I saw Harcourt yesterday. He told me that he had been to see you, and seemed to me sitting on the fence. "What I am thinking of," he said, "is that if the Irish found that they could get nothing, they would resort again to dynamite." I told him that I thought that _his_ life would not be worth a week's purchase. Was there ever such a timorous Sambo? Henry Oppenheim tells me that Hartington dined with him a few days ago, and that so far as he could make out he seemed inclined to stand by Mr. Gladstone.--Yours truly, H. LABOUCHERE. _Mr. Chamberlain to Mr. Labouchere_ HIGHBURY, MOOR GREEN, BIRMINGHAM, Dec. 24, 1885. MY DEAR LABOUCHERE,--I do not think the Irish proposals are possible. If they refuse control of Imperial Parliament, there is really nothing left but separation. A hybrid arrangement with nominations, Privy Councils, etc., would not stand {288} examination and would be a perpetual source of friction and further trouble. I do not believe in their Conservative legislation. They mean it, but the American Fenians would be too strong for them. There is much fascination in your suggestion of Radical policy, especially in the chance of dishing the Whigs whom I hate more than the Tories. But it won't do. English opinion is set strongly against Home Rule and the Radical party might be permanently (_i.e._ for our time) discredited by a concession on this point. We must "lie low" and watch--avoiding positive committal as far as possible. Did I tell you that the G.O.M. thanked me for my last speech? I doubt if he has made up his own mind yet or formulated any definite scheme. He has several times repeated the phrase "supremacy of Parliament." I am informed on good authority--the best in fact--that there is no truth in the statement that he has submitted a statement to the Queen. As Randolph is quite wrong about this, he must be taken as a doubtful authority in other matters also. I suppose that if he is going to Ireland he will not be back in time for dinner on the 4th.--Yours ever, J. CHAMBERLAIN. _Mr. Labouchere to Mr. Chamberlain_ 10 QUEEN ANNE'S GATE, ST. JAMES'S PARK, Christmas Day, 1885. MY DEAR CHAMBERLAIN,--This is Churchill's statement about the Queen. When they came in they were told that there was a Home Rule scheme of Mr. Gladstone's and it was shown to Salisbury. I suspect that it is true, for no sooner was Mr. Gladstone out than Herbert began--on the ground that his father wanted exactly to know the Irish minimum, in order to have time to treat the matter with his friends. I place as the basis of Mr. Gladstone's action an almost insane desire to come into office. Now he knows that so far as _he_ is {289} concerned, this can only be done by squaring the Irish. At 76 a waiting policy may be a patriotic one, but it is one of personal effacement. This is not precisely the line of our revered leader.