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Carson. He bought ships, purchased ammunition, and
organised and drilled troops for the express and uncon-
cealed purpose of opposing the British Government if it
decided to give a complete measure of Home Rule to Ireland.
“To the disgrace of that Government, he was allowed to
go about his ordinary avocation unmolested. He was
allowed to preach his sedition from one end of the country
to the other without let or hindrance. He was permitted
to inflame the minds of multitudes in Great Britain and
Ireland. Why? Because he was a member of the pri-
vileged classes of Great Britain. We know, too, that the
very officers in the British Army threw their commissions
in the face of the British Government rather than take part
in putting down the rebellion which Sir Edward Carson
was endeavouring to organise. They flaunted their com-
missions in the face of the Government, and the Govern-
ment said nothing, but took it as quietly as if it were a
lamb or a sheep before its shearers.”
Senator Lieut.-Colonel Sir Albert Gould (N.S.W.) joined
with Senator Stewart in saying that it is deplorable that any
British Government should have allowed people to openly
arm themselves for the purpose of fighting it, as a certain
section was permitted to do, just prior to the outbreak of
the war.
In Australia there appears to be no squeamishness
about the enforcement of an Act of Parliament on a
recalcitrant minority.
The fervour of the Dominions’ response to Mr.
Redmond’s appeal might fairly have been expected.
But the great Republic which has heretofore abstained
from direct interference in the question was, if possible,
still more earnest in its demand for a settlement of
the Irish problem on the basis of National Self-
Government. It was, indeed, a rude awakening to
the Unionists, who believed that Americans, apart
from a few extremists of Irish descent, were either
apathetic or hostile to Ireland’s claims.
It is now nearly thirty years ago since Mr. Glad-
stone declared that England's treatment of Ireland
