Page:Lesbia Newman - Dalton - 1889.djvu/250

 Parliament at Westminster by five delegates, one from each of the provinces and one from Dublin. These delegates to have the right of speaking and voting upon all questions, equally with English members. England, Wales, and Scotland to be represented in the Irish Parliament by seven delegates—one from London, three from the provinces, two from Scotland, and one from Wales. These delegates to have the right of speaking and voting upon all questions, equally with Irish members.

‘Article 4. Ireland to be free to make her own fiscal arrangements, but to grant the province of Ulster a charter to make a special commercial treaty with England. In the event of the terms of such treaty not meeting the views of the Central Irish Government, custom-houses would be established along the inland frontier of Ulster, or the part of it affected by the treaty.

‘Article 5. All persons visiting or residing in Ireland, to enjoy religious liberty not less than that enjoyed by all persons visiting or residing in England.

‘I thought that would do,’ he added, laying down the manuscript.

‘Do!’ exclaimed Lesbia. ‘I should think so, indeed. Why, if only that measure had been brought forward, I believe Queenstown would never have been fought, and the kingdom would be still intact! Excuse me, Lord Humnoddie, but what on earth induced you to keep it back?’

The Marquis looked at his wife.

‘That was rather my doing, Lesbie,’ she said. ‘I persuaded Hum to keep his Home Rule to himself, at all events until the Irish had had a whipping. I thought such concessions were more than they deserved, and it would have looked like giving in to a threat.’

‘But it is we who have got the whipping, and we have had to give in, not to a threat, but to force,’ replied Lesbia