Page:Home rule through federal devolution.djvu/32

 As a matter of fact, this provision has completely failed of its purpose, but it shows the intention of the constitutionalists of the early days of the Republic. On the other hand, the provision by which none of the President's Ministers can be a member of either House of Congress does act effectually in saving the Presidential policy from the recurring embarrassments inseparable from our system of more immediate responsiveness of Ministers to majorities.

It may be true, as asserted by many political writers, that the party system as now prevailing is an essential and inseparable feature of a democratic constitution. It is, at all events, important, in discussing its application to Ireland, to bear in mind that circumstances differ widely between England and Ireland. In England, where the party system has come down to our time by gradual descent, "broadening slowly down from precedent to precedent," public opinion has learnt to accommodate itself to the exigencies of the process, and the working of the party system is vastly different from what it was in its earliest stages. In recent times the difference between the two great political parties is rather one of tendencies of thought, and of variant methods, than of paramount principle and irreconcilable hostility. There are frequent occasions when the way opens for compromise, in varying degree; and we have seen in recent experience how, on critical occasions, party differences have given way to patriotic unity. Moreover, whether by chance or ex necessitate rei, in England the two great parties divide the State with so near an approach to equality that what is called "the swing of the pendulum" constantly tends to bring them alternately into power, at irregular intervals it is true, but with a certain approach to equality of opportunity which greatly tends to mitigate the acerbity of feeling on occasion of such changes, by the expectation that it will not be very long before the "Ins" will be out, and the "Outs" will be in, in their turn.

How much longer this condition of moderation will