it.
On the other hand, I think he will see that the moment for taking
account of it has not come. Clearly the first thing is to see who
are the government. When we see this, we shall also know something
of its colour and intentions. I do not think Randolph can go back.
He would go back at a heavy discount. If he wants to minimise, the
only way I see is that he should isolate his vote on the
estimates, form no _clique_, and proclaim strong support in Irish
matters and general policy. Thus he might pave a roundabout road
of return.... In _many_ things Goschen is more of a liberal than
Hartington, and he would carry with him next to nobody.

7. On the whole, I rejoice to think that, come what may, this
affair will really effect progress in the Irish question.

A happy Christmas to you. It will be happier than that of the
ministers.

Mr. Gladstone gave the Round Table his blessing, his "general idea being
that he had better meddle as little as possible with the conference, and
retain a free hand." Lord Hartington would neither join the conference,
nor deny that he thought it premature. While negotiation was going on, he
said, somebody must stay at home, guard the position, and keep a watch on
the movements of the enemy, and this duty was his. In truth, after
encouraging or pressing Mr. (M130) Goschen to join the government, it was
obviously impossible to do anything that would look like desertion either
of him or of them. On the other side, both English liberals and Irish
nationalists were equally uneasy lest the unity of the party should be
bought by the sacrifice of fundamentals. The conference was denounced from
this quarter as an attempt to find a compromise that would help a few men
sitting on the fence to salve "their consciences at the expense of a
nation's rights." Such remarks are worth quoting, to illustrate the temper
of the rank and file. Mr. Parnell, though alive to the truth that when
people go into a conference it usually means that they are ready to give
up something, was thoroughly awake to the satisfactory significance of the
Birmingham overtures.

Things at the round table for some time went smoothly enough. Mr.
Chamberlain gradually advanced the whole length. He publicly committed
himself to the expediency of establishing some kind of legislative
authority in Dublin in accordance with Mr. Gladstone's principle, with a
preference in his own mi