He urged everyone to refrain from entertaining the illusion that
any British Government could make an Irish settlement. If settlement -did not come between the Irish factions themselves it would not come at all. The Free State was in great danger of rendering Irish union permanently impossible by estranging Ulster. If it really valued the unity of Ireland it should do everything in its power to agree with Ulster instead of relying upon the Commission. This speech seems to us to contain the quintessence of wisdom about Ireland. Lord Grey's personal authority is so strong and his judgment so free of any suspicion of partisanship that we cannot help hoping that what he has said will have some real influence on the course of events. On Wed- nesday, when the debate was continued, Lord Salisbury moved an amendment, expressing the opinion of the Lords that Article 12 of the Free State Treaty contem- plated nothing more than an adjustment of the Boundary. This was carried. It makes no difference to the Bill, and is not likely to be regarded by the Commons as a cause of conflict with the other House. Lord Carson in effect supported Lord Grey of Fallodon by declaring that Southern Ireland was already a Republic and that there was nothing in a name. The second reading was then carried.
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