1914I] The Future of Ireland 



emotion, her leaders being prone to fluctuate between Changing 

 extremes. It is not easy to maintain concert pitch """"^^ 

 unless faced by vociferous opposition. George Russell 

 once humorously admitted to me the tendency of his 

 compatriots to revulsions of feeling: "When an 

 Irishman says *I will never marry,' I see orange 

 blossoms over his head." 



In 1916 a Royal Commission was appointed to The Royal 

 adjust Ireland's relation to the British Empire. The ^"^""^ 

 personnel of this body was excellent, its spirit high- 

 minded, and yet from the first it was bound to fail 

 because it was chosen in London — even its Irish 

 members having no mandate from a home con- 

 stituency. Thus its point of view was necessarily 

 Imperial, and any concession to Ireland would be a 

 British gift. Meanwhile there were elements within 

 the commission whose chief purpose it was to see that 

 the gift contained no substance. 



In my own judgment there is but one way out, and Way to 

 that itself grows more difficult with each adminis- ^"^' 

 trative failure. Great Britain must allow Ireland the 

 freedom Canada and Australia have won for them- 

 selves. County by county the country must choose 

 its own delegates to its own constitutional conven- 

 tion, its authority limited solely by adhesion to the 

 British Federation, with the necessary bonds of per- 

 manent alliance but absolutely free from dictation 

 in matters of local welfare or interest. Ireland would 

 then become England's sister state; and England as 

 well as Ireland will be able to breathe more freely 

 when the old relation of master and slave is done 

 away with forever. 



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