaty were accepted [by the electorate] the fight for freedom would still go on and the irish people instead of fighting foreign soldiers will have to fight the irish soldiers of an irish government set up by irishmen" at thurles several days later he repeated this imagery and added that the ira "would have to wade through the blood of the soldiers of the irish government and perhaps through that of some members of the irish government to get their freedom" in a letter to the irish independent on 23 march de valera accepted the accuracy of their report of his comment about "wading" through blood but deplored that the newspaper had published itjj o'kelly (sceilg) a trinity of martyrs irish book bureau dublin; pp 66–68 "sceilg" was a supporter of de valera in 1922