1 D1507/A/17/26 PAGE 1 OF 2 100 The Palace,
Armagh. June 26.1916 My Dear Ned Many thanks for
yours. The Bishops of course
at their meeting looked at
the question simply from the
standpoint of it's effect on the
Church all over Ireland As regards the Covenant
I think it has been faithfully
kept when the 3 exempted
Counties asquiesced and
released their comrades.
I myself was a Co Cavan
Covenanter where I signed
it in company with my 2 own Tenants & others.
And I feel sure that if
I had been present at
your meeting I could not
have opposed as a
Covenanter the decision
come to, in fact I always
felt that Lord Farnham,
Saunderson, Burrowes,
& Johnston had a right
to speak for the County
& they refused to take
the responsibility of
objecting. But as Bishops of the Church
we protest against the
flagrant breach of faith and
honour on the part of the
Government. We protest,
as representing the best part
of the population all over
Ireland, against the Church
of Ireland not having been
consulted by the Government
in such a grave matter
& above all we protest that,
as far as we are concerned,
We are utterly in the dark 3 as to any Imperial Necessity
for such an appalling
change of Government of
Ireland as is contemplated. I cannot but think
that the Unionist Members
of the Cabinet have been
utterly tricked and should
have taken their stand on the
impossibility of considering
any such measure
during the war crisis. This is all that the
Bishop's Resolution means
& is in no sense a criticism
on, or a condemnation of,
the action of the Ulster
Covenanters. As ever affecy John B: Armagh 4 D1507/A/17/26 PAGE 2 OF 2 103 Private
I may add very
definately after a
conversation now
with the Bishop of
Down that we
Northern Bishops do
feel that if Home 5 Rule were bound
to come here now,
that perplexing
trend the very
private mention
so far as Ulster
is concerned.
But we all feel
( i.e. Southern &
Northern Bishops
alike) that the
whole thing is a
breach of faith on the
Governments part
& that we at any
rate know of No
Imperial Necessity
J.B.a