Would it not be a good plan to have one grand Bill, coupling together local self-government here, and Home Rule in Ireland? We should in that way get the Irish votes for England, and if the portions of the Bill really do give substantial Home Rule in Ireland, I greatly doubt whether the Irish would venture to vote against the second reading. They might develop their views and swagger in Committee. If this Bill were coupled with another on your lines respecting land, the two questions could be solved, or your purchase claims might form part of the Bill. At the bottom of the difficulty is the G.O.M. He still hankers first after the Whigs, and is not sound on the land question..., and is bent upon that difficult task of making oil and water combine. Yours truly, H. LABOUCHERE. _Mr. Chamberlain to Mr. Labouchere_ HIGHBURY, BIRMINGHAM, Oct. 23, 1885. MY DEAR LABOUCHERE,--My last letter has partly anticipated yours of 21st. I return H. G.'s communication. He has apparently his father's capacity for mystification, for I cannot possibly make out what he is really driving at. Does he imagine that the Tories can be committed beforehand to support a small Liberal majority in some scheme of advanced Local Govt.? He must be an _ingenuus puer_. For my part I believe in leaving the Irishmen to "stew in their own juice." My proposal is the {266} maximum that English Radicals will stand and a great deal more than the Whigs will accept. It had practically been agreed to by Parnell, and yet he threw it over at the last moment. It is impossible to depend on him and it is much better policy now to play the waiting game. If Randolph is right we shall be the better for not being pledged. I am sure, however, that he is wrong, but even then we shall be much stronger in negotiation when we have a majority at our backs. If the G.O.M. were ill-advised enough to propose a separate Parliament, he will find very little support from any section of the party.--Yours very truly, J. CHAMBERLAIN. _Mr. Labouchere to Mr. Chamberlain_ 10 QUEEN ANNE'S GATE, Nov. 12, 1885. MY DEAR CHAMBERLAIN,--This is the last communication from Healy, which he wants sent to the G.O.M. So I send it through the usual channel. After saying that he will do his best for Lefevre, he says: