ith regard to the gratitude of Irishmen, that I will still
hope for a better result. But with reference to the latter part of
your letter, I at once write to say that in the double event of
your rejection and your wish, I consider your claim to a peerage
indisputable. It would be hard to name the man who has done for
Ireland all that you have done, or any man that knew the greatest
Irish questions as you know them.

Mr. Parnell, by the way, was not elected for Meath until April 1875.

V

As the adverse verdict became more and more emphatic, Mr. Gladstone stated
to the Queen (Feb. 13) what was the bias of his mind, on the question
whether the expiring government should await its sentence from parliament.
He had no doubt, he said, that this course was the one most agreeable to
usage, and to the rules of parliamentary government; any departure from it
could only be justified upon exceptional grounds. He was not, however,
clear that this case, like that of 1868, was to be treated as exceptional,
partly by reason of prevalent opinion, partly because it should be
considered what is fair to an incoming administration with reference to
the business, especially the financial business, of the year. Lord
Granville from the first seems to have been against waiting for formal
decapitation by the new House of Commons. To him Mr. Gladstone wrote (Feb.
7):--

I presume you will answer Bismarck's kind telegram. Please to
mention me in your reply or not as you think proper. As to the
impending crisis of our fate, one important element, I admit, will
be the feeling of the party. I have asked Peel (whose first
feeling seems rather to be with you) to learn what he can. I tend
to harden in my own view, principle and precedent seeming to me
alike clear. There are four precedents of our own time--1835, 1841,
1852, 1859, under three ministers. The only case the other way is
that of 1868 of which the circumstances were altogether peculiar.
But I admit it to be very doubtful whether we should get beyond
the address. On the other hand I admit freely that I have no title
to press my view beyond a certain point.

(M156) "It is parliament," he argued, "not the constituencies, that ought
to dismiss the government, and the proper function of the House of Commons
cannot be taken from it without diminishing somewhat in dignity and
authority." There would be reproach