CHAPTER II THE NEW CONSTITUTION

The four essential characteristics of the New Constitution, p. 21.—­Supremacy of Parliament maintained, p. 22.—­What is meaning of supremacy of Imperial Parliament? p. 23:  What it does not mean, ib.:  What it does mean, p. 24.—­Real effect of reserved supremacy, p. 28.—­Peril arising from ambiguity of supremacy of Parliament, p. 30.—­Retention of Irish members at Westminster, p. 32.—­Change of Gladstonian opinion, p. 33.—­Presence of the Irish members involves ruin to Ireland, pp. 33, 34.—­Mr. John Morley’s opinion, p. 39.—­Weakness of England, p, 41.  Mr. Morley’s opinion, p. 41.—­Manner in which England weakened, p. 43:  1.  Irish vote determines composition of British Cabinet, ib.:  2.  System of Cabinet Government destroyed, p. 45:  3.  Irish members changed into an Irish delegation, p. 46:  4.  British Parliament not freed from Irish questions, p. 47.—­Inducements to accept plan, p. 48.—­Maintenance of Imperial supremacy, p. 49.—­English management of English affairs, ib.—­England does not really obtain management of English affairs, ib.—­Minority tempted to unfairness, p. 51.—­Minority, without intentional unfairness, may be oppressive, p. 52.—­Plan of retaining Irish members for all purposes, p. 53.—­Comparison with power hitherto held by or offered to Great Britain, p. 55.—­Authority of England before 1782, p. 55.—­Authority of England under Grattan’s Constitution, p. 56.—­Authority of England since the Union, p. 57.—­Authority offered to England under Bill of 1886, p. 58.—­Why should England accept in 1893 a worse bargain than was offered her in 1886? p. 59:  Two alleged reasons, p. 60:  First reason, Retention of Irish members concession to Unionists, p. 60:  Futility of plea, ib.:  Second reason, England will not suffer any greater evil than she does at present, p. 63:  Answer.  Fallacy of statement, ib.—­Explanation of Gladstonian policy, p. 65.—­Powers of Irish Government, p. 66:  I. Irish Executive, ib.:  Importance of Executive, p. 68:  Powers of Irish Executive, p. 68:  Position of military forces, p. 74:  II.  The Irish Parliament, p. 73:  Its power to appoint the Irish Government, ib.:  Its legislative power, p. 76.—­Legislation in opposition to English policy, p 78.—­Power to pass resolutions, p. 79.—­The Restrictions, etc, p. 80:  I. Their nature, ib.:  1.  No restriction on power of Executive, p. 83:  2.  No prohibition of Acts of Indemnity, ib.:  3.  No prohibition of ex post facto law, p. 84:  4.  No safeguard against violation of contract, p. 85:  II.  Enforcement of Restrictions, p. 88.—­The Veto, p. 88.—­The Privy Council, p. 90.—­Power to nullify Irish Acts, ib.—­Power as final Court of Appeal to treat Irish Acts as void, p. 91.—­How arrangement will work, p. 94.—­Presumptions on which working of Constitutions depends false, p. 97:  1.  Presumption that restrictions do not irritate, p. 98:  Its falsehood, ib.—­Financial arrangements certain to cause discontent, p. 100.—­The Customs, ib.—­Charges in favour of England on Ireland, p. 102.—­Irish objection to financial proposals, p. 103.—­Presumption that Ireland cannot nullify Restrictions.  Its falsehood, p. 104.—­Summary of criticism, p. 110.