[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR. " ] am pleased to
see the pages of the Spectator open to the expression of the opinions of the Irish Unionists. Will you allow me to add to the excellent letter of " County Kildare" the following remarks P
Should Home-rule become law, we may consider it certain, from the words and acts of the Nationalists, that of the Unionists in three provinces a great number will find life intolerable, and will leave the country. There may be a com- paratively small number who, like myself, may be willing to make the best of it, and loyally to perform the duties of whatever public offices (if any) they may be allowed to occupy ; but from their small number their influence will be nothing, while we shall all look upon the English people as false friends who will have basely deserted and betrayed us. The gratitude on the part of Nationalists expected by those who talk of " Union of Hearts " will be just as much and no more than that of the Revolutionists of '89 in France towards the Monarchy they overthrew, nor will any more be deserved. Will they not remember the scathing denuncia- tions of them by Mr. Gladstone and his followers up to the day when they felt the need of their votes in Parliament P Should a measure of Home-rule be granted, with the con- ditions of the supreme authority of the Imperial Parliament and safeguards for minorities to be enforced by it, the coming generation, which will have been no party to the acceptance of the arrangement, will feel that their country is in a very inferior position to that which it held as partner in the Imperial Government. An agitation for complete independence is certain to arise. It will have a standing-ground far firmer than at present, greater power of enforcing its demands, and better reason for making them. This will probably very soon be discovered and acted on. There will then be no alternative but absolute separation, or a re-conquest of Ireland.—I am,.
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