Mr. Gladstone has asked me to meet him on Tuesday. Perhaps he may be explicit, but I am not sanguine. If the Irish are ready to give the Tories a chance, by all means let us wait and see results. I could not support any resolution at present. If it were vague, the Irish would not thank us--if it were definite, I doubt if it would be good policy to vote with it. We are sure to have an opportunity on the Local Government Bill--if we desire to take advantage of it.--Yours very truly, J. CHAMBERLAIN. _Mr. Labouchere to Mr. Chamberlain_ 10 QUEEN ANNE'S GATE, Jan. 9, 1886. MY DEAR CHAMBERLAIN,--I had a letter from Healy yesterday. So far as I understand the matter, things are in this position. Mr. Gladstone is in his tent. He will do nothing until the Address. He then, I think, inclines to an understanding with the Irish, for this is a _sine qua non_ of his coming in. Healy says that the Irish will decide nothing until the Address. They will not aid in turning out the Tories unless there is a specific understanding as to what Mr. Gladstone's Bill is to be. If such arrangement be satisfactory, they will agree to vote them out on Burmah, Egypt, or anything else, so as to render it difficult for the Tories to dissolve. They perceive the difficulties of Mr. Gladstone's position and are just now in a yielding mood, but beyond a certain point they cannot go, as their own people would turn against them.--Yours truly, H. LABOUCHERE. {312} _Mr. Labouchere to Mr. Chamberlain_ 10 QUEEN ANNE'S GATE, Jan. 12, 1886. MY DEAR CHAMBERLAIN,--I have just got a long letter from Herbert Gladstone. So far as I can make out, Mr. Gladstone has in reality abandoned none of his projects. But he is cornered by the fact that the Irish will not aid him to get in without very definite assurances. Healy writes to say that he will be here on Thursday, and that nothing has been decided as to the course of the Irish. He suggests--if some agreement can be come to--saying not one word on Home Rule, but turning the Government out upon a bye issue, Egypt, Burmah, or anything. I have written to ask whether the following plan would be assented to: (1) Turn out Government on bye issue. (2) Have some sort of temporary scheme for governing Ireland. (3) Appoint some sort of dilatory Commission. (4) Bring in Bill next year. I have explained that this would only be possible if Mr. Gladstone could, in some way or other, make it clear to the Irish what the Bill is to be, and also that he would stand or fall on it. This would give time to educate public opinion, and to have good Bills on English subjects, whilst it would render it impossible for the Conservatives to dissolve.