But the Irish Government and the Irish people are fettered by Restrictions which would not be borne by the Government or the people of a self-governing colony.
These Restrictions are ineffective to bind, but they are certain to gall, and if taken together with onerous financial obligations to Great Britain, which whether just or not must have an air of hardness, and with the habitual presence in Ireland of a British army under the direction of the British Executive, lay an ample foundation for the most irritating of conflicts.
The new constitution, lastly, places in the hands of the Irish people ample means for constitutional or extra-constitutional resistance to Imperial, or in fact to English, power, and almost ensures the success of Ireland in any constitutional conflict.

The presence of the Irish members at Westminster saves, or proclaims, the nominal sovereignty of the Imperial Parliament; but their presence in truth makes this sovereignty unexercisable, and therefore worthless, and while increasing the apparent power ensures the real weakness of England.
FOOTNOTES: [25] Thus little, if anything, is said in these pages on the constitution of the Irish Legislature, though it is in several points, and especially in the character of the Legislative Council, open to grave criticism.

Little, again, is said of the financial arrangements in their fiscal character.

The topic is of the highest importance, but it must be debated in the main by experts.

My remarks upon these arrangements refer almost exclusively to the way in which they may affect the working of the constitution.