ULSTER CAN FIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1097, 8 April 1911, Page 10

ULSTER CAN FIGHT.

Sir; —In somo matters Mr. Milligan agrees with 1110; in sonic lie does not. In a previous letter I referred, Sir, to a correspondent "who modestly classed himself with those other people who know a little of Irisli history." Mr, Milligan naturally thought I referred to himself. He thought (110 doubt) that ho bore a striking likeness to the person I described as knowihg "a little history." Well, 1 think so, too; that proves that we agree 011 one matter anyway. Turn, now, to those matters 011 wliich wo differ. However did Mr. Milligan know that I had a twinbrother. I would not be guilty of such a tiling, though • my : name is Thomas—a twin. After careful calculation, Mr. has discovered that the Act of Union received Iloyal' Assent on August 2, 1800. Mitcliel thought that the Act of Union received Hoyal Assent in Ireland 011 August .1, 1800.. I suppose Mr. Milligan is correct. One day does not much matter in this, but it is a pity that Mr. Milligan did not know that the Act of Union did not take effect until January 1, 1801. He did not know this fact. I did not expect him to know it; but under-these circumstanccs, I did cxpcct him to be' silent. Mr. Milligan is generous—with other people's monov. He thinks the Loyalists of 1708 deserved £1,500,000, because in a rebellion some of their houses were burnt down. Does lie also think that the United Irishmen (whose houses were burnt down) deserved compensation? Does ho also think that outraged Irish womanhood deserved compensation. I mean, does ho think that debauched Hessian soldiers, who were often to blame, deserved compensation ?' These Hessian troops,, during the rebellion, were seldom restrained. After the rebellion they were not punished for their outragious conduct. Let us forget, at least. Let 11s turn from that aspect so revolting, to another part of Mr. Million's letter of April ■1, 1911. He gravely writes that the English National Debt in 1007 amounted to £16 lis. 7}d. (nearly) per head of population. 1 admit that, fact to lie interesting, but it lias as little to do with Irish Homo Rule as has the advent of flying-machines to do witlr the dry, hot'weather. it lias nothing to do with the present discussion. Mr. Milligan is right in saying that now there are 110 separate accounts of English and Irish debts kept. Separate accounts, however, were kept until IS] 7. That also will be news for' Mr. Milligan: Mr. Milligan reaches, at the end of his letter, the climax of unconscious humour.' Does he really boliove that the Loyalist's-of Ulster,' .who.r:c!\)i .g'et' only 17 out of 103 members in all Ire-. - land, or just- about—one "half of the Ulster representatives, to- preacli loudly armed resistance to Homo Rulo, mean anything serious by their.idle talk? I think the.v am merely dealing in "futures." When emancipation and reforms of that nature were about to bo enacted, the forefathers- -'of -the present; "Ulster—Loyalists-talked about kicking the Crown into the Boyne, to show their devotion to tho King." But. we know they did uso their fcct .iii• this way., They knew that „it ; was quite , unnecessary to doso. Nor . will their children, when Homo Rule ■is shortly granted, do any kicking, of the Crown into the historic river. Nor will they fire even one blank cartridgo in protesting their opposition to Home Rule. They will not need to do these things; but tho Ulster Loyalists will tako their place in an • Irish Parliament, there to assist in the government of their adopted country—"All for Ireland." Moreover, . in.. this . Irish Parliament-,parties knownas J Tory, Liberal, and 'Labour will be formed irrespective of religion or > province. Some of. tho present Ulster members will be Labour, some Liberal, some Tory—all will be Irishmen. These few paragraphs'l have written in all sincerity, meaning 110 offence to anyone, and I hope giving 110 offence to anyone. I feci sure that Mr. Milligan or anybody else, for that matter, would not blindly oppose Homo Rule. There are many men in Ulster who formerly thought as does Mr., Milligan now. They changed—t'ney became Home Rulers. Perhaps when Mr. Millipnn hears Mr. W. A. Redmond, he will follow iko example of soino of thoso Ulster men, who changed, and became. Home Rulers. Thanking you,—l am, etc., NON-FACTIONIST.