On Friday, 'December 18th, the Lords' debate on the Irish
Settlement was resumed. Lord Sumner spoke strongly against the Settlement. He declared that when once Dominion status had been granted there would be no going back, and he regarded the Treaty as a gamble for the sake of extri- cating Ministers from a difficult situation. It was a danger to the Empire. Lord Salisbury also opposed the Settlement. A large part of the Lord Chancellor's speech was a reply to the attack which had been delivered upon him by Lord Carson. He said that Lord Carson had proscribed him from his friendship. He could justify himself, however, by every step he had taken by the side of Lord Carson in former days when they did not know what advice would be given to the Government by those who were then the Law Officers of the Crown.
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