Joseph Johnston was an Ulster Protestant Liberal, in favour of Home Rule by Britain. He published this book in 1913 to persuade the majority of Ulstermen that the dangers they saw were imaginary, and that avoiding Home Rule was not worth a civil war. He examined the events leading up to the massive arming of the Orangemen. He made the case that Home Rule had many positive features, and that none of the perceived negative features were worth fighting a civil war to avoid. In the Classics of Irish History series, this is its first reprinting since 1914.