A King Log in the person of a Member of the Royal Family. The veto to be exercised by King Log with the consent of his Privy Council. The Privy Council to be entirely reorganised, or the present lot to be swamped by men--not ultras, but of moderate character. Things would then work out by some of the Irish Ministers being made Privy Councillors. This he said the Irish would accept. Now, with such a plan, with nominated Members for five years, and with representation of Protestant Synods and such like bodies, would there be much fear? What the Irish are afraid of are the Fenians. This is why they snap at nominated Members, although they may perhaps openly protest. If I can get hold of Morley, I will have a talk with him; he is, I think, of a secretive nature. Suppose that the worst occurs--an immediate dissolution--the rural cow would still do its work, for it might be put that the Tories are really dissolving not for Ireland but to prevent the cow being given. On other urban cows Mr. Gladstone would be very much in your hands, for to get into power, I really believe that he would not only give up Ireland, but Mrs. Gladstone and Herbert. Churchill is going to Ireland. It is an old promise, he says, to go for Christmas to Fitzgibbon, and nothing to do with politics. Did I tell you that when I said that I knew that Carnarvon had been intriguing with Archbishop Walsh, he said that Walsh was a very ambitious man, and would not long remain under Parnell, and that Carnarvon had tried to square the Education question with him? Let us even suppose that we are beaten at the elections. There would a Tory-Whig Government. How long would it last? Hartington seems to be on bad terms all round. Churchill tells me that he (Hartington) declines to meet him or speak to him on the score of his speeches. Evidently he is confederating with Goschen, and probably Forster will become a third in the triumvirate? They do not strike me as precisely the men who will ever act with you, unless you knock under to them. {283} It is by no means certain that we should be beaten at an election. Mr. Gladstone is still a power. Rosebery says that the Scotch are all right. The Irish vote has turned and will turn many elections. Our cards, therefore, if boldly and well played, are by no means such as would warrant the hands being thrown up.--Yours truly, H. LABOUCHERE. _P.S._--Is Churchill reckoning with his party when he talks about an immediate dissolution? How will its Members like being sent back to their Constituents? Many are hard up. _Mr. T. M. Healy to Mr. Labouchere_ DUBLIN, Dec. 23, 1885.