AN APPEAL TO ULSTER.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SrEcrieroa."] SIR,—It is with feelings of the utmost dismay that Ulster Unionists have seen the advice tendered to them in the article entitled "An Appeal to Ulster " appearing in the Spectator of December 24th. The publication of this advice in a journal of such eminence known to be a consistent, unfalter- ing, and strenuous upholder of the Union, although done with the best intentions, is unfortunate, because by suggesting a third course it perplexes its readers at a moment when it is of supreme importance that the attention of the whole nation should be concentrated on the single issue of Home-rule or no Home-rule.
To be plain and explicit, I may say at once that Ulster Unionists cannot for a moment listen to the counsels of the Spectator, although they acknowledge the high authority and perfect good faith of their author. They are in honour bound not to desert their fellow-Unionists of the South and West. They have repeatedly pledged themselves to this effect, and could not, and would not, stoop to the base and dishonourable course of saving their own interests at the expense of friends placed in circumstances of graver difficulty
and danger than themselves. Besides, the surrender would be useless. Mr. Asquith's Government will not propose any measure which has not received the sanction of Mr. John Red- mond, and you acknowledge that Mr. Redmond will accept no Bill which does not include Ulster, the future milch-cow of the Nationalist Parliament. To assent to such proposals, much more to put them forward, would be to abandon our position, which is to deny the authority of any Government to deprive us of our rights as British citizens, by virtue of which we claim direct representation in the British House of Commons, and, except in local matters, to be governed by its direct authority.
If we should become consenting parties to the subjugation of our Southern and Western fellow-Unionists to a Nationalist Government, we should be guilty of abetting the violation of rights identical with those which we are engaged in defending for ourselves. Our interests as well as our honour point in the same direction. The Unionists of the South and West, although scattered and generally in a local minority, are collectively not contemptible in numbers, and contain in their ranks many eminent and influential members. Could we with- out the loss of half our strength and all our reputation jettison such men (to name a very few) as Sir E. Carson, Mr. Campbell, Sir Horace Plunkett, Lords Iveagh and Ardilaun, and Mr. Richard Carden, the indefatigable secretary of the Unionist Alliance ? Such a betrayal would be as foolish as it would be infamous, and would expose us to the contempt and indignation of all honest men. If it is the will of God that the Unionists of Ireland, who under much discouragement have been steadfast in their loyalty to Crown and Constitu- tion, are to perish, we will at least meet our fate with dignity and go down with our honour unsullied and our colours flying.
—I am, Sir, &c., ONE OF THE HON. SECRETARIES, ULSTER UNIONIST COUNCIL.
[We have dealt with our correspondent's main contention in the "News of the Week," but must say here how fully we appreciate and sympathise with his chivalrous desire to stand by the minority in the South. The only issue between us is the best way to protect that minority.—En. Spectator.]
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