These things excited a good deal of derision, and the language of the Covenant was held to be only "hypothetical treason." The main words were: "We stand by one another in defending for ourselves and our children our cherished position of equal citizenship in the United Kingdom and in using all means which may be found necessary to defeat the present conspiracy to set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland." The Covenant in that committed the signatories to no breach of the law; it was only a pledge to refuse to recognize the authority of a Parliament not yet in being.

All Ulster's proceedings might so far be dismissed, as the Attorney-General, Mr.Rufus Isaacs, dismissed them, as being "a demonstration admirably stage-managed, and led by one of great histrionic gifts." The threats of the use of force, said the Attorney-General, would not turn them aside by a hair's-breadth.

Mr.
Asquith, equally vigorous in his speech, was less decisive in his conclusions.

Speaking at Ladybank on October 5th, he denounced "the reckless rodomontade of Blenheim, which furnishes forth the complete grammar of anarchy." But he was careful to point out that there was no demand for separate treatment for Ulster, and that Irish Unionists were simply refusing to consent to Home Rule under any conditions.

He refrained from saying how a demand for separate treatment of Ulster would be dealt with if it were made.
When Parliament resumed its sittings, in a temper much heated by all the challenge and controversy of the recess, Mr.Lloyd George pushed this line of argument a shade further.