The
essential provision of Poynings' Law was that it secured all initiative
in legislation to the English Privy Council, leaving to Ireland nothing
but the simple power of acceptance or rejection. Ireland was thus left
only a veto, though a veto is often a considerable weapon.
[58] An Act in the reign of Mary forbade the Irish Parliament to alter
or add to an Act of Parliament returned to her from England.
[59] 6 of George I. made the Irish Parliament subordinate and
dependent.
[60] See Appendix B.
[61] Among the Viceroys converted of later years to Home Rule by
experience of the present system of Irish Government may be named Lord
Spencer, Lord Dudley, and probably the last Lord Carnarvon. The
resignation of Mr. George Wyndham was due to the suspicion of his
conversion.
[62] Quoted by Mr. Stephen Gwynn, M.P., in his brilliant book "The Case
for Home Rule." (Maunsel & Co., Dublin.)
[63] See the essays on Flood and Grattan. (Longmans, 2 vols., 1903.)
[64] Grattan, 16th April, 1782.
HOME RULE IN HISTORY
GRATTAN'S PARLIAMENT
"To destroy is easy: the edifices of the mind, like the fabrics
of marble, require an age to build, but ask only minutes to
precipitate: and as the fall of both is an effort of no time,
so neither is it a business of any strength.
Pages:
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132