21–4 August 1902:
… I entirely agree with what T.P. says about your position and influence in the movement, and any serious differences between us I wd. regard as fatal …
I do not believe the movement can be successful if it be allowed to drift into listlessness and apathy in Ireland and … I am therefore in complete agreement with you in thinking there is need at this moment for renewed activity, closer organisation and more determined action.
Where I differ from you is as to the means. I think if your [5 July] Limerick speech … is repeated all over the country and propounded as the policy of the League, that the consequence will be the suppression of the organisation and the imprisonment of its leaders and I frankly say that this would be followed, not by an uprising of the people but by confusion, chaos, renewed apathy …
I am in favour of a vigorous campaign this winter all through Ireland … but I am not in favour of openly preaching universal boycotting …
I have written with perfect candour to you … You will, however, I feel sure understand my view …29
FROM WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Mallow Cottage, 25 August 1902:
… I must content myself with saying that I find it utterly impossible to reconcile the Manifesto of the Directory, and your own and Dillon’s speeches in support of it, with the objection to the only effective means of giving any genuine effect to the Manifesto – in fact the only practical means of any kind that have been suggested for giving trouble to the landlords and the Government …30
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Aughavanagh, 27 August 1902:
… I cannot help feeling you greatly exaggerate the difference between us and you certainly misunderstand my view.
My object is precisely the same as yours … to create trouble both for the Government and the landlords …
Nor do I, in any sense, wish to discountenance boycotting. On the contrary I would like to see every grabber and other similar enemy vigorously boycotted – what I object to is simply the preaching of practically universal boycotting all over the country, on the authority and as the policy of the Directory and the League …
I wish very much you cd. come to Taghmon. It would be so much easier to talk matters over than to write …
I am grateful for the kindness of tone of your letter and I feel sure we will both find there is very little difference between us …31
TO JOHN DILLON MP
Aughavanagh, 1 September 1902:
I enclose … correspondence with O’Brien and T.P. I have not asked permission to send you this, but this was I consider unnecessary.
I need not say I feel very uneasy about this matter, as it is difficult to see where it may lead, but I felt I ought to say to O’Brien in writing what I have said verbally three or four times and indeed his letter to me forced me to do so …32
FROM JOHN DILLON MP
Dublin, 12 September 1902:
… I return O’Brien’s letter which I read with great relief. The proclamation of Dublin and the impending attack on the Irish People had a good effect on him. This is not the first time that the Government has extricated us from serious difficulties by timely action …33
***
As coercion reached its height in mid-1902, letters appeared in the papers from Irish landlords advocating a conference between representatives of landlords and tenants to seek agreement on land purchase. The third letter, from Capt. John Shawe-Taylor, suggested that Redmond, O’Brien and Harrington might act in the latter role. Wyndham voiced his approval of the initiative. Redmond’s and O’Brien’s replies were cautiously positive. The result was a radical change of direction, from confrontation to conciliation. By early December, a poll of landlords had chosen Lord Dunraven and three others to meet tenant representatives in conference.
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Aughavanagh, 19 September 1902:
… I enclose my reply to Shawe-Taylor. I wd. be glad if you showed it to Dillon and if he approves please post it for me …34
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
Aughavanagh, 20 September 1902:
… Willy has been summoned to appear in Dublin on the 24th before a judge [for his speech at the Taghmon meeting] to show reason why he should not give bail to be of good behaviour … He wired me yesterday saying he wd. not appear but I don’t think that wise … I am sure, however, he will do anything we agree on when we meet on Tuesday.35
CIRCULAR LETTER TO ALL IRISH PARTY MEMBERS
UIL Offices, 39 Upr. O’Connell St., Dublin, 2 December 1902:
Private and Confidential
My dear Sir,
Lord Dunraven’s landlord committee have asked me to furnish them, on behalf of the Irish Party, with names of four gentlemen to act as representatives of the tenants in a Conference on the land question about to be held … The holding of a meeting of the Party for the selection of names might be inconvenient and it appears to me really unnecessary … The four names originally suggested were Mr. William O’Brien, Mr. T.C. Harrington, Mr. T.W. Russell (as specially speaking for the northern farmers) and myself.
I would hand these names to Lord Dunraven if I felt assured that the Party was satisfied with them, and I would be much obliged if you would send me a line by return of post saying whether or not you approve of this selection.
[Notes written on this copy by Dillon: (at top) ‘Copy of circular sent out by Redmond – no copy ever reached me’ – J.D. 7 Feb 1903 – ‘And the first I heard of this was Redmond’s speech last Sunday’ (at bottom); ‘Note members are not asked whether or not they approve of meeting Dunraven and Co. at all’.]36
TO WILLIAM O’BRIEN MP
18 Wynnstay Gardens, 7 December 1902:
I saw D[unraven] last evening. He will I think agree to everything
1. To take the chair
2. To have Conference about 20 Dec.
3. To publish no agenda
4. To confine Conference to the few principal points I mentioned viz.
(a) Tenants to get substantial reductions in 2nd term rents
(b) Landlords to get net 2nd term income
(c) Treasury to supply deficit
(d) Conference to recommend settlement of Evicted Tenants question
(e) and to say the West requires separate and exceptional treatment.37
***
The second longest Parliamentary Session on record ended on 19 December.
