Sir Edward Carson had not maintained silence and certainly had not spared the Prime Minister.

But in essence Redmond was relying on the plain truth.

He had pledged support and he gave it to the utmost of his power, even at his peril.

Mr.Birrell in the posthumous "Appreciation" which has been already quoted has this passage: "Although it was not always easy to do business with him, being very justly suspicious of English politicians, he could be trusted more implicitly than almost every other politician I have ever come in contact with.

He was slow to pass his word, but when he had done so, you knew he would keep it to the very letter, and what was almost as important, his silence and discretion could be relied upon with certainty.