Evening star., 1921-09-15
IRISH WILL attend
PAR[EY, INSIST
ON CONSENT BASIS
De Valera Reaffirms IreIand's
independence as Sovereign
State in His Reply.
NOTE TO LLOYD GEORGE
MADE PUBLIC TODAY
Sim Feiners Hone to Find It Pos
sible to Be at Inverness
September 20.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press. l..
DUBLIN, September 15.-Eamonn
De Valera. in his reply to Premier
to the proposed Inverness conference
in the terms of the final paragraph
of Mr.. Lloyd Georges last letter. but
reaffirms Ireland's independence as
a sovereign state. and declares that
only as representative of such have
the Irish negotiators any authority.
I'VE hope" says the note. that
negotiators). will find 1t possible to
be at Inverness on the date you
suggest. September 20.
Our nation has formally declared
it's independence and recognizes itself
as a sovereign state. 1t is only as
the representatives of that state and
as its chosen guardians that we have
authority or powers to act on behalf
Of our people"
Text Of de valera's Reply.
The text OF the reply of Eamonn De
latest communication Is as follows:
I'VE are unhesitating in declaring
our willingness to enter a confer
ence to ascertain how the association
of Ireland with the community of ma
tions known as the British empire
can best be reconciled with Irish
national aspirations
Our readiness to contemplate such
an association was indicated In our
letter of August 10. We have ac-
cordingly summoned the dali. that We
may submit to 1t for ratification the
our intention to propose. We hope
that these representatives will find it
possible to be at Inverness on the
date you suggest. September 20.
Position Ii Rea@rmed.
In this final note we deem 1t our
duty to reafi1rm that our position. Is
and can only be as we have defined it
throughout this correspondence. Our
nation has formally declared lis in
dependence and recognises itself as u
sovereign state. 1t Is only as repre-
seutstivesao aof that state, and AS its
choseR gtardians. that we have au-
taosity Ct powers tea.aat, oa. <ashalf
LAS regards the principle ef sov-
ernment by consent Of the guyerned.
in the very. nature Of things Il must
be the basis Of any agreement that
will achieve the purpose we hare 1t
is, the final reconciliation
of our nation with yours.
. I'VE have suggested no: interpre-
tatton OF tnat principle save ITS ev-
ery-day Interpretation, the sense. for
example. in which 1t was 'understood
by the plain men and women of the
world when, ON January S. 1915, you
said:
Bats for settIenent, ~
1.-The settlement of Europe must
be based on such grounds OF reason
and justice as will give some promise
Of stability. Therefore II Is that we
feel that government with the con-
sent Of the governed must be the
basis of any territorial settlement in
this war
These words are the true answer
to the criticism Of our position which
your last letter puts forward. The
principle was understood then to mean
the right Of nations that had been
annexed. to empires against their will
to free themselves from the graphing
hook. That is the sense in which we
understand 1t. In reality, 1t Is your
government, when 1t seeks to reRd
our ancient nation and to partition
it's territory, that would give to the
principle an Interpretation that would
undermine the fabric of every demo-
cratic state and drive the civilized
world back into tribalism.
II am, sir, faithfully yours,
"EAMON DE VALERA"