1 Private
Copy BLESSINGBOURNE,
FIVEMILETON. 19th Sept. 1916. My dear Monteagle, As it appears impossible to replace the present Government by
a better one, it is necessary, as a War measure, for us to acquiesce
in their policy of keeping this country as quiet as they can till
the war is over. For that reason I hold it to be impossible for
an Ulster Unionist to make a public answer to your public letter;
but for your private information I should like to say that I think
I represent the bulk of opinion here when I say that we think Home
Rule for any part of Ireland a bad thing, and will do nothing whatever
to try and make it a success. I think the words of the Resolution
of the Ulster Unionist Council authorising Carson enter upon
negotiations upon the bases of the exclusion of six counties made
this clear. In the course of Edward Carson's very able manoeuvres for position
he, no doubt, used words that made it appear that he thought Ulster
might be won, though she could not be coerced, to submit to Home Rule.
I believe this is mere eye-wash, and cannot conceive that he thinks
anything of the sort. My belief is that if the Home Rule Act is on
the Statute Book it can never be brought into operation; the difficulties
financial and other are too great. If it be in any shape brought into
operation I believe it will break down at once, and that the effect
of the exclusion of Ulster, if, as I hope, it can be maintained, would
be that the six counties being practically English counties would
flourish and prosper as they have under the Union, and that the