It. was a good sign, at the outset of an
undertaking of which no one san hide the intense difficulty, that the whole House received Mr. Asquith's statement with generous cordiality. There was no desire to thwart his suggestion that the most favourable atmosphere for a settlement was an absence of public discussion. Mr. Redmond simply declared that if the attempt failed it would not be the fault of himself and his friends. Mr. O'Brien criticized the " suppression of free speech " as the chief cause of the rebellion, but nevertheless submitted himself to Mr. Asquith's appeal. Sir Edward Carson placed the duty of observing Mr. Asquith's wishes on the best ground of all. He himself watched with deep regret the attempt of some newspapers to raise provocative questions about Ireland They wore doing a very ill service to the cause which the Prime Minister pleaded. Whenever he felt tempted, however, to answer the charges daily made against himself in connexion with Irish affairs he said : " Remember, there is a war going on in which your country is involved." That is the only motto for all men of goodwill, and with it we must leave for the present a situation which, though extremely complicated, is hopeful.
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