e
tranquil and loyal beyond previous expectation--the greater colonies
satisfied with their existing position; the lesser expecting that as
they grew up to manhood they would be treated as men, and emancipated
from childish restraints. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man were
contented with their sturdy dependent independence, loyal to the
backbone. One member only stood aloof, sulky and dissatisfied, and
though in law integrally united with the dominant community, practically
was dissociated from it by forming within Parliament (the controlling
body of the whole) a separate section, of which the whole aim was to
fetter the action of the entire supreme body in order to bring to an
external severance the practical disunion which existed between that
member and Great Britain. This member--Ireland--as compared with other
parts of the empire, was small and insignificant; measured against Great
Britain, its population was five millions to thirty-one millions, and
its estimated capital was only one twenty-fourth part of the capital of
the United Kingdom. Measured against Australia, its trade with Great
Britain was almost insignificant. Its importance arose from the force of
public opinion in Great Britain, which deemed England pledged to protect
the party in Ireland which desired the Union to be maintained, and from
the power of obstructing English legislation through the medium of the
Irish contingent, willing and ready on every occasion to intervene in
English debates. The first step to be taken obviously was to find out
what the great majority of Irish members wanted. The answer was, that
they would be contented to quit the British Parliament on having a
Parliament established on College Green, with full powers of local
government, and that they would accept on behalf of their country a
certain fixed annual sum to be paid to the Imperial Exchequer, on
condition that such sum should not be increased without the consent of
the Irish representatives. Here there were two great points gained
without any sacrifice of principle. Ireland could not be said to be
taxed without representation when her representatives agreed to a
certain fixed sum to be paid till altered with their consent; while at
the same time all risk of obstruction to English legislation by Irish
means was removed by the proposal that the Irish representatives should
exercise local powers in Dublin instead of imperial powers at
Westminster.

On the basis of