s force is ample when backed by the Royal Irish Constabulary,
marching and patrolling in the interior. But when the constabulary are
no longer engaged in the direct protection of British interests the
little force of thirteen hundred coastguards must prove quite
insufficient, and I doubt if even thirteen thousand would prove an
adequate force. The Irish people will have no interest in protecting
the British Government. Their interest will be exactly the other way.
Grave difficulties attend the proposition having regard to the Customs
duties between the two countries." Another eminent authority then
present referred to the encouragement which the Act would give to the
enterprising smuggler, and thought that a small fleet of American
steamers, smart built, fast little boats, would instantly spring into
existence to carry on a splendidly paying trade--a trade, too, having
untold fascination for the Yankees, while the average Irishman, as
everybody knows, is a smuggler by nature, disposition, heredity, and
divine right. It was also pointed out that, whereas huge quantities of
spirits now pass to Ireland through the ports of Bristol and London,
under the new dispensation Irish merchants would order direct, which
would inflict loss on England. The details of this loss were fully
explained, but I omit them for the reason that experts will
understand, while lay readers may safely accept a statement uttered in
the presence of the two Jamesons and receiving their assent.

But my friend's conversation reminded me of something more, and I
remembered a little story I heard in Dublin respecting a daily
disseminator of priest-ordered politics. It owed some rent for the
premises it occupies on the thymy banks of the odorous Liffey. It
owed, I say, for owing, not paying, is the strong suit of the party it
represents. It was pressed to pay, coaxed to plank down, soothered to
shell out. A registered letter with premonitory twist of the screw
"fetched" the patriot laggards. They or "It" paid up, but failed to
look pleasant. In his hurry the glad recipient of the cash gave a
receipt up to date instead of up to the time the rent was due. The
immaculate organ of highly-rectified morality wished to hold the
writer of the receipt to his pen-slip, to nobble the rent; and being
reproached backed out with:--

"We thought you wanted to give it as a present." The landlord is a
strong Unionist. The rottenness of repudiation is spreading
everywhere.