For the record: September 1913 From a memorandum to George V from his Prime Minister, Herbert Henry Asquith entitled "The Irish Situation; The Constitutional Position of the Sovereign" "The attainment of Home Rule has for more than 30 years been the political (as distinguished from agrarian) ideal for four-fifths of the Irish people. Whatever happens in other parts of the United Kingdom, at successive general elections, the Irish representation in Parliament never varies. For the last eight years they have had with them a substantial majority of the elected representatives of Great Britain..." (NOTE: Home Rule had just been affirmed in the Commons by a majority of 109, but suffered a Lords' rejection by 326 to 69.) Asquith continued: "If the ship," (Home Rule) "after so many stormy voyages, were to be wrecked in sight of port, it is difficult to overrate the shock, or its consequences. They would extend into every department of political, social, agrarian and domestic life. It is not too much to say that Ireland would become ungovernable - unless by application of forces and methods which would offend the conscience of Great Britain, and arouse the deepest resentment in all the self-governing Dominions of the Crown."
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