Ireland must face its share in the responsibility.

But the real responsibility rested with the British Government.
To establish this he entered on a review of the whole series of circumstances, not omitting Ulster's preparations for civil war, and stressing heavily the mischief that was done when Sir Edward Carson was chosen "by strange irony" to be the First Law Officer of the Crown.
Passing from his review, he issued grave warning against the idea of conscription: it would be resisted in every village and its attempted enforcement would be a scandal which would ring through the world.

For Ireland also he had admonition.

He had told them before that Home Rule was an impregnable position.

But "no fortress is impregnable unless the garrison is faithful and united." This, alas! was already a counsel of perfection for a country so deeply divided in opinion as Nationalist Ireland had come to be.