great anxiety that the present
government should move. Please send this on to Granville.

Finding Mr. Gladstone immovable at Hawarden, four of the members of the
last liberal cabinet of both wings met at Devonshire House on New Year's
day. All, save one, found themselves hopeless, especially after the
Hawarden revelations, as to the possibility of governing Ireland by mere
repression. Lord Hartington at once communicated the desires of the
conclave for information of his views and designs. Mr. Gladstone replied
(January 2, 1886):--

On the 17th December I communicated to you _all_ the opinions I
had formed on the Irish question. But on the 21st you published in
the _Times_ a re-affirmation of opposite opinions.

On the Irish question, I have not a word to add to that letter. I
am indeed doing what little the pressure of correspondence
permits, to prepare myself by study and reflection. My object was
to facilitate study by you and others--I cannot say it was wholly
gained. But I have done nothing, and shall do nothing, to convert
those opinions into intentions, for I have not the material before
me. I do not know whether my "postulate" is satisfied.... I have
taken care by my letter of the 17th that you should know my
opinions _en bloc_. You are quite welcome to show it, if you think
fit, to those whom you met. But Harcourt has, I believe, seen it,
and the others, if I mistake not, know the substance.... There is
no doubt that a very grave situation is upon us, a little sooner
or a little later. All my desire and thought was how to render it
less grave, for next to the demands of a question far higher than
all or any party interests, is my duty to labour for the
consolidation of the party.... Pray show this letter, if you think
fit, to those on whose behalf you write. I propose to be available
in London about 4 P.M., for any who wish to see me.

V

Signals and intimations were not wholly wanting from the Irish camp. It
was known among the subalterns in that rather impenetrable region, partly
by the light of nature, partly by the indiscretions of dubiously
accredited ambassadors, that Mr. Gladstone was not disposed on any terms
to meet the Irish demand by more coercion. For the liberal party as a
whole the Irish had a considerable aversion. The violent scenes that
attended the Coercion bill of 1881, the interchange of h