All moderate men, and many pronounced Unionists, were becoming uneasy under the perpetual menace of trouble.

Events which now followed rapidly turned the uneasiness into grave anxiety, but did not turn it to the profit of the Government.
The policy which was adopted in Mr.Asquith's proposal of March 9th was the policy which Mr.Churchill had pushed from the first introduction of the Home Rule Bill, even when it was formally disavowed by the Prime Minister.

Contemptuous rejection of it by the Ulstermen when it was proposed was not calculated to strengthen Mr.Churchill's personal position, or to soothe his temper, and on March 14th he made a speech at Bradford which very greatly stirred public feeling.

If Ulster really rejects the offer, said Mr.Churchill, "it can only be because they prefer shooting to voting and the bullet to the ballot." Should civil war break out in Ulster, the issue would not be confined to Ireland: the issue would be whether civil and parliamentary government in these realms was to be beaten down by the menace of armed force.

Bloodshed was lamentable, but there were worse things.