[To THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR."] SIR,—When American statesmen enter
upon the task of per- suading Nationalists and Sinn Feiners " to be reasonable and not to demand the heads of the people of North-East Ulster on a charger," as you very properly suggest in your leading article (May 12th), they will also, I Suppose, remind them that no
• American State has any control of imports or exports or any power to " lay any imposts or duties " on them, nor any control of the mails or post offices; and that the Federal Government hag
no power to grant to a State any subsidy or money ,(or• other) allowance. Hitherto the grant of " statehood " has not been made to a Territory until it has had the financial power to set up State housekeeping on its own resources without external aid. It is reasonable to suppose that, if Virginia, on returning to the Union in 1870 (i.e., after the Civil War), had made the condition that West Virginia must be reincorporated with it because of its taxable coal lands, which were necessary in its housekeeping, the Federal Congress would have relegated the State to the control of the military authorities until so preposterous a suggestion had been abandoned. As Colonel Roosevelt has said that Americans would be pleased if Home Rule could be granted to Ireland as it exists in Maine, Oregon, or Texas, it would seem to be sufficient to say that no Nationalist would accept it on that basis, and the Sinn Feiners would probably not assent to the principle, which was established by the Civil War, of a denial of the right of secession.
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