uch.... England has no right to
ask from Irish members any guarantee of finality in its acceptance."]

[Footnote 61: Colonel Seely at Newry, December 9, 1911.]

VI

THE CONTROL OF JUDICIARY AND POLICE

BY THE RIGHT HON. J.H. CAMPBELL, K.C., M.P.

The various forecasts, inspired and uninspired, of the new Home Rule
Bill which have been given to us, have shed little light upon the future
of the Irish Judiciary and Police. The two previous Bills contemplated
the handing over of the control of the whole administration of justice
in Ireland to the Irish Executive after an interval, in the first case
of two years, and in the later Bill, of six years. We may assume that,
whatever period of grace may be allowed to us under the coming measure,
it will propose to vest this control in the Irish Government within six
years. The interposition of any interval at all will probably be
regarded by Ministers as a concession to Unionist fears and as one of
the "safeguards" in which the minority will be urged to place its trust.
It must be realised at once that, so far from this interval making the
transition from British justice to Irish intrigue easier and more safe,
it may have precisely the contrary effect. Once the Irish police are
convinced that they are about to be delivered into the hands of the
secret organisations who have been the most successful and relentless
enemies of public order in Ireland, a paralysis must fall upon the
force. During the closing years of the transition, at all events, the
Royal Irish Constabulary will be given nominal responsibility for the
peace of the country without any opportunity effectually to preserve it.
It would be fairer and better to cast upon puppet nominees of the
Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Irish Republican Brotherhood the
responsibility and odium of controlling the passions that they have
helped to raise. The present judges would of course continue to do
their duty without fear or favour, but it is impossible that the
sentence passed upon them and the system of law and government for which
they stand could leave their authority unimpaired. We have recently seen
in England how easy it may be to stir up popular clamour against judges
who administer the law without regard to the prejudices of any political
party. Directly the Irish Courts sought to translate the paper
safeguards of the Home Rule Bill into practical effect, they would be
faced by the violent hostility of an