Foreign opinion would seem to be, in the main, friendly
to Home-rule, upon two grounds. The Radical and Romanist papers think it would be either a democratic victory or a victory for Catholicism, while the Conservative journals, and especially the Royalist journals of France, think that it would substan- tially weaken the external power of Great Britain. Only the journals which, like the Italian Diritto, seriously dread any diminution of English influence in the world, are heartily with the Unionists. As no nation ever quite understands another, foreign opinion on domestic affairs is not usually of much value ; but the secession of a province is hardly a domestic affair. American opinion is separate ; but not to men- tion the anxiety of parties in America to catch the Irish vote, the people of the United States are accustomed to Federalism, and, in spite of their civil war, think it the natural arrangement for freemen. If ever a State of the Union falls entirely into Irish hands, which might happen, if Irishmen really wished to be self-governing, our friends across the water will probably reconsider their opinion, and perhaps stretch their Constitution a little.
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