were about to assume. But no voice expressed dissent or hesitation. The
Covenant was adopted unanimously and without amendment. Its terms were
as follows:

"ULSTER'S SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT

"Being convinced in our consciences that Home Rule would be
disastrous to the material well-being of Ulster as well as of the
whole of Ireland, subversive of our civil and religious freedom,
destructive of our citizenship, and perilous to the unity of the
Empire, we, whose names are underwritten, men of Ulster, loyal
subjects of His Gracious Majesty King George V, humbly relying on
the God whom our fathers in days of stress and trial confidently
trusted, do hereby pledge ourselves in solemn Covenant throughout
this our time of threatened calamity to stand by one another in
defending for ourselves and our children our cherished position of
equal citizenship in the United Kingdom, and in using all means
which may be found necessary to defeat the present conspiracy to
set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland. And in the event of such
a Parliament being forced upon us we further solemnly and mutually
pledge ourselves to refuse to recognise its authority. In sure
confidence that God will defend the right we hereto subscribe our
names. And further, we individually declare that we have not
already signed this Covenant. God save the King."

On Monday, the 23rd of September, the Ulster Unionist Council, the body
representing the whole loyalist community on an elective and thoroughly
democratic basis, held its annual meeting in the Ulster Hall, the chief
business being the ratification of the Covenant prior to its being
presented for general signature throughout the province on Ulster Day.