The list is comprehensive enough, but it was not comprehensive
enough for Lord Wolmer; for he had an amendment to the effect that the
Irish Legislature should not be allowed to pass even resolutions on
these subjects. But even his own amendment did not satisfy him. He
amended the amendment by further proposing that the Irish Legislature
should not be allowed even to "discuss" any of these questions. The
speech in favour of these proposals started from the point of departure
common to all the Unionists, namely, that the Irish people were
hereditary and irreconcilable enemies, and that the moment they had a
native Legislature, it would immediately proceed to make alliances with
every Power in the world which was hostile to the British Empire. There
was France; of course, the Irish Legislature would pass a resolution of
sympathy with France in case there was a war between France and England.
Then there was the United States; what was there to prevent the Irish
Executive from sending an envoy to the United States? And so on, through
all the possibilities and all the insanity and malignity of which an
Irish Legislature could be held capable.
[Sidenote: Sweet and low.
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