Chapter of Autobiography

The author offers a first-person account explaining a recent change of public policy toward the Established Church of Ireland, laying out motives for speaking while still active: to separate personal defence from public controversy and to shield a political cause from accusations of baseness or haste. He explains his decision to publish now, describes broader social shifts that underlie his altered stance, defends his party against attacks based on his name, and examines the rise and limits of political inconsistency. The piece combines political memoir with argument about church–state relations and reflections on public judgment and integrity.