The Mankato free press., 1921-09-16
TEXT OF Dali REPLY
Terms For the Inverness
Farley Are Defined
READY FOR CONFERENCE
ireland independence As Sow
Sovereign State Is Re-
Affirmed
ISpecial To The Free Press. ]


London September 15.-Prem-
ier Lloyd George has replied to
latest communication Eamonn De
Valera on the question of an Irish
settlement. it was announced late
today. The reply, il was stated,
would be given out at once.
Belfast, September 15.-Riot-
ing was renewed in the North
Queen street area here this af
ternoon. TWO women were
out and soon the whole district
was swarmng with them. The
area, which is about equally di-
Vded between Loyalists and
Sim Feiners, was affected by
the truce agreed to last week.
London, September 15.-Eamcnn
De Valeras latest letter to Premier
Lloyd George declares willingness
on the part of the Irish negotiators
to enter the proposed conference at
Inverness, but only as representa-
tives of a sovereign state! it was
learned here today.s
Text De vaIera's Reply
Dublin, September 15.-Eamonn
De Valera in his reply to Premier
Lloyd George, accepts the invitation
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 representatives of such have
the Irish negotiators any authority.
The text of Mr.. De Valera's reply
says: In this final note we deem 1t
our duty to reaffirm that our posi-
ton is, and can only be, as we have
defined it through this correspond
ence. The principle of government
by the consent of the govrned must
be the basis of any agreement which
will achieve reconciliation"
Recognize Sovereign State
1--WE hope that these representa-
tiyes (the Sim Fein negotiators)
will find it possible to be at Inyer-
ness on the date you suggest. Sep
sS Our nation nS has fosmally sdeslafsa
its Independence and recognizes it
self as a sovereign state. It Is only
as the repre- sentatives of that state
and as its chosen guardians that we
have authority or powers to act on
behalf of our people.'
I'VE are unhesitatjng in declaring
our willingness to enter conference
to ascertain how the association of
Ireland with the community of ma,
tions known as the British empire
can best be reconciled with Irish ma
tional aspirations.
Our readiness to contemplate such
an association was indicated in our
letter of August 20. We have ac-
tu cISrn ha noi Of
we may submit to it for ratification
the names of the representatives it
is our intention to propose. We
hope that these representatives will
find it possible to be at Inverness on
the date you suggest, Sepe>~nber 20
Reaffirm Their Position
'In this final note we deem it our
duty to reaffirm that our position is
and can only be as We have defined
it throughout this correspondence. Our
naticn mas formally declared it's in
dependence and recognizes Itself as
d sovereign state. 1t is only aa
resentative of that state and as its
chosen guardians that we have au-
thority or power to act on behalf of
our people.
''As regards the principle of gov
ernment by consent of the governed
Ill IhO NCIy hoIulC VI IL .1uuoI
be the basis OF any agreement that
will achieve the purpose we have at
heart-that is the final reconun-,-.
OF our nation with yours.
I'VE have suggested no interpreta-
ton of that principle save in every
day Interpretation the sense for
,XdmpIe, III winch it was uuue.:,
by the plain men and women of the
world when on January 1913. you
tion must be based on such grounds
of reason and justice as will give
some promise of stability. Therefore
it is that we feel that government
with the consent of the governed
mus 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 understood it. In reality
it is your government, when 1t seeks
to rend our ancient nation and to
partition its territory. that would
give to the principle an interpreta-
ton that would undermine the fabric
of every democratic state and drive
the civilized world back into tribal
ism. Il am, Sir, faithfully yours,
Cannon De Valera"