ountries will be so easily accessible to one another that there would
seem to be no need for the frequent attendance of a powerful personnel
at joint meetings. But a Standing Committee, with a small official
staff, would be necessary.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.[186]

For amendment of the Home Rule Act itself it is not possible to make any
statutory provision. Like all Constitutional Acts, it will only be
alterable by another Imperial statute, which, if it were needed, should
be promoted by Ireland. But one of the most important clauses in the Act
itself will be that defining Ireland's power to amend her own
Constitution without coming to Parliament. I venture to repeat the view
that this power should be as wide as possible, consistently with the
maintenance of the Imperial authority, and subject, of course, to
provisions prescribing--(1) a time-limit for the initial arrangements;
(2) the method of ascertaining Irish opinion; and (3) the majority in
the Legislature, or in the electorate, or in both, necessary to sanction
a constitutional change.[187] If a Home Rule Constitution, passed into
law in the heat of a party fight at Westminster, proves to be perfect, a
miracle will have been performed unparalleled in the history of the
Empire. At this moment a Committee of Ireland's ablest men of all
parties should be at work upon it, with an instructed public opinion
behind them. So only are good Constitutions made, and even the very best
need subsequent amendment.

FOOTNOTES:

[166] For details of prior Home Rule Bills, see the Appendix.

[167] The Victorian and South Australian Constitutions of 1855 state in
clear terms that the Ministry must be members of the Legislature, and
all the Australian Constitutions of the same date, except that of
Tasmania, formally exclude all other officials from the Legislature. The
Transvaal Constitution of 1906 made no reference to either point; nor do
the Federating Acts of 1867, 1900, and 1909 for Canada, Australia, and
South Africa.

[168] A fifth custom, very common, of compelling new Ministers to seek
re-election is incorporated in most of the Australian Constitutions, but
was expressly ruled out in Section 47 of the Transvaal Constitution of
1906.

[169] See Hansard, July 3, 1893, Speech of Mr. John Morley.

[170] The words "subject to this Constitution" or "subject to this Act"
are sometimes added, but have no special significance. The Australian
Commonwealth Constitution A