The Irish Legislature might create new offences and institute new
tribunals; and the reference in the Bill to "due process of law" would
not necessarily secure trial by jury or by an impartial tribunal.[38]
It is said that legislation of this character would be subject to the
veto of the Crown. But that veto is to be exercised on the advice of the
Irish Ministry subject to any instructions given by the Sovereign; and
so long as an Irish Legislature is entitled to withhold Irish supply, a
veto against the advice of the Irish ministry would surely tend to
become impossible.
Again, it is said that an unjust law passed by the Irish Parliament
might be repealed by the Imperial Parliament. Doubtless the technical
right would exist, as in the case of the Colonies; but no one dreams
that, with "responsible" government existing in Ireland and Irish
representatives at Westminster, it would in practice be used. The
Imperial Government has never been known to interfere with the
legislation of a self-governing colony except where Imperial interests
are concerned, or where a fraud on the colony can be established;[39]
and the same rule would obtain in the case of Ireland.
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