On This Day / November 12, 1920
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19201112
Reference Date
19201112
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 12th November 1920, Lloyd George defended partition in the Commons, insisting Ulster could not be coerced into an all-Ireland parliament. Edward Carson mourned the “abandonment” of southern Protestants. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Lloyd George on Partition | On This Day – 12th November 1920
IN THE debate on the Government of Ireland Bill at Westminster yesterday, the Prime Minister, Mr Lloyd George said that in the present temper, no reasonable measure would satisfy Ireland.
Mr Adamson (Labour) cited Czechoslovakia as an example to be followed. Czechoslovakia was an independent sovereign state. Such a policy would be disastrous to Ireland and to the Empire.
Mr Devlin asked whether the Prime Minister was committed to a Parliament for Ulster.
Mr Lloyd George – We are bound in honour by the statement not to consent to any scheme of self-government for Ireland that would involve the coercion of Ulster into accepting it.
Whether you deal with that by leaving Ulster as it was [under Direct Rule] or by the setting up of a separate parliament, is a matter of expediency. The best way of dealing with it, in my judgement, is the way that is likely to lead to the unity of Ireland and that is by this Bill.
Sir Edward Carson [Unionist] said he and his friends could not be very enthusiastic about a Bill which so vitally affected their status as citizens of the UK.
The abandonment of their fellow Protestants in the South was the most tragic part of the whole of this Home Rule policy.
Therefore, he saw no reason for being enthusiastic about the Bill but they had to face the fact that the 1914 [Home Rule] Act was on the Statute Book and that there might be a change of Government.
… But when the Government told them it was essential in the interests of the Empire he promised to do his best to reconcile Ulster to that policy.
He hoped with all his heart that the Bill would be a success, that it would lead to unity and peace in Ireland and that, in the long run, it would lead to Nationalist members and himself seeing Ireland one and undivided, loyal to Great Britain and the Empire.
Mr Devlin – The six county area is not Ulster and on a ballot [Carson] will only secure four counties. … I am fairly convinced that if a great scheme of Dominion Home Rule were introduced for Ireland, with adequate safeguards for North East Ulster, … such a scheme would undoubtedly satisfy Ireland.
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: As ‘a quintessential southern unionist’ who had failed in his own terms, Carson felt duty-bound to condemn the government’s abandonment of southern Protestants.
However, he drew no support from his Ulster followers who welcomed partition and the safeguard of a Belfast parliament.
With his party obliterated in 1918, Devlin’s views could be ignored by Lloyd George.)
On This Day – 12th November 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
Government of Ireland Act 1920
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201112
Reference Date
19201112
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 12th November 1920, Lloyd George defended partition in the Commons, insisting Ulster could not be coerced into an all-Ireland parliament. Edward Carson mourned the “abandonment” of southern Protestants. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Lloyd George on Partition | On This Day – 12th November 1920
IN THE debate on the Government of Ireland Bill at Westminster yesterday, the Prime Minister, Mr Lloyd George said that in the present temper, no reasonable measure would satisfy Ireland.
Mr Adamson (Labour) cited Czechoslovakia as an example to be followed. Czechoslovakia was an independent sovereign state. Such a policy would be disastrous to Ireland and to the Empire.
Mr Devlin asked whether the Prime Minister was committed to a Parliament for Ulster.
Mr Lloyd George – We are bound in honour by the statement not to consent to any scheme of self-government for Ireland that would involve the coercion of Ulster into accepting it.
Whether you deal with that by leaving Ulster as it was [under Direct Rule] or by the setting up of a separate parliament, is a matter of expediency. The best way of dealing with it, in my judgement, is the way that is likely to lead to the unity of Ireland and that is by this Bill.
Sir Edward Carson [Unionist] said he and his friends could not be very enthusiastic about a Bill which so vitally affected their status as citizens of the UK.
The abandonment of their fellow Protestants in the South was the most tragic part of the whole of this Home Rule policy.
Therefore, he saw no reason for being enthusiastic about the Bill but they had to face the fact that the 1914 [Home Rule] Act was on the Statute Book and that there might be a change of Government.
… But when the Government told them it was essential in the interests of the Empire he promised to do his best to reconcile Ulster to that policy.
He hoped with all his heart that the Bill would be a success, that it would lead to unity and peace in Ireland and that, in the long run, it would lead to Nationalist members and himself seeing Ireland one and undivided, loyal to Great Britain and the Empire.
Mr Devlin – The six county area is not Ulster and on a ballot [Carson] will only secure four counties. … I am fairly convinced that if a great scheme of Dominion Home Rule were introduced for Ireland, with adequate safeguards for North East Ulster, … such a scheme would undoubtedly satisfy Ireland.
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: As ‘a quintessential southern unionist’ who had failed in his own terms, Carson felt duty-bound to condemn the government’s abandonment of southern Protestants.
However, he drew no support from his Ulster followers who welcomed partition and the safeguard of a Belfast parliament.
With his party obliterated in 1918, Devlin’s views could be ignored by Lloyd George.)
On This Day – 12th November 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
Government of Ireland Act 1920
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201112
Reference Date
November 12, 2020
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 12th November 1920, Lloyd George defended partition in the Commons, insisting Ulster could not be coerced into an all-Ireland parliament. Edward Carson mourned the “abandonment” of southern Protestants. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Lloyd George on Partition | On This Day – 12th November 1920
IN THE debate on the Government of Ireland Bill at Westminster yesterday, the Prime Minister, Mr Lloyd George said that in the present temper, no reasonable measure would satisfy Ireland.
Mr Adamson (Labour) cited Czechoslovakia as an example to be followed. Czechoslovakia was an independent sovereign state. Such a policy would be disastrous to Ireland and to the Empire.
Mr Devlin asked whether the Prime Minister was committed to a Parliament for Ulster.
Mr Lloyd George – We are bound in honour by the statement not to consent to any scheme of self-government for Ireland that would involve the coercion of Ulster into accepting it.
Whether you deal with that by leaving Ulster as it was [under Direct Rule] or by the setting up of a separate parliament, is a matter of expediency. The best way of dealing with it, in my judgement, is the way that is likely to lead to the unity of Ireland and that is by this Bill.
Sir Edward Carson [Unionist] said he and his friends could not be very enthusiastic about a Bill which so vitally affected their status as citizens of the UK.
The abandonment of their fellow Protestants in the South was the most tragic part of the whole of this Home Rule policy.
Therefore, he saw no reason for being enthusiastic about the Bill but they had to face the fact that the 1914 [Home Rule] Act was on the Statute Book and that there might be a change of Government.
… But when the Government told them it was essential in the interests of the Empire he promised to do his best to reconcile Ulster to that policy.
He hoped with all his heart that the Bill would be a success, that it would lead to unity and peace in Ireland and that, in the long run, it would lead to Nationalist members and himself seeing Ireland one and undivided, loyal to Great Britain and the Empire.
Mr Devlin – The six county area is not Ulster and on a ballot [Carson] will only secure four counties. … I am fairly convinced that if a great scheme of Dominion Home Rule were introduced for Ireland, with adequate safeguards for North East Ulster, … such a scheme would undoubtedly satisfy Ireland.
(Eamon Phoenix editor’s note: As ‘a quintessential southern unionist’ who had failed in his own terms, Carson felt duty-bound to condemn the government’s abandonment of southern Protestants.
However, he drew no support from his Ulster followers who welcomed partition and the safeguard of a Belfast parliament.
With his party obliterated in 1918, Devlin’s views could be ignored by Lloyd George.)
On This Day – 12th November 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
Government of Ireland Act 1920
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
On This Day is a daily column in the Irish News looking back either 50 or 100 years. The column was compiled by Dr Éamon Phoenix from the mid 1980s until autumn, 2022. The Foundation is very grateful to the Irish News for giving permission to reproduce Eamon’s columns. Funding gratefully received from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Magill Trust.
* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.