In his speech delivered in Edinburgh yesterday week, Pro- fessor
Dicey insisted that Home-rule in Ireland must either be of the Colonial type,—in other words, absolute independence in all matters not involving foreign policy,—or must involve a form of Federalism, this last being the direction in which the Parliamentary Home-rulers have been moving lately. Now, the conditions of successful Federalism are two,—a strong senti- ment of State-right, and a great regard for law and judicial decisions,—else the federal tie would soon collapse. The latter condition does not obtain in Ireland, and the former condi- tion does not obtain in Great Britain. In Ireland, there is no real desire for unity with Great Britain, and no disposition to respect the tribunal which would have to declare what it is unconstitutional for Ireland to do. In Great Britain, there has now been unlimited Parliamentary government so long, that the cramped position of acting as a component part of a federation within the bounds of a paper Constitution, would be intolerable to us. Hence Mr. Dicey concludes that two States less suited by their antecedents for federation than Ireland and Great Britain could hardly be conceived. And it is therefore simply in- credible that any conceivable Home-role measure could possess that degree of finality which is essential for even temporary relief from the present embroilment. This is an argument which we heartily wish that Mr. John Morley and the more• reasonable Home-rulers would gravely consider.
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