They were framed in view of a situation which found Ireland contributing ten millions in taxation and costing twelve to administer.

Now, less than half the taxation paid the cost of all Irish services and the balance went towards the war.
It was also evident that Nationalists were prepared to make concessions to the minority quite inconsistent with the current democratic view of what a Constitution should be.

The Bishop of Raphoe, for instance, expressed willingness to have the Irish peers as an Upper House.

Lord Midleton, however, for the Southern Unionists, insisted that those whom he spoke for must have a voice in the House of Commons--however they got it; and there was general desire to give it them, even by methods which no one could justify for general application.
In short, it became increasingly clear as the debates proceeded that we could come to an arrangement with Unionists if Lord Midleton represented Unionism.

But he did not.