Here lay the main rock in our course.
As the discussion proceeded, one category of proposals was summarily dealt with--those which contemplated the setting up of some provincial authority intermediate between the central Parliament, which all postulated, and the existing local bodies in the counties.

This policy did not lack advocates.

But the County Councillors were solid against it: evidently their private meeting discussed and decided against an expedient which they held would detract from the dignity of the central Parliament and from the dignity of the County Councils.

Those who defended it as a plan which might meet Ulster's difficulty got no backing from Ulster; that group said neither for nor against it.

In the rest of the assembly there was a strong feeling against anything that looked like partition or might in public be called partition.