The speech itself gave the most detailed, and also, of
course, the most authoritative, forecast of the Home Rule Bill that has yet been made. After some general arguments in favour of Home Rule, Mr. Churchill explained that the Irish Bill (though necessarily inapplicable to the other parts of the United Kingdom) would "fit consistently into the general scheme of Parliamentary devolution," and would "not be out of harmony with the design of the ultimate federation of the Empire." He proceeded to discuss the safeguards which the Bill would secure for the Protestants in Ireland. Both Houses of the new Parliament would be constituted so as to be fairly representative of Protestants as well as Catholics, and the Bill would contain special safeguards as to religious freedom. The Crown, moreover, could refuse assent to unjust Bills, and the Imperial Parliament (which would remain supreme) could repeal them. In addition to this, the Privy Council would be able to make void any law which trans- gressed the provisions of the Home Rule Act. Finally, the military forces would remain under Imperial control.
Previous page
