FROM THE ARCHIVES:The debate on the 1912 Home Rule Bill resumed in the House of Commons with discussion on the thorny question of the Irish Parliament's proposed relationship with the British, or Imperial, Parliament.
[Daniel] O’Connell led the great agitation for a simple repeal of the Union, and that was the cry of the Nationalist party in Ireland to the year 1873.
Then the late Mr. Isaac Butt inaugurated a movement under the name of Home Rule in Ireland at an historic gathering in Dublin, and there the Home Rule demand was formulated.
Mr. Butt and those who drafted that proposal gave up the demand for repeal, and asked under the name of Home Rule for a subordinate Parliament – a Parliament which would be subject to the supremacy of the Imperial Parliament and in no sense would revive the independence of Grattan’s Parliament. From that day to this every responsible leader of the Irish Nationalist party had maintained the same attitude.
He would remind the House of what Mr. Parnell’s attitude was. In 1886 he said in that House– “We have [...] recognised that the Legislature which the Prime Minister proposes to institute is a subordinate Parliament. Undoubtedly, I should have preferred the resuscitation of Grattan’s Parliament, but I can see there are practical advantages connected with the proposed statutory body, limited and subordinated as it is to this Imperial Parliament, which will render it more useful and advantageous to the Irish people than was Grattan’s Parliament.
I understand the supremacy of the Imperial Parliament to be this “–and it is an expression of our view of what supremacy will mean, interpolated Mr. Redmond– “that they can interfere in the event of the powers which are conferred by this Bill being abused. [...]” What are the things we are told are to be feared in Ireland? That the Irish Parliament will persecute men, may be, because of their religion.
Mr. [William] Moore [Unionist MP for North Armagh]- So they will.
Mr. Redmond – We are told the Irish Parliament will do that, and that they will destroy the property of those who attempted to interfere with their legislation, and persecute people right and left.
Mr. Moore – They will.
Mr. Redmond – If there were to-morrow a law passed in Canada by a majority to rob the Catholics of Canada, or to proscribe the religion of any section of the Canadian people, would the Imperial Parliament have power to intervene, and would it not intervene? (Opposition cries of “No.”) Mr. Redmond – Certainly it would have the power to intervene, and it would intervene. (Ministerial cheers.) If the same thing occurred in Ireland would it not act in the same way? Of course it would. But it would be madness for this Parliament to keep asserting its supremacy or interfering.