Ulster would stand altogether outside the operation of the Home
Rule Bill, but would be only " temporarily " excluded in the sense that when a general scheme of Federalism was Introduced she would have the same treatment as any other new administrative area. In this way the future of Ulster would be pledged by the Home Rule Bill, and yet she would never come under a Dublin Parliament. If it be said that Federalism will never be achieved, we do not dispute such a prediction. But the onus of completing the Federal scheme will be upon those who desire it, not upon those who, like ourselves, are stoutly opposed to it. By dropping the Irish Post Office and pasterns (highly anti-Federal proposals) Mr. Asquith would be
committing himself very seriously to the Federal idea. In those circumstances we could agree to what would be called the " temporary " exclusion of Ulster. It would be a ridicu- lously clumsy "way out." But if it would prevent civil war Mr. Asquith would be guilty of a terrible crime if he refused a solution that would be very plainly indicated by the changed facts of the situation.
