The Irish standard., 1911-02-04
Former Inveterate Unionist Says
Home Rule Seems Now Very
Near to Us.
Believes That Such Measure May
Be Enacted Into Law by the
End of Autumn.
Best Assurance For Future Rests in
Parliament Representing
All Ireland.


Courtney, q former stanch Unionist,
has appeared in Irish papers. 1t is
interesting as giving the present views
of Lord Courtney on home rule and
Is Chcyne Walk, Chelsea, 8. w.
14th January, 1911.
Dear Mr.. Sexton---lt is long since
we have met and, indeed, l must con-
fess we were never very near one
another. Yet I hope you will receive,
and read, not without interest, this let
ter which | am moved to write to you.
Let ME say how woll l remember the
lead you took in the debates of West
minister years past.
Home rule seems now very near u.s.
II may not be accomplished quite as
Tho parliament bill will, after all, take
some time, and there Is other newt
able work, so that to me it seems
sanguine to dream Of a home rule act
before August, and il IT can be passed
in a special autumn session it will be
we'll The government have not as
yet, as think, formulated as whole
any scheme Of their own. Different
members may have different ideas,
but still inchoate. Some important sup
portcrs, | know not how large Il sec
selves that home rule for Ireland must
be part of scheme Of home rule all
round, at all events that it must be
so framed as to be capable of being
fitted in with this larger plan. You
will scarcely favor this, but you must
contemplate it is something that may
require discussion. Let me add in
the interest of sincerity that am still
in wish and desire Unionist. The
United Kingdom is not too big, in my
Judgment, to be worked by one parlia-
mcnt, il there was a real endeavor to
make the machine effective, and be-
lieve, as | have believed, that it would
have been better for Irish, English,
and Scot to have been thoroughly
mixed up together, respecting, indeed,
the variations history and tradition
have brought down to us, but bent on
working out together something better
that any Of us singly knew. But |
have had not enough Of the spirit OF
unity among us. Among Unionists,
must sadly confess, unity was too often
lost in domination. And now we must
prepare for home rule. All that
have written is in fact a preparation
tor this proposition, that the time has
come to think, and that it is not TOT
late to think. Thoe upon whom the
burden has come have no time to lose,
but they have time to use if they can
keep their minds open till the end.
The central object for our attention
must be the constitution Of the legis
Iative body. Ireland, to be self-govern-
ed, must have a representative as
sembly and ministers responsible to
that assembly. We may take this for
granted | may have a few words TO
say presently on ministerial responsl'
bility, but first of all let us think OF
the Representative assembly. Here,
you will say, is the old story Of proper
t;onal representation. Forgive me IL
plead for patience and ask that for
the moment We should dismiss that
phrase and all other phrases and try
to keep to clear facts. A country is
self-governed with representative
parliament because the country IS IN
the parliament and feels that 1t speaks
and acts through it. The secret OF
English contentment In the days OF
grotesQue organization of parliament
say in the belief that after all ma
ton governed itself through parlla'
ment. Our habitual language ex'
pressed and repeated the belief. Graf
tan's parliament was absurd enough as
a representation of Irishmen, yet even
in respect of it something of the same
kind was felt and the echo remains