n the Convention had become very great. I am certain there
was not a man there but would have said, "If there is to be an Irish
Parliament, Redmond must be Prime Minister, and his personality will
give that Parliament its best possible chance." The Ulstermen had more
than once expressed their view that if Home Rule were sure to mean
Redmond's rule, their objections to it would be materially lessened.
Now, they saw Redmond thrown over, and by a combination in which the
clerical influence, so much distrusted by them, was paramount.

IV

A new stage in the history of the Convention now opens. In the interval
between the meeting which began by Redmond's withdrawal of his amendment
and that of the following week, Sir Horace Plunkett went to London and
laid the situation before the Prime Minister. Redmond had also written
to Mr. Lloyd George stating that no progress could be made unless
Government would declare its intentions as to legislation. The Chairman
came back with the following letter in his pocket:

10 DOWNING STREET,

WHITEHALL, S.W. 1,

_January_ 21, 1918.

DEAR SIR HORACE PLUNKETT,

In our conversation on Saturday you told me that the situation in
the Convention has now reached a very critical stage. The issues
are so grave that I feel the Convention should not come to a
definite break without the Government having an opportunity of full
consultation with the leaders of the different sections. If, and
when, therefore, a point is reached at which the Convention finds
that it can make no further progress towards an agreed settlement,
I would ask that representatives should be sent to confer with the
Cabinet. The Government are agreed and determined that a solution
must be found. But they are firmly convinced that the best hope of
a settlement lies within the Convention, and they are prepared to
do anything in their power to assist the Convention finally to
reach a basis of agreement which would enable a new Irish
Constitution to come into operation with the consent of all
parties.

Yours sincerely,

D. LLOYD GEORGE.

Before acting on this, Sir Horace Plunkett allowed the debate to
continue during two days. Since no movement towards agreement manifested
itself, but only evidence of widespread and various divergence, he laid
the Prime Minister's invitation before the Convention. There was
considerab