I shall not discuss the question of Home Rule with the eminent writers whose works I have cited. It is enough that they demonstrate the failure of the Union. So convinced was Mr. Lecky, in 1871, of its failure, that he suggested a readjustment of the relations of the two countries on a federal basis;[58] and Mr. Goldwin Smith, in 1868, contended that the Irish difficulty could only be settled by the establishment of Provincial Councils, and an occasional session of the Imperial Parliament in Dublin. Mr. Dicey clings to the existing Union while demonstrating its failure, because he has persuaded himself that the only alternative is separation. Irishmen may be pardoned for acting on Mr. Dicey's facts, and disregarding his prophecies. The mass of Irishmen believe, with Grattan, that the ocean protests against separation as the sea protests against such a union as was attempted in 1800.[59] FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 26: Omissions here and elsewhere are merely for purposes of space. In some places the omitted parts would strengthen the Irish case; in no place would they weaken it.] [Footnote 27: Lecky, _Leaders of Public Opinion in Ireland_, new edit. (1871), Introduction, pp. viii., xiv.] [Footnote 28: Lecky, _Leaders of Public Opinion in Ireland_, new edit. (1871), Introduction, pp. xiv., xv.] [Footnote 29: Lecky, _History of England in the Eighteenth Century_, vol. ii. pp. 59, 60.] [Footnote 30: _Leaders of Public Opinion_, pp. 33, 34.] [Footnote 31: _Leaders of Public Opinion_, pp. 120-123.] [Footnote 32: _Leaders of Public Opinion_, pp. 125, 126.] [Footnote 33: _Leaders of Public Opinion_, pp. 34-37.] [Footnote 34: _Leaders of Public Opinion_, pp. 134-137.] [Footnote 35: _Leaders of Public Opinion_, pp. 192-195.] [Footnote 36: _Leaders of Public Opinion_, pp. 195, 196.] [Footnote 37: Goldwin Smith, _Three English Statesmen_, p. 274.] [Footnote 38: _Irish History and Irish Character_, pp. 13, 14.] [Footnote 39: Ibid., p. 194.] [Footnote 40: Ibid., p. 142.] [Footnote 41: _Irish History and Irish Character_, p. 101.] [Footnote 42: _Irish History and Irish Character_, pp. 139, 140.] [Footnote 43: Sir George Cornewall Lewis, _Irish Disturbances_, p. 97.] [Footnote 44: _Irish History and Irish Character_, pp. 153-157.] [Footnote 45: Ibid., pp. 70, 71] [Footnote 46: _The Irish Question_, Preface, pp. iii., iv.] [Footnote 47: _The Irish Question_, pp. 3-5.] [Footnote 48: Ibid., p. 6.] [Footnote 49: Ibid., p. 7.] [Footnote 50: _The Irish Question_, pp. 7-9.] [Footnote 51: _Irish Question_, p. 10.] [Footnote 52: _The Irish Question_, pp. 16-18.] [Footnote 53: Dicey, _England's Case against Home Rule_, p. 128.] [Footnote 54: Dicey, _England's Case against Home Rule_, pp. 72-74.] [Footnote 55: Dicey, _England's Case against Home Rule_, pp. 92-94.--The foreigner is De Beaumont.] [Footnote 56: Dicey, _England's Case against Home Rule_, pp. 151, 152.] [Footnote 57: Ibid., p. 288.]