Norwich bulletin., 1921-09-09

The text of Premier Lloyd George's let ter which was despatched to Dublin rom Inverness. Scotland, yesterday. in answer to the latest note from Eamonn De Valera, the Irish leader, follows:
 His Majesty's government have con sidered your letter of August 30 and have to make the following observation. | upon it:
 The principle of government by the consent of the government is the found 1 atlon of the British constitutional de- Velopment, but We cannot accept as a basis of practical conference an inter pretation of that principal which would commit us to any demands you might present. even to the extent of setting up a republic and repudiating the crown.
 You must be aware that a conference On such basis is impossible. So applied. the principle of government by consent of the governed would undermine the fabric of every democratic state and drive the civilized world back into trib- alism.
 'On the other hand, we have melted you to discuss our proUoSals on tneir merits, in order that you may have no doubt as to the scope and sincerity or | our intentions.
 Tt would be open to you in such | conference to raise the subject of guar
 
 l consider Irish freedom prejudiced by | these proposals His Majesty's gov- ernment are loath to believe that you will | insist upon rejection of their proposals without examining them in a confer | ence
 ITO decline to discuss settlement which would bestow upon the Irish peo- pie the fullest freedom for national de- veopment within the empire can only mean you repudiate all allegiance to the crown and all membership in the British l commonwealth
 "If we were to draw this inference from your letter, then further discussions be- tween us could serve no useful purpose 1 and all conferences would be in vain If. however, we are mistaken in this in- | ference, as we still hope, and If your real objection to our proposals is that they offer Ireland less than the liberty we have described, that objection can be explored at conference.
 You will agree that this correspond. ence has lasted long enough. His Ma. jesty's government must therefore asl for definite reply as to whether you are prepared to enter a conference tt ascertain how the association of Ireland
 with the community of nations known al
 the British Empire can best be recon
 cilled with Irish national aspirations.
 ."If. as we hope. your answer is in thi
 affirmative, I suggIst that the confer
 ence should meet at Inverness on tn
 goth instant"
 . Eamonn De Valera, the Irish republican , leader. which was forwarded to Dub
 lin after the meeting of the British cab
 inet at Inverness yesterday, seems a last to insure that Sim Fein plenipoten
 tiaries will meet the special committee O
 cabinet ministers at Inverness on Sep tember 20 for the purpose of clearin
 up any ambi guilty the Sim Fein lead /, CTS may entertain about the six condI 4 tions the British government stipuluate . as reservations in granting Ireland dominion status.
 .. .. The premiers letter, Ike all his com v munications since the Irish negotia ton . began, Is characterized by punctiliou i, consideration for the Sim Fein. While s suggests a date for the proposed cor :, ference, it is in no sense an ultimatur ~ and sets no time for the negotiations. l ; 1 fact 1t tends to prove what has bee
 maintained throughout by those close ', the premier, that he earnestly desires 1. settlement.
 We have invited you to discuss or proposals on their merits" says tf II premier. and he adds that it will be ope . to the Irish leaders to raise the subje .a Of guarantees on any particular point I, The belief is almost universal tonigl
 that Mir. De Valera will accept-thi ,, what the premier offers Is what Mfr. I ,n Valera desires. namely an untrammell' conference, with the single condition tn = Ireland remain in the British Empir ' The guarantees which MT. De Valera
 supposed to have in mind are membe o- ships in the league of nations and Il dominions conference, and these, l. ,,, believed, the government would be wi IT, ing to grant.
 Assuming that the conference will me ~ as suggested. there Is still .he ques ', tion of Ulster. which is n ot touched d the premier's letter. Mir. Llovl Georg, original proposal was for tripartfte ca ,t- ference, including Ulster, but m to [ k present there is no sign that Ulster h V, yielded in the slightest in its determi
 ation to base itself on the home II .+ act and the northern parliament. representative of the government ,r. an interview at Inverness today said tn ,II in the event of the conference faliir a the government would proceed with | of home rule act. which. by inference. m ed be interpreted to mean mat the govel
 ment regards the act in partial abe
 ance.
 Even should the proposed conferer
 at Iverness surmount the initial difficu Ds ties. there would still remain Ulster.
 which Mir. De Valera holds strong vie, ds The nuestion of the desire of Fermana ay and Tyrone to be separated from ad northern parliament also is likely to he raised in the conference, and this wo' on bring a bitter conflict with Ulster. ent will thus be seen that there are yet ma to difficulties ahead.