good and sufficient scheme for dealing with the Irish tenants as
tenants_, I should care little how much you depreciated such a
scheme in comparison with one for converting them into owners. But
the state of things is most critical. This is not a time at which
those who in substance agree, can afford to throw away strength by
the _relative_ depreciation of those parts of a plan of relief, to
which they do not themselves give the first place in importance.
It is most dangerous to discredit _propositions which you mean to
adopt_, in the face of any who (as yet) do not mean to adopt them,
and who may consistently and honourably use all your statements
against them, nay, who would really be bound to do so. No part of
what I have said is an argument against your propositions.... If
your seven propositions were law to-day, you would have made but a
very small progress towards settling the land question of Ireland.
For all this very plain speech, you will, I am sure, forgive me.

A letter from Mr. Gladstone to Fortescue (Dec. 5) shows the competition
between Bright's projects of purchase by state-aid, and the scheme for
dealing with the tenants as tenants:--

I am a good deal staggered at the idea of any interference with
present rents. But I shall not speak on this subject to others. It
will be difficult enough to carry the substance of the plan you
proposed, without any enlargement of it. I hope to see you again
before the question comes on in the cabinet.... Bright is very
full of waste lands, and generally of his own plans, considerably
(at present) to the detriment of yours. He wants the government to
buy waste lands, and says it is not against political economy, but
yours is. I think he will come right. It appears to me we might in
the case of waste lands lend money (on proper conditions) to _any
buyers_; in the case of other lands we are only to lend to
occupiers. What do you think of this?

(M88) At this date he was still in doubt whether anybody would agree to
interference with existing rents, but he had for himself hit upon the
principle that became the foundation of his law. He put to Fortescue (Dec.
9) as a material point:--

Whether it is expedient to adopt, wherever it can be made
available, _the custom of the country as the basis for
compensation on eviction and the like_. I cannot mak