Considering the contents of the letter, and the form in which
Gordon threw out his suggestions, it is not very surprising that
General Donnelly sent it to _The Times_, in which it was published on
3rd December 1880; but Gordon himself was annoyed at this step being
taken, because he realised that he had written somewhat hastily on a
subject with which he could scarcely be deemed thoroughly acquainted.
The following is its text:--

"You are aware how interested I am in the welfare of this
country, and, having known you for twenty-six years, I am sure I
may say the same of you.

"I have lately been over to the south-west of Ireland in the hope
of discovering how some settlement could be made of the Irish
question, which, like a fretting cancer, eats away our vitals as
a nation.

"I have come to the conclusion that--

"1. A gulf of antipathy exists between the landlords and tenants
of the north-west, west, and south-west of Ireland. It is a gulf
which is not caused alone by the question of rent; there is a
complete lack of sympathy between these two classes. It is
useless to inquire how such a state of things has come to pass. I
call your attention to the pamphlets, letters, and speeches of
the landlord class, as a proof of how little sympathy or kindness
there exists among them for the tenantry, and I am sure that the
tenantry feel in the same way towards the landlords.

"2. No half-measured Acts which left the landlords with any say
to the tenantry of these portions of Ireland will be of any use.
They would be rendered--as past Land Acts in Ireland have
been--quite abortive, for the landlords will insert clauses to do
away with their force. Any half-measures will only place the
Government face to face with the people of Ireland as the
champions of the landlord interest. The Government would be bound
to enforce their decision, and with a result which none can
foresee, but which certainly would be disastrous to the common
weal.

"3. My idea is that, seeing--through this cause or that, it is
immaterial to examine--a deadlock has occurred between the
present landlords and tenants, the Government should purchase up
the rights of the landlords over the whole or the greater part of
Longford, Westmeath, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Leitrim,
Sligo, Mayo, Cav