said in the Irish secretary's room. There too he had
urged what he also declared in the House: that he had always insisted that
due representation should be given to the minority; that he should welcome
any device for preventing ill-considered legislation, but that the
provision in the bill, for the veto of the first order, would lead to
prolonged obstruction and delay. Subject to modification on these three
heads, he accepted the bill. "I am convinced," he said in concluding,
"that if our views are fairly met in committee regarding the defects to
which I have briefly alluded,--the bill will be cheerfully accepted by the
Irish people, and by their representatives, as a solution of the
long-standing dispute between the two countries."(204)

It transpired at a later date that just before the introduction of the
bill, when Mr. Parnell had been made acquainted with its main proposals,
he called a meeting of eight of his leading colleagues, told them what
these proposals were, and asked them whether they would take the bill or
leave it.(205) Some began to object to the absence of certain provisions,
such as the immediate control of the constabulary, and the right over
duties of customs. Mr. Parnell rose from the table, and clenched the
discussion by informing them that if they declined the bill, the
government would go. They at once agreed "to accept it _pro tanto_,
reserving for committee the right of enforcing and, if necessary,
reconsidering their position with regard to these important questions."
This is neither more nor less than the form in which Mr. Parnell made his
declaration in parliament. There was complete consistency between the
terms of this declaration, and the terms of acceptance agreed to by his
colleagues, as disclosed in the black days of December four years later.
The charge of bad faith and hypocrisy so freely made against the Irishmen
is wholly unwarranted by a single word in these proceedings. If the whole
transaction had been known to the House of Commons, it could not have
impaired by one jot or tittle the value set by the supporters of the bill
on the assurances of the Irishmen that, in principle and subject to
modification on points named, they accepted the bill as a settlement of
the question, and would use their best endeavours to make it work.(206)

Chapter VII. The Political Atmosphere. Defeat Of The Bill. (1886)

Everything on every side was full of traps and mines.... It was in