The Duke of Devonshire, in moving the rejection, spoke of
it as an hereditary task, but made it clear that it was a matter of personal conviction as well. Lord Crewe, he pointed out, had failed in his historical survey to prove that the Imperial Parliament was unable to legislate for the good of Ireland as well as for every portion of the United Kingdom. The argument from nationality failed because the Bill did not recognize it. He scouted the contention that the Bill had been adequately discussed in the Commons, many subjects having virtually escaped all criticism ; and he urged on the Lords who possessed the right of free speech and free discussion to take advantage of the limited power they still possessed. Lord Grey. avowing himself a convinced federalist, condemned the Bill as based on the foundation of Nationalism, which would bar the application of federalism on the Canadian model to the United Kingdom.
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